Best Epson Tank Printers of 2025

That difference really adds up after a few years. For example, the Brother MFC-J1170DW cartridge inkjet printer currently costs around $130. But according to the formula we use for estimating annual ink costs, the printer would go through $160 worth of ink in a year, which puts its five-year cost of ownership at a whopping $930.

By comparison, the Epson Eco Tank ET-4810, which costs around $300 up front, uses an estimated $4 worth of ink a year. That means its five-year cost of ownership is only $320.

You fill a tank printer using bottles of ink, and in early models that could be a messy process. However, “better design that locks the bottle in place during refills has solved the problem,” says Rich Sulin, who leads CR’s printer testing program.

Our printer ratings include dozens of tank models, primarily from three brand lines: Epson EcoTank, HP Smart Tank, and Canon MegaTank. Currently, only a handful of tank printers, most made by Epson, earn CR recommendations. Like a majority of the printers in CR’s printer ratings, available to members, these models include WiFi networking for wireless printing. To learn more about the different types of printers, check out our printer buying guide.