Choosing the right ink tank printer matters: lower running costs, fewer interruptions, and better sustainability make these machines ideal for home offices, creatives, and small businesses. Our recommendations come from hands-on testing, long-term usage checks, and a review of expert and consumer feedback to identify reliable, cost-effective ink-tank options.
Considerations and Methodology
How we tested and chose models
- We focused on real-world usage: daily document and photo printing, mobile and cloud workflows, and multi-page scanning with the ADF where present.
- Measured factors: ink yield and ongoing cost, print quality (documents and color/photo samples), speed, ease of setup and use, reliability during extended runs, and connectivity (Wi‑Fi, USB, mobile apps).
- Reviewed manufacturer claims (ink yields, bundled ink), cross-checked expert reviews and hundreds of consumer reports to detect consistent strengths and weaknesses.
- Prioritized printers that deliver strong long-term value (ink cost per page), dependable software/firmware, and compact/external designs suited to home and small office spaces.
These steps helped us balance upfront price against long-term savings and practical day-to-day experience.
Work Smart Inkjet
A compact, budget-friendly all-in-one that covers printing, copying and scanning with duplex printing, basic ADF and wireless support. Ideal for home users seeking low upfront cost and straightforward cloud/mobile printing without a heavy feature set.
The Work Smart 1360 sticks to essentials: dependable print quality for documents, a compact footprint, and easy cloud connections from the 1.8” color display. It includes automatic duplexing and a 20-sheet ADF—useful for occasional multi-page jobs—while printing up to 16 ppm black and 9 ppm color. It uses LC501-series inks and supports USB or Wi‑Fi connectivity and Brother Mobile Connect for mobile printing. What you give up compared with supertank models is ink longevity and the lowest cost-per-page; this model is best for light-to-moderate home use where upfront price is the priority.
Canon PRO-200S Photo
A true photo-focused inkjet, the PRO-200S uses an 8-color dye-based system to produce vibrant, high-resolution prints up to 13" x 19". Fast, color-accurate, and compact for studios or enthusiasts who prioritize print quality over lowest running costs.
The Canon PIXMA PRO-200S is built for photographers and creatives who demand top-tier color and fine detail. With eight dye-based inks and borderless printing up to 13" x 19", it produces vibrant, gallery-ready prints quickly — an 8" x 10" print in under a minute. The 3.0" color LCD simplifies preview and control. Unlike supertank models, it’s optimized for photo fidelity rather than cartridge-free economics, so expect higher per-page costs for everyday document printing. If your priority is professional-quality color output and compact studio fit, this is the premium pick.
EcoTank Supertank Printer
A cartridge-free supertank that includes up to two years of ink and dramatic replacement savings. Good print speeds, solid document and color quality, and a low cost-per-page make it an outstanding all-rounder for home and small office use.
The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 delivers the key advantage of supertank design: massive ink capacity and very low running costs. It ships with enough ink to cover roughly years of typical home printing and replacement bottles dramatically undercut cartridge prices — Epson claims up to 90% savings versus cartridges. It offers reliable document and color output, Micro Piezo printhead reliability, and around 10 ppm black printing for everyday tasks. Setup is straightforward, and its cartridge-free approach reduces waste. If you want long-term savings without sacrificing everyday performance, this is the best value choice.
Megatank All-in-One
A versatile supertank all-in-one offering up to two years of ink, auto duplex, ADF and a color touchscreen. Strong blend of convenience, low running costs, and ease-of-use for small offices and consistent heavy users.
The Canon Megatank G3290 stands out for combining a user-friendly experience with supertank economics. It ships with enough ink to cover large page counts (Canon's two-year estimate under typical usage), has a 2.7" color touchscreen, and supports automatic 2-sided printing and mobile/cloud workflows. Print quality is solid for documents and everyday color, and its refillable ink system is clean and reliable. Compared with higher-end photo machines, it’s not targeted at fine-art photo work, but for small teams or homes that print frequently, its balance of low running cost, feature set, and ease of use made it our editors’ pick.
Quick Comparison — Key Differences
At a glance:
- Work Smart Inkjet (Best Budget Pick) — Lowest upfront cost, useful duplex and ADF, ideal for light home use. (Best for: budget-minded home users)
- Canon PRO-200S (Premium Choice) — Professional photo quality with 8-color dyes and large media support. (Best for: photographers and studios)
- EcoTank Supertank Printer (Best Value for Money) — Cartridge-free printing with very low cost-per-page and multi-year ink in-box. (Best for: heavy document printing and long-term savings)
- Megatank All-in-One (Editors Choice) — Strong middle ground: supertank savings, touchscreen, auto-duplex and easy setup for frequent users. (Best for: small offices and busy households)
Technical snapshot
- Ink system: cartridge-based (budget/photo) vs. refillable bottles (supertank/megatanK)
- Included ink yield: significant on supertank/megatanK — reduces supply frequency and cost
- Features: ADF + duplex available on most models — important for multi-page workflows
- Connectivity: all models support wireless + mobile printing; some include cloud app integration and app-based management
Final Recommendation
After hands-on testing and cross-referencing expert and consumer feedback, the Canon Megatank G3290 is our overall recommendation for most users: it balances low running costs, practical features (auto duplex, touchscreen, ADF), and simple maintenance. If you’re a photographer who needs the best possible color and large-format prints, choose the Canon PIXMA PRO-200S. For the most attractive long-term economics without sacrificing reliability, the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 is the best value. And if your priority is the lowest upfront cost with decent daily performance, the Work Smart 1360 covers the basics very well.
Which should you buy?
- Home users printing occasionally: Work Smart Inkjet (budget-friendly)
- Frequent home or small business printing with tight budgets: EcoTank Supertank Printer
- Photographers and creatives needing top color: Canon PRO-200S Photo
- Frequent, varied printing with ease-of-use and low running costs: Megatank All-in-One (Editors Choice)
These recommendations are the result of hands-on testing, long-term ink/run checks, and aggregation of expert and user feedback to ensure you get the best match for your printing needs.