New York, NY -- Reviewed in May 2010 by PC World, the ESP 7250 is one of Kodak’s latest AIO devices. As of today, in fact, it is available through Office Max either in-store or online. A 3-in-1 device (print, scan, copy) it would be best suited for home users or college students with relatively low printing demands.
It is fairly standard in size measuring 7.4 x 17.5 × × 17.0” (H x W x D) and weighing under 20 lbs. so it will be fine to put on a desk. If you want to share it amongst multiple users, that will work too; it comes with built-in Wi-Fi b/g/n connectivity. Also, if you are lucky enough to own an iPhone or iPod touch, Kodak’s Pick Flick app will allow you to print wirelessly to it. If you have a Blackberry, the app is on its way. In addition to its wireless connection options, it also comes with Ethernet and USB ports.
The 7250’s paper handling is not bad for a printer at this price. The main input tray will hold up to 100 sheets and it has an additional 40-sheet capacity photo-sheet tray. The photo tray’s capacity is slightly higher than most we have seen. It also comes with a built-in autoduplexer to save you money on paper.
Because Kodak has a history with photos, it should come as no surprise that one of the nicest parts of this printer is the software which accompanies it. It makes printing, scanning, and copying of documents about as easy and as good looking as possible for a machine of this caliber.
There are a few downsides worth mentioning with the ESP 7250. First, the paper tray is very low capacity; 100 sheets will not get you very far, especially if you print a lot. Also, the lack of an automatic document feeder is somewhat frustrating as less expensive models from HP, Lexmark, and Epson all offer this convenience. The print speed is a little on the slow side, and the quality of the print does not necessarily make up for the wait.
In terms of ink, Kodak does offer amongst the least expensive you will find, however, note that this it has a tri-color cartridge (Kodak 10C) instead of offering individual ink. Nonetheless, the tricolor will run you about $18 and yields 420 pages, for a cost per page of 4.28 cents. The standard black ink cartridge (Kodak 10B) costs $10 and is good for 425 pages (2.35 cents per). A high-yield black cartridge 10XL is $17 and yields 770 pages. The 2.2 cents per page cost is not significant different than the standard yield, and certainly less savings than one would normally expect to find with high-yield cartridge.
Overall, this is a decent printer, but you can likely get more for your money with a different brand. If you do have a smart phone, it may be worth the convenience, but otherwise, look elsewhere.
