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EcoTank is Epson’s line of refillable ink tank printers. Instead of small cartridges you pour ink from bottles into tanks, which is why these printers usually cost less per page than cartridge inkjets and suit people who print often.

This guide covers five EcoTank models, from entry-level to wide-format photo. It is built from published specifications and listings, not our own testing, so confirm details and ink-bottle costs on each product page.

New to printers? Start with our guide to the best printers for home use and how we pick printers.

Last updated: October 30, 2026.

Quick Picks

Printer Type Best for
Epson EcoTank ET-2800 Ink tank all-in-one Entry-level ink tank printing
Epson EcoTank ET-2850 Ink tank all-in-one High-volume home printing at low running cost
Epson EcoTank ET-2900 Ink tank all-in-one A big ink supply included in the box
Epson EcoTank ET-4800 Ink tank all-in-one with fax Home offices that want tanks plus office features
Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 Wide-format photo tank all-in-one Large photo prints with tank economy

5 Best Epson EcoTank Printers for Low Ink Cost

1. Epson EcoTank ET-2800

A simple entry model in Epson’s EcoTank range that prints, copies and scans over wireless.

Good for: light-to-moderate printing where ink cost matters. Strengths: refillable tanks and a basic feature set. Weaknesses: fewer conveniences than higher-tier models; check duplex and feeder support. Skip it if you need an automatic document feeder.

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2. Epson EcoTank ET-2850

A refillable ink tank all-in-one that prints, scans and copies over wireless.

Good for: families and students who print every week. Strengths: ink tanks usually bring a lower cost per page than cartridges. Weaknesses: higher up-front price than a basic cartridge model, and inkjet nozzles can clog if left idle. Skip it if you print only a few pages a month.

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3. Epson EcoTank ET-2900

A wireless ink tank all-in-one that the listing says comes with up to three years of ink.

Good for: households that print regularly and want to buy ink rarely. Strengths: refillable tanks and a large included ink supply. Weaknesses: higher entry price than a cartridge printer, and the ink claim depends on how much you print. Skip it if you print rarely.

Check on Amazon

4. Epson EcoTank ET-4800

A wireless ink tank all-in-one that prints, copies, scans and faxes, per the listing.

Good for: home offices that scan and send documents. Strengths: tank economy with more office features than entry models. Weaknesses: larger than entry tank models; confirm duplex and feeder details on the product page. Skip it if you do not need fax or office features.

Check on Amazon

5. Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550

A wireless wide-format all-in-one tank printer aimed at photo printing.

Good for: photographers and crafters who print large photos regularly. Strengths: wide-format printing with refillable tanks. Weaknesses: expensive and large for a home printer. Skip it if you mostly print documents.

Check on Amazon

How EcoTank Printers Work and When They Pay Off

The tank system

An EcoTank has built-in ink tanks that you fill from bottles. There are no cartridges, so you replace ink rarely, and ink bottles cost less per page than cartridge ink. See how to refill an ink tank printer.

A worked cost example

Here are made-up numbers purely to show the math. Suppose a cartridge printer costs 80 dollars and its cartridges cost 12 cents a page, while a tank printer costs 200 dollars with ink at 2 cents a page. If you print 500 pages a year, the cartridge printer costs about 80 plus 60 dollars in year one, and the tank printer about 200 plus 10 dollars. At 2,000 pages a year, the gap is 320 against about 240. Use the real figures from the product pages, and our cost-per-page guide to repeat the math for your models.

Setup and upkeep

Setup means filling the tanks and waiting for the printer to prime the ink. Print something regularly, because ink tank printers are inkjets and can clog if left idle.

Who should not buy one

If you print a few pages a month, the higher price will not pay back. A monochrome laser is a better fit for rare text printing.

How to Choose

Work out your pages per month

Tank printers pay back when you print regularly. If you print only a few pages a month, a cheaper cartridge printer can be better value.

Compare the bottle price, not just the printer

Check the cost of a replacement ink set and the page yield. That gives you the real cost per page.

Pick the features you will use

Duplex printing and an automatic document feeder are not on every EcoTank. Check them on the product page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are EcoTank printers worth it?

For regular printing, usually yes: the higher price is offset by lower ink costs. For rare printing the savings may never catch up.

Do EcoTank printers clog?

Like any inkjet, they can clog if left unused for weeks. Print a test page now and then.

Can I use third-party ink in an EcoTank?

Some people do, but it can affect print quality and may affect support. Check Epson’s guidance.

What are the best printers with the cheapest ink?

Refillable ink tank printers usually have the lowest cost per page. See also Canon MegaTank printers and how to calculate cost per page.

What are the best refillable and supertank printers?

EcoTank and MegaTank are refillable “supertank” printers. The list above covers the Epson models; for Canon see our MegaTank guide.

Bottom Line

For most households that print often, the Epson EcoTank ET-2850 or ET-2800 is the sensible starting point. Pick the ET-2900 if you want a big ink supply in the box, the ET-4800 for office features and the ET-8550 for large photos.

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