If you’re trying to cut down your printing costs over the long term, then investing in a good ink tank printer can be the best way to do this.
We only have to look at Epson’s release of their Ecotank model a few years ago, which has caused a surge in popularity of these types of printers. And to be honest, it’s not come as much of a surprise.
Printing costs have been a major talking topic for a while now, as often cartridges over the course of a year or two can cost as much as the printer itself. So, a good ink tank printer can be one way to help minimize your printing costs.
But when you’re buying an ink tank printer, what exactly is it that you should be looking for? Well, we’re going to look at a few things that you’ll want to consider if you’re looking for purchasing one.
Bear in mind that ink tank printers can be pretty expensive – check out our cheap printer guide if you want something more budget friendly.
Best Ink Tank Printers UK
| Product | Image | DPI | Get More Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epson EcoTank ET-2710 |  | 5760x1440dpi | Check Price at Amazon |
| HP Smart Tank Wireless 455 |  | 5760x1440dpi | Check Price at Amazon |
| Epson EcoTank ET-7750 |  | 5760x1440dpi | Check Price at Amazon |
| Canon G1501 |  | 4800x1200dpi | Check Price at Amazon |
| Epson EcoTank ET-4700 |  | 5760x1440dpi | Check Price at Amazon |
| HP Smart Tank Plus 570 |  | 4800x1200dpi | Check Price at Amazon |
Epson EcoTank ET-2710
Ink Costs: Cheap | Sheet capacity: 100 sheets | Wi-Fi Printing: Yes | Scanner: Yes | DPI: 5760×1440 | PPM: 33
If you’re looking for a printer with low ink costs, then the ET-2710 is a very good option. As with the majority of the Ecotank range, it’s a little costly upfront, but you’re going to benefit from this later down the line with lower ink costs.
You can pick up Epson ink for as low as £6-7 a bottle, and it’ll last you a good while too. Unlike the Epson Workforce and Epson Expression ET range, this means that you’ll actually have a reasonable printing bill come the end of the year.
One of the most impressive things about this printer is that it can print at a speed of around 33 pages per minute (when printing in monochrome). So if you print a lot and often, this can make your life a lot simpler (and quicker) than a cheaper model of printer.
This printer also has both a flatbed scanner and a sheetfed scanner integrated into it as well, which will definitely come in handy. If you need the ability to print, scan and copy, then this fits the bill. Plus with the ink provided, it should be good for at least one or two years before you need to refill them.
The only downside with this printer is that in terms of duplex printing, you’ll need to do this manually and flip the paper over yourself. Although this isn’t the worst thing in the world, it’s still nice to have a double sided printer where possible, especially if you print duplex in bulk.
So overall, the ET-2710 comes highly recommended as one of the best value ink tank printers on the current market. It’s ideal for those looking for a reasonably priced inkjet printer, with good wireless connectivity options and a decent paper capacity too.
Pros
Cons
Overall Verdict: The EcoTank ET-2710 is the perfect choice for a home office. It’s a reasonable price whilst also providing high quality prints.
HP Smart Tank Wireless 455
Ink Costs: Average | Sheet capacity: 60 sheets | Wi-Fi Printing: Yes | Scanner: Yes | DPI: 4800×1200 | PPM: 15
In competition to the Ecotank range, HP also have their own range of printers that use inktanks too. This HP Smart Tank 455 is a perfectly good alternative that some people will appreciate.
What stands out about this printer? Well, it prints at a pretty fast rate for the price, and it also prints to a very high quality as well. It’s a very good compact size, and you’ll find the printer simple to setup. And of course, as with all ink tank printers, you’re going to save a ton on printing costs too.
It has reliable Wi-Fi connectivity, and you can use it with the HP Smart app quite quickly. It supports Airprint and Google Cloud Print too, which makes things even easier.
What’s frustrating about this printer is that whilst there are good elements to it, there are a few things which are slightly annoying. Like, the scanner is of a decent quality, but it can only scan on one side, not two.
As well as this, it doesn’t have the ability to print on both sides either, which makes document printing a real chore. With higher cost printers, many of us expect auto duplex printing, but that isn’t always the case.
So whilst this is a perfectly good printer, these areas do let it down somewhat. But if you want to avoid the high costs associated with HP Instant Ink and the ink cartridges, an ink tank printer like this one would be a great way to do that.
Pros
Cons
Overall Verdict: Although it has a thin plastic shell, this printer can work to a high resolution.
Epson EcoTank ET-7750
Ink Costs: Cheap | Sheet capacity: 100 sheets | Wi-Fi Printing: Yes | Scanner: Yes | DPI: 5760×1440 | PPM: 28
Now I don’t expect this model to be a good choice for the vast majority of people. Why? Well let’s face it, it’s ridiculously expensive! However, the ET-7750 does have its place on this list because it’s definitely the best printer here.
How does the ET-7750 earn its high price tag? Well quite simply, it’s pretty flawless. It prints at a very high 28 pages per minute for both monochrome and colour, which is particularly impressive. It’s an automatic duplex printer, which means you can print on both sides without having to manually take the paper out and flip it.
The printer has a very intuitive display LCD screen which makes it easy to navigate. And it comes with a ton of ink too, so you’re unlikely to need more supplies for at least a year or more. Oh, and it can also print in A3 size, which is another reason why the price tag on it is relatively high.
So, it is very expensive overall, and it’ll likely be out of most people’s budget. But if you print on a very regular basis in large amounts, and you want a printer to last you the next decade, then the ET-7750 might be worth your investment.
Pros
Cons
Overall Verdict: It does cost a lot, but if you’re looking for a premium printer with a fast print speed, this is it.
Canon G1501
Ink Costs: Below Average | Sheet capacity: 100 sheets | Wi-Fi Printing: Yes | Scanner: Yes | DPI: 4800×1200 | PPM: 20
Although Canon aren’t known for their inkjet printers, they have a released a few in recent years that use ink tanks instead of ink cartridges. Whilst not all of them are available in the UK just yet, one that is is the Canon G1501.
What are the good aspects of the G1501? Well, it prints at a high quality, making it a good choice for those who prints photos. In fact, it is actually best for this purpose – if you’re looking to print borderless photos at a cheap price, then an ink tank printer like this one might be your best bet.
It’s also a very reliable printer too, and it should see you for a good few years. Canon tend to be pretty good in this regard, as they provide some level of printing support.
One thing that I really like about the G1501 is that you can easily see the ink capacity on the front of the printer itself. This allows you to easily know when you need a refill, and with very low printing costs, this isn’t going to be much bother.
The only negative about this printer is that in does print at a pretty slow rate. So whilst it has a lot of good things about it, this might put some people off opting for this model.
Pros
Cons
Overall Verdict: This is another one of the best ink tank printers on the market, especially for photos.
Epson EcoTank ET-4700
Ink Costs: Low | Sheet capacity: 10 sheets | Wi-Fi Printing: Yes | Scanner: Yes | DPI: 5760×1440 | PPM: 15
As you can clearly see, the Epson EcoTank dominates the inkjet industry with some of the best options for those looking for a small office or home printer. This model is a 4-in-1 printer, with a copier, scanner and fax machine integrated into the device too.
If you’re looking for a reliable printer with low running costs, then this model is one of the best all-rounders out there. It can print more than 7000 pages from just one full tank, although it’s not the fastest printer out there.
It’s generally thought of as a business printer, though it may suit some people as a printer for the home too. This will only be the case if you have a high print capacity.
You can easily connect to this printer via a wifi connection, or a wired connection if you prefer. It’s very simple to print via your tablet or phone if you want to, with the main limitation of this printer being the paper that you use with it.
The higher the quality of the paper, the better quality the print will be overall. It has a 100 sheet paper tray and a 30 page automatic document feeder too. So all in all, the EcoTank 4700 is another excellent high volume printer.
Pros
Cons
Overall Verdict: Although one of the more expensive options, this is another top printer.
HP Smart Tank Plus 570
Ink Costs: Average | Sheet capacity: 60 sheets | Wi-Fi Printing: Yes | Scanner: Yes | DPI: 4800×1200 | Pages per minute: 22
Another printer option from HP is the Smart Tank Plus 570, which is a good inkjet printer with relatively cheap printing costs.
One of the better things about this printer isn’t actually the printer itself – it’s the HP App that you can use with it. It makes it super easy to connect to the printer and get started, and if you keep a lot of your documents in cloud storage, then this is a good way to print without being on your laptop.
This printer also has a high printing capacity, and you can get 12,000 sheets of paper out of just one full tank of ink. This should last you at least a year or two. It’s perfect for those printing at a high volume, as its low running costs and relatively fast speed make it very suitable.
Overall, the Smart Tank Plus 570 is ideal for those looking for a home or office printer without having the heavy size that’s associated with most high quality printers like this. It will give you the opportunity to move away from using ink cartridges, and into a much more affordable way of printing.
Pros
Cons
Overall Verdict: A definite contender if you’re after the best inkjet printer on the market.
Common questions about inktank printers
Is an ink tank printer better?
In terms of actual performance, there’s really not too much difference between an ink tank printer and a cartridge printer. The difference really comes in the cost of the ink that you’re using to print. Whilst printers can come cheap, anyone that has owned one and printed regularly knows that costs can stack up. However, a refillable ink tank printer can provide you with a cheaper ink resource, which will be cheaper in the long term.
Who needs an ink tank printer?
I’ll be completely honest and say that for some people, an ink tank printer is going to be a waste of money. Why? Well, they’re not cheap to invest in; they can typically be twice as expensive as a cartridge printer. For many people who only use a printer occasionally, it won’t be a good investment, as you won’t use the printer anywhere near enough to make it value for money. So, ink tank printers are best for those who print regularly and at a reasonable volume.
Is an ink tank printer good for home use?
Yes, an ink tank printer can also be a good idea to purchase for the home, but only if you’re going to use it enough to warrant the extra cost. You can find plenty of printers out there with good functionality (copying and scanning, wireless printing) for a cheap price nowadays, but they tend to have high printing costs. So, it all really depends on what you’re looking for.
Is an ink tank better than a laser printer?
It really comes down to what you’re going to use it for. If you print in colour a lot, like photos, then I’d stick with an ink printer. However, if you only really print documents in black ink, then a laser printer might be the most viable option in the long term, as they can offer the lowest printing costs around.
Do ink tank printers still dry up?
Yes, unfortunately ink tank printers will still dry up if you don’t use them for an extended period of time, just like cartridges. You can stop this happening by using the printer on a regular basis, at least once per month.
Conclusion
All in all, ink tank printers are a great option for those who are going to be printing pretty often, especially if you’re expecting to be printing in colour a lot. They can help you to reduce your overall costs in the long term, as with a new ink tank printer you’re going to get at least a years worth of ink free with it.
Whilst they won’t be suitable for everyone, if you want to print cartridge free and get a low cost per page, ink tank is the way forward.
