Epson WorkForce Pro WF

Carlos Soto is an award-winning reviewer and journalist with 20 years of experience covering technology and business within various sectors and industries.

Printers are the unsung heroes of many government agencies. Even as hybrid work continues, federal agencies still have a high need for printed documents such as permits, licenses and contracts.

The Epson WorkForce Pro WF-C4810 multifunction printer hits the mark for all of those and more. It can also copy and scan documents, and serve as a fax machine, a technology still used by many federal agencies to send or receive some official documents or those with signatures.

The WF-C4810 has a tiny form factor and is designed for easy setup and use. It can connect to a network via network cable or wirelessly using 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5). It can also pair with a single computer using a USB cable.

With a 1,600-page-per-month recommended duty cycle, the WF-C4810 makes for a dependable shared printer in a small office workgroup and a great personal printer for hybrid workers to use at home.

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The WF-C4810 uses ink jet technology as its printing medium. Swapping out the ink cartridges when needed is an easy process that does not require any special training. With a respectably sized 500-sheet tray, it can go for a long time without a paper reload.

In my testing, the print speeds were good for single users and small workgroups. The printer could achieve 24 pages per minute when printing in black and white and up to 12 pages per minute for color documents or those with heavy graphics.

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When outputting color, the WF-C4810's DURABrite Ultra pigment ink cartridges ensured vivid color accuracy. I tested this by printing documents with official seals overlayed on graphics, and they always rendered accurately with no smearing or unintentional color blending.

Though compact, the unit has room for a 4.3-inch color touch screen to control the printer. Besides making the WF-C4810 easier to use, this also helps it achieve compliance with Section 508 federal guidelines for accessibility. During my testing, the large touch screen was one of the features rated most highly by those who used the printer.

The Epson printer has one of the lowest power consumption rates in its class. Inkjets don't need to power up like laser printers do, but Epson has gone beyond that advantage to end almost all power use in standby mode.

What's more, the PrecisionCore advanced print engine technology ensures that no measurable heat is generated when ejecting inks onto paper, which adds to secondary benefits in terms of lower HVAC usage. It's a very environmentally friendly printer.

The Epson WorkForce Pro WF-C4810 can fill a vital need for modern federal agencies, serving as both a sturdy and reliable printer for a small in-office team and as an inexpensive personal printer for hybrid employees who telework.

MODEL: WF-C4810 Color Multifunction PrinterPRINT SPEED: Up to 25 pages per minute for black-and-white printing; 12 pages per minute for colorCAPACITY 500 sheetsCONNECTIVITY USB 2.0, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, LAN cable, BluetoothDIMENSIONS 16.7x19.8x13 inchesWEIGHT 26.2 pounds

Federal agencies of all sizes face a multitude of printing challenges, from managing costs, maintaining security and ensuring printing availability to dealing with compatibility and quality issues. They need printers they can rely on.

A user who helps run the IT department for a large federal agency told me that the biggest concern when managing a fleet of printers is security, followed by having to troubleshoot simple issues such as a dry ink cartridge or a printer out of paper.

Both issues can be addressed by printers in the Epson WorkForce Pro line, which are designed to for ease of use but also have several security features designed to protect printed products from unauthorized snooping.

The Epson WorkForce Pro WF-C4810 I tested can protect print jobs using a PIN. Users sending sensitive information to the printer can assign it a code, and the document won't print until that user is physically present at the unit to enter the code.

Because the Epson printer can output up to 25 pages per minute in black and white or 12 pages per minute in color, users won't have to wait long for their documents. This cuts down on opportunities for others to read unattended pages.

For extra peace of mind, the printers also support the latest security and encryption protocols, including IPSec and IEEE 802. That helps protect print data in transit as well, preventing snooping before the document even arrives at the printer.

To help limit IT calls, the WorkForce Pro WF-C4810 simplifies most tasks, such as loading paper or swapping out ink cartridges, and it uses the 4.3-inch color touch screen to walk users through those processes. That allows users to perform basic maintenance tasks, leaving IT teams to focus on the more complex issues, saving time for everyone.