HP Smart Tank 5107 All in One Printer Wireless Refillable Review: The Ultimate Home Ink Solution or a Connectivity Headache?

We’ve all been there. It’s 10 PM, the big report is due tomorrow, and your printer flashes that dreaded, mocking message: “Low Ink.” A frantic search reveals you used the last spare cartridge weeks ago. The sudden panic, the late-night trip to an overpriced supermarket, the sheer frustration—it’s a modern rite of passage for anyone with a home office. For years, the printer industry has felt like a trap, selling us affordable hardware only to lock us into a cycle of buying eye-wateringly expensive ink cartridges that seem to run out in the blink of an eye. This isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a significant, recurring expense that feels fundamentally unfair. For families printing schoolwork, small businesses managing invoices, or crafters bringing their digital designs to life, the cost and hassle can stifle productivity and creativity. The search for a more sustainable, cost-effective solution is what leads many of us to the new frontier of printing: the ink tank system.

What to Consider Before Buying an Ink Tank Printer

An ink tank printer is more than just a device for putting words on paper; it’s a key solution for breaking free from the high-cost, low-yield world of traditional ink cartridges. Instead of small, disposable cartridges, these printers feature integrated, high-capacity ink reservoirs that you refill from affordable, long-lasting bottles. The primary benefit is a dramatically lower cost per page, saving users hundreds of pounds over the life of the machine. This system also reduces plastic waste, making it a more environmentally conscious choice. For anyone who prints regularly—be it colourful school projects, business documents, or high-resolution photos—the value proposition is undeniable, offering freedom from “ink anxiety” and predictable, low running costs.

The ideal customer for this type of product is someone facing the constant drain of buying cartridges: parents with school-aged children, university students, home-based entrepreneurs, and hobbyists like photographers or scrapbookers. If you print more than a handful of pages per month, an ink tank printer will almost certainly save you money in the long run. However, it might not be the best fit for those who print extremely infrequently, as the ink in any inkjet printer can potentially dry if left unused for extended periods. It’s also not geared towards high-volume corporate environments that demand the lightning-fast speeds of a laser printer. For those needing ultimate portability, a dedicated mobile printer might be a better, though less economical, alternative.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Dimensions & Space: While not enormous, ink tank printers have a substantial footprint to accommodate the internal reservoirs. Measure your intended desk or shelf space carefully. The HP Smart Tank 5107 All in One Printer Wireless Refillable is designed for a home setting, but you’ll still need to ensure you have adequate room for the unit itself, plus clearance for the paper tray and for lifting the scanner lid.
• Capacity/Performance: Look beyond the initial price and at the page yield. The key metric here is “cost per page.” The HP 5107 boasts an incredible yield of up to 12,000 black and 8,000 colour pages from the included ink. Also, consider print speed (measured in pages per minute or ppm) and extra features like an automatic document feeder (ADF) or automatic two-sided (duplex) printing, which this model lacks.
• Materials & Durability: Most consumer-grade printers are constructed primarily of plastic. While this keeps them lightweight and affordable, it’s worth assessing the build quality. Look for sturdy paper trays, smooth-operating lids, and a generally solid feel. As one user noted about this model, it can feel like a budget plastic printer, which is a fair assessment of its physical construction, though not necessarily its performance.
• Ease of Use & Maintenance: The setup process, software interface, and ink refilling system are critical. HP relies heavily on its Smart App, which can be a blessing for mobile printing but a curse if connectivity is unstable. The spill-free refill bottles are a major advantage, making a potentially messy job clean and foolproof. Long-term care involves occasional print head cleaning cycles, easily managed through the software.

Keeping these factors in mind, the HP Smart Tank 5107 All in One Printer Wireless Refillable stands out in several areas, particularly its phenomenal ink value and print quality. You can explore its detailed specifications and current offers here.

While the HP Smart Tank 5107 All in One Printer Wireless Refillable is an excellent choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:

Unboxing and First Impressions: A Modern, User-Friendly Design

Upon opening the box, the HP Smart Tank 5107 All in One Printer Wireless Refillable presents itself as a clean, modern appliance. Finished in a matte white that resists fingerprints, it’s designed to blend into a home office environment without being an eyesore. The initial lift reveals its relatively lightweight build (just over 5 kg), confirming its plastic construction, but it feels adequately solid for its intended use. Setup is guided primarily by the HP Smart App, which you’re prompted to download on your phone or computer. The box contains the printer, a power cord, two print heads (one for black, one for tri-colour), and the star of the show: a full set of high-capacity ink bottles—one giant 32XL black bottle and three HP 31 colour bottles (cyan, magenta, and yellow). The most intimidating part for newcomers—filling the ink tanks—is made surprisingly simple and clean, a testament to HP’s well-engineered, spill-free bottle design. The control panel is minimalist, featuring “Smart Buttons” that illuminate to guide you through tasks, which is a clever touch for simplifying operation for less tech-savvy users.

A Deep Dive into the HP Smart Tank 5107’s Real-World Performance

A printer’s worth is measured not by its specs sheet, but by how it performs day-to-day. We put the HP Smart Tank 5107 All in One Printer Wireless Refillable through its paces, from initial setup to demanding creative projects, to see if its promise of low-cost, high-quality printing holds up under scrutiny. The results were, in many ways, a tale of two very different experiences: one of brilliant economy and quality, and another of potential technological frustration.

The Main Event: Unbeatable Ink Economy and a Flawless Refill System

Let’s start with the number one reason to buy this printer: the ink. The claim of “up to 3 years of ink” sounds like marketing hyperbole, but when you look at the page yields, it becomes tangible. With up to 12,000 black pages and 8,000 colour pages right out of the box, the value is simply staggering. For the average family or home office, this genuinely could last for years. We printed hundreds of pages of mixed text and graphics, and the ink level indicators on the transparent front tanks barely seemed to move. This single feature transforms the psychology of printing. You no longer hesitate to print a colour document or a child’s school project, worrying about the cost. The freedom from “ink anxiety” is palpable and is the core strength of this machine.

Furthermore, the refilling process itself is a masterclass in user-friendly design. In the past, refilling ink tanks could be a messy, nerve-wracking affair. HP’s system is virtually foolproof. The bottles have a keyed, valve-based nozzle that only opens when correctly seated on the corresponding tank. You simply unscrew the cap, invert the bottle, and place it on the port. It automatically fills the tank and stops when it’s full, with no squeezing required and zero chance of spills. We found it to be a clean, quick, and satisfying process. This ease of use was echoed by a user who noted their son, who has Autism, was able to set up the printer and fill the tanks himself without any issues, a powerful testament to the intuitive design.

Print Quality and Media Handling: A Crafter’s Surprise Delight

While cheap to run, a printer is useless if the output is poor. Fortunately, the HP Smart Tank 5107 All in One Printer Wireless Refillable delivers exceptional HP quality. Text documents are sharp, crisp, and laser-like, even at smaller font sizes. Where it truly shines, however, is with colour. Using its 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi resolution, it produces vibrant, rich, and accurate colours. Photos printed on glossy photo paper were impressive for a printer at this price point, showing good detail and smooth tonal gradations. But the biggest surprise came when we tested its media handling capabilities.

Inspired by a user review from a crafter, we pushed the printer to its limits with heavy cardstock. The official specs are often conservative, but we can confirm the user’s finding: this machine is a hidden gem for creative projects. We successfully fed and printed on 300gsm textured cardstock, a task that chokes many more expensive printers. The print quality remained superb, with no smudging or feeding issues. This makes the HP 5107 an outstanding choice for anyone involved in paper crafts, scrapbooking, or using a Cricut’s “Print then Cut” feature. This versatility is a massive selling point that isn’t immediately obvious from the product description and elevates it beyond a simple document printer. The ability to produce professional-quality creative work at an incredibly low cost per page is a game-changer. For those looking to unlock their creative potential without breaking the bank, you can find out more about this versatile printer’s capabilities here.

The Double-Edged Sword: Software, Setup, and Connectivity

This is where our experience, and the feedback from other users, becomes sharply divided. On paper, the setup is modern and streamlined. You use the HP Smart App on your phone or PC to guide you through connecting the printer to your Wi-Fi network. For us, after one initial hiccup, the connection was established and remained stable. The app itself is powerful, allowing you to print, scan, and copy directly from your phone, check ink levels, and access various free printables. For mobile-first users, this is incredibly convenient.

However, we cannot ignore the significant volume of user complaints surrounding this very process. Numerous reviews describe a frustrating loop of connection failures, dropped Wi-Fi, and constant error messages. Users report having to reboot and reconnect the printer repeatedly, with one calling it the “worst printer I have ever used” due to these issues. This suggests a potential inconsistency in the wireless hardware or software that can lead to a deeply frustrating user experience. While our unit performed well after the initial setup, the risk of getting a temperamental unit appears to be real. This printer also lacks an Ethernet port, forcing you to rely on Wi-Fi or a direct USB connection. Furthermore, the print speed is modest at 12 ppm for black and a slow 5 ppm for colour, and the lack of automatic two-sided printing means you have to manually flip the pages for duplex jobs, which feels dated in 2024. These are acceptable trade-offs for the ink savings, but only if the basic wireless functionality is reliable.

What Other Users Are Saying

Synthesizing feedback from a wide range of users reveals the polarized experience we encountered. On the positive side, the praise is often effusive. One crafter was ecstatic, stating it’s a “quality machine and perfect print quality for my cricut craft projects,” specifically highlighting its ability to handle 300gsm cardstock where other brands failed. Another user called it a “nice model” with “very good” wireless connectivity and quick prints, showcasing that when it works, it works well. The cost savings are a universal point of celebration, with one happy customer predicting “cost effective printing for the foreseeable future.”

Conversely, the negative feedback is just as strong and centers almost exclusively on connectivity and reliability. “I have had issues since I bought it with connecting to my phone,” one frustrated owner lamented, “it just sends errors everytime.” Another shared a similar sentiment, stating it “won’t connect and the[n] when it does…if you can get it to print comes up with error.” Beyond software, there are also complaints about build quality, with one user noting it “looks like [a] 40£ plastic printer,” and reports of receiving units that were broken on arrival, compounding the frustration with poor customer service experiences.

How Does the HP Smart Tank 5107 Compare to the Alternatives?

The HP Smart Tank 5107 All in One Printer Wireless Refillable operates in a competitive market. While its value is compelling, certain alternatives may better suit different needs, particularly for those requiring more advanced office features or who may be wary of potential connectivity issues.

1. HP Smart Tank 7605 All-in-One Printer 2-Sided Printing Document Feeder

For users who love the Smart Tank concept but need more horsepower for a busy home office, the HP Smart Tank 7605 is the logical step up. It addresses the 5107’s key weaknesses by including a 35-page automatic document feeder (ADF) for effortless multi-page scanning and copying, and crucial automatic two-sided printing, which is a massive time-saver. It also adds Fax capability and an Ethernet port for a more stable, wired network connection. While it comes at a higher price, the investment is easily justified for anyone who frequently scans, copies, or prints double-sided documents and wants a more robust, feature-complete office workhorse.

2. Brother DCP-T780DW Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer

Brother is a formidable competitor in the ink tank space, and the DCP-T780DW is a compelling alternative. It directly rivals the upgraded HP 7605, offering both an automatic document feeder and automatic two-sided printing. Brother printers are often lauded for their reliability and straightforward software, which could be a major draw for users concerned about the connectivity issues reported with some HP models. While the upfront ink supply might differ, Brother’s “Tankbenefit” system also promises very low running costs. This is an excellent choice for someone looking for a feature-rich home office printer from a different, highly-respected brand.

3. HP OfficeJet 200 Mobile Printer

This alternative caters to a completely different user. The OfficeJet 200 is not an ink tank printer; it’s a portable powerhouse designed for professionals on the go. It’s compact, lightweight, and features a long-lasting battery, allowing you to print high-quality documents from your laptop or phone anywhere—a client’s office, a hotel room, or even your car. The trade-off is a much higher cost per page, as it uses traditional ink cartridges, and it lacks scanning or copying functions. This isn’t for a home office; it’s the perfect solution for the road warrior who prioritizes portability above all else.

Our Final Verdict: A High-Value Printer with a Few Caveats

So, is the HP Smart Tank 5107 All in One Printer Wireless Refillable the right printer for you? The answer is a qualified yes. If your primary goal is to escape the tyranny of expensive ink cartridges and you prioritize long-term value and excellent print quality, this machine is an absolute star. The sheer volume of ink included in the box provides incredible peace of mind and makes printing feel virtually free for a very long time. For hobbyists and crafters, its surprise ability to handle heavy cardstock makes it a secret weapon that punches well above its weight class.

However, you must be prepared for potential trade-offs. The lack of automatic two-sided printing is an inconvenience, and the slow colour print speed requires patience. Most importantly, the reported wireless connectivity issues are a legitimate concern. While our test unit worked fine, the risk of a frustrating setup process is something potential buyers must be aware of. We recommend this printer for patient users, families, students, and crafters for whom the massive ink savings and print versatility outweigh the lack of premium features and the potential for initial networking headaches.

If you’ve decided the HP Smart Tank 5107 All in One Printer Wireless Refillable is the right fit for your home, you can check its current price and purchase it here.