Epson EcoTank 104 Genuine Multipack Ink Bottles
Reviewed 23 August 2026 · price checked live
Check price on Amazon →Overview
EcoTank changes the economics of home printing by replacing cartridges with refillable tanks and bottles. A set of bottles costs more upfront than a set of cartridges and lasts many times longer, which is the whole point. This is the most-rated product in our printers category.
- Brand
- Epson
- Amazon rating
- 4.8 / 5 from 7,331 ratings
- vs Printers & Accessories
- 0.3 above the category median of 4.5
- Rank in category
- 1 of 40 rated printers & accessories we track
- Price position
- Mid-priced (category spans £10.35 to £144)
- How proven
- Well established, above-average review volume
How it compares in Printers & Accessories
Across the 40 rated printers & accessories products we track, the typical score is 4.5 out of 5. This one sits at 4.8, which puts it in the upper quarter of the category rather than level with it. Where almost everything is rated well, the gap at the top is small in points and large in practice. That places it first of the 40 we rank here.
It carries 7,331 ratings against a category median of 3,171. That is enough of a base to take the score seriously without treating it as settled.
On price it sits in the middle third of a category running from £10.35 to £144, where the midpoint is about £31.99. That is the part of the range where most sensible buys sit, neither cutting corners nor paying for the name.
Worked out from the 40 printers & accessories products in our catalogue, not from the brand's own claims. How we rank →
The running-cost maths that makes EcoTank worth it
Conventional inkjets are sold cheap and monetised through cartridges, which is why a full set of replacements can approach the price of the printer. EcoTank inverts that: the printer costs more and the ink costs very little per page.
A set of bottles typically covers thousands of pages against a few hundred from cartridges. For anyone printing regularly, especially a household printing schoolwork, forms and photos, the switch pays back within the first year or two. For someone printing twenty pages a year, it does not, and a cheap cartridge printer is genuinely the better buy.
Use the right bottle number, and check it before pouring
This is where money is lost. EcoTank ink is sold by number, and 104, 102, 103, 105 and 106 are different inks for different printer families. They are not interchangeable, and some are pigment-based while others are dye-based, which affects both print quality and how they behave in the printhead.
Check the number in your printer's manual or on the existing bottles before ordering, not after. The keyed bottle design makes accidental cross-filling harder, but it does not make ordering the wrong box harder.
The two mistakes that kill an EcoTank printer
<strong>Letting a tank run dry.</strong> Unlike a cartridge printer that stops, running an EcoTank with air in the line can let the printhead dry out or draw air into the system, and printhead problems are the expensive kind. Top up when the level approaches the lower line, not when printing fails.
<strong>Not printing for months.</strong> Ink dries in the nozzles during long idle periods, and this is the single most common cause of a clogged EcoTank. Printing one colour page a fortnight keeps the nozzles clear and costs almost nothing, which is precisely the advantage of cheap ink. If it does clog, run the printer's own head-cleaning cycle rather than improvising, and accept that repeated cleaning cycles use ink.
One more: bottles have a shelf life and it is printed on them. Buying a five-year supply because it was on offer is a false economy.
Key features
- Colour: cyan, magenta, yellow, black
- brand : Epson
- manufacturer: Epson
- Number of items: 1.0
Frequently asked questions
Is EcoTank cheaper than cartridges?
Per page, substantially. A set of bottles typically covers thousands of pages against a few hundred from cartridges. The upfront printer cost is higher, so it pays back for regular printers and not for someone printing a handful of pages a year.
Can I use 102 or 103 ink in a printer that takes 104?
No. The numbers denote different inks for different printer families, and some are pigment-based while others are dye-based. Check your printer manual before ordering.
What happens if an EcoTank runs dry?
Air can enter the line and the printhead can dry out, which is the expensive kind of fault. Top up when the level approaches the lower line rather than waiting for printing to fail.
Why is my EcoTank printer clogged?
Usually because it has not been used for a long period and ink has dried in the nozzles. Printing a colour page every couple of weeks prevents it. If it does clog, use the printer's own head-cleaning cycle rather than improvising.
Does EcoTank ink expire?
Yes, and the date is printed on the bottle. Buying years of supply on offer is a false economy, since ink degrades in storage.
