A new Amazon discount on the HP Smart Tank 5101 brings the all-in-one down to $190, a $70 cut from its $260 sticker, according to techradar.com. UK shoppers get the parallel HP Smart Tank 5107 for £150, down from £210.
Refillable ink tank machines exist for one reason: ink costs less per page. The 5101 leans into that pitch hard, and the new price removes most of the usual upgrade friction.
Key facts
- US listing: HP Smart Tank 5101 at $190, was $260.
- UK listing: HP Smart Tank 5107 at £150, was £210.
- Format: all-in-one printer with refillable ink tanks.
- In-box supply: roughly two years of ink included, per techradar.com.
- Functions: print, scan, copy.
- Speeds: 12 ppm black, 5 ppm colour.
- Connectivity: 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and USB.
- Extras: flatbed scanner, 100-sheet rear tray, borderless printing.
Why this deal stands out
Cheap printers are rarely cheap to run, and that gap is exactly where the 5101 puts pressure. Traditional cartridge models can drain a budget quietly over a year of regular printing, while tank models front-load the ink so the ongoing spend is just refill bottles every long while.
HP also ships the 5101 with enough in-box ink to keep a typical home office going for an extended period. The fill process is built around spill-resistant bottles that empty into the reservoir without squeezing. That removes one of the most common complaints about cheaper refill systems, where ink ends up on your hands, your desk, or the cat.
Who should care
Three reader types get a clean fit here. First, anyone paying retail cartridge prices and watching their running costs creep past the original printer price. Second, first-time all-in-one buyers who want printing, scanning, and copying in a single box without learning a maintenance routine. Third, very small home offices that print colour proofs, invoices, and shipping labels in modest volumes and want predictable supply costs.
For freelancers and small agencies, the deal is worth flagging. A one-person operation printing a few hundred pages a month for client deliverables, shipping labels, and admin paperwork can lock in roughly two years of ink in one purchase and stop thinking about consumables for most of 2026.
Trade-offs worth weighing
The 5101 is not the right tool for everyone. Print speed sits at a modest 12 ppm black and 5 ppm colour, so high-volume offices with shared queues will outgrow it fast. There is no automatic document feeder for scanning stacks of pages, and no fax. Wireless is 2.4GHz only, so busy 5GHz-heavy networks may need a small adjustment.
The longer-term bet is on refill bottle pricing. Tank printers only stay cheap if the replacement bottles remain available, reasonably priced, and not locked behind chips or regional restrictions. That is the variable to check before treating this as a permanent cost win.
Worked example
Say you run a small hosting reseller operation from a spare bedroom and still print the occasional colour proof, signed contract, or return label. A tank printer at $190 with two years of ink included drops your hardware cost well below a basic managed print contract, and you can route jobs over Wi-Fi from a phone when a client asks for a quick signed PDF. If your print volume stays under a few hundred pages a month, the 5101 should pay back the difference against cartridge ink in well under a year.
What to watch next
Keep an eye on HP's refill bottle pricing and availability after the included supply runs out. Also watch for any return of dynamic security or cartridge-locking practices that would tighten the tank ecosystem. For buyers in a hurry, $190 is a fair entry point; for anyone who already runs a tank printer, waiting for a deeper cut makes more sense.
Key takeaways
- The HP Smart Tank 5101 at $190 is a strong entry point if cartridge ink has been eating your budget.
- About two years of in-box ink means most home offices can ignore consumables for a long stretch.
- Speeds and the lack of an ADF limit this to light home and small-office use, not busy shared spaces.
- Long-term value depends on HP keeping refill bottles cheap and easy to source.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the HP Smart Tank 5101 cost after the discount?
TechRadar reports $190 at Amazon, down from $260.
How long does the included ink actually last?
HP ships roughly two years of ink in the box, per techradar.com.
Does the printer support wireless printing?
Yes. The 5101 supports 2.4GHz Wi-Fi alongside a USB connection.
What is the print speed?
Up to 12 ppm in black and 5 ppm in colour, according to techradar.com.
Is the 5101 a good fit for a busy office?
Light home use suits it. Shared queues, heavy volumes, and scanning stacks will push past its limits.