Main trade-off
Canon PIXMA G6020
The documented almost-full ink-absorber response includes contacting Canon service for repair.
Head-to-head
Canon G6020 vs Epson ET-2980: Two paper feeds or a replaceable box?
The short answer
Choose Canon G6020 when plain paper should stay loaded alongside another supported paper, or the shared printer needs Ethernet. Choose Epson ET-2980 when its single rear feed fits your work and replacing a documented T04D100 maintenance box yourself is a priority. Both automatically print two sides on supported media, and neither has a document feeder for scanning stacks. Canon’s almost-full absorber warning allows continued printing after OK while directing the owner to arrange service.
Before you choose
The reasoning and the trade-offs
The next person should not have to empty your paper first
Canon’s cassette can hold ordinary work paper while the separate rear feed serves a supported photo or project stock. That helps when someone prints a few pictures and another person follows with a two-sided document. Epson uses one rear feeder, so that change requires removing the previous stock and loading the next one. On either printer, check size, type and source settings for the new job. Canon’s extra feed reduces the physical reset between jobs, while a household that nearly always uses the same plain paper has much less reason to value it.
What this is based on
Two household users alternate paper types. Independent feed paths reduce stock changes, without implying automatic driver settings or identical capacities on every medium.
Main trade-off
Epson EcoTank ET-2980
Its one rear paper feed needs changing between stocks, and the complete interface list has no Ethernet.
Canon PIXMA G6020
- Choose it for
- Leave work paper in the cassette while another supported stock uses the rear feed.
- Connect the shared printer by Ethernet instead of relying on its Wi-Fi link.
- Main trade-off
- The documented almost-full ink-absorber response includes contacting Canon service for repair.
Epson EcoTank ET-2980
- Choose it for
- Use the documented user-replaceable T04D100 waste-ink box when replacement is requested.
- Keep a single-paper routine where extra feed paths and Ethernet would go unused.
- Main trade-off
- Its one rear paper feed needs changing between stocks, and the complete interface list has no Ethernet.
About this comparison
Canon G6020 vs Epson ET-2980 for a shared home printer. Compare paper changes, Ethernet and the waste-ink maintenance task that refillable tanks do not remove.
Both are home color tank printers with automatic duplex printing and a flatbed scanner. The useful choice is what happens between different people’s jobs and when waste ink needs attention.
Winner by situation
Start with what you need it to do
Work documents follow family photo or project jobs
Canon keeps ordinary paper in its cassette while another supported stock uses the rear feed. Check settings for each job.
- Canon PIXMA G6020
- Better fit
- Epson EcoTank ET-2980
- Caution
The printer needs a cable to the home router
Canon has Ethernet. Epson needs usable Wi-Fi or a separately planned USB setup.
- Canon PIXMA G6020
- Better fit
- Epson EcoTank ET-2980
- Caution
I want to replace the documented waste-ink box myself
Epson provides the T04D100 owner procedure. Canon’s absorber warning directs a service request.
- Canon PIXMA G6020
- Caution
- Epson EcoTank ET-2980
- Better fit
I need to scan a stack without turning every page myself
Both use a flatbed rather than a document feeder. Automatic duplex printing does not change that.
- Canon PIXMA G6020
- Caution
- Epson EcoTank ET-2980
- Caution
What matters in practice
The differences that matter
The next person should not have to empty your paper first
Canon’s cassette can hold ordinary work paper while the separate rear feed serves a supported photo or project stock. That helps when someone prints a few pictures and another person follows with a two-sided document. Epson uses one rear feeder, so that change requires removing the previous stock and loading the next one. On either printer, check size, type and source settings for the new job. Canon’s extra feed reduces the physical reset between jobs, while a household that nearly always uses the same plain paper has much less reason to value it.
How we reached this conclusion
Two household users alternate paper types. Independent feed paths reduce stock changes, without implying automatic driver settings or identical capacities on every medium.
Ethernet lets the printer stay where the cable reaches
If the printer’s intended shelf has a network cable but an inconvenient Wi-Fi connection, G6020 can join the router by Ethernet and remain available to devices on that reachable local network. A household computer does not need to act as its USB print host. ET-2980 provides wireless networking and USB, so the same installation needs a workable Wi-Fi setup or a separately planned USB workflow. This does not make Canon inherently faster or cure guest-network isolation. If Wi-Fi already works well in the chosen spot, Ethernet adds no necessary step to the Epson routine.
How we reached this conclusion
Fixed printer placement and several household devices crossed with exact network interfaces. No wireless-reliability or print-speed claim is inferred.
Refill bottles are only one part of the upkeep
ET-2980 collects waste ink in a T04D100 box that its manual explicitly lets the owner replace. Keeping the correct spare gives you a documented response when the printer asks for that maintenance, with careful handling and the supplied bag for the used box. Canon’s G6020 code 1700 instead tells you to press OK to continue printing and contact service about its almost-full absorber. That difference can favor Epson if arranging service would be difficult. It does not establish how soon either printer needs attention, a repair price or a general reliability winner.
How we reached this conclusion
A shared printer needed for the next job crossed with the exact waste-ink response. Owner replacement and a documented service instruction are distinct, without inventing failure timing.
Choice A
Canon, 3113C002
Canon PIXMA G6020
Leave work paper in the cassette while another supported stock uses the rear feed.
- Best matched use
- Leave work paper in the cassette while another supported stock uses the rear feed.
Checked facts
- Two kinds of paper: 250-sheet plain-paper cassette plus a separate rear feed holding up to 100 plain sheets.
- Shared network connection: Ethernet, Wi-Fi and USB, with AirPrint support.
- Waste-ink maintenance: Support code 1700 says press OK to continue, then contact Canon service for the almost-full absorber.
- Two-sided printing and scanning: Automatic duplex printing on supported media, with flatbed scanning.
Choice B
Epson, C11CL41202
Epson EcoTank ET-2980
Use the documented user-replaceable T04D100 waste-ink box when replacement is requested.
- Best matched use
- Use the documented user-replaceable T04D100 waste-ink box when replacement is requested.
Checked facts
- Two kinds of paper: One rear paper feeder with a 100-sheet plain-paper capacity.
- Shared network connection: Wi-Fi and USB, with AirPrint support. No Ethernet in the complete interface list.
- Waste-ink maintenance: T04D100 maintenance box is explicitly user-replaceable.
- Two-sided printing and scanning: Automatic duplex printing on supported media, with flatbed scanning.
Meaningful differences
What changes the fit
| What changes | Canon PIXMA G6020 | Epson EcoTank ET-2980 | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two kinds of paper | 250-sheet plain-paper cassette plus a separate rear feed holding up to 100 plain sheets. | One rear paper feeder with a 100-sheet plain-paper capacity. | Canon can keep plain work paper loaded while the rear route serves another supported paper. Capacities differ by medium. |
| Shared network connection | Ethernet, Wi-Fi and USB, with AirPrint support. | Wi-Fi and USB, with AirPrint support. No Ethernet in the complete interface list. | A cable to the router can keep Canon available without using a computer as the print host. Local network permissions still matter. |
| Waste-ink maintenance | Support code 1700 says press OK to continue, then contact Canon service for the almost-full absorber. | T04D100 maintenance box is explicitly user-replaceable. | Epson documents a spare part and owner procedure. This does not predict which printer needs attention sooner. |
| Two-sided printing and scanning | Automatic duplex printing on supported media, with flatbed scanning. | Automatic duplex printing on supported media, with flatbed scanning. | Neither duplex-print label means a stack of originals feeds itself through the scanner. |
What you give up
Every choice has a cost
If you choose Canon PIXMA G6020
- Refilling tanks does not remove the separate absorber service task. No service interval or cost is established.
If you choose Epson EcoTank ET-2980
- A replacement maintenance box is a separate consumable. Follow the handling and disposal instructions.
Recommendation switch
The decision flips if...
Frequent paper changes or wired sharing cause the daily inconvenience
Choose Canon PIXMA G6020. G6020 addresses those jobs with two feed paths and Ethernet.
One paper stock and Wi-Fi are enough, and owner-replaceable waste-ink storage matters more
Choose Epson EcoTank ET-2980. ET-2980 has the documented replacement box and procedure without requiring Canon’s extra connections.
What matters in practice
Before you choose
Canon reduces paper swapping and adds a wired network connection, while Epson documents an owner-replaceable waste-ink box.
What this comparison cannot tell you
- No universal cost-per-page, print-quality or reliability ranking.
- Canon code 1700 is an almost-full warning that permits continuation, not an immediate printing lockout.
- The Epson maintenance box is a consumable, with replacement frequency varying by use and cleaning.
- Both document automatic duplex printing. Neither is preferred here merely for printing on both sides.
What the facts say
What the comparison shows
Useful conclusions from the current ink-tank printers comparison, followed by the checked facts used to reach them.
See the checked facts and calculation notes
| Product | Needs matched | Checked facts | Source records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canon PIXMA G6020 |
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| |
| Epson EcoTank ET-2980 |
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Ready to choose?
Check the price. Read the owner reviews.
Open either model on Amazon to check the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Canon PIXMA G6020
Leave work paper in the cassette while another supported stock uses the rear feed.
Connect the shared printer by Ethernet instead of relying on its Wi-Fi link.
See price & reviews on AmazonEpson EcoTank ET-2980
Use the documented user-replaceable T04D100 waste-ink box when replacement is requested.
Keep a single-paper routine where extra feed paths and Ethernet would go unused.
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