Epson EcoTank vs Canon MegaTank (2021): Which Ink Tank Printer Should You Buy?

Before you buy an inkjet printer, take a step back and consider getting an ink tank printer instead. Ink tank printers are more expensive upfront, but in the long run, they can actually cost less than standard ink printers due to their lower ink cost. The Epson EcoTank is currently the most popular and most recognized printer in this space. Challenging Epson is Canon’s MegaTank series of printers.

Which ink tank printer is better and which one should you buy? Here’s our comparison of the two, and to show some of their similarities and features, we compared the Epson EcoTank ET-2720 and the Canon PIXMA G6020—similarly priced ink tank printers from the two brands.

Epson EcoTank vs Canon MegaTank Chart

Design

All Epson EcoTank printers have a full color LCD display while Canon MegaTank printers have a simplistic LCD that only shows the most basic information.

The biggest difference between Epson EcoTank and Canon MegaTank printers, when it comes to design, are their LCD screens. Epson EcoTank printers have a full color LCD display that makes them easier to use. This large LCD display allows you to preview the pages that you want to print, and it allows navigating and controlling the printer more easily.

On the other hand, Canon MegaTank printers have a simplistic LCD that only displays the most basic information. In fact, the first few MegaTank printers didn’t even have any sort of display. That said, the control buttons on MegaTank printers are properly labelled so they are still quite easy to use, but not as easy as Epson EcoTank printers.

Looks-wise, Epson EcoTank and Canon MegaTank printers look like your typical printer. They have a sleek and professional look that will fit in any office or home office setting. What separates their design from ink cartridge printers is their visible ink levels. You can see the ink levels so that you’ll know when it’s time to refill them.

Print Quality and Speed

Epson EcoTank printers have a slightly better print output, but Canon MegaTank printers are faster.

The print quality of ink tank printers aren’t the best, especially when compared against inkjet and laser printers. That said, ink tank prints are still good enough. Epson EcoTank printers have a slight advantage over Canon MegaTank printers in this department since they can print slightly higher quality images and smoother text. You’ll find that images printed on an Epson EcoTank are far more detailed and as for text-only documents, the text are sharper.

In the speed department, Canon MegaTank printers have the advantage over Epson EcoTank printers. For instance, in this comparison of the Epson ET-2720 and Canon PIXMA G6020, the latter has a print speed of 13ppm (pages-per-minute) for black documents and 6.8ppm for colored documents, while the former prints 10.5ppm for black-only and 5ppm for colored. Speed will vary depending on the model that you choose, but it’s safe to say that when similarly priced Epson and Canon printers are compared, Canon printers are faster.

Features

Entry-level Epson EcoTank printers have fewer features than similarly priced Canon MegaTank printers.

Both the Epson EcoTank ET-2720 and Canon PIXMA G6020 are all-in-one printers that can print, scan and copy. They have a USB port to connect to your computer and other compatible devices, and they can also print wirelessly via WiFi. In addition to these connectivity options, the Canon PIXMA G6020 also has an RJ45 port.

The two printers don’t have built-in voice assistant support, but as long as they are connected to voice activated devices, you can still take advantage of wireless printing via voice controls. They both support direct printing from different apps such as Apple AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, Mopria and their respective apps, the Epson iPrint Mobile and the Canon PRINT app.

One feature that you can get only with the Canon PIXMA G6020, at least in this comparison, is its duplex printing support. With this feature, you can print on both sides of the paper automatically. On the Epson EcoTank ET-2720, you’ll need to turn the page manually if you want to print on the other side. Needless to say, this is a very useful feature that can save you a lot of time if you’re printing a lot of documents.

Pricing

Canon MegaTank printers are more cost-efficient than Epson EcoTank printers.

When it comes to affordability, the Canon MegaTank line of printers win easily. Not only do they have a much lower entry fee, their ink bottles cost less as well. For instance, a 170ml Canon black refill bottle will cost around $18.00 while a 127ml Epson black refill bottle will cost around $20.00. Canon refill bottles have a higher capacity while costing less, allowing you to save more money in the long term.

Verdict

Epson EcoTank printers are more expensive, but they have higher quality prints. On the other hand, Canon MegaTank printers are more affordable and they are faster, but their prints are slightly lower quality.

Go with Epson EcoTank printers, like the Epson EcoTank ET-2720, if you value print quality over speed and if you don’t mind paying extra for said quality. However, if you want a faster printer and you also want to save more money in the long run, Canon MegaTank printers are better. Canon MegaTank printers, such as the Canon PIXMA G6020, offer slightly lower quality prints, but in all honesty, the difference is not that drastic, unless you specifically look for them. Canon printers offer better value since they are priced way less than comparable Epson EcoTank models.

FAQs