Epson WorkForce 645 All-in-One Printer
4.4
5
748
748
Easy Setup
This is my first all in one so at first I was a bit intimidated by the size and controls but their set up process made it very easy. My pc is old and the cd drive is broken so I could not use the included setup disc, so it said to go to their website and download the drivers directly which I did. It then took me step by step through the setup and finished by offering a test page which worked perfectly. Epson has made this setup very easy. It is a quiet printer and the scan function is easy to use also.
December 27, 2011
Epson WorkForce 645 All-in-One Printer
Easy to install. The colors are vibrant. The scanner works seamless. I cannot find any fault. Nothing to improve.
May 21, 2013
Almost Excellent
I came to my WorkForce 645 by way of a Stylus NX300 that went before its time, but I was eager to upgrade. The 645 is sort of a newer version of the model I wish I'd bought at the time I got my NX300. Not just because of the Ethernet/wireless and the fancier (and more informative) color screen (as opposed to the NX300's old-school calculator-style LCD), but because the 6xx models seem to be higher quality in general.
Case in point: my NX300's ADF was notoriously unreliable, frequently misfeeding and requiring constant babysitting when scanning a stack of papers. The 645's works significantly better, which makes it actually worth having.
I do like the Wi-Fi (and network printing in general), not only because I'm a fan of eliminating cables, but also because my main computer doesn't always need to be on and available to act as a print server.
The automatic 2-sided printing and scanning is very convenient. I shopped the 645 against another Epson that was identical but for the lack of that feature, wondering whether I'd really need it, but I made the right choice.
I haven't explored the 645's full feature set. Much of it strikes me as gimmicky and revealing of the degree to which marketing folks have expanded their influence over product planning/design (e.g. all the "PC-free" image manipulation functionality built into the panel). I would not miss those features if they weren't there. However, I suppose they're fairly standard and expected these days, so Epson needs to keep up with the Joneses.
The one reason I've given 4 stars instead of 5 is the infernal paper tray. It's fine as long as you only ever use, say, regular 8.5x11 paper; but if your printing needs dictate that you frequently swap out your letter ream for envelopes or label sheets, expect aggravation. There's an array of finicky plastic guide tabs you must adjust to the size of the media you're loading. To be fair, there are predefined detents in the guides' tracks and the tray is very well-labeled for various paper sizes; but in practice, it involves a lot of fumbling and fidgeting. Haphazardly eyeballing it is not recommended: the fact that you have to completely remove the tray to change media, and then center said media, means you really need those guides in place. This is in contrast to some competitors' models I've seen that always brace media against the side of the tray (not centered) and leave room to change media without removing the tray. You can safely eyeball those, and even if you do adjust the guide, it's far easier. Such a design renders the detents largely superfluous and cumbersome.
The irony is that, as with many aspects of the 645 vs. my old NX300, the bottom-loading flat tray design is ostensibly more "high-end" (and certainly higher capacity) than the latter's upright rear tray; and yet that rear feeder was about a billion times easier to adjust for a quick envelope or label print.
I could have gone with the WorkForce 845 with its dual trays, but that would have cost more and still left me with a quandary: do I use one tray for 8.5x11 and keep the other perpetually stocked with envelopes? What about when I want to print labels? I'd still face the wrath of the guide tabs. Plus, the 845's dual trays make it quite a bit taller, and I wanted to stick to a more compact form factor.
Epson has implemented the obvious solution in newer models (namely the WF-3520, among others): a secondary rear-loading single-sheet tray, which I guess needed time to filter down from pricier business-class units that have included it for ages. I really like everything else about my 645, but this has turned out to be almost a deal-breaker. I don't do a ton of printing, and when I do, I probably print on envelopes and labels almost as often as on regular paper. The dread of changing media really puts a cramp in my productivity.
Moral of the story: this is a great 4-in-1 device. Excellent print quality/speed, array of connectivity options, 2-sided printing/scanning, and more "fluff features" than you could ever want. But if you often switch media, steer clear of Epsons with only bottom-loading flat paper trays (or take a good look at the tray before you buy, in case they're improved the design). Stepping up to a model with a secondary single-sheet rear feeder will cost you a bit more, but I suspect it's well worth it. And if you time it right, you might even catch a compelling sale somewhere.
Other than that, I unreservedly recommend the WorkForce 645.
May 20, 2013
Workforce 645
I like most features and the price. However, scanning more than one page requires using a separate program, which is awkward to use the first time. And printing in black ink leaves some lines looking faded, even with a brand new Epson high-capacity cartridge.
April 24, 2013
Epson 645 all in one printer fax scanner
We have never been able to get our fax to work. We have tried many times. Incoming or out-going. Instructions are minimal. Our scanner only works occasionally. We keep getting error messages that we are missing a cord. I called Best Buy and Office Max. There is no cord available for purchase on this model. The cord requires a "U" plug on one side and a usb on the other end. Was told it does not exist by Office Max.
February 26, 2013
first technical support
the title buttons on the front of the printer are gray over gray... (i.e. set up, help, reset) and are hard to see, why dont you paint them black?
Also on the commands at the back and on the side of the printer are black over the black printer, why dont you paint them white? they are extremely hard to see
February 23, 2013
Not Mac Friendly
Does not work well with with Mac OS 10
Difficult to use scan operation. Fax feature works fine.
February 21, 2013
LOVE IT!
easy to set up. Best thing I have had since my new hairstylist!!!
February 21, 2013
Workforce 645 all in one
The workforce 645 is an excellent desk top tool for a one man office operation.
February 21, 2013
epson 645 all in 1 fax scanner printer
this is a really excellent printer for all users easy set up and use and i have had a few other all in 1 printers but seem to allways come back to the epson brand for cost of operation and quality of work they do it is easy to send fax use the scanner and prints quality pictures and ink usage is wonderfull at least you can change the color needed that is good when on a budget insteade of having to buy a color cartridge that is reall exspencive and a hasle because you ran out of one color
February 19, 2013
