Reading the Fine Print on Why Ink Tank Printers Are a Better Choice

If you have ever noticed messages in work and marketing emails encouraging you to consider the environment before printing, you are well aware of the perception that printing output, and its associated hardware, produce waste that finds its way into landfills. Paper waste alone makes up between 7% and 23% of municipal solid waste depending on whether it is a low-, middle-, or high-income country.

While printer energy consumption, paper waste, ink usage, and cartridge replacement have an environmental impact, consumers may be largely unaware of the advances that have been made to reduce the printer output, materials and accessories that find its way to landfills. Consumers in Asia Pacific are becoming more conscious of whether the products they are buying are green, or clean, as their sustainability sophistication grows in each market. Businesses are also devising ways to achieve more circular models to encourage responsible production and consumption. Home printers, in particular, have received some tech-based enhancements in recent years that are making it possible to print freely.

As consumers have become more aware of the environmental impact of their activities, they are interested in finding products that are sustainable but also convenient to use and cost effective above all. Continuous ink supply system (CISS) printers, or ink tank printers, have emerged in the home printer market to address these needs. Its main features are edging out standard inkjets and laser printers in each of these areas.

Printing at Home is Here to Stay

In spite of trends to digitise and go paperless, printers continue to be an essential technology in homes. This was proven when demand for home printers surged last year as people settled into home offices to work and online schooling became the norm during the pandemic. Deloitte anticipates that going forward, home printers may not be used daily as some routines resume but the need for hard copy printouts will persist for people who continue to spend some time working or learning from home.

The home printer market has incorporated more sustainable features in recent years. In particular, ink tank printers that were typically used by small businesses or home offices with high volume printing needs, are increasingly being purchased for personal use. Ink tank printers run on large refillable tanks instead of individual cartridges that need to be discarded once empty. These tanks hold more ink, eliminating the need for frequent cartridge changes that can be costly over time. This makes it a cost-effective option for home offices as well as start-ups and small businesses.

Leading the Evolution of the Home Printer Market

As the first company to introduce ink tank printers to the market, Epson has changed the approach to inkjet printing with the EcoTank lineup. On top of this revolution, Heat-Free Technology with Epson’s PrecisonCore Printhead consumes up to 85% less energy than laser printers of a similar speed. The CO2 emissions of consumables (e.g. raw materials, manufacturing, production and distribution of parts, and consumer use and disposal) is less than a fifth of conventional cartridge printer models. This can mean distinct savings in annual energy bills.

With no heat required for warming up the printer, EcoTank printers operate at a consistently high printing speed. The Heat-Free Technology also makes Epson’s EcoTank printers more efficient and capable of printing reliably for a long period with minimal maintenance downtime to allow more time to focus on productive tasks. EcoTank printers also feature ink bottles with an ultra-high page yield of up to 7,500 pages in black and 6,000 pages in color. The ink is simple to refill, with spill-free bottle designs to make the process fast and maintain productivity.

Using an Epson EcoTank printer produces pages at a fraction of the cost of a standard inkjet or laser printer, especially when frequent and bulk printing is required. For the environmentally conscious, purchasing an Epson EcoTank printer is a reliable, affordable choice that aligns closely with sustainable values, while helping you to be more productive at home.