Best Ink Tank Printer 2025: EcoTank, Smart Tank Picks for Home
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Large ink capacity tanks produce greater yields and lower costs per page than even the most efficient InkJet printers. They are easier to operate, cost-effective, have good speed, and don’t need a lot of space as they are generally compact in size. Whether you need an ink tank printer for home use or for a more efficient office environment, these are some of the best printers on the market. But as a first-time buyer, it can be hard to know what to look for!
We've put together this buyer's guide breaking down the best tank printers, along with tips on what to check before you buy any of these devices. We've tried to account for all kinds of price and quality brackets, so regardless of the particulars of your printing needs, you should find the right product!
- Best Ink Tank Printer
Epson EcoTank ET-15000
- Printer Output: Color
- Printer Type: InkJet
- Connectivity Technology: USB, WiFi, Ethernet
- Duplex Printing: Yes
- Best Budget Ink Tank Printer
Epson EcoTank ET-2850
- Printer Output: Color
- Printer Type: InkJet
- Connectivity Technology: USB, Bluetooth, WiFi Direct
- Duplex Printing: Yes
- Best Ink Tank Printer for Home
Canon Pixma G3570 (MegaTank G3270 US)
- Printer Output: Color
- Printer Type: InkJet (2 FINE Print Head)
- Connectivity Technology: USB, 2.4/5GHz Wi-Fi, Wireless Direct
- Duplex Printing: Yes, manual
- Best Wide Format Ink Tank Printer
Epson EcoTank ET-8550
- Printer Output: Color
- Printer Type: InkJet
- Connectivity Technology: USB, WiFi Direct, Ethernet
- Duplex Printing: Yes
How We Picked the Best Ink Tank Printer
There are some core factors to determining the best ink tank printer, or any printer for that matter: cost per page, print quality, ink economy, and connectivity are all vital considerations for your printer. Our choices today also have good print speeds, high paper tray capacities, and other quality-of-life features that add value to your purchase. Of course, overall affordability also contributed to our choices too.
In addition, we’ve also tested and reviewed some of the printers on this list in-house and will continue to update it with reviewed selections to check back with us soon. If you’re interested in learning about how we select and review products, head over to the PC Guide Testing Lab.
- Printer Output: Color
- Printer Type: InkJet
- Connectivity Technology: USB, WiFi, Ethernet
- Duplex Printing: Yes
- Low print cost with high yields and lots of tank capacity
- An all-in-one that can handle plenty of needs and connectivity types
- Good quality prints with lots of settings to change
- The high initial cost may put some off considering it
- Doesn't support duplex scanning even with duplex printing
- Quite heavy and large for a home printer, but due to all its supported features
The first ink tank printer on this list is the Epson EcoTank ET-15000, and when we reviewed it, it had excellent performance, making it easily one of the best printers on the market. It offers all-in-one functionality, fast print speeds, and high yields. It checks all the right boxes and is sure to add value to any home or office.
This printer comes with ink refills, each capable of printing 6,000 colored and 7,500 black-and-white pages. However, being an AIO printer, it is bulky and weighs nearly 10kg or 22 pounds. It also features a 2.7″ screen, which you can use to interact with it and control its various operations and settings. A neat aspect of the Espso EcoTank ET-15000 is that it supports print formats of A3 to 10 x 15cm, which makes it a great option if you want more printing options.
The Epson EcoTank ET-15000 is a greatly capable printer, the AIO solution gives you a handy choice for getting everything you might need for your home or in a small office. With a high-quality print solution, scanning and copying capabilities, and even fax if you need it, make it a handy and feature-rich solution.
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In addition, it is also capable of printing on glossy paper, meaning you can create banners right from your home or office. It also has a scanner, copier, and fax machine built-in, and while fax might not be as widely used, you’re getting all of these options, which increases its value.
Its color printing performance was top-notch, and only when we set the font to 5 on an A4 paper did we start to see some bolding of letters, which made it just a bit difficult to read. It managed to print these pages in 26 seconds from cold and 22 for each one. However, its speed increased to 17 seconds when we shifted from color to black-and-white prints.
Overall, this is an excellent ink tank printer. While it may cost a pretty penny initially, it should be a worthwhile investment in the long run, given all its features and AIO capabilities.
What users say
According to Amazon reviews, it has excellent printing quality and good colors. One reviewer said: “
I like everything about this printer. The quality of the printed copies is great photos or charts look really clear an crisp. The cost of the ink refills is very reasonable. Refilling the ink is clean and easy. The money you save on ink will pay for this printer. Great product, was on sale for a great price and has excellent print quality.”
- Printer Output: Color
- Printer Type: InkJet
- Connectivity Technology: USB, Bluetooth, WiFi Direct
- Duplex Printing: Yes
- Printer Output: Color
- Printer Type: InkJet
- Connectivity Technology: USB, Wi-Fi Direct
- Duplex Printing: Yes
- Fast print speeds: the ET-2850 offers print speeds as fast as 33 pages per minute, for high productivity.
- Affordable: this ink tank printer is easy to get your hands on thanks to its low upfront and ongoing costs.
- Poor color accuracy – especially for photos, we found the color gamut on the ET-2850 somewhat lacking.
If you don’t want to spend a couple of hundred dollars on a printer, we recommend the Epson EcoTank ET-2850. This is a tremendous all-rounder printer from Epson that provides stellar results. As we highlighted in our recent review, this printer adds excellent value to any home without removing much value from your bank account.
Another of Epson’s EcoTank range, this unit employs large reservoirs of ink that are slower to drain and more efficient financially. Setting the ET-2850 up is also quick: the printer itself is practically plug-and-play, and the ink bottles are installed easily and drain into the reservoirs in around 60 seconds. In terms of actual printing, the ET-2850 continues its trend of great value.
Overall the Epson ET-2850 is a solid home printer. With reasonable printing costs, acceptable speeds, and nice range of features, you have everything you need for your day-to-day printing.
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Standard documents come out quickly at 33 pages per minute in monochrome, but this printer is capable of more. With specialist media compatibility for photo paper, you can create graphics and images in stunning 5,760 x 1,440 dpi resolution up to 8.5″ x 14″ in size. To get your documents or images to the printer, you have a range of options: you can connect via USB or Ethernet cables to a PC or Mac or wirelessly over WiFi Direct. For smartphones, the ET-2850 comes with compatibility for Apple AirPrint and Morpria – in other words, you won't struggle to upload your work!
If we had to pick a flaw in the ET-2850, it would be the overall color accuracy: prints are high-resolution, but we found that the overall vibrancy and depth was less impressive than other printers for art prints. Still, for a stellar median between price, quality, and versatility; the Epson ET-2850 is our best printer for home in 2025!
What users say
According to Amazon reviews, this printer is efficient, consumes less ink, has a good printing speed, and is easy to set up. One user said: “I absolutely love this printer! It runs so smoothly and prints extremely quickly. I love the wireless connectivity features but dont enjoy having to have the app installed to print as prior printers required Bluetooth only. The quality of the images is high and looks pretty good. 100x better than the printer I’ve been using. Definitely worth the money as it was on sale. With all the extra ink included you’ll save a ton!”
- Printer Output: Color
- Printer Type: InkJet (2 FINE Print Head)
- Connectivity Technology: USB, 2.4/5GHz Wi-Fi, Wireless Direct
- Duplex Printing: Yes, manual
- All-in-one solution with print, copy, and scan capabilities
- Has a lot of wireless printing options
- Lightweight and easy to set up
- Limited paper capacity and without a front paper tray just one open one
- Limited physical connection printing options
- Small and harder to use screen and controls
If you’re looking for a printer for your home, we recommend the Canon Pixma G3750. It is inexpensive, has a large capacity, and weighs 6 kg or 13.2 lbs. We reviewed this 3-in-1 printer in-house, and it has excellent performance and printing quality.
To begin with, this printer is easy to set up as you can use the app or go to the Canon website and follow the instructions. You can also follow the on-screen instructions or watch the videos, which we found were better as they also show you how to install the printer heads on the rail and more.
It only supports A4 paper for printing and scanning but can accommodate heavier papers ranging from 64-105 g/m2, while glossy papers have a weight limit of 256 g/m2. In addition, it supports duplex printing, but you’ll have to put the paper back by hand, which isn’t a hassle considering the price point this printer comes at.
The Canon Pixma G3750/MegaTank G3270 is a notch above the cheapest range of AIO printers. It does provide a good option for those with the odd printing job here and there. Especially with the capability of running color prints, photos, and the possibility to scan.
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The Canon Pixma G3750 also has a USB B port to connect it to a PC or laptop but can have wireless capabilities like 2.4 and 5GHz bands, so you don’t necessarily have to be right next to it to print something. You can send over a print through your phone, which adds another layer of accessibility.
The color printing of this printer is good as the colors don’t bleed or merge, and it takes 32 seconds to print a full-color page, while black and white pages take 11 seconds. So, this is a huge difference in time, but once again, consider its price, and for a pocket-friendly printer with multiple options, this is pretty good.
What user say
According to Amazon reviews, this printer is economical, easy to use, and produces good quality prints. One reviewer said: “This printer is a fantastic deal. The money you save on ink is a huge plus, and the print quality and ease of use make it a solid choice for home or small office use. It has some quirks, like occasional connection issues and no automatic double-sided printing, but overall, it's a practical and economical option.”
- Printer Output: Color
- Printer Type: InkJet
- Connectivity Technology: USB, WiFi Direct, Ethernet
- Duplex Printing: Yes
- Has lots of colored inks that are cheap to buy
- Good support of sizes and larger formats
- Large and adjustable touchscreen
- Very high initial cost to purchase
- The scanner does not support the same larger paper sizes i.e A3
- The gimmicky motorized output tray slows down effective initial print time although makes it easier to use
We recommend the Epson EcoTank ET-8550 for those who want a printer with a large capacity and a wide array of colors and format printing. We’ve reviewed this printer, and its excellent features and functionality make it a solid option for anything you can throw its way.
This printer comes with six 70m bottles and weighs around 11.1 kg or 24 lbs, making it a heavy printer. If you plan on purchasing it, you’d better decide first where you’ll put it. The six bottles give it the capacity to print 6,700 black pages, 6,200 color pages, and 1,800 photos. The printing format for the Epson EcoTank ET-8550 is 523 x 379 x 169 mm, and you can use it for photo printing, CDS, borderless printing, duplex, and more.
The Epson ET-8550 covers an all-around solution for plenty of your needs at home. With a plus-sized capacity and a wide array of colors available, all it lacks really is support for larger scanning and the option to fax, although it's probably not needed on this solution anyway.
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It also has excellent printing quality due to its 5,760 x 1,440 DPI with 360 black nozzles and 180 nozzles per color. It can print 16 pages a minute on black-and-white settings and 12 pages of colored pages. Photos take longer to print but look great on glossy paper due to its high-resolution printing.
Overall, this is a great printer that is inexpensive and can tackle a variety of workloads at speed. On top of that, the low-cost ink combined with a high output means that you’re getting more value and better savings in the long run.
What users say
According to Amazon reviews, this printer is easy to use, has good output, and doesn’t break the bank. One reviewer said: “This is a medium priced photo printer that creates great photos and is very fast. My daughter is a professional photographer and she blessed the printer as one I would be happy with, without breaking the bank. I was not sure I would like using bottles of ink instead of cartridges, but I Iove them. They are very easy to use and they do last a long time. I liked this model so much, I bought a lower priced Epson EcoTank to use at work.”
Features and Considerations
These are some of the factors that you need to consider before making any printer purchase:
Cost-per-Print
Ink tank printers are intended to save you money, though you may not think it considering the higher-than-average upfront cost. The good news is most tank printers are quite economical. That said, you can still spot significant differences in ink costs across different manufacturers and models. Most ink tanks fall within the 0.3 – 2 cents per page range. Generally speaking, printers with a higher page yield (print per minute or ppm) tend to be more economical.
Print Quality
Ideally, your ink tank printer's ink-saving potential shouldn't come at the cost of high-quality printing. However, when comparing the photo quality of a tank printer with a premium inkjet with a nine-cartridge ink system, you'll easily notice how the inkjet's color accuracy and sharpness are better. In other words, tank printers don't really promise the best-ever print quality. But when you compare them to cheap or medium-priced inkjets, they're the clear winners. Again, this all depends on the printer's model.
Ink Replacement
Replacing the ink bottles in earlier models used to be a real pain. However, many manufacturers have made the process easier by putting the ink bottles on the outside of the printer, and encouraging ink subscription services or online ordering. Research these thoroughly, as the “razor and blades” business practice can make these services very expensive very quickly! Ink tanks are often favored for sublimation too as you can easily fill the tanks without issue.
Media Compatibility
Though most people only need a printer for standard documents, the best tank printers add value by allowing you to print a variety of different media, also supported by their auto document feeder. Cardstock, photo paper… even edible ink! If you have any designs on, well, designing, check the compatibility options of your printer before buying!
Connectivity
Most printers support Wi-Fi for wireless printing, with some models even expanding on this with Wi-Fi Direct, which makes it easier to print wirelessly in places with no internet connection. Wired connectivity greatly varies between different models, with some printers offering USB, Ethernet, or Both. Bluetooth and NFC are rare, but for many users, they're not essential.
Usability
Usability is affected by two features: smartphone app and on-printer controls. Most manufacturers have a companion app for their printers these days. However, not all printers come with a built-in touchscreen. Ideally, the app should be easy to set up and use. A touchscreen panel can also come in handy if your printer isn't too close to your computer.
Are ink tank printers more economical than laser printers?
Both ink tanks and laser printers can be economical. The exact cost per page will vary depending on the printer models and what you'll be printing. Laser printers are ideal for volume document printing and are very competent in this use case. On the flip side, a tank printer is better for multi-purpose printing needs, including documents, photos, envelopes, and more.
What is an EcoTank printer?
EcoTank (or ET) printer models are regarded as some of the best Epson printers that use a unique tank system in which you install bottles instead of cartridges. According to Epson, one set of bottles is equivalent to up to 3 years worth of ink, and in the same time frame, plenty of cartridges would be used.
The series is a more cost-effective, environmentally safe printing solution when compared to traditional inkjet printers. Saving money is the main selling point behind this type of printer, and over long periods, you find the cost per page to be very affordable.
There are also plenty of benefits of using an EcoTank printer. The tanks are really easy to refill, and the bottles feature a drip-free nozzle so that the ink doesn’t spill out and create a mess. You don’t have to guess how much ink your printer has or wait for the pages to date, indicating that the ink is running low; these printers have a transparent window at the front of the tank through which you can see how much ink is left.
These printers also require very little energy to operate using the Heat-Free technology, which means that you’re using less electricity while getting the same printing output as before. In addition, Epson has a year’s back return policy, which can be extended to two years by simply registering the printer. This means that any issues that you might run into using an EcoTank printer will be covered, fixed, or replaced by Epson.
What is a Smart Tank printer?
Smart Tank printers by HP work almost exactly like the ET series. These types of printers also use the tank system, with specialized bottles of ink that are, again, very easy to use. These printers have high ink capacity, and while upfront costs may be high, the savings are passed onto users over time with low per-page costs. Just like Epson’s ET printers, the Smart Tank models come with desirable features such as wireless connectivity and mobile printing.
Besides that, there are plenty of helpful features in a Smart Tank printer. The bottles that come with a Smart Tank printer are resealable, meaning no accidental spilling of ink before, after, or during refilling. It also features a printhead cleaning function, which ensures great printing quality, and keeping it clean extends the printer’s lifespan.
As for connectivity options, Smart Tank printers can be used with Apple AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, Bluetooth, Mopria, HP ePrint, and Print Anywhere. You can also use a USB port for a wired connection and print the documents from there. An environmental benefit of moving away from cartridges is that less plastic is being used, and the overall manufacturing process of these printers results in less waste being produced and materials being used, which is great for the long and short run.
However, this point applies to both EcoTank and Smart Tank printers. Besides that, the sleep mode ensures that it isn’t running at full power all the time and only turns on when you need it, saving on electricity bills in the long run.
EcoTank vs Smart Tank: Which are the Best Printers?
At their core, Epson EcoTank and HP Smart Tank printers are all part of the tank family. Differences are negligible but if we have to talk generally about each range, we would say that EcoTank printers offer the best value, high page yields, and excellent print quality. HP, on the other hand, tends to be faster and offers great value.
The tank designs are fairly similar, so either will save you some money in the long run. Canon’s Supertank range is often considered affordable, with several budget-friendly options. The ink yields on Canon Supertanks are moderate, though.