Epson EcoTank ET-4850 vs HP Smart Tank 5101

Buy the Epson EcoTank ET-4850 if you need a fax, an automatic document feeder, automatic two-sided printing or wired Ethernet for a small office. Buy the HP Smart Tank 5101 if you mostly print color documents and photos at home and want the simplest setup. The Epson is the more capable machine: 250-sheet tray, 40-page-per-weekday duty rating, faster rated speeds and a 4800 x 1200 dpi black resolution. The HP is smaller and lighter, rated for up to 3,000 pages a month, and its 7,479 ratings average 5 out of 5, though those are store ratings rather than independent tests. Both use refillable tanks instead of cartridges, so running costs stay low on either.

• Choose the Epson EcoTank ET-4850 if you want fax, an auto document feeder, duplex printing and Ethernet in one small-office machine.
• Choose the HP Smart Tank 5101 if you want a compact, light home printer for color documents and photos with the easiest setup.