Understanding Epson EcoTank Inks: How They Differ and Which Inks Are Interchangeable

In this short guide, I will explain to you how these bottles of ink differ and which models are interchangeable.

A key differentiator of EcoTank inks is the colorant used, namely pigment vis-à-vis dye. Pigments are solid particles that suspend in the ink, while dyes are dissolved in a liquid base. Generally speaking, dye inks produce a stronger color and is cheaper compared to pigment inks; however, they fade more quickly and tend to soak the paper more easily.

For EcoTank printers, Epson has leaned primarily on dye inks, though some models use pigment black or even all pigment inks. This is where the main differences in the models arise.

At the same time, Epson also has different model names for the same ink in different markets. This is controlled by the little "keys" on each bottle that match specifically to the ink reservoirs.

Specifically, EcoTank models that use Epson's conventional Micro Piezo print head are usually paired with dye ink exclusively. This older print head design, while featuring fewer nozzles, produces a smaller (3pl) minimum droplet, making it more suitable for photo printing. It appears that Epson envisions these EcoTank printers to serve home and home office printing tasks that include a fair amount of photo. In the EU, these inks are labeled EcoTank 103 or 104 Inks, while in the US they are sold as EcoTank T522 Ink.

This ink is sold in 65ml bottle for all colors.

Epson claims 4500 pages yield for black and 7500 pages yield for the color inks. This ink's MSRP is $13.99 per bottle in the US, £9.49 in the UK, and €9.99 in EU. Check out its product page for detailed specifications, current prices, and reviews.

Models with Epson's more advanced PrecisionCore print head are usually paired with dye color inks (CMY) and pigment black ink (PB). The PrecisionCore print head features more nozzles and can deliver much faster print speeds. These models, as a result, are targeted towards the Home Office and Small Office markets. Epson labels these inks as EcoTank 101 or 102 Ink in the EU and EcoTank T502 Ink in the US.

This ink is sold in a 127ml bottle for pigment black and in 70ml bottles for CMY.

Epson claims 7500 pages yield for black and 6000 pages yield for the color inks. This ink's MSRP is $19.99 (B) / 12.99 (CMY) per bottle in the US, £13.99 / 8.49 in the UK, and €14.99 / 8.99 in EU. Check out its product page for detailed specifications, current prices, and reviews.

Two exceptions to this rule are the EcoTank ET-7700 / L7160 and ET-7750 / L7180 printers. This pair of A4 and A3 printers are designed for the premium home printing market. They feature Micro Piezo print heads that can produce droplets down to 1.5pl in size. In order to excel at both photo and document printing, these printers use five inks: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK) in dye for colored printing, and pigment black (PB) specifically for documents. In the EU, Epson markets these inks as EcoTank 105 Ink for Pigment Black and EcoTank 106 Ink for CMYK. In the US, they are named EcoTank T512 Ink.

The 105 Ink / 512 PB is sold in a 140ml bottle, while the 106 Ink / 512 CMYK is sold in 70ml bottles.

Epson claims 8000 pages yield for the pigment black ink and 5000 pages yield for the other inks. This ink's MSRP is $19.99 (PB) / 13.99 (CMYK) per bottle in the US, £18.49 / 12.49 in the UK, and €19.99 / 13.49 in EU. Check out its product page for detailed specifications, current prices, and reviews.

The EcoTank printer lineup also includes models that cater to higher print loads. Some of these models use Ink Packs instead of ink bottles; they are also marketed as WorkForce printers in some markets. However, there are models that sit between these and models designed for home use. These models feature PrecisionCore print heads and use pigment inks exclusively, with the expectation that they will be used primarily for (colored) document printing. Epson markets these inks as EcoTank 112 or 113 Ink in the EU and EcoTank T542 Ink in the US.

This ink is sold in a 127ml bottle for pigment black and in 70ml bottles for pigment CMY. This ink's MSRP is $22.99 per bottle in the US, £17.99 (B) / 14.49 (CMY) in the UK, and €19.49 / 15.49 in EU. Check out its product page for detailed specifications, current prices, and reviews.

Last but not least, Epson also markets monochrome EcoTank printers. Higher-end monochrome models feature PrecisionCore print heads, while lower-end models come with Micro Piezo print heads. Some of these models use a pigment black ink marketed as EcoTank 110 Ink in the EU and EcoTank T532 Ink in the US. Other models use 113 / 542, which differ only in volume.

This ink is sold in a 120ml bottle. Its MSRP is $17.99 in the US. Check out its product page for detailed specifications, current prices, and reviews.

In 2021, Epson introduced a new series of inks for its new home printers optimized for photo printing, the EcoTank 114. These printers use the latest modified Micro Piezo print heads with a mix of pigment black for documents and dye-based photo black, cyan, magenta, yellow, and grey for photos.

These inks are more expensive to purchase. Each bottle is 70ml and yields 2300 pages.

As mentioned above, Epson's EcoTank inks differ in colorant, "key" for the reservoir, and volume. Below is a comprehensive list of models that are compatible with each ink. It is worth noting that the "key" and volume differences in the inks are artificial: While it is inconvenient to attempt filling an EU-market ink in a US market printer, the inks are the same. However, it is not recommended to mix pigment with dye inks. This is generally not an issue if you purchase Epson-branded inks. However, when purchasing third-party inks, it is recommended to confirm the compatibility first.

You can find a list of compatible EcoTank printers below. If you are looking to purchase a new printer, use our comparison tool to help you make your final decision by comparing detailed specifications and the latest prices.