Epson EcoTank M2120 all-in-one printer, mono, A4, Wi-Fi

The M2120 prints with black ink only. If what you print is mostly invoices, contracts, school and work assignments, tickets and other text documents, there is no colour ink to keep stocked or worry about drying out. A print resolution of up to 1200 × 600 dpi gives crisp text and clean tables that stay readable even at small font sizes.

Although it prints in mono, the device scans in colour at 1200 × 2400 dpi. Documents, certificates and pictures can be digitised in colour, emailed or saved to a computer. Copying is done straight from the device, so a paper copy is ready even when the computer is switched off or in another room.

The printer joins your home or office Wi-Fi network, and every computer on that network can print to it. Wi-Fi Direct lets a phone or tablet connect directly even without a router, and USB is there for a direct link to a single computer. According to the manufacturer, this model has no Ethernet port and no fax.

The manufacturer describes the M2120 as a compact all-in-one, and it weighs 5 kg, so it fits on a home office desk or shelf and is easy to move around. The output tray holds 30 sheets, enough for everyday short print jobs. The white housing blends in well at home. Without fax, Ethernet or duplex, the device stays simple and its menus have fewer options to wade through.

EcoTank printers use a built-in ink tank refilled from a bottle instead of swappable cartridges. On a mono model, upkeep is especially simple: only the black ink needs topping up. That suits anyone who prints regularly but does not want to keep swapping cartridges or tracking the levels of several colours.

Home offices and students who mostly print text; small businesses that need invoices, contracts and reports plus the occasional colour scan; and families who want a small, light device for printing, scanning and copying and have no need for colour prints. When a compact white unit has to fit on a shelf and work over Wi-Fi, it is a sensible choice.