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Which Fits Your Routine: Epson ET-2900 or Canon PIXMA TS6520?

The ET-2900 asks you to refill its EcoFit ink tanks and reset the displayed ink estimate. In Epson’s computer-printing guide, which uses Windows as its example and warns Mac steps or feature support may differ, the described two-sided flow asks you to turn the sheets over. The TS6520 uses black and color cartridges and lists automatic duplex printing, so it fits buyers who want that paper-handling step handled by the printer. This is a feature-fit choice, not a finding about print quality, supply cost, or overall speed.

Published by Pickoryx · Published 2026-10-01

Source checked 2026-10-01 20:45 UTC

Products compared

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The buying question

Would you rather refill visible ink tanks or replace black and color cartridges, and do you want automatic duplex or, on the ET-2900 Windows-example workflow, accept turning paper yourself?

The ET-2900 uses refillable tanks; its computer-printing guide shows manual paper turning in a Windows example and warns Mac steps or feature support may differ. The TS6520 uses replaceable cartridges and lists automatic two-sided printing.

Quick verdict

Choose Epson EcoTank ET-2900 Wireless All-in-One Color Supertank Printer (Black, C11CL63201) if

  • You prefer refilling matching ink bottles into tanks and can follow the refill/reset procedure.
  • You rarely need automatic duplex and, when using the Epson guide’s Windows-example computer workflow, are comfortable turning paper when prompted.
  • You want to avoid routine cartridge replacement as a task, without assuming lower total ink cost.
View Epson EcoTank ET-2900 Wireless All-in-One Color Supertank Printer (Black, C11CL63201) on AmazonPaid link
When the recommendation changes
  • If you print borderless jobs or on specialty media, check the exact paper and driver conditions for duplex printing before choosing based on that feature.
  • If supply cost or long-term ink yield is decisive, compare current genuine-supply prices and your own print volume; these sources do not establish which printer costs less to own.
  • If you print from Mac and duplex matters, check Epson’s documentation for your driver: this guide uses Windows as its example and says Mac steps or feature support may differ.

The differences that matter

Ink Refill Workflow

Epson EcoTank ET-2900 Wireless All-in-One Color Supertank Printer (Black, C11CL63201)

The ET-2900 uses refillable ink tanks with keyed EcoFit bottles. The guide's procedure is to match bottle/tank color, fill to the upper line, then reset the ink-level estimate.[1, 3]

Canon PIXMA TS6520 Wireless Multi-Function Home Printer (White, 7179C002)

The TS6520 uses black and color FINE cartridges. When replacement is needed, its manual describes removing the empty cartridges and installing new cartridges in the designated slots.[4, 5, 6]

What this changes: Choose based on which supply task you prefer to manage: periodically refill and reset tank levels, or replace the black/color cartridges. These procedures do not establish comparative supply cost, page yield, or long-term savings.[3, 6, 4]

The better fit depends on your priorities

Duplex Print Workflow

Epson EcoTank ET-2900 Wireless All-in-One Color Supertank Printer (Black, C11CL63201)

For two-sided computer printing, the ET-2900 guide presents a Windows example: its driver prints odd and even pages separately and prompts the user to turn over the paper. Epson notes that Mac steps or feature support may differ, and the described feature is unavailable for borderless printing.[3]

Canon PIXMA TS6520 Wireless Multi-Function Home Printer (White, 7179C002)

The TS6520 product page lists automatic two-sided printing. In the TS6500 Windows driver guide, Manual 2-sided Printing is a separate option; checked means manual operation.[4, 7, 5]

What this changes: For routine double-sided documents, the TS6520’s listed automatic option avoids the paper-turning step described in Epson’s Windows-example computer workflow. Epson says Mac steps or feature support may differ. If you use borderless output or specialty media, check the printer’s supported paper and settings before relying on duplex mode; no speed or output-quality comparison is claimed.[3, 4, 7]

Best fit: Canon PIXMA TS6520 Wireless Multi-Function Home Printer (White, 7179C002)View Canon PIXMA TS6520 Wireless Multi-Function Home Printer (White, 7179C002) on AmazonPaid link

Best for your routine

Avoid manually turning the paper for supported two-sided print jobs

Best fit: Canon PIXMA TS6520 Wireless Multi-Function Home Printer (White, 7179C002)

Based on listed features, not comparative testing.

Canon lists automatic two-sided printing for TS6520; Epson’s ET-2900 Series computer-printing instructions use Windows as an example and describe separate odd/even passes with manual paper turning. Epson warns that Mac steps or feature support may differ.

View Canon PIXMA TS6520 Wireless Multi-Function Home Printer (White, 7179C002) on AmazonPaid link

Choose the supply maintenance routine that matches your preference

The better fit depends on your priorities

ET-2900 calls for bottle refills and an ink-level reset; TS6520 uses replaceable black/color FINE cartridges. Neither workflow is proven cheaper by this comparison.

Value and trade-offs

One or both observed offers have eligibility conditions, so no unrestricted price difference is shown.

Any price premium should be weighed against the supply-handling routine and automatic duplex convenience that matter to you; compare current printer and genuine supply offers rather than treating the tank or cartridge design as proof of lower lifetime cost.

There is not enough comparable long-term price history to suggest a buy-now or wait decision. Compare current prices and checkout terms when shopping.

Limitations

  • No matched hands-on print test was performed. These recommendations describe published setup and maintenance workflows, not output quality, reliability, or speed.
  • The cited sources do not establish comparative ink yield, recurring supply cost, total cost of ownership, or an ink duration for a particular household.
  • The Epson guide covers ET-2900 Series and additional models; only sections explicitly applicable to the ET-2900 Series were used. Its listed ADF/fax/Ethernet functions are not applied to this printer.
  • Epson presents its ET-2900 computer-printing steps using Windows as an example and says Mac procedures may differ or some features may not be supported. Its two-sided feature is unavailable for borderless printing. Canon’s driver guide documents TS6500 series duplex settings; media and driver options can affect jobs, so confirm the specific settings before printing.

Questions shoppers ask

Do either printers automatically turn the paper for two-sided printing?

Canon lists automatic two-sided printing on the TS6520. Epson’s ET-2900 computer-printing guide uses Windows as its example and describes separate odd/even passes with paper turning when prompted; it warns that Mac steps or feature support may differ. The described Epson feature is unavailable for borderless printing.

Are ink refills interchangeable between these printers?

No shared ink supply is documented: the ET-2900 uses Epson EcoFit bottles with refillable tanks, while Canon's TS6520 uses black and color FINE cartridges. Use supplies identified by each manufacturer's exact model support page.

Methodology and sources

Checked exact product identifiers, ink supply workflows, and duplex print procedures in manufacturer sources. No claim about comparative print output, reliability, speed, yield, or cost is made.

I compared the manufacturers' documented ink refill and cartridge replacement procedures and two-sided printing steps to explain which routine fits different home print habits.

View 7 sources
  1. 1.EcoTank ET-2900 Wireless All-in-One Color Supertank Printer – BlackEpson US · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-01 20:45 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Product heading/model C11CL63201; product highlights and Simple Ink Refilling section.: Identifies the black U.S. ET-2900 model C11CL63201 and describes large tanks and keyed EcoFit bottle refilling. Its advertised ink duration/yields are not used as a savings promise.
  2. 2.Epson ET-2900 SupportEpson US · Official support · Source checked 2026-10-01 20:45 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Support product heading/model C11CL63201; FAQs under Ink and Copy or Print.: Exact U.S. support page for ET-2900 model C11CL63201; provides model-scoped manual, ink refill, and printing support resources.
  3. 3.ET-4900 Series L5390 Series ET-2900 Series ET-2920 Series L3360 Series User's GuideEpson · Official support · Source checked 2026-10-01 20:45 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Printed pp. 42–43 (PDF pp. 43–44), Printing on 2-Sides, within Printing from a Computer (Windows shown as the example; the guide says Mac steps may differ or some features may not be supported); printed pp. 199–203 (PDF pp. 200–204), Refilling the Ink Tanks.: The shared Epson guide explicitly covers ET-2900 Series. Its computer-printing instructions use Windows as an example and say Mac steps may differ or some features may not be supported. The two-sided workflow prints odd/even pages separately and prompts the user to turn paper over; it is unavailable for borderless printing. The tank-refill procedure includes filling to the upper line and resetting the ink-level estimate.
  4. 4.PIXMA TS6520 Wireless Multi-Function Home PrinterCanon U.S.A. · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-01 20:45 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • SKU 7179C002; Features / Save Time & Paper; Technical Specifications / Ink Information.: Identifies Canon U.S. SKU 7179C002, describes automatic 2-sided printing, and calls the ink system a 2-cartridge hybrid system.
  5. 5.Canon Inkjet Manuals – TS6500 series Online ManualCanon · Official support · Source checked 2026-10-01 20:45 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Model list names TS6520 under TS6500 series; settings/maintenance links Replacing a FINE Cartridge.: The Canon online manual explicitly lists TS6520 within the TS6500 series, establishing the manual's model scope for this article.
  6. 6.Replacing a FINE CartridgeCanon · Official support · Source checked 2026-10-01 20:45 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Canon TS6500 series online manual, Settings/Maintenance > Replacing a FINE Cartridge, steps 1–6.: For the TS6500 series, the manual instructs users to open the scanner cover, remove the empty FINE cartridge, prepare a new cartridge, install black/color cartridges into their designated slots and close the cover. It explicitly says to use a new cartridge for replacement.
  7. 7.Page Setup Tab DescriptionCanon · Official support · Source checked 2026-10-01 20:45 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • TS6500 series Windows printer driver guide, sections 1-sided/2-sided/Booklet Printing and Manual 2-sided Printing.: The driver guide defines 2-sided printing as duplex and states that checking Manual 2-sided Printing performs it manually; together with the exact TS6520 product page's automatic duplex capability, this supports an automatic option when manual mode is not selected.

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