Ink Tank vs Cartridge Printers: Who Should Switch (Epson EcoTank, HP Smart Tank, Canon MegaTank, Brother INKvestment)

What Are Ink Tank Printers?

Traditional printers use small, expensive cartridges. Ink tank printers have large, refillable reservoirs built into the printer. Instead of buying $40 cartridges, you buy $10-15 bottles of ink and pour them into the tanks.

Major brands:

• Epson EcoTank: The original and most popular
• HP Smart Tank: HP's version, often cheaper
• Canon MegaTank: Canon's ink tank line
• Brother INKvestment Tank: Brother's entry

The Cost Comparison

Traditional Cartridge Printer

Example: HP DeskJet 2755e

• Printer cost: $59
• Black cartridge (HP 67): $21 for 120 pages = $0.175/page
• Color cartridge (HP 67): $24 for 100 pages = $0.24/page
• Cost per color page: $0.415 (41.5 cents)

Print 600 color pages per year: $249/year in ink
2-year total: $557 ($59 printer + $498 ink)

Ink Tank Printer

Example: Epson EcoTank ET-2850

• Printer cost: $249
• Replacement ink bottles: $9 black (7,500 pages), $9 each color (6,000 pages each)
• Cost per black page: $0.0012 (0.12 cents)
• Cost per color page: ~$0.006 (0.6 cents)

Print 600 color pages per year: ~$4/year in ink
2-year total: $257 ($249 printer + $8 ink)

Savings over 2 years: $300

When to Switch to Ink Tank

Switch If You:

1. Print More Than 50 Pages Per Month

At this volume, ink tank printers pay for themselves in 12-18 months. The more you print, the faster the payback.

Breakeven point: Usually 6-12 months for families or home offices.

2. Spend $100+ Per Year on Ink

If you're dropping $100+ annually on cartridges, an ink tank will cut that to under $10/year. The math is simple.

3. Have Kids in School

School printing (worksheets, projects, permission slips, book reports) adds up fast. Families often print 100-200 pages per month during the school year.

With cartridges: $80-200/year
With ink tank: $5-10/year

4. Print Color Documents or Photos

Color ink is obscenely expensive in cartridges (often $0.40+ per page). Ink tank color printing costs under a penny per page.

5. You're Buying a New Printer Anyway

If your current printer died or you need to upgrade, spend the extra $100-150 on an ink tank instead of another cartridge printer. You'll save that difference in less than a year.

When to Stick With Cartridges

Keep Cartridges If You:

1. Print Less Than 30 Pages Per Month

At very low volumes, the upfront cost of an ink tank takes too long to recoup. A $70 cartridge printer makes more sense if you barely print.

2. Print Infrequently (Once a Month or Less)

If you go weeks without printing, a basic laser printer might be better than either option (toner doesn't dry up).

3. Have a Very Tight Budget

If you only have $50-100 to spend right now and can't afford $200-300 upfront, a cartridge printer gets you printing immediately. Just know you'll pay more long-term.

4. Already Own a Working Cartridge Printer

If your current printer works fine, don't replace it just for ink tank. Wait until it dies or becomes unreliable, then switch.

Brand Comparison

Epson EcoTank

• Pros: Most popular, proven reliability, excellent photo quality, wide model range
• Cons: Usually the most expensive upfront
• Best for: Photo printing, families, anyone who wants the safest choice
• Popular models: ET-2850 (basic), ET-2850 (all-in-one), ET-4800 (business)
• Ink cost: Lowest in the industry (~0.6¢ per color page)

HP Smart Tank

• Pros: Often cheaper than EcoTank, great text quality, compact design
• Cons: Photo quality slightly behind Epson
• Best for: Home office, document printing, budget-conscious buyers
• Popular models: Smart Tank 5101, 5105, 7005
• Ink cost: Slightly higher than Epson but still 90% cheaper than cartridges

Canon MegaTank

• Pros: Excellent photo quality, good all-around performance
• Cons: Fewer models available, less marketing push
• Best for: Photo enthusiasts, mixed use
• Popular models: PIXMA G3270, G4270
• Ink cost: Comparable to Epson

Brother INKvestment Tank

• Pros: Brother reliability, business-focused features
• Cons: Smaller ink capacity than competitors
• Best for: Small businesses, offices
• Popular models: MFC-J4335DW, MFC-J5945DW
• Ink cost: Higher per page than Epson/HP but still much cheaper than cartridges

Real User Savings Examples

Family With 3 Kids (200 pages/month color)

• With cartridges: $1,000/year in ink
• With EcoTank: $15/year in ink
• Savings: $985/year
• Payback: 3 months

Home Office (150 pages/month B&W, 50 color)

• With cartridges: $400/year in ink
• With Smart Tank: $8/year in ink
• Savings: $392/year
• Payback: 6 months

Occasional User (30 pages/month mixed)

• With cartridges: $80/year in ink
• With ink tank: $3/year in ink
• Savings: $77/year
• Payback: 2+ years (maybe not worth it)

What to Watch Out For

1. Initial Ink Included

Most ink tank printers come with enough ink to print 3,000-6,000 pages right out of the box. This is a huge value-add.

2. Refilling Can Be Messy

Pouring ink into tanks takes care - you can spill. It's not difficult, but it's not as clean as snapping in a cartridge. Newer models have better designs to prevent spills.

3. Tanks Can Dry Out

Just like cartridges, if you don't print for months, ink can dry in the printheads. Print a test page every 2-3 weeks to keep things flowing.

4. Higher Upfront Cost

You're paying $200-400 instead of $50-100. Make sure you'll print enough to justify it.

The Bottom Line

If you print 50+ pages per month, switch to ink tank. You'll save hundreds per year.

If you print less than 30 pages per month, stick with cartridges or consider a laser printer.

The best time to switch is when buying a new printer - don't buy another cartridge printer if you print regularly.