Need a New Epson Printer? Here’s How to Pick (F170 vs ET-3850)

If you’re trying to pick an Epson printer, stop for a second. There is no single “best” Epson printer. There’s only a printer that fits what you’re actually doing.

I’ve spent the last four years coordinating production at a small print shop, handling rush orders from $200 to $15,000. Same-day turnarounds, late-night label fixes, you name it. So when someone asks me which Epson printer to choose, I basically start with their work.

Here’s the thing: your situation probably fits one of these three scenarios.

• Scenario A: You print custom merchandise—sublimation transfers, mugs, coasters, bottle labels. You need an Epson F170 SureColor sublimation printer.
• Scenario B: You need a dependable office all-in-one for documents, invoices, and the occasional color print. The Epson ET-3850 printer is likely the better call.
• Scenario C: You already own a printer and it won’t connect to the network. Before buying anything new, figure out how to connect HP printer to WiFi—I’ll walk you through it.

Not sure which one you are? That’s okay. Let’s walk through each one.

Scenario A: Custom merch and sublimation work — Epson F170 SureColor sublimation printer

If your main product is polyester shirts, mugs, mousepads, or anything that gets heat-pressed, stop looking at office printers. The Epson F170 SureColor sublimation printer is built for this one job. It uses dye-sublimation ink, not standard office ink. That’s the entire point.

In March 2024, a client called 36 hours before a vendor market. Her heat press was ready, but the outside sublimation printer she planned to use couldn’t deliver until after the event. We got the F170 set up, printed 200 coasters, and she hit the market. That’s the kind of flexibility this machine gives you.

One thing to check: the F170’s print area works for A4 paper size. A4 is 210 x 297 mm (based on the ISO 216 standard), and it’s enough for smaller transfers and labels. If you need full-size garment prints, you’ll either have to split designs or use a larger machine. The F170 is not a large-format printer. Don’t buy one thinking it can print 24-inch wide sheets.

And yes, this is also where the ABV calculator comes in. A homebrew client of mine designed bottle labels for a hard cider batch. He changed the recipe, but never re-ran the ABV calculator. The labels said 6.2%; the finished batch was 6.8%. The standard homebrew ABV formula is (OG - FG) × 131.25, but a calculator just automates that. We reprinted on the F170 within a day. Small order, no penalty, no minimum. That’s how a dedicated sublimation setup should work.

Small doesn’t mean unimportant. The vendors who treated my $200 orders seriously are the ones I still use for $20,000 orders.

At least, that’s been my experience with rapid-turnaround custom printing.

Scenario B: Office, school, or small business — Epson ET-3850 printer

If custom merch isn’t your main thing, and you mainly print reports, invoices, contracts, shipping labels, and the occasional school project, the Epson ET-3850 printer is a better fit.

The ET-3850 is part of Epson’s EcoTank line. According to Epson’s official product pages (epson.com), the EcoTank system is designed to cut per-page printing costs. Instead of cartridges, you pour ink from bottles into built-in tanks. The upfront price is higher than a cartridge printer; the payoff is lower cost per page. For a small office that prints at least a few hundred pages a month, that trade usually makes sense.

I made the opposite mistake a few years ago. I bought a “cheap” cartridge printer to save $120. By the end of the fourth month, I’d spent $180 on ink. The budget printer wasn’t budget. Classic penny-wise, pound-foolish.

For paper sizes, this is where A4 paper size matters. The ET-3850 supports standard A4 and Letter paper, so you’re covered whether you buy paper from a local office store or order from overseas. If you’re in a country that uses A4 as standard, you don’t need to worry about weird custom sizes.

I’ll be honest: I’ve never fully understood Epson’s model numbering. Every number looks like a random fingerprint. What I do know is the ET-3850 is the model I recommend when someone says, “I just need one printer for the office.” It prints, scans, and copies. What I mean is: it handles the daily stuff. I want to say fax is on the spec sheet too, but don’t quote me on that.

What if you’re in both scenarios?

Last week, a client asked me: “Can one Epson do sublimation and office work?” The short answer: not really. The F170 is a dedicated sublimation printer. The ET-3850 uses standard dye ink, which won’t work for heat-pressed products. You can’t just swap ink between them.

I went back and forth with a client on this for two weeks. On paper, the ET-3850 made sense because they also ran an office. But their actual revenue came from custom mugs. We went with the F170, and handled office printing with a second-hand laser printer. Not pretty, but it worked.

Look, I’m not telling you to buy both. I’m telling you to buy what makes your work easier. If your income is from sublimation, prioritize that. If your income is from paperwork, prioritize the office. That’s it.

Scenario C: You already have a printer (maybe HP) and it just won’t connect

If you’re here because your current printer is sitting in the corner with a blinking red light, don’t buy a new Epson yet. Not because you shouldn’t eventually—but because you should first find out how to connect HP printer to WiFi. It’s a 15-minute fix that costs nothing.

How to connect HP printer to WiFi

1. Open the HP Smart app. Download it on your phone or computer if you don’t have it.
2. Put the printer into Wi-Fi setup mode. Usually, you hold the wireless button until the light flashes.
3. In the app, choose “Add Printer” and follow the prompts.
4. If the app can’t find it, restart your router. Wait for the router to come back online, then try again.
5. Still stuck? Move the printer closer to the router temporarily. I’ve seen weak signals cause exactly this.

Honestly, I’m not sure why some printers connect easily and others fight you at every step. My best guess is that it comes down to network bands. If your router broadcasts both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, many printers only play nicely with the 2.4 GHz network. Check your router settings for “guest mode” or “legacy mode” if the app can’t see the printer.

If you’ve tried all that and you’re still stuck, then yes: a new Epson is a reasonable move. But only after you’ve given the old printer a fair shot.

How to tell which scenario you’re in

If you’re still not sure, here’s a quick way to sort it out.

• What do you print most? Heat-press products like mugs and shirts? Focus on the F170. Documents, invoices, and labels? Think ET-3850.
• How many pages do you print per month? If it’s mostly occasional pages, a standard cartridge printer can work. If you print hundreds of pages regularly, an EcoTank model is usually worth the upfront cost.
• Do you already own a working printer? If yes, start with the WiFi fix. You may not need a new Epson printer at all.

That’s the real answer. There is no universal “best” Epson printer. There’s a printer that fits your work flow, and one that doesn’t. Pick the one that keeps you moving.