If you have an Epson inkjet printer with current firmware, you can buy genuine Epson cartridges or genuine Epson cartridges. Anything else and the printer says, in effect, "no cartridge here" even if third-party cartridges are present. Epson is the sole printer manufacturer who enforces, in its firmware, a ban against third-party products. The question of "is this legal" went to the US Supreme Court(!) and the court found against Epson. But Epson still locks out any product but theirs.
How do I know? I was working nicely with third-party carts in my Epson XP-15000 photo printer. Photos printed with these carts were... well, photo quality. And the carts didn't come from Epson.
Epson sneaked a firmware update into my printer and the third-party carts, nowhere near empty and working minutes before the update, were rejected.
So... you can use Epson carts or Epson carts. End of story. The carts are spendy (especially the XL size - less is a waste of time). The best that can be hoped for is find them on sale. Remember, if they're not 100% the read deal (no refills, no re-manufactured carts), you just wasted money.
Recommended? Sort of like recommending air for anyone wanting to breathe: like there's a choice?
Good value? H*** NO!
Good quality? Well, they haven't clogged yet. (Inkjet tip for /any/ brand of printer: Use the printer a couple of times a week to keep the jets clear. Cleaning jets goes from a problem to accept the jets (or, worse, the printer) has to be replaced. That's life with inkjets)
I like the XP-15000's print quality, photo or standard. It is, however, the last Epson I will buy. Their carts aren't inexpensive, and there's no hope of using third-party carts, no matter how well they're made. Even if the Supreme Court says Epson should allow their use.