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Which Is the Better Printer: HP or Epson?
If you’re in the market for a new printer, you have a range of options—but how can you know which one is the best deal? When shopping around for an excellent printer for either home or office use, consider the quality of the printed text, quality of printed photos, copying and scanning abilities, print speed, and ink prices.
Two of the frontrunners for the new generation of printers are HP and Epson. Both make high-quality products with a slew of abilities. Depending on what you’re looking for, each of these printers has its strengths and weaknesses. Here’s a comparison of the different qualities and capabilities of each printer.
Text Print Quality
The quality of the printer material will vary if you are printing black-and-white documents or full-color photos. It also depends on the quality of your paper and whether you use standard Epson or HP printer ink or remanufactured ink cartridges.
Epson makes printer models that produce razor-sharp text, even when using their duplexers, allowing them to print on both sides of the document. HP is well-known for its excellent print quality, although Epson produces almost the same condition in a quicker time frame.
If you need to print PDF documents, both text and graphic quality will be different. Epson printers like the Epson Expression XP-640 are swift, but the edges aren’t well-defined on printed PDFs. Graphics from PDFs are more precise when printed with HP models like HP Envy 5540 or the HP Officejet 4650.
Photo Prints
When using an all-in-one, inkjet, or laser printer to print out photos, you will always need to use high-quality photo finish paper. If you print graphics on regular printer paper, do not expect the sharpest results.
Copy and Scan Ability
For making copies, you can’t beat HP models like the HP Envy 5540 and the HP OfficeJet 4650 for smooth transitions and sharp details. The HP OfficeJet loses some of its finer qualities the more copies it makes, but the HP Envy is consistent all the way through.
The Epson XP-640 makes the quickest and sharpest copies of all the Epson models, as others darken the longer they copy.
In terms of scanning, HP’s products are consistent and reliable. Epson’s printers, however, have trouble scanning PDFs, in particular. The XP-640 has difficulty with the perimeters, producing blurry edges when scanning a PDF document. The WF-2760 must first conduct a preview scan to get it right, which slows down the overall scanning and copying process.
Print Speed
In terms of print speed for documents, both HP and Epson printers perform well. When looking at the rate of printing graphics, however, Epson’s XP-640 is almost double the rate of any HP model, at 5.1 pages per minute compared to the HP Envy 5540 at 2.6 ppm.
Ink Price
The last element when considering what type of printer is best for your workplace and expectations is the price of the printer ink. Don’t be fooled by the ultra-low prices of some all-in-one models; whatever money you save may soon be spent on expensive ink, depending on how much you print.
If you’re looking for the best printer for home use with cheap ink, Epson delivers at the lowest cost per page, at an average of 6.9 cents, with its standard Epson ink cartridges, compared to HP, at 9.2 cents per page, with its standard HP printer ink.
If you opt for the high-yield cartridges, the price drops substantially, while Epson is still coming out as the cheapest printer ink producer at 5 cents per page with HP at 7.2 cents.
Both Epson and HP inkjet all-in-ones create high-quality clear images. Epson printers are great at printing photos with excellent details and shading, but there is a lot of yellow in the pictures, making them seem slightly sepia. Some HP printers’ photo capabilities produce products with cloudiness, making the images somewhat blurry.
Are Epson® EcoTank® Printers Worth the Money?
High printer ink prices have always been a source of frustration for consumers. Ink tank printers were introduced a few years ago to address this pain point and the Epson® EcoTank® printer line is one of the most popular ink tank options around. If you’ve seen any of the EcoTank ads you know their big tagline is “cartridge free printing”. Instead of using ink cartridges to print, EcoTanks rely on ink bottles and a refillable ink tank system to power your printer. Similar to filling up your car with gas, when a specific color is low in the tank, all you need to do is fill it up and you can continue printing.
Here are the top 3 advantages of printing with an EcoTank printer:
• Printing costs are much cheaper than printing with a regular Epson printer. If you print often, you can save a ton money with an EcoTank.
• EcoTank ink bottles include a lot of ink, which lets you print thousands of pages at an extremely low cost per page.
• You rarely have to worry about replacing your ink. Ecotanks are advertised as coming with up to “2 years of ink” in the box. That number is based on an average monthly print volume and can change depending on how often you print. Regardless, with so much ink in each bottle, replacements are few and far between.
Now that you know the basics of what an EcoTank printer and how they work, we’ll help you figure out if owning an EcoTank is actually worth it. Most consumers replace their printers after a couple of years, and according to recent consumer questions and reviews, full confidence on the actual longevity of the EcoTank series remains to be seen. What we’ve found is that it all depends on your printing habits. If you print frequently, an EcoTank is worth considering. If you don’t print often, the high upfront costs and upkeep of owning an EcoTank may not make sense for you.
To help you decide, we’ll review our favorite EcoTank printer models (there are a lot to choose from) and compare the EcoTank against a few popular ink tank competitors too.
Let’s get started!
Which Epson EcoTank Printer should you buy?
Epson releases new variations of the Ecotank almost every year. With so many different models, features and price options to consider, it can be hard to decide which printer to buy. No matter which printer you go with, you are getting thousands of prints in each ink bottle. So in terms of ink efficiency, you really can’t go wrong with any of the Ecotank models. However, there are other factors to consider before you purchase. For example, some ink bottles are pigment based while others are dye based and some ink bottle series print more pages than others (see our stats below). Things get more complicated when you begin looking at the features and wildly different pricing from printer to printer. On the low end, you’ve got a handful of basic EcoTanks in the $300 range all the way up to the business class Ecotanks going for $1,000 +, which is a major investment. To simplify it for you, we’ve chosen our six favorite Epson EcoTank printers that cover a range of uses:
Before we jump into our favorites, lets dive a little deeper into who EcoTank printers are actually for and answer some of the common questions that new EcoTank owners often have so you can decide whether they are worth your investment.
Who should own an EcoTank printer ?
• Inkjet printer owners that are tired of constantly replacing cartridges
• High volume printer users that need the flexibility of printing in black and color and photos
Who shouldn’t own an EcoTank printer ?
• Low volume printer users that print occasionally. Yes, having the ability to print thousands of pages of ink is great whether you print 5 pages a month or 500, but if you don’t print regularly, the maintenance of an EcoTank may be more trouble than it’s worth. Just like a regular inkjet printer, if an EcoTank doesn’t print for a couple of weeks, it can dry out. A laser printer is a better option if you print occasionally since they use toner cartridges that can go months in between print jobs without drying out.
• Printer users that need to print fast. If you need your prints in a hurry, you are better off going with a laser printer.
Best EcoTank Printers for Homes and Home Offices
1. Epson EcoTank ET-2800 –
The EcoTank ET-2800 is Epson’s entry level model. If you are looking for the least expensive EcoTank printer, this is the one to get. Like we mentioned earlier, all of these EcoTank printers use cost effective ink bottles with similar yields, so even if you go with the cheapest EcoTank option, you are still saving a ton of money on ink in the long run.
Pros
• Includes everything you need basic home printing, including print / copy / scan features
• 1.44 inch color touchscreen is easy to navigate and wireless printing lets you print from anywhere, including your smartphone
• All four ink bottles include dye-based ink, which are great for range of basic black and color print jobs.
Cons
• Does not support faxing – faxing is available on more expensive models though!
• Does not support automatic duplexing – so you manually have to flip the page when double-sided printing, which can be annoying with large print queues.
• Print speeds are slow. With speeds of 10 ppm for black and 5 ppm for color, you are going to have to be patient if you are printing a lot.
The ink bottles: The ET-2800 printer uses Epson 522 dye-based ink bottles. The black ink bottle prints up 4,500 pages and each color ink bottle prints up to 7,000 pages.
Want a home Ecotank with fax options? The Ecotank ET-4850 is your answer. With fax, ethernet connectivity a 30 sheet automatic document feeder and faster print speeds (15 ppm black / 10 ppm color) this printer gives you the extra features and power you need at a slightly higher price point.
Best EcoTank Printers for Small-Medium Businesses
Epson EcoTank ET-15000
Small businesses that have color printing needs should consider the Epson EcoTank ET-15000. This printer is loaded with a ton of great business-ready features that you won’t find in other less expensive Ecotanks, like a 35 sheet automatic document feeder and 13”x19” rear paper tray. The price of the printer is a little pricey but it’s worth it if you print frequently and take advantage of all it has to offer.
Pros
• Print / copy / scan / fax features
• Wi-Fi lets you print from anywhere
• Fast print speeds (17 ppm black / 9 ppm color)
35 sheet automatic document feeder lets you easily copy, scan and fax stacks of pages without lifting a finger
• Includes a front paper tray that can hold up to 250 sheets and a rear tray for specialty prints up to 13”x19”
Cons
• The upfront cost of the printer is expensive. Yes, you’re getting a lot of great printing features but paying a premium for them. Consider going with a cheaper model if you don’t need all the extra bells and whistles.
• This printer is big. With dimensions of 19.6″ x 29.6″ x 14.3″, you’ll need to carve out a pretty large space on your desk to store this machine.
The ink bottles: The ET-15000 uses Epson 502 ink bottles. The black ink bottle is pigment-based and prints 7,500 pages and the color bottles are dye-based and print 6,000 pages each.
Need even more printing power? Consider the Epson ET-5800, one of Epson’s newest EcoTank models, it might just replace your office color laser printer. With print speeds of up to 25 ppm and four pigment-based ink bottles for long lasting durability, this printer is ready to tackle any heavy duty print job.
Best EcoTank Printers for Monochrome Printing
Epson ST-M1000 Supertank
If you are looking for a basic ink tank printer that just prints in black, the Epson ST-M1000 Supertank is a great option. With an ink bottle that prints up to 6,000 pages and print speeds of up to 20 ppm, this single-function ST-M1000 can go toe to toe with just about any basic home laser monochrome printer on the market.
Pros
• Single function printing – this printer just prints and sometimes that’s all you need.
• Automatic two-sided printing lets you print on both sides of the pages with the push of a button
• 250-sheet paper tray holds up to half a ream a paper
Cons
• If you need to copy, scan or fax you need to find a different printer. The higher priced Epson ST-M3000 Supertank is the next tier up and offers copy / fax / scan functionality.
The ink bottles: The ST-M1000 uses a single Epson 532 black pigment-based ink bottle that prints up to 6,000 pages.
Best EcoTank Printers for Photo Printing
Epson Photo ET-8500
EcoTank owners have been requesting an ink tank photo printer for years and in 2021, Epson finally delivered. The Epson Photo ET-8500 is the first Ecotank printer designed for high volume photo prints and it’s a dream for any creative professional that prints often. Along with the expected print / scan / copy features, it supports a wide range of media, including photo paper, presentation paper, fine art papers, card stock and CD / DVDs.
Pros
• Includes print / copy / scan options
• Able to print a 4×6-inch photo for about 4 cents and 8.5 x 11 borderless photos
• Includes 3 paper trays: 100-sheet front tray / 50-sheet rear tray / 20-sheet photo tray
Cons
• If you need wide-format printing (13×19 borderless photos) you will need to pay a bit more for the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550.
The ink bottles: The EcoTank Photo ET-8500 uses 6 Epson 552 ink bottles. The pigment black 552 series ink bottle prints up to 6,700 pages, a dye-based photo black prints up to 7,300 pages, a gray bottle prints up to 46,000 pages and cyan, magenta and yellow bottles average 6,200 pages each.
Epson EcoTank vs. The Competition
Epson may have been the first major printer brand to introduce an ink tank printer, but over the last few years, Canon®, Brother® and HP® quickly followed suit. Despite the heavy competition, we believe the Epson EcoTank is still the best option for most ink tank printer users. Every brand has their own unique strengths but because Epson has been making their ink tank printers the longest, they’ve had the most time to make improvements on design and functionality. With new models coming out regularly, they are constantly working to improve on previous versions, which has made them a leader in the space. Here, we’ll compare some of the pros and cons of Epson’s competition so you can decide for yourself.
Epson EcoTank vs. Canon MegaTank
The Canon MegaTank series has a lot of the same features as an EcoTank, like equally generous ink bottles and flexible all-in-one printing options that improve as the printer price goes up. The printers are also slightly cheaper than most EcoTanks but with only a handful of MegaTanks on the market, choices are limited and reviews so far have been mixed. Many MegaTank owners are not happy with the display screen. Instead of including a color LCD display, the MegaTank’s display is small and not backlit, which makes it difficult to read. This likely saved Canon some money on the production side of this printer, but it certainly isn’t very user friendly. If you are able to overlook that, the Megatank line still offers the crisp, clear print quality that Canon is known for at a super low price. The Canon G6020 MegaTank is our favorite of the group, offering print, copy and scan functions and decent print speeds. Canon also recently came out with their a photo ink tank printer, the Canon PIXMA G620. Like the Epson ET-8500, it also uses 6 ink bottles. They all include dye-based ink and it can print about 3,800 4×6 photos!
Epson EcoTank vs. Brother Inkvestment
Ink tank printing is a new technology and some printer owners just aren’t comfortable with the idea of filling a printer with ink. Brother designed their Inkvestment line, a hybrid ink tank printer series, with these customers in mind. By combining the cost-saving features of an ink tank with the functionality and cartridge handling of an everyday inkjet printer, you get a hybrid ink tank printer that’s both forward thinking and familiar. Rather than fill the tank with an ink bottle, Brother uses cartridges to transfer ink to the tank. Once the ink is inside, the printer functions like a regular ink tank printer, printing thousands of page at an extremely low cost per page. If you are on the fence about ink tank printers, the Inkvestment line is a great in-between option. Like the MegaTank, there aren’t nearly as many choices as the EcoTank, but they have a lot of the same perks. Our top pick is the Brother Inkvestment MFC-J4335DW, which offers print, copy, fax and scan options and automatic two-sided printing.
Epson EcoTank vs. HP SmartTank
While Epson, Canon and Brother have all had ink tank printers out for four or five years, HP’s SmartTank series was only just released last year. Given the newness of the series, there aren’t as many models to choose from, but despite that, HP has produced a sleek EcoTank contender that delivers on function and value. SmartTanks use similar high volume ink bottles and just like the EcoTank, are advertised as coming with up to “2 years of ink” in the box. The HP Smart Tank Plus 551 is one of their least expensive options and yet it is still a bit pricey for an ink tank printer. If you have a preference for HP, you’d be fine going with a SmartTank, but you may want to wait until they have been on the market a little longer and can bring down the price point.
How to Save Even More on Ink ?
If you are looking to lower your printing costs even more, LD-brand compatible ink bottles from LD Products are a great way to save. LD has compatible alternative Epson ink bottles for almost every Epson Ecotank printer model, plus thousands of other affordable printing supplies, including ink for Canon MegaTank and HP SuperTank printers too! Check out our complete line up of low cost printing supplies on LDProducts.com and see how much you can save!
Frequently Asked Questions -
Is the Epson EcoTank worth it?
The answer is–it depends. If you print a lot often, then yes, the EcoTank could be a good fit for you. Otherwise, if you don’t print often and you get the EcoTank, you might end up with a lot of dried ink in nozzles and tubs that you’d have to clean up often.
Does Epson EcoTank dry out?
Yes, it still dries up when left unused. The EcoTank is still an inkjet printer so it’s still susceptible to ink drying up leading to clogged tubes or cartridge nozzles.
How long does Epson EcoTank ink last?
An Epson EcoTank has a much higher page yield compared to other regular ink cartridges but laser toner cartridges still have higher page yields. How long it actually lasts depends on what you print and how often you print. To illustrate, if you print lots of full color images daily, you can expect to run out much sooner compared to someone who only prints 4 pages of text documents in a day.
What do I do if my printer isn't printing receipts?
The most common causes of printers not functioning are due to some kind of power issue.
Always start by:
1. Restarting the printer (sometimes called power cycling)
2. Securing cables
3. Verifying paper is installed properly and feeds
4. Re-seating cables (re-seating simply means to unplug or remove and then to plug back in)
Follow the steps below:
1. Try restarting the printer:
Locate the power switch, turn it off & on.
2. Check whether the AC adapter is correctly connected.
It is VERY common for the power cord to become disconnected from the power brick. Make sure the cord is not only fully plugged into the outlet, but that it is also tightly connected to the brick in the middle of the cord.
3. Verify the paper is installed properly:
To do this, hold down the feed button for several seconds
If the Error LED is on:
• Check whether the roll paper cover is correctly closed
• If the Paper LED is on, check whether the roll paper is correctly installed
If the Error LED is flashing:
• Check whether paper is jammed. If it is jammed, remove it (Printing stops if the thermal head overheats and resumes automatically when it cools).
• For other cases, turn the printer off, and after 10 seconds, turn it back on.
4. Paper Installation:
• This printer requires thermal paper in order to print.
• This printer does not require ink.
4. Verify the Ethernet cable is connected to the printer.
To do this, open the printer and verify the Ethernet cable is connected to the printer AND that there is a status light next to it indicating power. This cable needs to be tightly connected.
You can also try restarting the router. For more information, see the article Verifying your Internet Connection.
What is an Ethernet cable?
A cable used to connect devices to networks. Ethernet cables look like telephone cables only larger and come in many different colors.
What type of paper does my printer use?
Your printer uses 3 1/8 Inch 80mm Thermal Black Image Receipt Printer Paper.
If you need paper for a different printer supported by Toast, check out the article Printer Rolls and Ink Ribbons.
What type of ink cartridge does my printer use?
You do not need an ink cartridge. This printer does not require ink and uses heat to print.
