Epson Expression Photo XP-970 Review

The Epson Expression Photo XP-970 is one of the best wide-format photo printers for home use, designed for anyone who wants professional-quality prints without the bulk of a studio setup.

With borderless 11×17 printing, 6-color Claria Photo HD inks, and wireless all-in-one functionality, it produces vibrant, sharp, and long-lasting photos. It also handles scanning, copying, mobile printing, and even CD/DVD printing. While it lacks an automatic document feeder and supports only a single-sheet A3 feed, it’s an excellent choice for photographers, families, and creative users who want flexibility and top-tier print quality at home.

1.   Introduction to the Best Home Photo Printer

You know the feeling—you capture the perfect shot on your phone or DSLR, but when you print it at home, the colors look flat and the details don’t pop. That’s one of the biggest frustrations for photographers, crafters, and even families putting together photo albums. Standard printers just aren’t built to do justice to your photos.

That’s where the Epson Expression Photo XP-970 Small-in-One stands out. It’s a compact wireless all-in-one photo printer that takes your home printing to a higher level. Unlike most inkjets that rely on four colors, the XP-970 uses 6-color Claria Photo HD inks for richer tones and smoother gradients—closer to what you’d expect from a professional lab. Add features like borderless 11×17 printing, mobile photo printing, and CD/DVD printing, and you’ve got a printer designed not just for documents, but for creativity.

As technology experts with over 20 years of experience in hardware and application research and development, we evaluate products not only by specs but also by real-world performance, durability, and value for money. Our goal is to help you find the best product in every category— whether you’re shopping for budget options, high-performance models, or long-term, reliable gear.

And because reviews shouldn’t just echo spec sheets, this guide looks at how the XP-970 actually performs at home—covering print quality, ink costs, and usability. If you’re a photography enthusiast, home crafter, or someone who wants a reliable wide-format photo printer, our recommendations are grounded in extensive research, component analysis, real- world usability, and industry expertise.

1.1  Technical Specs at a Glance

In short, the XP-970 is compact but powerful, with wide-format printing, wireless connectivity, and premium 6-color ink. The only compromises are the lack of an automatic document feeder and a single-sheet A3 input.

1.2  Why This Blog Matters

When you’re searching for the best photo printer, most reviews will tell you what’s on the box.

But specs alone don’t answer the big questions:

• How does it handle long-term ink costs?
• Does wide-format printing actually look sharp at home?
• Is it easy enough for everyday use?

That’s why this review matters. We’ll look at the real-world experience—not just Epson’s marketing. From MicroPiezo printhead technology to photo restoration tools, you’ll see how this printer stacks up for people who actually need reliable, high-quality prints without outsourcing to a lab.

1.3  What You’ll Learn

• Features in Action: How 6-color Claria Photo HD inks and MicroPiezo printheads bring depth and realism to your
• Performance Insights: What borderless wide-format printing and flatbed scanning are like in
• Cost Breakdown: What you can expect to spend on ink and upkeep if you print
• Competitor Comparison: How the XP-970 compares to other wireless all-in-one photo printers in the same price
• Best Use Cases: Who this printer is really built for—whether you’re a photographer, crafter, or family
• Pro Tips: How to get the most out of Epson’s Creative Print app and built-in editing

2.   Understanding the Core Features of the Epson Expression Photo XP-970

2.1   How 6-Color Claria Photo HD Inks Enable High-Quality Photo Printing

The Epson Expression Photo XP-970 uses 6-color Claria Photo HD inks (Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Light Cyan, Light Magenta), unlike standard four-color systems. This expanded color gamut, powered by MicroPiezo inkjet technology, produces vibrant, smooth gradations, especially in skin tones and landscapes.

For high-resolution photo printing, the XP-970 excels on Epson’s Premium Photo Paper Glossy or Luster, delivering gallery-quality results. On matte paper, however, colors may appear less vivid, and black-and-white prints lack the depth of pigment-based printers like the Epson SureColor P700.

The dye-based inks are ideal for vibrant home photo printing but less suited for archival prints needing decades-long durability.

The 6-color Claria Photo HD inks make the XP-970 a top photo-quality inkjet printer for color prints, but consider pigment-based options for archival needs.

The MicroPiezo inkjet technology uses precise, variable-sized ink droplets to enhance detail and reduce graininess, a key advantage for professional photo printing.

3.   Performance and Speed for Wireless Photo Printing

3.1   Print Speeds Across Different Media

The XP-970 is designed for speed, printing 4″ x 6″ photos in approximately 11 seconds, making it a leader among inkjet photo printers. For documents, it achieves 8.5 ppm (monochrome) and 8 ppm (color). Larger 11×17 photo printing takes about 1 minute 55 seconds in standard mode or 4 minutes 35 seconds in high-quality mode. The single-sheet A3 feed, while supporting wide- format photo printing, requires manual loading, which can slow down high-volume tasks.

The XP-970 is fast for smartphone photo printing and small prints, but the single-sheet A3 feed limits efficiency for large projects.

The MicroPiezo inkjet technology optimizes ink placement, reducing waste and improving speed without sacrificing quality, ideal for home photo printing.

4.   Connectivity and User-Friendly Design for Mobile Printing Solutions

4.1  Versatile Connectivity Options

As a wireless all-in-one printer, the XP-970 offers USB 2.0, Ethernet photo printer support, Wi-Fi, and Wi-Fi Direct printing for router-free operation. Mobile device printing is seamless with the Epson Creative Print app, Apple AirPrint, and Google Cloud Print. The 4.3″ touchscreen enables PC-free printing, letting you print directly from SD cards or USB drives. Voice-activated printing via Alexa or Google Assistant adds convenience for quick tasks like printing photos or lists. The scan to cloud feature simplifies sharing to platforms like Google Drive.

4.2   Practical Design Features

The fold-over scan lid secures originals during scanning, a small but thoughtful feature for a flatbed scanner printer. However, the lack of an automatic document feeder (ADF) means multipage scanning or copying is manual, which may frustrate users needing bulk processing.

The XP-970’s Wi-Fi Direct printing and mobile printing solutions make it highly accessible, but the absence of an ADF limits its scanning versatility.

Wi-Fi Direct printing allows direct device-to-printer communication, bypassing a router, which is perfect for small spaces or temporary setups.

5.   Creative Flexibility with Specialty Paper Printing and CD/DVD Printing

5.1   Support for Diverse Media Types

The XP-970 excels in creative photo printing, supporting specialty paper printing like glossy photo paper, iron-on transfers, and inkjet CD printing. Its rear feed handles media up to 23 mil, and a dedicated tray enables CD/DVD printing for custom discs, making it the best printer for CD/DVD printing for crafters or small businesses.

5.2   Enhancing Creativity with the Epson Creative Print App

The Epson Creative Print app lets you design custom CD labels, photo collages, or greeting cards, expanding the XP-970’s creative potential. This is ideal for personalized gifts or small- scale marketing materials.

For inkjet CD printing, use inkjet-printable discs and the Epson CD Print software for precise label alignment.

The XP-970’s specialty paper printing and CD/DVD printing capabilities make it a versatile tool for creative projects.

Specialty paper printing requires careful media selection to avoid jams, and the XP-970’s rear feed is designed to handle thicker materials safely.

6.   Scanning and Copying with Photo Restoration Tools

6.1   High-Resolution Scanning Capabilities

The flatbed scanner printer offers 4800 dpi hardware resolution, with interpolation up to 9600 x 9600 dpi, ideal for high-resolution photo printing and scanning. Features like photo restoration tools, red-eye removal, and auto correction enhance scanned images, while scan to cloud simplifies sharing to cloud services. Scanning speeds vary by resolution, with higher dpi settings taking longer.

6.2  Copying Limitations

Copying is reliable at 8.1 cpm (color or monochrome), but the lack of an ADF makes multipage copying manual, limiting its efficiency for large tasks.

The XP-970’s photo restoration tools and scan-to-cloud features are excellent for digitizing photos, but manual scanning restricts high-volume tasks.

Photo restoration tools use software algorithms to correct faded colors or scratches, making the XP-970 a great choice for preserving old photos.

7.  Ink Costs and Maintenance for the Best Compact Photo Printer

7.1  Understanding Ink Costs

The XP-970 uses Epson 277/277XL cartridges, with high-capacity versions yielding 500 (black) and 740 (color) pages. A full set of XL cartridges costs around $100, and with 1.7 ml ink per square foot, you’ll get about 24 A3 or 50 A4 prints per set. Compared to tank-based printers like the Epson EcoTank, ink costs are high.

7.2  Maintenance Considerations

The printer includes a maintenance box for excess ink, especially useful for borderless photo printing. Regular printhead cleaning prevents clogs, particularly for infrequent users. Using non- Epson cartridges may void the warranty, so stick to genuine 6-color Claria Photo HD inks.

Ink costs run high, but for occasional photo printing, the XP-970’s stunning output makes it worthwhile.

The maintenance box absorbs ink during cleaning cycles, extending the printer’s lifespan and reducing mess during borderless photo printing.

8.   Comparing the Best Wireless All-in-One Printer to Competitors

8.1  XP-970 vs. Canon Pixma TS9520 vs. Epson EcoTank ET-7750

Here’s how the XP-970 compares to other all-in-one photo printers for wide-format photo printing.

The XP-970 stands out as the best compact borderless photo printer, while the Canon TS9520 is better for mixed use, and the EcoTank ET-7750 suits high-volume printing.

Tank-based systems like the ET-7750 reduce long-term costs but require a higher upfront investment, unlike the XP-970’s cartridge-based system.

9.   Who Should Choose the Best Epson Photo Printer?

9.1   Ideal Use Cases

The Epson Expression Photo XP-970 is perfect for:

• Photography Hobbyists: Ideal for high-resolution photo printing up to
• Crafters: Excels in specialty paper printing and inkjet CD
• Home Offices: Great for occasional documents and home office photo

9.2   Limitations

It’s less suited for:

• High-Volume Users: Single-sheet A3 feed limits
• Archival Artists: Dye-based inks are less durable than pigment-based options.
• Multipage Tasks: No ADF for scanning or

Dye-based inks like 6-color Claria Photo HD inks offer vibrant colors but fade faster under UV light compared to pigment inks, impacting archival longevity.

10.    Tips for Maximizing Your Compact Multifunction Printer

1. Use Epson Paper: Choose glossy or luster paper for high-quality photo
2. Calibrate Your Monitor: Ensure accurate colors for professional photo
3. Leverage the Epson Creative Print App: Create custom cards or CD
4. Clean Regularly: Prevent clogs for consistent photo-quality inkjet
5. Opt for XL Cartridges: Reduce costs with 277XL for home photo

Monitor calibration tools like Datacolor Spyder ensure your screen matches the XP-970’s output, critical for high-resolution photo printing.

Conclusion: Unleash Your Creativity with the Ultimate Wide- Format Photo Printer

For photographers, artists, and creative enthusiasts, the Epson Expression Photo XP-970 is a game-changer that brings professional-quality photo printing right to your home. This compact multifunction marvel delivers stunning high-resolution prints, seamless borderless photo printing, and even the unique ability to print directly onto CDs and DVDs, making it a versatile tool for showcasing your vision. Its sleek design fits effortlessly into any workspace, while its wireless connectivity ensures you can print from virtually anywhere.

Though ink costs may run slightly higher and A3 printing is limited to single-sheet feeds, the

XP-970’s exceptional output quality and creative flexibility make it a standout choice for anyone passionate about transforming digital images into vibrant, tangible masterpieces.

Whether you’re crafting gallery-worthy prints, personalized gifts, or professional portfolios, this printer empowers you to bring your ideas to life with unparalleled precision and flair.

Ready to take your photo printing to the next level?

The Epson Expression Photo XP-970 is your gateway to creating breathtaking prints that capture every moment in vivid detail. Don’t settle for ordinary—elevate your work with a printer built for exceptional results.

Get Your Epson XP-970 Today!

Transform your home into a creative studio with the Epson Expression Photo XP-970, the ultimate compact photo printer for enthusiasts and professionals alike. With its high-resolution output, borderless printing capabilities, and CD/DVD printing feature, this all-in-one printer is perfect for turning your photos into stunning keepsakes or professional-grade projects. Don’t miss out on the chance to own a printer that combines cutting-edge technology with a user- friendly design.

• Buy Now: Epson Expression Photo XP-970 Wireless Color Photo Printer with Scanner and Copier
• Explore the XP-960 Variant: For a slightly different option with similar high-quality performance, check out the Epson Expression Photo XP-960 Wireless Color Photo Amazon Dash Replenishment

Enhance Your Experience with Voice Control: Pair your printer with an Alexa-enabled device for hands-free operation, making your workflow even smoother. Choose from these vibrant Amazon Echo Dot models, perfect for bedrooms, dining rooms, or offices:

• Amazon Echo Dot (Charcoal)
• Amazon Echo Dot (Deep Sea Blue)
• Amazon Echo Dot (Glacier White)

The Epson XP-970 is more than just a printer—it’s a creative powerhouse that delivers professional-quality results in a compact, user-friendly package. With wireless printing, scanning, and copying capabilities, plus the ability to produce borderless photos and custom CDs/DVDs, it’s the perfect tool for photographers, crafters, and small business owners.

Don’t wait to bring your ideas to life—grab the XP-970 today and join a community of creators who trust Epson for their printing needs.

Share Your Journey: Already using the XP-970 or another wireless all-in- one printer?

Drop your thoughts, tips, or creative projects in the comments below! Let’s build a vibrant community of photo printing enthusiasts and inspire each other to create something extraordinary.