Epson vs HP Printers: Which Printer is Better, Epson or HP?

Epson vs HP printers is one of the longest-running debates in the printing world. Both brands build reliable machines across different price points. We’re here to help you narrow it down to the right fit. 

This guide breaks down specific models, side-by-side specs, and unbiased takes on where each brand has an edge over the other. Whether you’re weighing an HP or Epson printer for a home office or a small team, you’ll know your next steps by the time you finish reading.

Keep in mind that leftover cartridges don’t have to go to waste if the comparison leads you to switch – you can sell unused ink cartridges to us and put that money toward your next setup. We buy all name-brand ink and toner for top dollar. Learn more today!

Quick Comparison of Epson Printer vs HP Printer

Popular Epson Printer Models

These three EcoTank models cover everything from budget home office to high-volume wide-format if you’re leaning toward the Epson side of the HP vs Epson printers conversation.

Epson EcoTank ET-5170

Epson’s office-grade EcoTank. It prints, scans, copies, and faxes with a PrecisionCore printhead and DURABrite pigment ink, so you can expect sharp text and smudge-resistant output on plain paper. 

Print speed sits at 17 ppm black and 9.5 ppm color. The 250-sheet tray and 50-sheet ADF handle daily small-office workloads without constant reloading. Included ink covers roughly 7,500 black and 6,000 color pages – about two years of printing for most offices. Retail lands around $500.

Epson EcoTank ET-16650

This is the EcoTank for operations that need wide-format output. The ET-16650 prints up to 13” x 19” and handles borderless prints up to 11” x 17”. Solid fit for signage, large spreadsheets, and photo work. It’s also the fastest EcoTank in the lineup at 25 ppm for both black and color. 

A 500-sheet front tray plus rear specialty feed means fewer paper reloads during the day. The 50-sheet ADF scans and copies at office speed. It’s a premium machine at roughly $900, but the ink savings compound fast at higher volumes.

Epson EcoTank ET-4760

The affordable, jack-of-all-trades for anyone comparing an Epson printer vs HP printer in the EcoTank category. It’s a 4-in-1 (print, scan, copy, fax) with a 250-sheet tray, 30-sheet ADF, and auto-duplex. 

Print speed runs 15 ppm black and 8 ppm color – fine for a home office. The included ink bottles yield roughly 14,000 black and 11,200 color pages out of the box. At  around $450, it sits just below the ET-5170 and makes sense for anyone who wants EcoTank cost savings at a lower entry price. 

Learning how to change ink in Epson printer models is straightforward if you’re new to refillable ink systems – the bottles slot in without any mess. 

Popular HP Printer Models

The product range is broader on this side of the HP vs Epson printers comparison. The HP lineup spans traditional inkjet, refillable tank, and laser – each built for a different kind of buyer.

HP Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw

The 4201dw is a print-only color laser built for raw speed. It hits 35 ppm in both black and color – the fastest machine in this roundup by a wide margin. Auto-duplex, a 300-sheet tray (expands to 550), and Gigabit Ethernet support 3-10 person teams who need fast, sharp document output all day. 

The tradeoff: no scanner, copier, or fax capabilities. Toner cartridge costs add up at $60-200+ per color. It’s an investment in speed and text quality above everything else at around $700 upfront.

HP OfficeJet 8015e

A cartridge-based all-in-one (print, scan, copy) for the home office. It runs on HP 910 ink cartridges and prints at 18 ppm black / 10 ppm color. Pretty impressive competitive for its ~$170 price point! 

The 35-sheet ADF and auto-duplex handle daily tasks without fuss. Where it gets complicated is ongoing cost. HP 910 cartridges yield fewer pages per dollar than EcoTank bottles or laser toner, though HP’s Instant Ink subscription can offset some of that. 

No need to stress about learning how to change ink in HP printer models using the 910 series. Super simple – the cartridges snap in without tools.

HP Smart Tank Plus 651

HP’s direct answer to Epson’s EcoTank. It’s a refillable ink tank system that eliminates traditional cartridges. It’s also a 4-in-1 with a 35-sheet ADF and auto-duplex, and the included ink covers up to 8,000 color and 6,000 black pages. 

Print speed is the weakest in this lineup at 11 ppm black and 5 ppm color. The 100-sheet paper tray is also small compared to everything else here. It competes with the Epson ET-4760 on running cost at ~$330, but loses quite a bit of ground on speed and paper capacity.

Epson vs HP Printers: Side-by-Side Comparison

You know the individual models. So, which printer is better, Epson or HP? There’s honestly no one-size-fits-all answer. Here’s how Epson vs HP printers stack up head-to-head across the categories that actually drive a buying decision.

Photo Print Quality

This is where the Epson vs HP printers gap is widest.

The EcoTank inkjet system produces smoother gradients and richer color accuracy, especially on dedicated photo paper. The ET-16650 adds wide-format capability. Borderless prints up to 13” x 19” put it in poster and signage territory. No HP model here can touch its performance in this area.

Be clear – HP’s inkjet options (OfficeJet 8015e, Smart Tank 651) produce decent photos. They just don’t match Epson’s color depth on specialty media. The LaserJet 4201dw isn’t built for photos at all – laser toner doesn’t handle gradients and skin tones the way inkjet does.

Text Document Print Quality

HP wins on text, specifically the LaserJet Pro 4201dw. Laser toner fuses to the page for razor-sharp characters that don’t bleed, smudge, or fade. Precision on the page matters for offices printing contracts, invoices, and reports all day – and this is an easy choice between Epson vs HP Printers.

Epson’s pigment ink (DURABrite) on the ET-5170 and ET-16650 delivers strong text quality, too. It’s noticeably better than dye-based inks. But, it doesn’t quite reach laser sharpness. 

Choosing between an HP or Epson printer for text-heavy work ultimately depends on how much volume you’re pushing and how sharp you need every character. But we generally lean towards HP.

Copy and Scan Capabilities

Five of the six models here offer scanning and copying – the LaserJet 4201dw is the exception (print only). The Epson ET-16650 stands out among those five with its 11” x 17” scan capability and 50-sheet ADF. 

The ET-5170 and ET-4760 handle standard letter/legal scanning with solid results, too, though. HP’s OfficeJet 8015e and Smart Tank 651 both include 35-sheet ADFs.

All that being said, any of the all-in-one models work if scanning and copying are critical to your workflow. Just factor in ADF capacity if you feed multi-page documents on a regular basis.

Speed and Efficiency for High-Volume Printing

This is the Epson vs HP printers category where HP’s lineup truly separates itself. The LaserJet Pro 4201dw prints at 35 ppm in both black and color. That’s nearly double the next fastest option (Epson ET-16650 at 25 ppm). HP’s OfficeJet 8015e holds its own at 18 ppm black, too. 

On the Epson side, the ET-5170 runs 17 ppm and the ET-4760 hits 15 ppm. The HP Smart Tank 651 trails the field at 11 ppm black and 5 ppm color. 

The LaserJet makes the strongest case if raw throughput is your main criteria in choosing between Epson vs HP printers. Don’t forget it’s print-only, though, which limits its role.

Cost Comparison

You’ll probably find more affordable printers from the HP family – at least, upfront. The OfficeJet 8015e starts around $170. The Smart Tank 651 is roughly $330. On the other hand, Epson’s ET-4760 starts around $450 and the ET-5170 hits $500. 

But the price tag on the printer itself doesn’t tell you the whole story. You need to consider ongoing costs of operation as well, otherwise, you’ll get caught off guard down the road. 

Ink/Toner Prices

Epson EcoTank refill bottles are the cheapest per page in this comparison by a long shot. A full set of four bottles is around $50-65 and prints thousands of pages. Individual bottles cost $13-16 each and yield approximately 7,500 black or 6,000 color pages. 

HP Smart Tank refill bottles land in a similar range. This is the one area where HP’s tank system matches Epson’s running cost. However, HP 910 ink cartridges for the OfficeJet fall in the $20-40 range per cartridge with page yields in the hundreds, not thousands. 

LaserJet toner sits between the two extremes – higher per-cartridge cost ($60-200+ depending on color) but stronger page yield than inkjet cartridges. 

Important note: You don’t have to let unused cartridges collect dust if you’re switching from a cartridge-based HP or Epson printer to a different system – they hold real resale value. We pay top dollar here at SellToner.com.

Paper Handling

Paper tray capacity varies widely not just between Epson vs HP printers, but among individual models themselves. Take a look below:

• The Epson ET-16650 leads with a 500-sheet tray. That’s enough to avoid constant reloading in a busy office. 
• The HP LaserJet Pro 4201dw comes in at 300 sheets standard (expandable to 550). 
• The Epson ET-5170 and ET-4760 sit at 250. 
• HP’s OfficeJet 8015e holds 225. 
• The Smart Tank 651 trails at just 100 sheets – fine for light home use, but a limitation in any volume environment. 

Which printer is better, Epson or HP, for paper handling depends on your daily output. The ET-16650 and LaserJet give you the most capacity out of the box, but that’s only a benefit if you actually need that level of volume.

Which Printer is Better, Epson or HP?

The Epson vs HP printers comparison comes down to what you’re optimizing for, to some extent. The type of ink you already have on hand might factor into your decision to some extent, too.

Pick Epson if you want the lowest possible cost per page, strong photo output, and your operation aligns with an inkjet-only workflow. The EcoTank system eliminates cartridge expense almost entirely, and Epson’s color quality is the best in this comparison for photo and marketing materials is the best in this comparison. The ET-5170 is the sweet spot for most small offices. The ET-16650 is worth the premium if wide-format output matters to your business.

Pick HP if speed, text sharpness, or product variety drives your decision. Nothing else touches the LaserJet Pro 4201dw’s 35 ppm with laser-grade output. The OfficeJet 8015e is our pick for an all-in-one at a budget price (~$170). And if you want the tank system but prefer HP’s ecosystem, the Smart Tank 651 matches EcoTank running costs with slower speed as the tradeoff.

Still deciding between HP vs Epson printers for your setup? Knowing how to choose a printer for small business use goes beyond brand name. Think about your daily volume, the types of documents you print most, and how much you’re willing to spend over the life of the machine.

Wrapping Up Our HP vs Epson Printers Comparison

The HP vs Epson printers debate doesn’t have a single winner – but there IS a right answer for each situation. Epson dominates on ink cost and photo quality. HP dominates on speed and text sharpness. Both brands build machines that hold up, and both offer options at nearly every price. 

If this comparison pushed you toward a switch, the leftover ink or toner from your old printer doesn’t have to sit in a drawer. We buy factory-sealed, unused cartridges from all major brands – HP, Epson, Canon, Brother, and more. 

Fast payment, free shipping on qualifying orders, and instant pricing on our site. That’s what we do. You can use the funds to offset the price of your new printer. Take the next step today!

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Epson ink last longer than HP ink?

Yes, in cost per page. EcoTank refill bottles yield roughly 7,500 black pages for $13-16, way more than what HP 910 cartridges deliver per dollar. HP Smart Tank refills are comparable to EcoTank on a per-page basis. 

What are the most common problems with Epson printers?

Printhead clogging tops the list. EcoTank models use a permanent printhead (not built into the cartridge like some HP or Epson printer models), so you’re dealing with cleaning cycles or a service call if the head dries out or gets clogged rather than just swapping a cartridge. 

Why do people say to avoid HP printers?

HP’s Instant Ink subscription locks certain features behind a monthly payment, and HP’s Dynamic Security firmware updates have blocked third-party cartridges from working in some models. Neither affects every HP printer, and the Smart Tank 651 sidesteps the cartridge issue entirely.

Which is the best brand for printers besides HP and Epson?

Compare Canon vs Epson printers or Canon vs HP printer if you’re curious about the most popular third brand. Brother is another strong choice for laser specifically. Their monochrome laser printers are great for text-heavy offices on a budget.