Should You Buy the Smart Tank Plus 551 in 2026? A Deep Dive

I remember the day I finally decided to ditch my old cartridge-based printer. It was a Tuesday evening, and I was trying to print a simple shipping label only to find that my "Cyan" was low—despite the fact that I only needed black ink. That frustration led me to the HP Smart Tank Plus 551. I’ve now lived with this machine on my desk for over six months, navigating the transition from 2025 into 2026. Living in an era where digital everything is the norm, you might wonder if a physical printer still earns its keep, and more importantly, if this specific model—which has been on the market for a few years now—is still the right choice today.

When I first unboxed the Smart Tank Plus 551, I was skeptical about the "tank" hype. Like most people, I was used to the razor-and-blades model where the printer is cheap but the ink is liquid gold. After spending several months putting this unit through its paces—printing everything from high-resolution color photos for my home office to hundreds of pages of tax documents—I’ve developed a very specific love-hate relationship with it. In this deep dive, I want to share my honest experience, moving past the marketing jargon to tell you what it’s actually like to live with this printer in 2026.

The Set-Up Experience: Expect a Little Mess

I’ve set up dozens of printers over the years, and I can tell you that the Smart Tank Plus 551 is a different beast entirely. Unlike just snapping in a plastic cartridge, you are tasked with literally pouring bottles of ink into reservoirs. I was terrified of staining my hardwood floors, but I have to admit, the spill-free bottle design actually works. I found that I could tip the bottle completely upside down into the tank, and it wouldn’t release the ink until it was locked into the valve.

However, what I noticed that many reviews gloss over is the "priming" time. After I filled the tanks and installed the print heads—which, by the way, feel a bit more delicate than I expected—the printer went through a long calibration cycle. I spent about 20 minutes just waiting for it to be ready. In 2026, when we expect instant gratification from our gadgets, this felt a bit like a throwback. But once it was done, the sense of satisfaction seeing those full translucent windows on the front of the device was undeniable. I felt like I was finally free from the "low ink" anxiety that had plagued me for a decade.

Print Quality: The Good, The Bad, and The Smudgy

After testing for several months, I’ve found that the print quality is highly dependent on what you are trying to achieve. For standard text documents, the black ink is crisp and deep. I’ve printed long manuscripts and legal documents, and even at smaller font sizes, I didn't see any of the "fuzziness" you sometimes get with cheaper inkjets. In my experience, the pigment-based black ink holds up well to highlighters too, which is a huge plus for me as a chronic paper-reader.

Color printing is where my findings became a bit more nuanced. When I printed photos on high-quality glossy paper, I was surprised by the vibrancy. For an ink-tank system, which sometimes struggles with color depth compared to professional photo printers, the 551 held its own. I noticed that skin tones looked natural, and the color transitions in sunset photos were smooth. However, when printing color on standard 20lb office paper, I was disappointed by the saturation. The paper tended to get a bit "wet" and wavy if I used high-quality settings on cheap paper. I eventually learned to manage my expectations: if it’s a report, standard settings are fine; if it’s an image I want to keep, I absolutely must use dedicated photo stationery.

One thing that bothered me during heavy use was the speed—or lack thereof. If I was printing a 30-page PDF, I had time to go into the kitchen, make a cup of coffee, and come back before it was finished. In 2026, there are definitely faster options out there. If you’re a student or someone who prints in high volumes under tight deadlines, the "turtle-like" pace of the Smart Tank 551 might test your patience.

Connectivity and the App Experience

I’ve been using the HP Smart App on my phone and laptop to manage the 551, and this is where the 2026 experience feels most relevant. I rarely use the actual physical buttons on the printer anymore. The app is surprisingly robust; I can scan a document using my phone’s camera and send it directly to the printer, or check my ink levels from the grocery store (not that I need to check them often).

I did encounter a frustrating issue with the dual-band Wi-Fi. My home network occasionally toggles between 2.4GHz and 5GHz, and I found that the printer would sometimes "go dark" on the network if my laptop was on one band and the printer on the other. It wasn’t a dealbreaker, but I had to reset the printer's network settings twice in the first three months. For a device being used in 2026, I expected the handshaking between the router and the device to be a bit more seamless.

Reliability and Maintenance: A Long-Term Perspective

What I found was that the Smart Tank Plus 551 is a "use it or lose it" device. About two months into my ownership, I went on a ten-day trip and didn't print a single page. When I returned, the first few prints had some horizontal banding. I had to run the "Clean Printheads" utility from the software, which uses a bit of ink to flush the lines. Since then, I’ve made it a point to print at least one color page every week just to keep the ink moving. If you are an occasional printer who only hits "print" once every few months, an ink tank might actually be more of a headache for you than a cartridge printer because of the potential for clogs.

On the positive side, I am still on the original set of ink bottles. I’ve printed roughly 1,200 pages so far, and the black tank still looks half full. The cost per page is virtually negligible. When I compare this to my old printer where I would have spent $150 on cartridges by now, the Smart Tank 551 has already paid for itself. This is the primary reason to buy this machine specifically in 2026—the sheer economics of it are hard to beat in an inflationary environment.

Pros and Cons

• Pro: Incredible Ink Longevity - I honestly forget that ink is a consumable. The tanks last for thousands of pages, making it the most cost-effective way to print at home.
• Pro: Transparent Ink Windows - I love being able to glance at the front of the printer and see exactly how much ink I have left. No more "guessing" based on a software pop-up.
• Pro: Compact Footprint - For a tank printer, I found it surprisingly slim. It fits on my bookshelf without protruding awkwardly.
• Pro: Quality Scans - The flatbed scanner is excellent. I’ve used it to archive old family photos, and the color reproduction was spot on.
• Con: Slow Print Speeds - As I mentioned, it is not a speed demon. It’s built for volume and economy, not for rushing out the door.
• Con: Small Paper Tray - The rear-loading tray only holds about 100 sheets. I found myself reloading paper more often than I’d like during big projects.
• Con: No Automatic Two-Sided Printing - In 2026, I really expected auto-duplexing. Having to manually flip the pages to print on both sides feels tedious and leads to mistakes where I accidentally flip it the wrong way.
• Con: Screen Quality - The tiny icon-based display on the device is almost useless. It provides very little information, forcing you to rely on the app for everything.

Comparison with Modern Competitors

In the current 2026 market, the Smart Tank Plus 551 faces stiff competition from Brother and Epson. I’ve put together a quick comparison of how this model stacks up against the average mid-range tank printer currently available.

Buying Guide: Is It Right for You?

After my extensive time with the 551, I’ve categorized who should actually consider buying this in 2026. It isn't a one-size-fits-all solution, and your specific needs will dictate whether you find it a bargain or a burden.

The Home Office Professional

If you work from home and find yourself printing drafts, contracts, and internal reports, I highly recommend this unit. The cost savings are real. However, you need to be someone who is okay with the "slow and steady" approach. I found that I would start my print job, go perform another task, and come back to a finished stack. If you can integrate that into your workflow, you’ll save hundreds of dollars a year.

The Student

As a student, you often have to print 50-page readings or lab reports. The Smart Tank Plus 551 is a dream for this because you never have to worry about running out of ink the night before a deadline. One thing I noticed, though, is that the manual duplexing is a pain for academic papers. You have to stay by the printer to flip the pages. If you're okay with that, the low running cost is perfect for a student budget.

The Occasional Hobbyist

I would actually caution against this printer if you only print once a month. In my experience, the ink-delivery system in these tank printers really prefers to be used frequently. If the ink sits in the lines for too long without movement, you risk the heads drying out. For light users, a traditional (though more expensive) cartridge printer might actually be more reliable long-term because you get a fresh print head with every cartridge swap.

The Photo Enthusiast

If you want "good" photos for the fridge or to give to friends, the 551 is great. If you are looking for "professional" or "gallery" quality, the 4-ink system (CMYK) here will feel a bit limited. I noticed that very dark shadows in photos sometimes lacked the detail that a 6-ink or 8-ink photo printer would provide. It’s an all-rounder, not a specialist.

Living with the 551 Day-to-Day

One aspect I haven't mentioned yet is the noise level. I was pleasantly surprised by how quiet this printer is. During the printing process, there’s a low rhythmic hum, but it doesn't have that violent "clacking" sound that some older inkjets have when the carriage moves back and forth. I’ve gone through many late-night printing sessions while family members were sleeping in the next room, and it never caused a disturbance.

Maintenance is also quite low-touch. Beyond the occasional print-head cleaning I mentioned earlier, there isn't much to do. The paper path is relatively straight, and I’ve only had one paper jam in six months. That jam was actually my fault—I tried to feed in some cardstock that was slightly above the supported weight limit. When it did jam, the rear access door made it easy to clear. Some printers are like puzzles to open, but this one felt designed with the user in mind.

I should mention the build quality. The plastic feels a bit "light." When I open the scanner lid or the front ink door, there’s a certain amount of flex in the material. It doesn't feel like a heavy-duty piece of office equipment. In my experience, this is fine for a static desk environment, but I wouldn't want to move it around frequently or stack things on top of it. It’s a consumer-grade device through and through.

The Verdict: 2026 Sustainability

One thing I’ve started to care more about in 2026 is the environmental impact of my gadgets. The Smart Tank Plus 551 wins big here. The amount of plastic waste I’ve avoided by not using dozens of small ink cartridges is significant. The ink bottles themselves are recyclable, and because you only replace them once every year or two, the carbon footprint of shipping supplies is much lower. Integrating this into my lifestyle made me feel better about my tech choices.

However, the lack of certain "modern" features does make it feel a bit dated. In a world where my fridge has a touchscreen and my vacuum talks to me, the 551 feels very much like a 2020-era device holding on in 2026. This isn't necessarily a bad thing—sometimes you just want a tool that does one thing well without all the extra fluff.

Conclusion

After six months of daily use, I can say that the HP Smart Tank Plus 551 is a workhorse that values your wallet over your time. It’s a device that requires you to trade speed and "smart" hardware features for the luxury of never thinking about ink costs again. I’ve enjoyed the freedom of printing color documents without doing a mental calculation of how much each page was costing me. I’ve appreciated the quiet operation and the reliable app connectivity, even if the Wi-Fi was a bit finicky at the start.

In 2026, if you are looking for a printer that is cheap to run, environmentally conscious, and produces high-quality text and decent photos, the Smart Tank Plus 551 remains a solid contender. Just be prepared for the slower print speeds and the manual labor involved in two-sided printing. If you can live with those quirks, it’s a decision your future self—and your bank account—will likely thank you for. I’ve decided to keep mine on my desk for the foreseeable future, as the pros of those deep ink tanks far outweigh the minor frustrations of its aging design.