Continuous Ink Systems: Who Should Buy One, Who Should Avoid

Continuous ink systems (CIS) like Epson’s EcoTank and HP’s Smart Tank promise to slash printing costs by up to 90% compared to cartridge-based printers. But before you ditch your old printer, here’s what the marketing materials don’t tell you:

The Good:

• Cost Per Page: At ~0.1¢ per black page (vs 5-10¢ for cartridges), heavy users save hundreds yearly
• No Chip Wars: Third-party inks work without firmware blocks (unlike most cartridge printers)
• Less Waste: A single 70ml ink bottle replaces ~15 cartridges

The Bad:

• Upfront Cost: Expect to pay $200-$400 more than equivalent cartridge models (takes 1-2 years to break even)
• Maintenance: Print heads clog if unused for 2+ weeks - terrible for occasional users
• Bulk: Printers are 30-50% larger to accommodate ink tanks

Who Should Buy:

✅ Teachers printing 100+ pages weekly
✅ Small offices with consistent print volume
✅ Crafters using specialty inks (third-party pigment inks work well)

Who Should Avoid:

❌ Printers used less than once a week
❌ Those needing compact printers
❌ Anyone who balks at quarterly printhead cleanings

Pro Tip: The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 (B0G1R37VJC) currently offers the lowest cost-per-page at $169, while the HP Smart Tank 500 (B0FVY8TTVN) has faster drying times for quick notes. Both use ~$15 bottles that print 6,000 pages.