Customer Ratings & Reviews

It's very light weight. It's easy to use and efficient for everyday's printing needs.

HP SMART TANK 5100 ALL-IN-ONE PRINTER HP has a printer in my favorite category, the SMART TANK, or large ink reservoir category. No small, quick-to-dry-out cartridges. This is the ideal printer for those who are in education or any person or business requiring more than typical colorful printouts, especially photo quality prints. This is how to economize. Ignore the (actually reasonable) price of the printer, and save significantly on ink supplies. Let me point out early in the review, I now have a nicely working HP 5100 printer. It reliably handles paper, prints out colorful prints at speeds typical for mid-quality printers, and it connects easily to my iPhone, Mac Mini, and Chromebook. Getting here is unfortunately more frustrating than it should be. My experience with this printer, after many previous experiences with HP and other printers, I attribute to poor instructions. They simply fail to reflect what the end user sees while prepping the actual printer for setup. It’s also important to understand MY experience will be unique, hopefully. SETUP: The HP 5100 is well packed, and has all the advertised LARGE ink bottles that should fulfill the promise on the box of many prints to come. The bottles are well designed to get the ink into the printer reservoirs with no spill risk. HP gives the end user 2 paths to a complete installation. Either the simple pamphlet in the box, or an HP App that downloads to a mobile device. The App does appear to be more complete with steps to follow. A flaw in that approach is, while you can skip steps that are not working for you, it has no easy way (that I could find) to start the guidance over once a problem has been addressed. The biggest issue is such a small thing. HP expects the end user to INSTALL two printer heads. The heads are those moving spray guns that generate the photo or printout. Easy enough in theory. Not for me. The printer refused to follow the instructions. The printer head receptacle never voluntarily centered itself where it could be reached. The single tape holding it in place had a hidden companion. The large orange removable insert was responsible for interfering with the movement of the head receptacle, and it was really holding on to its temporary buried to the left position. Inserting the heads required careful alignment and a firm push into place. The instructions present the pertinent instructions and the fix to any problems in 3 short sentences. They didn’t work. I resorted to unapproved methods. It got done. Everything that followed works nicely. The time it took is frustrating. PERFORMANCE: I found all types of printouts on both paper and photo paper to be well done, colorful when required, and details were very good. Color prints may require some setting adjustments because photos lacked some punch or contrast (for my eyes). This resulted in a somewhat flat appearance, actually looking more like drugstore photos. When adjusted properly, the HP SMART 5100 photos are far superior than those automated store photo machines. HP advertises a 400 x 1200 optimized dpi for color prints, and it shows. Printing can be borderless. 6,000 color prints are estimated from each refill. I thought print-out times were reasonable and typical. Without a direct comparison, it’s just an opinion. Noise levels were typical, in fact, quieter during printing than usual. The HP made up for that a few minutes later when it either goes to sleep or turns off, making mechanical noises during that process. It won’t wake anyone up from a sleep. Ink replacement bottle kits are very inexpensive, and readily available. Scanning is easily managed via the HP App, and exceptional resolution and color correction is possible. Copies are accomplished directly off the glass platen. Seeing ink levels on the front panel is helpful and reassuring. There are features missing in this model, so if they are important to you, consider HP’s other models. There is no auto feed (ADF) for copies, no auto reverse-side printing (no duplex), and no Ethernet input. There is a USB printer port, cable not provided, but readily available. SUMMARY: The positives for the HP SMART TANK 5100 easily outweigh any disadvantages. I find that inkjet printing is preferable for printing color photos than laser printers. Colors are richer, details are sharper, and the many glossy and matte papers which are available easily match most commercial print kiosks and shops. But the price of those small, easily-dried-out ink cartridges most other printers use is prohibitive. These large, individual refill reservoirs and the large bottles that are included and very inexpensive to re-purchase are readily available. For a classroom or business setting, they are the only way to go. This is a rugged, well-designed printer that should be reliable. The straight line, gravity feed paper pathway, should eliminate jams and ensure printer longevity. The downside is the limited quantity of pages (100) that can be in the paper fill. The paper size setting appears to be recognized simply by moving the paper guides. I was annoyed by physical setup problems and an overly optimistic owner’s manual. Wireless setup from both computer and phone was instantaneous. I do not know why HP would not ship a printer with heads installed, but once that hurdle is crossed, you shouldn’t need to worry about them for years. I wish HP saved its sales pitch for products within the HP App for a separate tab and not integrate them into the otherwise comprehensive settings page. The tiny LCD window is pretty much useless for an older user, but then, the app does it all and shows settings and activity much better than any LCD.

I was happy to buy a printer with ink tanks to save me money, and so far, after 2 weeks, I am pleased. However, this unit is a bit difficult to see the paper bail easily- you have to peek around the top and down into the space for the paper to make sure it is in properly. Big step down frfom my last printer with the pull-out drawer for paper.

A printer that requires no subscription that you dont have to get rid of when the ink runs out. The ink lasts for 3 years and is relatively speaking affordable to replace. Many of the newer printers require subscriptions and will physically lock you out from being able to print on a printer that your purchased. Do yourself a favor and get this one instead.

The printer was so easy to assemble and connect to the WiFi! Great investment.

Easy to assemble. I watched a TikTok to guide me regarding the cartridges. Other than that. Print perfectly and everything.

Set up was quick and easy, and I Iike being able to see how much ink I have.

This printer was not completely terrible but connection errors were annoying and doesnt have a whole lot more than basic function. would not recommend for the price

Could not get printer to work with computer my son tried to get it to work and nothing

I've only owned standard inkjet printers in the past with the high cost of ink cartridges, despite the cheap buy-in for the printers, they tend to not be terribly affordable in the long run once you consider those high costs. Laser was always the way to get high volume at reasonable cost. Enter the tank ink printer. Packaging: To start, it's as straightforward as printers get, printer is in the box with some minor documentation as well as the starter ink jars. Setup: Setup is a bit different than your standard printer, so lets go through it. Of course once you have it out and the immense amount of tape holding all of the bits and pieces together has been removed, you need to install the ink and the print heads. Once you power on the printer you'll go through the wifi setup (or if you have it connected via USB you can skip that part). It'll then direct you to the next steps of filling the ink and installing the print heads. If you've never done this it's an interesting experience, you have bottles of ink that you empty into the wells in the printer, give it enough time to fully empty and that's that. Toss the bottles (or recycle). After that you'll install the print heads. This is a lot more like a professional type of printer but now available easily at home. You install them much like you would a traditional ink cartridge, you just add a hose to the top that pipes in the ink. I'm not the biggest fan of HP's new drivers and setup software, but they work, so I guess I'll leave it at that. Finish the setup process, print your test pages and you are off to the races. Use: This version is a bit more entry-level than some of the others, no duplex printing and no document feeder for the scanner, but still if you have a need for high volume printing then this is a great way to get there without the cost of a laser. Once you've got it going there's not much to consider really, the volume of ink is great and the cost of the ink bottles is around the cost of one ink cartridge on a traditional inkjet and lasts longer. I'm sure there's the cost of replacement print heads eventually but for now I'm hoping that it'll be a while befor eI have to consider that. I would say your only consideration would be just ensuring you have enough volume to make sure the ink doesn't start to dry out. I know at various times in my life I've printed next to nothing, while others it seems like I go through ink and paper like it's going out of style. There will always be that danger on a printer like this so buy for the appropriate volume that you actually use. I'm not saying I've experienced this (although I have experienced ink drying out in a traditional inkjet so I have to imagine this is a possibility for this also) so if you are excessively low volume in printing maybe a cheap traditional inkjet is still the right answer. Overall: Great alternative to a laser, much more affordable and has equivalent long life for less money. If you print more than a traditional inkjet would be cost effective for and dont want to dump the money on a laser, then this is for you.

I bought the HP Smart Tank 5100 to replace my old printer after finally getting tired of buying expensive ink cartridges every time I turned around. The biggest selling point here is the ink tank system. Once I did the math on ink costs, it wasn't even a contest. This printer is significantly cheaper to own than the cartridge printer I replaced. After printing close to 900 pages, the ink levels have barely moved. I also like being able to see the ink levels at a glance instead of wondering when a cartridge is going to run dry. At this point, I have no reason to doubt HP's page estimates. Print quality has been exactly what I expected for an everyday home office printer. Text is sharp, documents come out quickly, and color prints look good for presentations, school projects, and the occasional photo. If you're buying this specifically to replace a dedicated photo printer, there are better options, but for everyday printing it's been more than capable. Setup wasn't completely painless. I had a little trouble getting the HP Smart Tank 5100 connected through the HP Smart app on my mesh Wi-Fi network. It took a couple tries before everything finally paired correctly. Once it was connected though, it's been rock solid. I mostly print from my Mac, iPhone, and iPad using AirPrint, and everything just works without having to constantly open HP's app. The scanner is perfectly fine for occasional document scanning, but it's worth knowing the Smart Tank 5100 doesn't include an automatic document feeder. If you're scanning large stacks of paperwork on a regular basis, you'll be feeding each page manually. It also doesn't support automatic two-sided printing, which is probably the biggest compromise with this printer. If those are features you use every day, you'll probably want to step up to a higher-end model. Overall, though, I think HP got the important things right with the Smart Tank 5100. It's fast enough for everyday use, print quality is solid, and the money you'll save on ink over the life of the printer is substantial. If you print with any regularity, I honestly don't see myself going back to a cartridge printer. Pros 1)Significantly lower printing costs than cartridge printers 2)Sharp text and consistently good everyday print quality 3)Easy to monitor ink levels with the front-facing tanks 4)AirPrint works great once everything is set up 5)Ink lasts a surprisingly long time Cons 1)No automatic duplex printing 2)No automatic document feeder 3)Initial Wi-Fi setup was more frustrating than it should have been

I've been a user of HP Deskjets literally for decades and my main complaint ever since they started ensuring that you used their cartridges was the price of ink. Yes, the price of the printers are relatively low but you pay a lot more in the long run whether you buy new cartridges when needed or just pay for a subscription. These new printer models with a tank are a lot more cost effective even considering the higher upfront cost. That's why I love this Smart Tank 5100, especially because it comes with enough ink for a couple of years if not longer, depending on how much you print. In addition, it is very lightweight which can be a good thing if you need to move it between rooms. As for print quality, I have no complaints. It is as good as other HP printers I have used in recent past. However, something that I don't like is that it does not have a touchscreen. In fact, the only screen it comes with has room only for black and white texts and not much of those. It is a fair trade-off and it is no big deal to because no matter how you print, you usually uses a PC or a SmartPhone app anyway. The print cost is what really matters. It looks outdated though. As for installation and operation, it is as easy to use as it gets. I had it up and running and less than 15 minutes, including unpackaging, loading the printheads and ink. I connected it via WiFi but it is just as easu to connect it to your wired network. I know that many people won't like it because of the lack of a touchscreen, but in my opinion, very few people will miss it, and the savings in the long run will be more than worth the trouble.

If you print regularly or want to be able to print without the worry of constantly replacing expensive ink, look no further. Out of the box, this printer offers thousands of pages of prints in color so is perfect for someone who prints a lot of photos, documents or things for the kids or your home office. Setup for me was really easy, taking only a few minutes to get setup and going with only my phone and the HP Smart app. The best part is, the way the tanks are setup, it's designed to prevent spills or getting ink all over which is a plus. Setup walks you through filling up and priming the tanks so you're up and going fast. I did have a problem getting it setup initially but after a firmware update I was up and going after that which I would direct you to HP's support site, where there is a lot of good helpful info to troubleshoot if you encounter problems getting connected. This printer is a 3-in1 machine that offers the ability to print, scan and copy, and combined with the HP Smart app, you get even more functionality with the app. HP includes some really cool templates and printable projects through the app, which is something I recommend you check out, especially if you have a small business, or kids. There's a little bit of everything in there. In terms of printing, it's pretty fast and supports borderless printing and photo printing as well. Print quality is pretty good, with photos looking good and printing modestly fast (one a min or so). Pages/documents print faster of course. For a basic, compact printer to have in your home office, or at home for the kids to print projects out or homework this printer is great and because it has bulk-ink it's easier to keep full and print lots on it without the cost of replacing cartridges left and right. So far, I've been happy with this printer and would recommend it!

I’ve been using the HP Smart Tank 5100 for everyday printing at home and was pleased to find it to be an efficient and functional all-in-one model. My first encounter with the device was easy, and it provided clear prompts throughout the process of establishing connection to my Wi-Fi network and smartphone. In the end, I had my phone linked to the HP printer, which allowed me to print and scan via my smartphone, without having to connect my computer to the printer every time. Print quality has been great overall. Text documents printed were clear and dark, while color pages came out in bright, colorful detail, suitable for most assignments, graphs, forms, photos and so on. While the HP Smart Tank is not the fastest printer I have used, it is okay for an average household. Moreover, scanning and copying have been satisfactory too, and the printer’s buttons are quite intuitive. I opted for this model specifically due to the presence of refillable ink tank. The included ink bottles can last a long time, and the fact that the ink tanks are visible makes it easy to control the ink level. The ink filling process turned out to be very clean and fast, without any unexpected spills along the way. The printer has an elegant design and does not occupy your desk too much. Connection has been stable and there have been practically no disconnections while using the printer. In conclusion, the HP Smart Tank 5100 has been working smoothly in terms of printing, scanning, and copying. Overall, it is a great choice for people looking for refillable ink tanks and doing a lot of printing.

The HP Smart Tank 5100 has been a pleasant surprise from the moment I set it up. For the price, the print quality is outstanding. Text comes out sharp and easy to read, and color prints look vibrant and accurate. Even photos have a level of clarity and depth you don’t normally see from printers in this range. Setup is incredibly simple. Whether you use a phone or a computer, the guided steps walk you through everything without confusion. I went from unboxing to printing in just a few minutes, which is a huge plus if you need a printer that works right away without any hassle. Print speed depends on what you’re doing. Everyday documents come out almost instantly, while high-quality photos take a little longer. The wait is worth it though - photo prints look clean, detailed, and far better than what I’ve seen from typical cartridge-based inkjets. The real money-saver here is the tank system. The visible refillable tanks cost much less to maintain than traditional cartridges, and they last a long time. It’s also a more eco-friendly setup since you’re not constantly throwing away empty cartridges. The printer itself is compact and easy to fit on a desk, shelf, or small workspace. Overall, the HP Smart Tank 5100 delivers excellent print quality, easy setup, and long-term savings thanks to its refillable tanks. If you want reliable, cost-effective printing without sacrificing quality, this is a great choice.

This HP printer does a fantastic job of printing on all sorts of thicknesses of paper and with phenomenal clarity. The ink dries quickly so no worries about smearing as it comes out. Set up was a breeze and with step by step directions took no time at all to get up and printing. The fact that it came with ink out of the box was a welcome surprise so there’s no need to go out and make an extra purchase. And the black is enough to fill it twice so I won’t need black ink for a good long time! I love how quickly it prints, even when used wirelessly thru WiFi it’s quick and accurate. Making copies and scanning is also a breeze. A couple button presses and you have copies of anything you can put on the glass. And with the use of the HP app you can scan all sorts of documents including ID cards! I specifically use this to print stickers and it is awesome with the thicker sticker paper that needs a rear feed so that the paper doesn’t bunch or get caught in the printer. It’s such a relief to find a printer that will do the job that well.

The HP Smart Tank 5100 is an excellent printer with a small footprint. We only have a small home office so finding something that doesn't take a ton of space was important, but we did not want to compromise on quality or functionality. We use our printers mainly from our mobile devices, because it is just so convenient. Other printers have struggled with this in the past, but the HP Smart Tank 5100 does a great job from our cell phones, tablets, and laptops as well. I love the wireless scanning feature, which I use often as well, this works great on mobile devices too which is very important. I really like the smart tank feature on this printer as well, seeing where your ink levels are at a glance is an underrated feature in my opinion. The printer does a great job with color or black and white copies as well, and I have used this feature a lot for my daughter and her art projects. The print quality on this printer also impressed me, for such a compact device it really does great with color or black and white documents, and even photos.

This printer offers excellent print quality for color and black printing. This is a great printer for a family who wants to print their own photos. Not only for the excellent print quality, but also for the freedom of not having to replace cartridges every few months. I have used cartridge free printers in the past and these printers are able to print for several years for my family needs without even the need to fill the ink tank. Even after printing several photo albums from family vacations, family events etc. There’s an HP app to make use of the printing features or we can simply print documents and photos directly from the phone even without making use of the HP app. The scanning function is also very useful to make copies of documents. Every member of the family would be able to make use of the printer thanks to its excellent wireless connectivity. Overall, it’s a great printer from a very reliable brand. Pros: Print quality Wireless connectivity Cartridge free printing All-in-one for printing, scanning and copying Cons: None that I can think of