Review of the Epson ColorWorks C6000A

If you’re a younger sibling like me, you know it’s hard living in the shadow of your older sibling (If not, take my word for it). Especially when they hog the spotlight.

This is how I imagine it is for the Epson ColorWorks C6000A. Its older sibling, the C6500A, is nearly double in size. 

But don’t let the C6000A fool you. A color upgrade from black and white thermal printing, the C6000A is “engineered for mission-critical applications” up to 4-inches wide.

Add in a built-in auto cutter for variable label lengths and this printer is certainly a contender.

If these factors sound appealing for your business, you’ll want to take a closer look at the C6000A. Besides, Epson doesn’t call these printers “Tough Guys” for nothing. 

Let’s find out if the C6000A is the printer for you.

We can’t begin talking about the Epson C6000 series without first making a crucial choice: which key model feature do you want?

For this article, we’re focusing our efforts on the auto cutter.

The auto cutter is a built-in feature of the C6000A. It’s excellent for creating versatility during printing. Labels can be cut at variable lengths so users can customize a wide range of sizes.

Plus, the auto cutter can be programmed to cut labels at any point:

• After each label
• At the end of a print job
• Not at all

So what kind of labels are we talking about? The Epson C6000A utilizes labels on a 3” core roll. Depending on your application, paper or synthetic materials can be printed on, including polypropylene.

But here’s where the ColorWorks C6000 series separates itself from the C6500. Despite being a smaller printer in size, the C6000A supports label rolls with an 8” OD. 

That’s right, the C6500A is bigger in size but can only support label rolls with a 6” OD.

Yeah, it’s not just a model feature you have to worry about. The Epson C6000A is available in 2 versions: gloss or matte.

Now don’t shrug off this decision. The ink set type you choose will affect how your inkjet labels print. And once you choose, you’re stuck with that type. 

Both have their benefits for a wide range of applications, such as:

• Food & beverage products
• Hazardous materials
• Cannabis products

Let’s break down which one will work best for you. Gloss offers versatility. It can be printed on both gloss and matte media. However, it provides excellent image quality when used on gloss media for added shine.

If you’re looking for a darker, richer black ink, matte is the option you want. This is the main difference between the 2 ink types. Just a heads up – matte inks are not recommended for gloss label media.

Both versions use a pigment-based ink in standard CMYK colors. And when you use the winning combination (pigment-based ink with synthetic materials), your labels are BS 5609 compliant. 

Take your pick!

Now that we’ve got the main features out of the way, let’s roll out the positives!

Like other inkjet printers in the Epson ColorWorks series, the C6000A has some great technological attributes. 

Here’s take a look at what makes this model a stellar inkjet printer:

A downside to printers is the necessary printhead replacements throughout their lifespan. That’s where Epson has others beat. 

Their PrecisionCoreⓇ technology not only eliminates this requirement, but enhances the capabilities of their ColorWorks printers.

To start, there’s no replacement printheads with PrecisionCoreⓇ. It’s designed to last the life of your Epson C6000A printer. This means no additional costs.

The printer’s Nozzle Verification Technology detects and remedies clogged nozzles automatically. This prevents print defects and issues that would require a new printhead. 

PrecisionCoreⓇ has 2 core points:

• Professional quality
• Dramatic speed

This printhead has 2-3 times the resolution as Epson’s previous piezo printheads. At 40 million dots per second, its output rate delivers professional output to ensure impeccable quality for barcodes, texts, and images. 

Despite this quality, PrecisionCoreⓇ doesn’t compromise on print speed. It fires up to 50,000 drops of ink per second. Per second! All while sustaining peak resolution. 

This achievement definitely earns Epson a well-deserved round of applause.

Sometimes technology has its issues. And when this happens, you wish you could easily diagnose what’s wrong. Well, Epson thought of this!

The LED screen on the front of the printer displays all of your crucial printer information.

Need to know how many labels are left on a roll? The media counter has the number. Not sure when ink cartridges need to be reordered? Check out the color images of the ink levels. Have a print error but no clue how to fix it? Your C6000A will show you step by step instructions.

Now time wasted on troubleshooting can be better spent printing inkjet labels. All of this readily accessible information is truly a time saver.

Imagine having IT support readily available to remotely dial into your C6000A and check its status. 

Well, you don’t have to imagine it because Epson has you covered!

Epson’s Remote Printer Management feature means support is on hand to help. This program can:

• Generate email alerts for problems that need attention
• Remotely deploy firmware updates 
• Set up complex network environments
• View or modify settings from any computer browser or smartphone (Apple or Android)

Have multiple C6000A printers? Remote Printer Management keeps your fleet running at peak performance. Talk about a game changer!

We love making the printing process that much better. Who doesn’t, right?

A more efficient way to print labels is exactly why you should look into accessories for your C6000A.

Here’s some options:

External media holders like unwinders and rewinders are ideal for users who want to make their printing process run smoothly.

Want to use a larger roll of labels for that big print job? While the C6000A can support rolls with an OD of 8”, an unwinder can support rolls with a 10” OD. This means replacing empty rolls less often.

Looking to use a label applicator or apply labels by hand? The rewinder easily rewinds labels for an easier application process. Plus you’re saving by printing labels in-house instead of purchasing pre-printed labels instead.

Definitely an option worth considering!

The C6000A is by no means a perfect printer. But that’s okay! 

These minor obstacles do little to hinder users from this printer’s full potential.

Here are some areas where the C6000A could improve. And how you can work around them!

Yes, this is unfortunately a feature with all Epson ColorWorks printers. 

Epson provides users with a printer driver for the initial setup process, which you can access on their website. These work with a variety of devices:

• Mac
• Windows
• Linux
• SAP
• Major middleware

So when it comes to designing your labels, you’ll need to buy a separate program. This gives users the ability to choose the design software that benefits their labeling needs.

Need barcodes? BarTender is available. Looking for GHS and hazardous label designs? CODESOFT is an ideal choice. Want to explore different images? Adobe can help!

All of these options work well with Epson. We encourage you to take a look for yourself!

Unlike its older sibling (the C6500A), the C6000A has an average print width for labels:

• C6000A = 4.25” max print width
• C6500A = 8.34” max print width

While this does mean 8” wide labels for tasks like chemical drums aren’t an option, a 4.25” print width isn’t something to be mad about. Especially if your label needs fit within that size range.

Plus, almost every other Epson ColorWorks printer has this print width size. It’s very common!

Additionally, the auto cutter feature still allows a wide range of variable length inkjet label sizes. So really, your ability to print a variety of sizes is pretty vast.

This is a little frustrating for your first time use. But it’s the ONLY time you’ll deal with it.

During initial setup, Epson printers like the C6000A go through “an ink charging” process. This is just a way of getting ink into the printer for the first time.

However, the process quickly consumes ink. Meaning you’ll need to replace your ink cartridges sooner than later. 

This also means your maintenance box fills up quickly. A maintenance box acts as a garbage can inside your printer. Excess ink waste ends up there during tasks (like ink charging!). And like garbage, once it’s full, you’ve gotta take it out.

So you’ll want to purchase ink cartridges and a maintenance box very quickly after purchasing your C6000A. 

But don’t forget! This is the only time you’ll go through these items this fast. After this, you can order ink depending on your labeling requirements.

This is a similarity the C6000A shares with other ColorWorks printers. This model has a print speed of 5 inches per second. 

Now this isn’t a snail’s pace by any means. Additionally, you can’t forget the high-quality resolution you’re getting – a full 1200 x 1200 dpi (the highest of any Epson!).

You can increase the speed to print faster. Just be aware that it will lower the print quality setting.

But really, this speed isn’t anything to fret over. You won’t find this level of precision anywhere else.

Now the moment of truth! Should the Epson C6000A become part of your business?

If you’re looking for an on-demand, color upgrade from black and white thermal printing, this is the printer for you. Especially if a 4-inch print width (or smaller) is part of your labeling needs.

And don’t forget the auto cutter gives you the ability to print variable label lengths for a wide range of sizes.

Is not coming with a label design software a bit of an inconvenience? Sure. But the high-quality resolution you’re getting outmatches any other color printer on the market. 

Looking to purchase your very own Epson C6000A printer? Smith Corona has teamed up with Epson and now offers Colorworks printers, accessories, and inkjet labels! We’re a one stop shop for all of your printer needs!

Visit our website to view all of the Epson printer models we offer. Have questions? We’re here to help! Give us a call at 800-875-7000.