Whether you’re an artist or not, you’ve undoubtedly felt the sting of high-priced ink cartridges and how frequently they need to be replaced.
So in this guide, I’ll share my recommendations for the best ink tank printers and how they can help you save money and the environment.
Top 4 Ink Tank Printers Compared
Here is a quick summary of my favorite ink tank printers. There are more picks in the overview below, such as more budget, small business, and heavy use picks. As well as a pick for the photographers.
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My Pick
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Budget All-in-one
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Value Pick
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Small Biz Pick
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Description: Eco All-in-one Pick for Art Prints, Cardstock, Canvas, Stickers, Vinyl, and Transfer paper 6-color hybrid dye-based & pigment-based ink system :: 5760×1440 DPI :: Borderless prints up to 13″×19″ (A3+) :: Max paper thickness: rear feed 50mil (1.3mm) manually :: Early 2021 model :: Wireless & AirPrint |
Description: Best Budget All-in-one Inktank and Supertank Printer 4-color dye-based ink system :: 4800×1200 DPI :: Borderless prints up to 8.5″×14″ (A4) :: User definable length up to 47″ :: High page yield & low cost per print :: Mid 2019 model :: Wireless & AirPrint |
Description: Best Value Ink Tank and Supertank Printer 4-color dye-based ink system :: 4800×1200 DPI :: Borderless prints up to 8.5″×14″ (A4) :: Auto duplex (2-sided) printing :: Mid 2019 model :: Wireless & AirPrint |
Description: Best Epson Ink Tank and Supertank Printer for Small Business 4-color pigment-based ink system :: 4800×2400 DPI :: Borderless prints up to 8.5″×14″ (A4) :: High page yield & low cost per print :: Early 2020 model :: Wireless & AirPrint |
Eco All-in-one Pick for Art Prints, Cardstock, Canvas, Stickers, Vinyl, and Transfer paper
6-color hybrid dye-based & pigment-based ink system :: 5760×1440 DPI :: Borderless prints up to 13″×19″ (A3+) :: Max paper thickness: rear feed 50mil (1.3mm) manually :: Early 2021 model :: Wireless & AirPrint
Best Budget All-in-one Inktank and Supertank Printer
4-color dye-based ink system :: 4800×1200 DPI :: Borderless prints up to 8.5″×14″ (A4) :: User definable length up to 47″ :: High page yield & low cost per print :: Mid 2019 model :: Wireless & AirPrint
Best Value Ink Tank and Supertank Printer
4-color dye-based ink system :: 4800×1200 DPI :: Borderless prints up to 8.5″×14″ (A4) :: Auto duplex (2-sided) printing :: Mid 2019 model :: Wireless & AirPrint
Best Epson Ink Tank and Supertank Printer for Small Business
4-color pigment-based ink system :: 4800×2400 DPI :: Borderless prints up to 8.5″×14″ (A4) :: High page yield & low cost per print :: Early 2020 model :: Wireless & AirPrint
Table of Contents
- Overview: Best Ink Tank Printers in 2023
- Budget Pick: Canon PIXMA G1220
- Budget All-in-one Pick: Canon PIXMA G6020
- Small Business Pick I: Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850
- Small Business Pick II: Canon MAXIFY GX6021
- Small Business Pick III: HP Smart Tank Plus 651
- Value Pick: Epson EcoTank ET-4760
- Artist’s Pick: Epson EcoTank ET-8550
- Photographer’s Pick: Canon PIXMA G620
- Heavy Use Pick: Epson EcoTank Pro ET-16650
- What are Cartridge Free Supertank and Ink Tank Printers?
- Main Criteria for Choosing an Ink Tank and Supertank Printer
- How to Save Even More Money Printing
- FAQs – Best Ink Tank Printer
Overview: Best Ink Tank Printers in 2023
Budget Pick: Canon PIXMA G1220
Best Budget Inktank and Supertank Printer
4-color dye-based ink system :: 4800×1200 DPI :: Borderless prints up to 8.5″×14″ (A4) :: High page yield & low cost per print :: Late 2020 model :: USB connection only
At a Glance:
- Maximum Paper Size: 8.5 x 47 Inches
- Resolution: Up to 4800 x 1200 DPI
- Print Speed: 9.1 IPM (B&W) :: 5.0 IPM (Color)
- Inks: 4 Color Canon dye-based inks
With about the same print quality as the G620 below, this Canon Pixma G1220 – at about a hundred dollars less – is a pretty special printer for the money.
Of course, something has to give, and in this case, the G1220 has somewhat slower print speeds and is a single-function printer – that is, it just prints and does not include scanner/copier functions. Moreover, it has only a USB connection, so there is no Wireless and AirPrint.
But it is still a Canon printer, so it’s well built, easy to use, and consistent in performance. And as a refillable ink tank printer, it will save you enormous amounts of money if you do quite a bit of printing.
Even if you don’t, though, the Pixma G1220 is still a seriously good value, with much higher material quality, reliability, and printing than we might expect at this price point, and is the best budget ink tank printer available today.
Budget All-in-one Pick: Canon PIXMA G6020
Best Budget All-in-one Inktank and Supertank Printer
4-color dye-based ink system :: 4800×1200 DPI :: Borderless prints up to 8.5″×14″ (A4) :: User definable length up to 47″ :: High page yield & low cost per print :: Mid 2019 model :: Wireless & AirPrint
At a Glance:
- Maximum Paper Size: 8.5 x 47 Inches
- Resolution: Up to 4800 x 1200 DPI
- Print Speed: 13 IPM (B&W) :: 6.8 IPM (Color)
- Inks: 4 Color Canon pigment- and dye-based inks
Epson makes the most popular ink tank printers today, but it has to be said that Canon is the clear winner in the budget ink tank printers category.
And Canon Pixma ink tank series printers are amazing for such a low price.
This Canon Pixma G6020, for example, is under 300 dollars and yet has very high-resolution printing and surprisingly subtle, saturated, and accurate colors.
This printer uses a special hybrid ink system, with pigment-based black ink and dye-based colors, which gives crisp and long-lasting text prints and, again, colors that spring from the page.
It is also surprising in how sturdy it is, how quiet and reliable and how it seems to work perfectly every time, even over the long haul.
The G6020 is not the fastest printer on the market – Canon prefers stability and reliability over speed at this price point. But it is not by any means maddeningly slow.
The built-in copier/scanner, the rear document feed, the controls, overall design, and layout make this a wonderfully useful printer and pretty amazing for the money.
Small Business Pick I: Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850
Best Epson Ink Tank and Supertank Printer for Small Business
4-color pigment-based ink system :: 4800×2400 DPI :: Borderless prints up to 8.5″×14″ (A4) :: High page yield & low cost per print :: Early 2020 model :: Wireless & AirPrint
At a Glance:
- Maximum Paper Size: 8.5 x 14 Inches
- Resolution: Up to 4800 x 2400 DPI
- Print Speed: 25 PPM (B&W or Color)
- Inks: 4 Color DURABrite ink
For the best general use printer for home business and commercial artists, I wanted a printer that has gorgeous print quality.
And at the same time, a high-quality scanner and copier, automatic document feeder, automatic duplex printing, high print speeds, easy and intelligent user interface, very low running costs, and the ability to handle heavy usage reliably and without any problems.
The Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850 is just the printer you need.
One of the least expensive models in Epson’s Pro line, the 5850 is a tough, fast, and incredibly versatile printer that is cheap and easy to use and makes strikingly beautiful prints that will last – as will the printer itself.
A perfect choice for any home office or small business, a great printer in every way for any artist, crafter, or creator, and an amazing bargain, given its super high quality on all fronts.
Small Business Pick II: Canon MAXIFY GX6021
Best Canon Ink Tank and Supertank Printer for Small Business
4-color pigment-based ink system :: 1200×600 DPI :: Prints up to 8.5″×14″ (A4) :: High page yield & low cost per print :: Early 2022 model :: Wireless & AirPrint
At a Glance:
- Maximum Paper Size: 8.5 x 14 Inches
- Resolution: Up to 1200 x 600 DPI
- Print Speed: 24 IPM (B&W) :: 15.5 IPM (Color)
- Inks: 4 Color Canon pigment ink
The Canon GX6020 all-in-one is a wonderful printer to use.
The big, clear LCD display and control panel are simple and intuitive, the overall layout just makes sense, and this printer always seems to work perfectly.
Although the stated print resolution is not as high as other printers, this seems to be a quite conservative spec, and you will be amazed how consistently sharp and clear your prints are, with depth, detail, and impact far beyond many printers in this price range.
The scanner is far better than you might expect at this level and a wonderful thing for any artist to have on hand.
And the color printing is exquisite, the superb Canon pigment-based inks offering superior color accuracy and saturation and exceptionally long life and resistance to the elements.
A useful and high-quality all-in-one printer, scanner, and copier that is fast, reliable, and very inexpensive to run, the Canon GX6020 is the perfect affordable personal or office printer and a great tool for working artists.
Small Business Pick III: HP Smart Tank Plus 651
Best HP Ink Tank and Supertank Printer for Small Business
4-color hybrid pigment- and dye-based ink system :: 4800×1200 DPI :: Prints up to 8.5″×14″ (A4) :: Automatic duplex (2-sided) printing :: High page yield & low cost per print :: Late 2019 model :: Wireless & AirPrint
This HP Smart Tank 651 is a great printer in every way.
Perhaps the easiest printer to use among the refillable ink tank printers, the HP 651 has a specially designed tank system that makes refilling quick, simple, and mess-free.
This all-in-one printer includes color scanning, copying, and faxing, and will make borderless prints up to letter size (8.5 x 11 inches).
The Smart Tank 651 has fast print speeds, superb color accuracy and saturation and color inks that last over time, and beautiful depth and life that can come from not only superior print heads and high resolution but also the excellent material quality and precision engineering.
HP printers have become somewhat legendary as far as long-term reliability and durability are concerned. This printer seems likely to last and perform beautifully for many years.
For performance, quality and reliability, ease of use, and versatility that are almost unbelievable at such an affordable price, the HP Smart Tank Plus 651 is my third recommendation for a small business ink tank printer.
Value Pick: Epson EcoTank ET-4760
Best Value Ink Tank and Supertank Printer
4-color dye-based ink system :: 4800×1200 DPI :: Borderless prints up to 8.5″×14″ (A4) :: Auto duplex (2-sided) printing :: Mid 2019 model :: Wireless & AirPrint
At a Glance:
- Maximum Paper Size: 8.5 x 14 Inches
- Resolution: Up to 4800 x 1200 DPI
- Print Speed: 15 PPM (B&W) :: 8 PPM (Color)
- Inks: 4 Color EcoTank ink
I have to say that every model on this list of best refillable printers offers exceptionally good value – from the least to the most expensive. Not just the low printing costs, thanks largely to the ink tank systems, but how well made they are, how useful, how reliable, and how well they print.
And yet selecting a single choice for the best value supertank printer was easier than you might expect!
The mid-priced Epson EcoTank ET-4760 is one of the most popular and well-regarded printers on the market today – something of a legend in its own time – and offers an amazing combination of speed, print quality, intelligent and simple design, material quality, and long term reliability and very low operating costs.
Whether you print a lot or a little, the 4760 will give you lovely prints every time, quickly and reliably, and without any problems. It will also scan artwork, or anything else, so beautifully, with surprisingly high fidelity and quality, and does that too quickly and easily.
An affordable all-in-one printer that will last and last, is cheap and easy to use, not to mention trouble-free and dependable, the Epson EcoTank ET-4760 is a great choice for pretty much anybody and the best value ink tank printer on the market today.
Artist’s Pick: Epson EcoTank ET-8550
Eco All-in-one Pick for Art Prints, Cardstock, Canvas, Stickers, Vinyl, and Transfer paper
6-color hybrid dye-based & pigment-based ink system :: 5760×1440 DPI :: Borderless prints up to 13″×19″ (A3+) :: 4800x1200 scan resolution :: Max paper thickness: rear feed 50mil (1.3mm) manually :: Early 2021 model :: Wireless & AirPrint
At a Glance:
- Maximum Paper Size: 13 x 19 Inches
- Resolution: Up to 5760 x 1440 DPI
- Print Speed: 16 PPM (B&W) :: 12 PPM (Color)
- Inks: 6 Color Claria ink
The ET-8550 is the best overall for artists, based on the extraordinarily beautiful, dynamic, accurate, and long-lasting prints it puts out.
At the same time, the ET-5850 above is a fine choice for more normal use too, and for high volumes, the Pro ET-16650 at the end, is another strong contender for the best overall tank printer.
But I love ET-8550 – it gives best-of-the-best prints and makes my work look so spectacular while doing everything else just as well.
And considering its fast print speed, ability to handle large documents, material quality, durability, and intelligent and highly usable design, the Epson EcoTank ET-8550 wide format printer is the clear winner and the best ink tank printer for artists and my personal pick.
Photographer’s Pick: Canon PIXMA G620
Value Ink tank/Supertank Printer for Art Prints, Photographers, Graphic Designers, Stickers, Vinyl, Transparencies
6-color dye-based ink system :: 4800×1200 DPI :: Borderless prints up to 8.5″×14″ (A4) :: User definable length up to 47″:: High page yield & low cost per print :: Early 2021 model :: Wireless & AirPrint :: a.k.a G550/G650
At a Glance:
- Maximum Paper Size: 8.5 x 47 Inches
- Resolution: Up to 4800 x 1200 DPI
- Print Speed: 3.9 IPM (B&W or Color)
- Inks: 6 Color Canon dye-based ink
I’m amazed at how beautiful the printing is on this inexpensive little Canon printer.
Not only does it have high resolution for really crisp images and amazing detail, but the Canon Pixma G620 also has a full 6-color ink system, including red and gray inks, for accuracy, subtlety, and range that you would never expect at this price level.
This makes the G620 a perfect affordable choice for any artist, photographer, crafter, or creator, as do the rear feed document feeder, a wide range of materials you can print on, and the high-quality built-in flatbed scanner.
But the price, the low running costs, the incredibly easy operation, and the reliability – daily and over the long term – make it a great choice for pretty much anybody and a great value as well.
Still, as great as this is as an all-around general use unit, the print quality is what impresses and earns the Canon Pixma G620 an easy and strong recommendation.
Heavy Use Pick: Epson EcoTank Pro ET-16650
Best Ink Tank and Supertank Printer for Heavy Use
4-color pigment-based ink system :: 4800×1200 DPI :: Borderless prints up to 11″×17″ (A3) :: User definable length up to 47″:: High page yield & low cost per print :: Early 2020 model :: Wireless & AirPrint
At a Glance:
- Maximum Paper Size: 13 x 19 Inches
- Resolution: Up to 4800 x 1200 DPI
- Print Speed: 25 PPM (B&W or Color)
- Inks: 4 Color DURABrite ink
One of the most popular and highly rated printers from the legendary Epson Pro lineup, the ET-16650 has amazing print quality, with very high resolution (not just the listed specifications, but in actual use) and incredibly accurate, deeply saturated colors that last and last.
Given the high print speed – especially speedy with color prints – and the heavily overbuilt engineering, this is a commercial grade printer for a very low price, great for all kinds of work, a wide range of projects and materials, heavy workflow and very high output.
An easy printer to use and offers great connectivity options (including wireless printing), a built-in – and excellent – flatbed scanner, wide format printing, built-in PCL and Postscript support, auto-duplex printing, and so much more, the Epson EcoTank Pro ET-16650 is a perfect choice for the busy studio or artist, and a real value.
What are Cartridge Free Supertank and Ink Tank Printers?
Simply put, supertank printers (also known as ink tank printers) are exactly the same as any other normal inkjet printers, except that they use large-capacity ink tanks instead of small ink cartridges.
This means you can go much longer without changing the ink, refilling the ink tank from bottles rather than buying new cartridges and throwing the old ones away.
This also means that supertank printers are much (much, much) cheaper to run because of the substantially lower ink costs (cartridges can be absurdly expensive, and many seem to deplete very fast) – and they are better for the environment!
If I were listing the benefits of a supertank inkjet printer over a normal inkjet printer, my bullet list would look something like this:
- Much lower running costs
- Better for the environment
- Higher print yield between refills
Main Criteria for Choosing an Ink Tank and Supertank Printer
When it comes down to it, the features and qualities an artist, designer, crafter, photographer, or any creative person would want to look for in the best ink tank printers are the same that you would want in any inkjet printer:
- High Resolution – Sharp, crisp lines, clear images, and lots of detail
- Excellent Colors – colors that are accurate, vivid, deeply saturated, and long-lasting
- Reliability – a printer that lasts substantially longer than its warranty period
This is a simple list, but if you have your bases covered – great resolution, great colors, and great material quality – you will have a printer you love and a printer you can love for many years – even with fairly heavy use.
Luckily, these same qualities are what pretty much anybody else should also look for.
So if you are not an artist or crafter, or if that is not your main focus, the recommendations you will find in my guide for the best supertank printers will also be the best choices for you.
There are a few other things you might want to consider – a wide-format printer, higher print speed, and other functions like scanning and copying – but you still want to ensure that the basics are in place.
You may be worried about compatibility, but rest assured that every printer I include here is fully compatible with all Apple, Windows, and Android devices and operating systems.
Also, you will notice that all of my recommendations, except one, for the best refillable tank printers, also have a scanner and copier built right in – again, really ideal for artists and crafters, and pretty great for everybody else too!
How to Save Even More Money Printing
If you purchase a new ink tank printer, you’ve already taken the first step to saving lots and lots of money with printing.
Still, you may be wondering what else you can do to save even more – if you’re running your own business or even your own home, every bit of savings helps, and a few further steps can save you more and more!
So I have put together just a few tips, tricks, and good practices that can help you save money on printing – and, it should be said, help the environment as well.
Work collaboratively online
Many artists, writers, and other creatives – and a lot of office workers – are used to printing drafts of things to share with coworkers or collaborators, but this is wasteful and expensive!
But if you get increasingly in the habit of working in the clouds – or at least saving in the clouds – and sharing your work that way, you can save a considerable amount of money, not to mention time and effort.
And if you’re worried about people making changes to your work without your consent, or even your knowledge, you can lock and password-protect pretty much any file format, or save things as PDF, so that people can see and review the doc but can’t change it.
Compare print to screen
If you are more comfortable with seeing and critically assessing artwork in print, you might want to look at a good print of a piece of art and compare it carefully with the same piece on the screen.
Suppose you just take your time, not trying to accomplish anything, just looking, scanning, and comparing. In that case, you will begin to improve your ability to see and assess work on screen until you can do it as easily and effectively as you can in print.
If you create your work digitally, you probably have the eye for critically evaluating on-screen, and you might find it works better for you.
Print smaller copies, and reduce the print quality
Lower print quality can use significantly less ink, as can smaller prints.
Just make sure the print is big enough for you to see and do what you need to see and do, so you don’t have just to print a larger copy anyway. And, of course, if you’re printing to assess, edit and make changes critically, lower-quality printing may not work.
But if it does work, such a simple method can save a lot over time – even with an ink tank printer.
Double-check your work
Whenever you print out a “final” copy of something – or any copy, for that matter – take time to check your work before clicking print, just to ensure there are no errors or problems that would cause you to need to reprint before proceeding.
If you are only printing one page every once in a while, this will save you a little, but if you often print or go on to make copies of that blasted imperfect page, this can save you a lot.
And even if you are printing a working copy, rough draft, or early version, still making sure to find and correct obvious and easily fixable errors is good practice and will keep the perfectionists among us (we know who we are) from reprinting even those early proofs.
Print on both sides of the paper, and reuse scrap paper
Pretty obvious, I guess, but it is still good to remind ourselves to use the other side of a printed page to print non-critical stuff, or to print text copy, for example, on both sides of the page.
Of course, this doesn’t always work for artwork, but if it is not a final print to show a client or for your portfolio, it might be just fine.
And even if you don’t reprint on the other side of used paper, you can always use it for doodling, notes or shopping lists, or repurpose it in a craft project!
Buy ink on sale
Many people are concerned about ink cartridges running dry, but this is an overstated concern, and if you print with any regularity, you don’t need to worry about it.
More to the point, though, is that it will take years for a new, sealed bottle of ink to dry out and become unusable, especially if it is stored as the manufacturer suggests.
So, if you find ink for your new ink tank printer at a scandalously low price, buy extra and lay up a reserve.
Just don’t get too enthusiastic, lest you buy so much that you can’t possibly use it all before its expiration date!
FAQs – Best Ink Tank Printer
Yes, supertank, also called ink tank printers, are worth it because, thanks to the ink tank technology, they use much less ink, so they have much lower running costs and higher print yields, and they are better for the environment.
The advantages of a supertank printer are much lower running costs and higher print yields which means they are better for the environment, too.
Based on my experience, I think Epson has better ink tank printers because they offer a wider range of supertank printers and invested more heavily in further developing the technology. My favorite is Epson EcoTank ET-8550.
I think Epson is the best company for ink tank printers because they offer a wide range of eco tank printers, ranging from small home use to artists, designers, and heavy commercial uses. They have also invested quite heavily in further developing the ink tank technology.
I hope my guide helped you to get a new ink tank printer, and it will help you save cost and, in a small way, our lovely Earth, too.
Visit my website – Art Side of Life – for more guides, articles, tutorials, artist interviews, and tons of other resources for commercial artists, fine artists, art students and beginners, crafters, and anybody else exploring their own creative side!
Other articles in the Printers and Scanners series:
- Best Printer for Art Prints
- Best Printer for Graphic Design
- Best Canvas Printer
- Best Cardstock Printer
- Best Printer for Stickers
- Best Sticker Maker Machine
- Best Printer for Cricut Print and Cut
- Best Screen Printing Printer
- Best Inkjet Printer for Heat Transfer
- Best Sublimation Printer for Heat Transfer
- Best Printer for iPad, iPhone, and Mac
- Best Art Scanner for Artworks
- Best Camera for Artwork Photography
Lis en français 🇫🇷 La meilleure imprimante avec réservoir d’encre
Hi, I am Iva (rhymes with “viva”). I am a full-time self-taught artist behind Art Side of Life® and a Top Teacher on Skillshare. I have 15 years of experience in the creative field as a concept designer, illustrator, art director, and now freelance artist, content creator, and art instructor. My goal is to help you get your creative groove on with Procreate and make awesome art through practical classes, tutorials, Procreate brushes, and guides on art tools, supplies and resources. About me »