10 Best Tank Printers

The Epson EcoTank ET-8550 A3+ Wi-Fi Ink Tank Photo Printer is a versatile option for those seeking high-quality photo printing up to A3+ size. Its 6-colour ink system, including new grey ink, ensures excellent colour and black-and-white photos. The printer is economical, allowing you to print up to 2,300 high-quality photos with one set of ink bottles, which are easy to refill without any mess. For connectivity, it offers Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Ethernet, and the ability to print from SD cards and USB flash drives, making it easy to integrate into your home setup. The 10.9 cm colour touchscreen adds to the convenience.

The printer also supports a wide range of media types and sizes, including thick craft papers and large formats up to 1.3 mm thick and 2 meters long, thanks to its A3+ rear tray and straight paper feed. Additionally, the Epson Smart Panel app enables you to control the printer from your smart devices, adding further flexibility. With Micro Piezo heat-free technology, it promises consistent high-speed printing while reducing energy consumption.

However, the printer's bulky size and weight (11.1 kg) could be a drawback for some. Its print speed, maxing out at 16 ppm for monochrome and 12 ppm for colour, might be slower compared to other models. The maximum input sheet capacity of 50 sheets might also be limiting for heavy-duty users. Despite these, its robust feature set, including auto-duplex and borderless printing, makes it a strong contender for home and small office use, especially for those prioritizing high-quality photo printing.

The Epson EcoTank ET-8500 is a strong choice if you want a versatile ink tank printer with excellent photo quality. It uses a 6-colour ink system including a grey ink for better black-and-white photos and sharp text, making it great for both photos and documents. You can print up to 2,300 photos from one ink refill, which helps save money and reduces messy refills. While the print speed is moderate (12 pages per minute in color and 16 in black and white), it’s typical for photo-quality tank printers and should suit home or small office use without rushing. Connectivity is flexible with Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Ethernet, and even USB and SD card options, so connecting from your phone, laptop, or tablet is easy.

Duplex (double-sided) printing is supported, which is handy for saving paper. The ET-8500 also handles various paper types well, including photo paper, craft paper, and even printing directly on CDs/DVDs. Its front and rear trays manage different media sizes and thicknesses, but the maximum paper size is limited to A4, so it’s not ideal if you need larger prints. The printer weighs 11.1 kg, so it’s a bit on the heavy side and not very portable. The touchscreen and Epson Smart Panel app offer convenient control and creative options. This printer isn’t the fastest in its class and might be overkill if you only need simple document printing. However, if photo printing with economical ink use and multiple media options is your priority, this model delivers solid performance with good connectivity and ease of use.

The Epson EcoTank ET-4800 is a solid choice for home users and small offices looking for an economical all-in-one printer with refillable ink tanks. It stands out for its large ink capacity, offering up to 3 years of ink included, which can greatly reduce running costs—up to 90% savings compared to cartridge printers. This means you can print thousands of pages without worrying about frequent ink replacements. Print quality is excellent for an inkjet, with sharp colour prints at a high resolution (up to 5760 x 1440 DPI), making it suitable for documents and occasional photo printing.

In terms of speed, it offers up to 33 pages per minute in black and 15 pages per minute in colour, which is decent though not the fastest on the market. The printer supports duplex (double-sided) printing, which helps save paper. Its 100-sheet rear paper tray and 30-page automatic document feeder simplify handling multiple pages and scanning or copying jobs. Connectivity is flexible, including Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, and Ethernet, allowing easy printing from smartphones, tablets, and computers without cables. The Epson Smart Panel app adds convenience by letting you manage printing tasks and troubleshoot directly from your mobile device.

The printer is a bit bulky and weighs 5 kilograms, so it needs a dedicated spot. While print speeds are reasonable, some users expecting faster output might find it a bit slow. If you're after a cost-effective, versatile printer with low running costs and good print quality, especially for text and colour documents, the EcoTank ET-4800 is worth considering. It balances convenience and economy well but isn’t designed for heavy-duty or ultra-fast printing needs.