Canon vs Epson Printer: Which Is Better? (2026)
Canon wins on upfront price — the PIXMA TR4720 ($1,349) is the most affordable all-in-one on this page. Epson wins on long-term cost: the EcoTank ET-2800 ($179.99) includes 2 years of ink in the box and costs a fraction per page compared to Canon cartridges. For light printing, get Canon. For frequent printing, Epson pays back within months.
See Today’s Price →At a Glance
| # | Product | Award | Price | Type | Functions | Connectivity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Best Overall | $1349 | — | — | — | Buy → | |
| 2 | Also Excellent | Check Price | — | — | — | Buy → | |
| 3 | Worth Considering | $69 | — | — | — | Buy → | |
| 4 | Best Value | $209 | — | — | — | Buy → |
Canon vs Epson Printer Buying Guide
Canon and Epson both make excellent home printers, but they've built competing philosophies around ink. Canon printers use standard ink cartridges — lower upfront cost, widely available replacement ink, and reliable performance for light to moderate printing. Epson's EcoTank printers use refillable ink tanks that hold dramatically more ink, dramatically reducing the per-page cost for high-volume printing. This comparison covers 2 Canon PIXMA models ($1,349–$149) and 2 Epson EcoTank models ($179.99–$219.99).
Canon vs Epson: The Core Difference
Canon's advantage is low upfront cost and widely available ink. The PIXMA TR4720 at $69 is a capable all-in-one that costs $110 less than the cheapest Epson here. Replacement cartridges cost $8–$25 and are available everywhere. Epson's advantage is long-term economics: the EcoTank ET-2800 at $179.99 includes enough ink for approximately 4,500 black pages and 7,500 color pages — roughly 2 years of average household printing included in the box. After those initial tanks, EcoTank refill bottles cost around $15–$20 and last for years.
Where Canon Wins
Canon wins for light printers and upfront cost. The PIXMA TR4720 at $69 includes wireless printing, ADF for multi-page document scanning, fax, and all-in-one functionality for under $70. For households that print occasionally — a few dozen pages per month — Canon's cartridge system is economical and the lower purchase price wins outright. The TR8620 at $149 adds a touchscreen, a 5-cartridge ink system for sharper photos, and dual paper trays for households that need separate photo and document paper loaded simultaneously.
Where Epson Wins
Epson wins for frequent printers on per-page cost. After the included ink runs out, EcoTank refill bottles deliver ink at approximately $0.003–$0.01 per page — compared to $0.05–$0.15 per page for Canon cartridges. A household printing 200 pages per month recoups the Epson price premium over Canon within 6–9 months. The ET-3850 at $219.99 also adds an ADF (absent on ET-2800) for multi-page document scanning, matching Canon TR4720's ADF at a $150 premium that the long-term ink savings more than offset for frequent users.
Price and Long-Term Cost
Canon models: $69–$149 upfront. Standard black cartridge: $8–$12, ~200–300 pages = $0.04–$0.06/page. Epson EcoTank models: $179.99–$219.99 upfront. EcoTank black refill bottle: ~$15, ~7,500 pages = $0.002/page. For 100 pages/month: Canon breakeven on ink savings vs Epson premium = 18–24 months. For 300 pages/month: breakeven = 6–9 months. High-volume printers should strongly consider Epson.
Get Canon if / Get Epson if
Get Canon if you print occasionally (under 100 pages per month), want the lowest upfront cost, or primarily print photos where Canon's color accuracy is excellent — the TR4720 at $69 is the best budget entry. Get Epson if you print regularly (100+ pages per month), want to eliminate the cost and frustration of running out of cartridges, or plan to keep the printer for 3+ years — the EcoTank system pays for itself and delivers dramatic long-term savings.
How We Picked These
We compared 4 printers from Canon and Epson across upfront cost, cost-per-page, print quality, ADF availability, connectivity, and long-term value, cross-referencing picks with expert reviews from Wirecutter, PCMag, and Consumer Reports. Products were selected to represent each brand entry and mid-range inkjet models with active Amazon listings and verified images.
“Best for photography beginners who want a reliable entry-level DSLR kit from a trusted brand to learn manual exposure and composition skills.”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- 24.1MP
- 9-point AF
- Full HD video
- EF-S 18-55mm IS II kit lens
- Bluetooth
- DIGIC 4+ processor
Watch out for
- DIGIC 4+ processor shows age vs current mirrorless cameras
- No 4K video — tops out at Full HD 1080p
- Live View AF is slow compared to mirrorless
“Canon's PIXMA TR4720 is the best budget printer — $69 buys an all-in-one with ADF, wireless, and photo-quality printing, and Canon's cartridges are widely available at any office store.”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- Under $70 all-in-one with print/scan/copy/fax
- ADF for multi-page documents
- Wireless and Bluetooth
- 4800x1200 dpi for photo quality
- Compact design fits small desks
Watch out for
- Slower print speed (8.8ppm black)
- Ink cartridges cost more per page than EcoTank
Frequently Asked Questions
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How We Analyze Products
We analyze Amazon review data — often thousands of reviews per product — to surface patterns that individual buyers miss. Our process aggregates star ratings, review counts, and buyer sentiment at scale, identifying which strengths and weaknesses appear consistently across the largest review samples available. The 23,759+ reviews analyzed on this page represent real verified-purchase feedback from Amazon buyers.
Each product earned its placement through data: total review volume, average rating, and the specific praise and complaints that repeat most often across buyers. No manufacturer paid for placement on this page. Products appear here because buyers endorsed them at scale, not because a company asked us to feature them.
We use AI to summarize review sentiment — not to fabricate opinions, but to condense what thousands of buyers actually wrote into a readable format. The pros and cons you see reflect the most common themes found in verified purchaser reviews, paraphrased for clarity. We do not claim to have accessed Reddit, YouTube, or specific publications in generating these summaries.
Prices shown reflect Amazon pricing at the time this page was last generated. Click “See Today’s Price” to get the current live price on Amazon. Read our full methodology →