Main trade-off
Epson EcoTank ET-2980
22.8-inch operating depth and 30-sheet output, despite a compact closed body.
Head-to-head
Epson ET-2980 vs HP 6001: Narrower body or shallower working space?
The short answer
Choose ET-2980 when desk width is the hard limit and its 22.8-inch operating depth can stay clear. Its body is 14.8 inches wide against HP’s 16.83. Choose Smart Tank 6001 when working depth or long-batch collection matters more: its maximum listed depth is 17.35 inches and its output holds 100 sheets against Epson’s 30. Both print supported two-sided documents automatically, but neither scans a stack through a feeder.
Before you choose
The reasoning and the trade-offs
A narrow shelf and a shallow desk produce opposite answers
ET-2980 is 2.03 inches narrower, which can matter beside a monitor or inside an open shelving bay. HP’s maximum listed depth is 5.45 inches shorter than Epson’s printing depth, which can matter when the same desk needs space for a keyboard or a child’s workbook. Compare the two axes instead of calling one printer simply smaller. Both still need access for the scanner lid, paper, cords and refilling, so the published rectangle is not a complete installation clearance.
What this is based on
A small shared room plus competing desk and shelf layouts crossed with width and working-depth differences. 16.83 minus 14.8 and 22.8 minus 17.35. Manufacturer size bases retained, with service clearance additional.
Main trade-off
HP Smart Tank 6001
16.83-inch width can be the binding constraint. No document feeder or Ethernet.
Epson EcoTank ET-2980
- Choose it for
- Fit a 14.8-inch-wide body where the wider HP would crowd the desk.
- Use the 1.44-inch display and automatic duplex for digital documents.
- Main trade-off
- 22.8-inch operating depth and 30-sheet output, despite a compact closed body.
HP Smart Tank 6001
- Choose it for
- Use less listed front-to-back working depth, with clearance checked separately.
- Collect up to 100 supported plain output sheets within the tray rating.
- Main trade-off
- 16.83-inch width can be the binding constraint. No document feeder or Ethernet.
About this comparison
Epson ET-2980 vs HP Smart Tank 6001 for a small shared desk and school handouts. Compare working dimensions, output capacity and the scans neither automates.
Both are automatic-duplex home tank printers with AirPrint and flatbed scanning. Their different width and working depth make them credible alternatives for the same small room, while the output trays change how often someone must return during a long job.
Winner by situation
Start with what you need it to do
Desk width is tighter than front-to-back space
Epson’s body is 2.03 inches narrower.
- Epson EcoTank ET-2980
- Better fit
- HP Smart Tank 6001
- Caution
The printer shares a shallow work surface
HP’s listed maximum depth is 5.45 inches shorter.
- Epson EcoTank ET-2980
- Caution
- HP Smart Tank 6001
- Better fit
A supported 60-sheet output batch
HP’s 100-sheet output rating covers the batch.
- Epson EcoTank ET-2980
- Caution
- HP Smart Tank 6001
- Better fit
A physical packet needs scanning every week
Both require individual flatbed placement.
- Epson EcoTank ET-2980
- Caution
- HP Smart Tank 6001
- Caution
What matters in practice
The differences that matter
A narrow shelf and a shallow desk produce opposite answers
ET-2980 is 2.03 inches narrower, which can matter beside a monitor or inside an open shelving bay. HP’s maximum listed depth is 5.45 inches shorter than Epson’s printing depth, which can matter when the same desk needs space for a keyboard or a child’s workbook. Compare the two axes instead of calling one printer simply smaller. Both still need access for the scanner lid, paper, cords and refilling, so the published rectangle is not a complete installation clearance.
How we reached this conclusion
A small shared room plus competing desk and shelf layouts crossed with width and working-depth differences. 16.83 minus 14.8 and 22.8 minus 17.35. Manufacturer size bases retained, with service clearance additional.
Automatic duplex does not make both equally easy to leave during a packet
A 120-page two-sided PDF produces 60 sheets if every page pairs normally and there are no added blanks or covers. Epson’s 30-sheet output requires collection before the whole batch accumulates. HP’s 100-sheet output can hold the total within its plain-paper rating. That difference can matter to someone printing while helping a child. It is a capacity deduction, not a timed test or an assurance that no jam, setting correction or other intervention will occur.
How we reached this conclusion
Long two-sided school work plus divided attention crossed with equal duplex function and different output capacity. Sixty physical sheets derived from 120 pages under stated pairing assumptions.
A faster print figure will not help a pile of originals waiting beside the glass
Epson lists 15 black ISO pages per minute and HP lists 12, but neither model has a document feeder. A stack of permission forms, work receipts or other suitable originals still needs individual placement, and fragile material needs careful handling regardless of output speed. If scanning is the routine that occupies the shared desk, choose based on that missing function before the print-rate difference. No end-to-end advantage can be calculated from the ISO figure alone.
How we reached this conclusion
A shared desk crowded by physical paperwork plus a speed-led buying temptation crossed with flatbed-only scanning. Print throughput is kept separate from original handling and scan performance.
Choice A
Epson, C11CL41202
Epson EcoTank ET-2980
Fit a 14.8-inch-wide body where the wider HP would crowd the desk.
- Best matched use
- Fit a 14.8-inch-wide body where the wider HP would crowd the desk.
Checked facts
- Body width: 14.8 inches.
- Working depth: 22.8 inches printing, 13.7 inches stored.
- Output collection: 30 plain sheets, 100-sheet input.
- Digital versus physical packet: Automatic duplex printing, flatbed only.
Choice B
HP, 2H0B9A#B1H
HP Smart Tank 6001
Use less listed front-to-back working depth, with clearance checked separately.
- Best matched use
- Use less listed front-to-back working depth, with clearance checked separately.
Checked facts
- Body width: 16.83 inches.
- Working depth: 17.35 inches maximum, 14.33 inches stored.
- Output collection: 100 plain sheets, 150-sheet input.
- Digital versus physical packet: Automatic duplex printing, flatbed only.
Meaningful differences
What changes the fit
| What changes | Epson EcoTank ET-2980 | HP Smart Tank 6001 | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body width | 14.8 inches. | 16.83 inches. | Epson saves 2.03 inches across the desk. |
| Working depth | 22.8 inches printing, 13.7 inches stored. | 17.35 inches maximum, 14.33 inches stored. | HP needs 5.45 fewer listed inches front to back in the working comparison. |
| Output collection | 30 plain sheets, 100-sheet input. | 100 plain sheets, 150-sheet input. | The smaller output can require attention before the input empties. |
| Digital versus physical packet | Automatic duplex printing, flatbed only. | Automatic duplex printing, flatbed only. | Both help downloaded PDFs while leaving physical originals to individual handling. |
What you give up
Every choice has a cost
If you choose Epson EcoTank ET-2980
- A laptop or homework area may need to move when the paper supports open. Measure the working arrangement before assigning a permanent shelf.
If you choose HP Smart Tank 6001
- The shallower maximum dimensions do not include permission to block the scanner lid, cables or maintenance access.
Recommendation switch
The decision flips if...
Width is the binding fit constraint and depth is available
Choose Epson EcoTank ET-2980. The narrower Epson body can suit that specific layout.
Working depth or output collection is the binding constraint
Choose HP Smart Tank 6001. HP changes both of those practical limits.
What matters in practice
Before you choose
A printer can be narrow enough for the desk yet too deep once it starts working.
What this comparison cannot tell you
- Manufacturer dimensions are not complete installation clearances.
- No matched timing, noise or photo-quality test.
- Output capacity is conditional on supported plain paper.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epson EcoTank ET-2980 |
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| HP Smart Tank 6001 |
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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.
Epson EcoTank ET-2980
Fit a 14.8-inch-wide body where the wider HP would crowd the desk.
Use the 1.44-inch display and automatic duplex for digital documents.
See price & reviews on AmazonHP Smart Tank 6001
Use less listed front-to-back working depth, with clearance checked separately.
Collect up to 100 supported plain output sheets within the tray rating.
See price & reviews on AmazonLinks open in a new tab.