Epson Expression Home XP-4100 Review

Epson refreshes its entry-level multifunction printer with the Expression Home XP-4100. It can automatically duplex, but the price per page is horribly expensive, as the test shows.

The multifunction printer Epson Expression Home XP-4100 is the successor to the XP-452. Shortly after its introduction in late summer 2019, the Epson price recommendation dropped from 110 to 99.99 euros and thus just below the important 100 euros limit. The innovations are limited in the current model.

It is worth mentioning that the manufacturer keeps the housing design very compact, but still does not do without a duplex unit with which the sheet automatically turns inside the housing in order to print the back. This is not a matter of course in the price range and it works smoothly in the test.

Design Printer

In view of the compact design, the multifunction printer would actually be well suited for a place on the desk. However, the operating noise is comparatively loud and therefore annoys sensitive users when the device is right next to them. Another point speaks even more strongly against the Epson Expression Home XP-4100.

Because the device for printing, scanning and copying is cheap in purchase price, but in the test it turns out to be very expensive in the follow-up costs. The color side in particular is well above comparable multifunction printers in the class up to 100 euros. But there is also something to praise.

Epson has now expanded the equipment in the entry-level class with a duplex printing unit. At the same time, the preview display is good, although it does not have a touch function. The Epson model is also optionally available in a white housing - then as the Epson Expression Home XP-4105.

Features - display, but without touch

In addition to the duplex unit for printing and copying, the foldable display can also be mentioned as a remarkable feature. Although it does not have a touch function, it is generous for the device class and can be operated well via the OK and arrow sensor fields.

The rear tray is used as the paper feed and holds a maximum of 100 sheets of normal paper or up to 20 photo media.

You must open both the feeder and the output tray for operation. This means that the compactness is clearly lost in height and depth.

Consumption - substantial follow-up costs

Inside the Epson Expression Home XP-4100 there are four individual cartridges for the colors blue, red, yellow and black of the 603 series (starfish). The black ink is pigmented, the colors are dye-based. Even if you buy cartridges with a long range as a multipack with all colors, there are high follow-up costs, as shown by 4.1 cents for the black and white and 17.4 cents for the colored sheet.

You can turn a blind eye to the monochrome side, but the color side is almost 10 cents above the competition and is therefore significantly too expensive.

There is also reason to complain when it comes to energy behavior. Because the Epson Expression Home XP-4100 does not completely disconnect from the mains when switched off. In the test, the measuring device still shows 0.3 watts - an unnecessary consumption.

Speed - leisurely and easily audible

The multifunction printer is intended as a single-user device for the home. Sure, every second doesn't count here. However, you don't want to wait unnecessarily long for prints, scans and copies here either.

With the Epson Expression Home XP-4100, however, patience is required - especially when color is involved. So we wait a comparatively long time for ten pages from Acrobat with 4:03 minutes. Even an A4 photo is not exactly finished quickly at 4:09 minutes. It looks a little better with text printing.

Our ten-page text document is ready in the output tray after a good 1:01 minutes. We also received measurement results in the copy and scan disciplines with which the test candidate did not win any awards.

Noise-sensitive users should be careful. Because the printing noise of the Epson Expression Home XP-4100 is clearly audible. And that with a device that is often to be placed on or right next to the desk.
Quality - good scan sharpness for this device class

Even though the multifunction printer comes with a CIS scanner, the scan sharpness in the test is comparatively good, even in depth. However, the Epson Expression Home XP-4100 loses a lot of details when copying.

In the test, we can see this on the basis of background areas in pastel tones in the original, which are only reproduced as white areas on the copy. It is to be commended that the bleed is only minimal when copying. Epson has also added the "Normal Vivid" mode to the printer driver for the Expression Home XP-4100.

The ink application increases here, but at the same time the colors are also displayed more saturated and brighter. In the test, the multifunction printer produced light colors and well-saturated letters. The latter, however, are provided with mini podium,