For the L6270, a patched version usually offers two key advantages:
How to Reset Your Epson L6270: The Complete Guide to Maintenance Box Errors
There are two different counters on the Epson L6270, and understanding the difference is crucial:
Check all three boxes (, Platen , and Ink System pads) once again. Click the Initialize button.
Resets the internal waste ink pad counter (or maintenance box counter) from 100% back to 0%.
This is often the most reliable method. Since the L6270 uses a chip on the maintenance box, a physical resetter tool can "zero out" the chip so the printer thinks it's brand new.
Resetting the digital counter tells the printer that the waste ink pad is empty, but .
I'll cite the sources I've found: Waredata for the resetter guide, WIC Reset for supported functions, bagusinprinter for download and instructions, and Epson support pages for maintenance box info.