Ink tank printers have revolutionized home and office printing by eliminating expensive cartridge replacements. Instead of paying $30-60 for cartridges that print a few hundred pages, tank printers use refillable reservoirs that cost $15-20 to refill and print thousands of pages. This guide compares the best models from Epson EcoTank, Canon MegaTank, and HP Smart Tank to help you choose the right one.
1 What is an Ink Tank Printer?
Ink tank printers (also called supertank, refillable, or continuous ink system printers) replace traditional cartridges with large, refillable ink reservoirs. When ink runs low, you simply pour in more from affordable bottles instead of buying expensive replacement cartridges.
Traditional Cartridge Printer
- • Small cartridge: 200-400 pages
- • Cost: $30-60 per cartridge set
- • Per-page cost: $0.05-0.20
- • Annual ink cost: $200-500+
Ink Tank Printer
- • Large tanks: 4,500-7,500+ pages
- • Cost: $15-30 per bottle set
- • Per-page cost: $0.003-0.02
- • Annual ink cost: $20-50
2 Benefits of Tank Printers
Massive Cost Savings
Save 80-90% on ink costs. Printing 500 pages/month costs ~$600/year with cartridges vs ~$50/year with tank systems. Most printers include 1-2 years of ink in the box.
Environmental Benefits
Eliminate hundreds of plastic cartridges over the printer's lifetime. One tank printer prevents 100+ cartridges from ending up in landfills.
Print Without Worry
No more rationing prints or avoiding color. With ink costs so low, you can print freely without watching every page.
3 Epson EcoTank ET-2850 — Best Overall
Epson EcoTank ET-2850
The ET-2850 delivers the perfect balance of features, quality, and value. Included ink prints up to 4,500 black pages and 7,500 color pages—that's 1-2 years of printing for most households, free in the box.
Pros
- ✓ Lowest cost per page
- ✓ 2+ years of ink included
- ✓ Excellent color quality
- ✓ Auto duplex printing
- ✓ Wireless & voice printing
Cons
- ✗ Slower than laser printers
- ✗ No ADF for scanning
- ✗ 100-sheet paper tray
4 Epson EcoTank ET-8550 — Best for Photos
Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550
The premium choice for photographers and creatives. With 6 individual ink tanks (including photo black and gray), it produces gallery-quality prints up to A3+ (13x19") at a fraction of the cost of traditional photo printers.
5 Canon MAXIFY GX7021 — Best for Business
Canon MAXIFY GX7021
Canon's MegaTank business workhorse combines speed, capacity, and tank economics. Dual 250-sheet paper trays mean less reloading, while 24 ppm speeds keep pace with busy office demands.
6 HP Smart Tank 7602 — Best Smart Features
HP Smart Tank 7602
HP's answer to EcoTank brings the Smart Tank line with advanced HP Smart app features, 35-sheet ADF, and reliable wireless connectivity. 80ml tanks provide up to 2 years of printing.
7 Budget Tank Printer Picks Under $300
Canon MegaTank G3270
Wireless all-in-one with excellent text quality. 2 years of ink included, great for home offices.
HP Smart Tank 5101
Compact tank printer with HP Smart app integration. Great for apartments and small spaces.
Epson EcoTank ET-2400
Entry-level EcoTank with cartridge-free printing. Perfect for light to moderate home use.
Canon PIXMA G620
Photo-focused MegaTank with 6-color system. Great for home photo printing at low cost.
8 EcoTank vs MegaTank vs Smart Tank
| Feature | Epson EcoTank | Canon MegaTank | HP Smart Tank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Printhead | Permanent (built-in) | User-replaceable | User-replaceable |
| Photo Quality | Excellent | Good | Good |
| Text Quality | Good | Excellent | Good |
| Smart Features | Good | Good | Excellent |
| Price Range | $200-650 | $180-550 | $180-400 |
| Best For | Photos, home use | Text, business | Smart home users |
Key Difference: Printhead Design
Epson's permanent printhead is designed to last the printer's lifetime, while Canon and HP use user-replaceable printheads. This means if an Epson printhead fails out of warranty, you'll need a new printer. However, Epson printheads rarely fail with proper use, and the permanent design often delivers better long-term quality.
9 Real Cost Savings Analysis
Let's compare the true 3-year cost of tank printers vs cartridge printers, assuming 300 pages/month (50% black, 50% color):
| Printer Type | Printer Cost | 3-Year Ink Cost | Total 3-Year Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epson EcoTank ET-2850 | $249 | $45 | $294 |
| Canon MegaTank G3270 | $229 | $54 | $283 |
| HP Smart Tank 5101 | $199 | $60 | $259 |
| Cartridge Inkjet (avg) | $99 | $1,080 | $1,179 |
Bottom Line:
Tank printers save $800-900 over 3 years compared to cartridge printers at moderate print volumes. The savings increase dramatically for higher-volume printers.
10 Frequently Asked Questions
Are ink tank printers worth it for low-volume printing? ▼
How long do ink tank printers last? ▼
Can I use third-party ink in tank printers? ▼
Do tank printers work with photo paper? ▼
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