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It boggles the mind why each company can have so many different types of ink cartridges–and all for such a high price. Generic cartridges used to be a cost-effective solution. But today, many printers won’t recognize them, and they can damage your printer. So, genuine is the way to go.
Epson has plenty of quality ink options, in particular, the Epson 273 and the 273XL. We are going to look at their similarities and differences as well as some pros and cons of both to decide which is the better option.
Let’s begin with what the Epson 273 vs 273XL have in common.
Epson 273 vs 273XL – Similarities
Epson Quality Tested
The Epson 273 and the 273XL have been tested for color, purity, viscosity, surface tension and gas chromatography. The ink passes rigorous testing to ensure quality and top performance.
Claria Ink
The Claria ink used in the Epson 273 and the 273XL is a combination of pigment-based and dye-based. The black ink is pigment-based and produces clear texts and bold documents. The 3 color ink cartridges are dye-based for the vivid glossy photos. It’s not clear how long prints last but Claria ink is advertised as ‘durable’.
Printer Compatibility
You can use the Epson 273 and the 273XL with printers in the Epson Expression Premium range. The multifunction printers that are compatible with these cartridges include the XP-820, XP-810, XP-600, XP-610, XP-800, XP-520 and the XP-620.
Side by Side Comparison
The following comparison chart offers a quick view of the Epson 273 and the Epson 273XL.
Epson 273 | Epson 273XL | |
| Image |  |  |
| Epson Quality Tested | Yes | Yes |
| Available Packs | Black, Black 2 pack, Black Photo, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, C/M/Y/Photo Black 4 pack | Black, Black Photo, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, pack, C/M/Y/B/ Black Photo 5 pack |
| Printer Compatibility | Expression Premium- XP-820, XP-810, XP-600, XP-610, XP-800, XP-520, XP-620 | Expression Premium- XP-820, XP-810, XP-600, XP-610, XP-800, XP-520, XP-620 |
| Claria Ink | Yes | Yes |
| Resistance | Not Stated | Not Stated |
| Durability | ‘Durable’ | ‘Durable’ |
| Instant Dry | Not Stated | Not Stated |
| Capacity | Standard Capacity | High Capacity- XL x2 more prints |
| Price |
There are actually only two differences between the Epson 273 and the Epson 273XL and we will cover these now.
Differences Between Epson 273 and Epson 273XL
Available Packs
These Epson cartridges come in a good range of buying options so you can choose the cartridges you need and even save some money.
Epson 273
You can find an individual black, a 2-pack black, and an individual black photo cartridge. There are 3 individual colors, cyan, yellow and magenta. Finally, you can buy a pack of 4, which includes the 3 colors and photo black.
Epson 273XL
Here, you will find a black, black photo, cyan, yellow, and magenta in individual packs. There is a pack of 5 with the three colors, black, and black photo.
The Winner Is- A Tie
Read next – Epson 252 vs 252XL: Which Cartridge Ink is Better?
Capacity
The page yield of a cartridge will give a good estimate on how many pages you can print. It will vary on the type of document and the printer model.
Epson 273
There is no specific number of pages listed. They are standard-sized cartridges.
Epson 273XL
Again, there is no idea of the number of pages, but they are high-capacity cartridges. You will be able to get approximately twice the number of pages as the standard cartridges. All of the cartridges are of better value for money. It’s worth mentioning that the XL pack of 5 only contains a high-capacity black ink cartridge, the rest are standard. Still, it works out cheaper.
The Winner Is- The Epson 273XL
Read next – Epson 410 vs 410XL: Which Cartridge Ink is Better?
Pros and Cons
As these two cartridges are so similar, the following pros and cons might be the best way to make the final decision.
Epson 273
Pros:
- Good price for genuine Epson ink
- Nice prints with rich colors
- They are reliable cartridges
Cons:
- Occasional droplets of ink on the paper
Epson 273XL
Pros:
- All of them will save you money, even the pack
- The ink doesn’t dry up if you don’t print for a while
- Excellent color photos and documents
Cons:
- If you aren’t careful when you open them, they can spill
The Final Verdict
We loved the quality of the images that we printed from various printers and on both plain and glossy paper. The texts were generally clear with sharp lines. Photos were bright and rich in color and depth. All of the cartridges were easy to click into place and we had no compatibility issues.
It was a real shame about the tiny drops of ink with the Epson 273 and this wasn’t a frequent problem, still, it caused the odd smear. For this reason, and the better value for money, we decided the Epson 273XL was the better buy.