Which is better for a busy home office?

The HP Smart Tank 7301. It prints faster, holds more paper in the output tray, has a 35-sheet ADF and a much higher monthly duty cycle.

Do I lose anything by skipping the Epson's fax?

Only fax. If you never send faxes, the HP covers print, copy and scan and adds borderless photo printing the Epson does not list.

Which lasts longer under heavy printing?

The HP is rated for up to 5,000 pages a month; the Epson is rated at 40 pages per weekday, roughly 800 a month. For daily volume, the HP has more headroom.

Is the HP worth stepping up to over the Epson?

Yes for most buyers. Faster speeds, a bigger ADF and photo printing matter more day to day than fax. Choose the Epson only if fax or a compact white body is required.

Which prints photos better?

The HP. It supports photo paper and borderless prints; the Epson's listed paper type is plain paper only.

Which is easier to fit on a desk?

The Epson. It is 375 mm wide and 6.7 kg; the HP is about 16.8 inches wide and 7.7 kg.

Epson EcoTank ET-4850 vs HP Smart Tank 7301

Buy the HP Smart Tank 7301 for a busy home office that prints a lot and wants a fast, high-volume tank printer with duplex, an ADF and borderless photo prints. Buy the Epson EcoTank ET-4850 if you need a fax machine or a compact white unit that fits a small shelf. The HP is the stronger all-rounder: it prints faster, has a 35-page ADF, a higher monthly duty cycle and rated well by owners. The Epson adds fax and a smaller footprint, but its slower speeds and 40-pages-per-weekday duty rating suit lighter use.

Choose the Epson EcoTank ET-4850 if you need fax, a compact white body, or a lighter-duty home setup.
Choose the HP Smart Tank 7301 if you print often, want faster output, a bigger ADF and borderless photos.

Prices

Epson EcoTank ET-4850: $103.00 at dhritionline.com (last seen Oct 31)
HP Smart Tank 7301: $391.98 at ctspoint.com (checked today)
Difference: the Epson EcoTank ET-4850 is $288.98 cheaper than the HP Smart Tank 7301 at the latest prices (Oct 31 and Nov 10)

Epson EcoTank ET-4850 All-in-One Printer

	Epson EcoTank ET-4850	HP Smart Tank 7301
Print speed (mono)	15.5 ppm	23 ppm draft
Print speed (color)	8.5 ppm	9 ppm
First page out	49 seconds black text	16 seconds color
Fax	Built-in fax	No fax
ADF capacity	Not stated	35 sheets
Monthly duty cycle	40 pages per weekday	Up to 5,000 pages
Output tray	30 sheets	100 sheets
Photo printing	Plain paper only	Borderless photo on photo paper

Spec	Epson EcoTank ET-4850	HP Smart Tank 7301
Supported Functions	Print, Color Output, Copy, Fax, Scan	Print, Copy, Scan
Paper Size	A4	Letter
Paper Type	Plain paper	Plain paper, Photo paper
Auto Duplex Printing	Yes	Yes
Paper Tray Capacity	250 sheets	1 (standard)
Automatic Document Feeder	Yes	Yes
Input Capacity	250 sheets	250 sheets
Output Capacity	30 sheets	100 sheets
Color Output	Yes	Yes
Depth	347 mm	14.33 in
Height	231 mm	9.46 in
Weight	6.7 kg	7.7 kg

Spec	Epson EcoTank ET-4850	HP Smart Tank 7301
Width	375 mm	16.83 in
Color Print Speed	8.5 ppm	9 ppm (normal quality, A4/US Letter)
Mono Print Speed	15.5 ppm	23 ppm (draft quality, A4/US Letter)
Max Color Resolution	4800 x 1200 DPI	4800 x 1200 DPI
Max Mono Resolution	4800 x 1200 DPI	1200 x 1200 DPI
Time To First Print	49 seconds (black text)	16 s (color, normal)
Duty Cycle	40 pages per weekday	Up to 5,000 pages (monthly)
Connectivity Type	Ethernet, Wireless	—
System Compatibility	Smart device

Epson EcoTank ET-4850 vs HP Smart Tank 7301

Prices

Epson EcoTank ET-4850 vs HP Smart Tank 7301

Prices

HP Smart Tank 7301

What separates them

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