HP Smart Tank 7002 Review 2026: Ink Tank Printer Worth It?

Are you tired of spending hundreds of dollars on ink cartridges every year? The HP Smart Tank 7002 promises to end that frustration. This wireless all-in-one printer uses a refillable ink tank system that delivers up to 3 years of ink right in the box.

That means thousands of pages before you ever need a refill. But does it actually deliver on that promise? We spent weeks putting this printer through its paces. We tested print quality, speed, scanning, copying, and everything in between.

In this complete HP Smart Tank 7002 review for 2026, you will learn if this printer deserves a spot on your desk or if you should look elsewhere. Keep reading to find out every detail you need before you buy.

Key Takeaways

• The HP Smart Tank 7002 includes up to 3 years of ink in the box, based on 200 pages per month. This translates to roughly 8,000 color pages and 18,000 black pages before you need to buy more ink.
• Print cost per page is extremely low at just 0.4 cents per black page. This makes it one of the cheapest printers to operate in its class. Traditional cartridge printers cost 5 to 9 cents per page by comparison.
• Print speed tops out at 15 pages per minute for black and 9 pages per minute for color. This is adequate for home office use but may feel slow for heavy volume tasks.
• The 250-sheet input tray and automatic duplex printing save time and reduce paper waste. You do not need to flip pages manually for two-sided prints.
• Wireless connectivity supports dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz and 5GHz), Wi-Fi Direct, and mobile printing through Apple AirPrint, Mopria, and the HP Smart app. Setup is straightforward from your phone.
• Consumer Reports rates text quality as “very good” but notes that the printer is on the slow side for text output. Five pages took about 28 seconds in testing.

HP Smart Tank 7002 Overview

The HP Smart Tank 7002 is a wireless all-in-one inkjet printer that prints, scans, and copies. It belongs to the HP Smart Tank 7000 series. HP designed this model for families and home offices that print frequently and want to save on ink costs.

This printer uses a cartridge-free, refillable ink tank system. Instead of buying expensive cartridges, you pour ink from bottles directly into the built-in tanks. The bottles use a spill-free design that makes refilling simple.

HP sells the 7002 primarily through Costco, Sam’s Club, and BJ’s as a club-store exclusive. It is essentially the same printer as the HP Smart Tank 7001, but it comes bundled with extra ink bottles. The retail price typically falls between $199 and $319, depending on the retailer and any active promotions.

The printer measures 16.83 x 14.33 x 7.82 inches and fits comfortably on a standard desk. It has a 2-line LCD display with smart guided buttons for basic controls. The white and slate color scheme gives it a clean, modern look.

Design and Build Quality

The HP Smart Tank 7002 has a compact and clean design. It uses a white body with slate gray accents that look professional on any desk. The overall build feels solid without being bulky.

The ink tanks sit on the front of the printer behind a transparent window. This lets you check ink levels at a glance without opening any apps or menus. You can see exactly how much cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink remains at all times.

On top, you will find the flatbed scanner with a lid that lifts easily. The lid does not have an automatic document feeder (ADF), so you must place pages one at a time for scanning or copying. This may be a drawback for users who need to scan multi-page documents often.

The 250-sheet input tray extends from the front of the printer. It holds a full ream of standard letter paper and supports legal-size documents too. The output tray sits above the input tray and holds up to 100 sheets. Both trays close flush with the body for a tidy appearance.

The 2-line LCD panel is small but functional. It displays basic status information and menu options. HP chose guided buttons over a touchscreen, which keeps the cost down. The buttons are responsive and easy to press.

Print Quality and Output

The HP Smart Tank 7002 uses HP Thermal Inkjet technology to produce sharp text and vivid color prints. Black text prints at up to 1200 x 1200 rendered dpi, which is excellent for documents, reports, and letters.

Color output reaches up to 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi from a computer. This produces rich, detailed photos and graphics. Consumer Reports rated the text quality as “very good” overall. Colors appear accurate and consistent across multiple prints.

Photo printing is a strong point for this printer. It supports borderless printing up to 8.5 x 11 inches. Family photos, school projects, and marketing flyers look impressive. The ink blends well on HP photo paper, creating smooth gradients and deep blacks.

However, the print quality does not match dedicated photo printers. If professional-grade photo prints matter to you, a dedicated photo printer will serve you better. For everyday home and office use, the Smart Tank 7002 delivers more than enough quality.

Text documents look crisp and readable. Fine print and small fonts stay sharp without bleeding or smudging. Graphics and charts print with clear lines and accurate colors. This makes the printer suitable for schoolwork, business documents, and creative projects alike.

Print Speed Performance

The HP Smart Tank 7002 prints at up to 15 pages per minute (ppm) in black and 9 ppm in color. These speeds reflect ideal conditions and may vary based on document size and print settings.

In real-world testing by Consumer Reports, five pages of text took about 28 seconds. This is slower than many laser printers in the same price range. If you print large batches of documents frequently, you will notice the wait.

First-page-out time is reasonable for an inkjet printer. The printer takes a few seconds to warm up before the first sheet appears. After that, pages flow at a steady pace.

Automatic duplex printing (two-sided printing) is built in. This feature saves paper but does add time to each print job. The printer must pull the sheet back in, flip it, and print the second side. Expect duplex jobs to take roughly twice as long as single-sided prints.

Color prints take longer than black-only prints. Photo printing on glossy paper is the slowest task. A full-page borderless photo can take over a minute. This is typical for inkjet printers in this category.

For a home office that prints between 200 and 800 pages per month, the speed is perfectly acceptable. High-volume offices should consider a laser printer or a faster ink tank model like the HP Smart Tank 7602.

Top 3 Alternatives for HP Smart Tank 7002

If the HP Smart Tank 7002 does not check every box for you, here are three strong alternatives worth considering.

1. Epson EcoTank ET-2850

The Epson EcoTank ET-2850 is a direct competitor. It offers a similar cartridge-free ink tank design with auto duplex printing. Epson includes enough ink for up to 4,500 black pages and 7,500 color pages. Print resolution reaches 4800 x 1200 dpi. It also supports voice-activated printing through Alexa.

2. Canon PIXMA MegaTank G7020

The Canon PIXMA MegaTank G7020 stands out with fax capability and a 35-sheet ADF. It prints, scans, copies, and faxes. Ink costs run extremely low at about 0.3 cents per black page. It supports Ethernet connectivity alongside Wi-Fi. This is a great pick for small offices that need fax and multi-page scanning.

3. Brother MFC-J4335DW INKvestment Tank

The Brother MFC-J4335DW uses an INKvestment tank system that includes up to one year of ink in the box. It prints at 20 ppm in black, which is faster than the HP Smart Tank 7002. It also features duplex printing, Wi-Fi, and cloud printing support. Brother is known for reliable hardware that lasts.

Ink System and Running Costs

The HP Smart Tank 7002 uses a refillable ink tank system with HP 31 and HP 32XL ink bottles. The box includes one HP 32XL black bottle, one additional HP 32XL black bottle (bonus), and one each of HP 31 cyan, magenta, and yellow bottles.

Each HP 32XL black ink bottle yields up to 6,000 pages. Each HP 31 color bottle produces up to 8,000 pages. With three black bottles included in the 7002 bundle, you get up to 18,000 black pages out of the box.

The cost per page is remarkably low. Consumer Reports measured it at 0.4 cents per black page. Compare that to traditional cartridge printers that cost 5 to 9 cents per page. Over the life of the printer, you could save hundreds of dollars on ink alone.

Refilling the tanks is easy and mess-free. The bottles have a keyed design that only fits the matching color tank. You cannot accidentally put cyan ink into the magenta tank. Just open the cap, insert the bottle, and let gravity do the work.

Replacement ink bottles cost between $10 and $15 each. A full set of four bottles costs roughly $40 to $50. This is a fraction of the cost of replacing four traditional ink cartridges, which can run $50 to $100 or more.

Scanning and Copying Features

The HP Smart Tank 7002 includes a flatbed scanner with an optical resolution of up to 1200 dpi. This captures fine details from photos, documents, and artwork with good clarity.

Supported scan file formats include JPG, PDF, PNG, and TIFF. You can scan directly to your computer through the HP Smart app or through the embedded web server (EWS). The app makes scanning to cloud storage or email very convenient.

Copying is straightforward. The printer can produce up to 99 copies in a single job. Copy resolution reaches 600 dpi for black text and 600 x 600 dpi for color. You can reduce or enlarge copies from 25% to 400% of the original size.

The biggest limitation is the lack of an automatic document feeder (ADF). Every page must be placed on the flatbed manually. This becomes tedious if you need to scan or copy a 20-page document. The higher-end HP Smart Tank 7602 includes a 35-page ADF for users who need this feature.

The maximum scan size is 8.5 x 11.69 inches, which covers standard letter and A4 documents. Legal-size documents (8.5 x 14 inches) cannot be fully scanned in one pass.

Wireless Connectivity and Mobile Printing

The HP Smart Tank 7002 supports dual-band Wi-Fi on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies. This provides a stable, fast wireless connection with less interference. Many budget printers only support 2.4GHz, so this is a nice advantage.

Wi-Fi Direct lets you print from a device without connecting to a Wi-Fi router. This is useful in locations where a wireless network is unavailable. Just connect your phone or laptop directly to the printer.

The printer also has a USB 2.0 port for wired connections. This is helpful if you prefer a direct cable connection from your computer. Note that HP does not include a USB cable in the box. You will need to purchase one separately.

Mobile printing works through several platforms. Apple AirPrint lets iPhone and iPad users print without installing any additional software. Mopria certification provides Android users the same easy printing experience. The HP Smart app (available for iOS and Android) adds scanning, ink level monitoring, and print job management.

The HP Smart app also supports HP AI Print features. This helps format documents for better print results automatically. You can print from cloud services like Google Drive and Dropbox directly through the app.

Setup and Ease of Use

Setting up the HP Smart Tank 7002 takes about 30 to 45 minutes. The process involves unpacking, installing the print heads, filling the ink tanks, and connecting to Wi-Fi. HP provides a setup guide and the HP Smart app walks you through each step.

Filling the ink tanks for the first time is the longest part. You need to carefully pour ink from each bottle into the corresponding tank. The spill-free bottle design makes this easier than it sounds. The bottles click into place and dispense ink automatically.

After filling the tanks, the printer runs an initial ink charging cycle. This primes the print heads and takes several minutes. The printer will then prompt you to print an alignment page. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the calibration.

Connecting to Wi-Fi is handled through the HP Smart app on your phone. Open the app, select “Set Up a New Printer,” and follow the prompts. The app detects the printer and guides you through the network connection. Most users complete this step in under five minutes.

Day-to-day operation is simple. The 2-line LCD and guided buttons let you start copies, check ink levels, and access settings. The HP Smart app provides a more feature-rich experience from your phone or computer.

Paper Handling and Media Support

The HP Smart Tank 7002 features a 250-sheet main input tray that handles standard letter paper. This is a solid capacity for a home office printer. You will not need to refill the tray constantly.

The printer supports a wide range of paper sizes. These include letter, legal, executive, statement, government legal, and various photo sizes like 4×6, 5×7, and 8×10. Envelopes in #10, monarch, and 5.5 bar sizes are also supported.

Media weight support ranges from 16 to 28 lb for plain paper. Photo paper up to 66 lb and card stock up to 110 lb are compatible. This means you can print on greeting cards, photo paper, and brochure stock without issues.

Borderless printing is available for sizes up to 8.5 x 11 inches. This eliminates the white border around photos and marketing materials. The results look clean and professional.

The 100-sheet output tray catches printed pages as they come out. It holds enough for most print jobs without overflowing. For very large print runs, you may need to clear the tray periodically.

Automatic duplex printing comes standard. The printer handles two-sided printing on its own without manual intervention. This saves paper and creates professional-looking documents, booklets, and brochures.

HP Smart App and Software

The HP Smart app is the primary control center for the HP Smart Tank 7002. It is available on iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS. The app provides more functionality than the printer’s built-in LCD panel.

Through the app, you can monitor ink levels, start print jobs, scan documents, and manage settings. The interface is clean and easy to understand. HP updates the app regularly with new features and bug fixes.

HP AI Print is an interesting feature built into the app. It can automatically detect the type of document you are printing and adjust settings for the best results. For example, it recognizes photos and switches to photo-quality settings without manual input.

The app also supports scanning to email, cloud storage, and local folders. You can crop, rotate, and adjust scans before saving. Multi-page PDF creation is possible by scanning pages one at a time and combining them.

One common complaint about the HP Smart app is that it occasionally requires an HP account to use certain features. Some users find this annoying. The app also displays promotional content from HP from time to time. These are minor drawbacks but worth noting.

On a computer, the printer uses the HP PCL 3 GUI driver. This is a basic driver that works with Windows 7 through Windows 11 and macOS 10.15 through macOS 15 Sequoia. Chrome OS is also supported.

Energy Efficiency and Sustainability

The HP Smart Tank 7002 is energy efficient by design. It consumes just 2.00 watts in sleep mode and 0.10 watts when powered off. This keeps your electricity bill low even if the printer stays plugged in around the clock.

The operating temperature range is 41 to 104°F (5 to 40°C). This covers typical home and office environments without any issues.

HP built the printer with 25% post-consumer recycled plastic. This reduces the environmental impact of manufacturing. The ink tank design also eliminates hundreds of plastic cartridges from landfills over the printer’s lifetime.

The printer is eligible for recycling through the HP Planet Partners program. HP accepts used printers and ink bottles for responsible recycling. This is a convenient way to dispose of the printer at the end of its life.

The refillable ink system itself is a sustainability win. Traditional printers generate a steady stream of empty plastic cartridges. The Smart Tank 7002 replaces that waste with small, recyclable ink bottles. Over three years of use, this amounts to a significant reduction in plastic waste.

HP also offers ENERGY STAR certification on this model. This confirms that the printer meets strict energy efficiency standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Who Should Buy the HP Smart Tank 7002?

The HP Smart Tank 7002 is a strong choice for families who print frequently. If your household prints school projects, photos, homework, and documents on a regular basis, this printer will save you money on ink.

Home office users who print between 200 and 800 pages per month will find this printer ideal. The low cost per page keeps operating expenses minimal. The all-in-one functionality covers printing, scanning, and copying without needing separate devices.

Students and teachers benefit from the included ink supply. Three years of ink means you can print assignments, study guides, and lesson plans without worrying about running out.

This printer is not the best fit for high-speed business environments. Offices that need fast output, fax capability, or an ADF should look at the HP Smart Tank 7602 or the Canon PIXMA MegaTank G7020 instead.

Photo enthusiasts who want gallery-quality prints should consider a dedicated photo printer. The Smart Tank 7002 produces good photos, but it cannot match the output of specialized photo printers from Epson or Canon.

If you rarely print (fewer than 50 pages per month), a supertank printer may not make sense. The ink can dry in the tanks over time if the printer sits idle for weeks. Occasional users may prefer a basic laser printer.

Pros and Cons Summary

The HP Smart Tank 7002 brings a lot of value to the table. Here is a quick summary of its strengths and weaknesses.

On the positive side, the printer offers extremely low ink costs at 0.4 cents per black page. The included ink supply lasts up to 3 years. Print quality for text and photos is very good. Wireless connectivity with dual-band Wi-Fi and mobile printing adds convenience. Automatic duplex printing and a 250-sheet tray round out the package.

On the downside, print speed is slower than many competitors. The lack of an ADF makes multi-page scanning tedious. The 2-line LCD is basic compared to color touchscreens on other printers. The HP Smart app sometimes pushes users to create an HP account. Photo quality, while good, does not match dedicated photo printers.

Overall, the HP Smart Tank 7002 earns a strong recommendation for budget-conscious home users and home offices. The savings on ink alone can pay for the printer within the first year. If print speed and an ADF are not critical to your needs, this printer delivers excellent value.

The build quality is solid. The design is clean. The software works well enough. And the refillable ink system is genuinely cost-effective. For most households and small home offices, the HP Smart Tank 7002 is a smart investment in 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the HP Smart Tank 7002 good for photo printing?

Yes, the HP Smart Tank 7002 produces good photo prints at up to 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi. It supports borderless printing up to 8.5 x 11 inches. Photos look vibrant on HP photo paper. However, it does not match the quality of dedicated photo printers. For everyday family photos and school projects, it performs very well.

How long does the ink last on the HP Smart Tank 7002?

HP includes up to 3 years of ink in the box, based on printing about 200 pages per month. The bundle provides enough ink for approximately 18,000 black pages and 8,000 color pages. Actual results depend on what you print. Heavy photo printing uses more ink than text documents.

Can the HP Smart Tank 7002 print on both sides automatically?

Yes, the HP Smart Tank 7002 supports automatic duplex printing. The printer handles two-sided printing without manual page flipping. This feature saves paper and produces professional-looking documents. Duplex printing does slow down the overall print speed.

Does the HP Smart Tank 7002 have an automatic document feeder?

No, the HP Smart Tank 7002 does not include an ADF. It has a flatbed scanner only. You must place each page on the scanner bed manually. If you need an ADF, consider the HP Smart Tank 7602, which includes a 35-page automatic document feeder.

What ink does the HP Smart Tank 7002 use?

The HP Smart Tank 7002 uses HP 32XL black ink bottles and HP 31 cyan, magenta, and yellow ink bottles. These are refillable bottles that you pour directly into the printer’s ink tanks. Replacement bottles cost between $10 and $15 each.

Is the HP Smart Tank 7002 compatible with Mac and Chromebook?

Yes, the HP Smart Tank 7002 works with macOS 12 through macOS 15 Sequoia and Chrome OS. It also supports Windows 7 through Windows 11. The HP Smart app is available on all major platforms for wireless printing and scanning.

Last update on 2026-05-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API