Main trade-off
HP Smart Tank 5101
Manual duplex and 30-sheet output. A loaded input tray is not an unattended-job allowance.
Head-to-head
HP Smart Tank 5101 vs 6001: Same black speed, fewer paper interruptions
The short answer
Choose Smart Tank 6001 for regular two-sided PDFs or longer plain-paper batches. It prints both sides automatically and holds 100 finished sheets against 5101’s 30. Both are listed at 12 black ISO ppm, so the main upgrade is less paper handling. Smart Tank 5101 remains reasonable for short one-sided work if its current offer is better. Neither has a document feeder, so a physical stack still needs individual flatbed placement.
Before you choose
The reasoning and the trade-offs
The upgrade buys a different evening, even with the same black speed
A parent can send a supported two-sided PDF to the 6001 and avoid the specific stop to turn the stack. The 5101 requires that return, so the printer competes for attention while dinner, homework or another task is underway. Both list 12 black ISO pages per minute. That makes this a handling decision rather than a claim that each black page prints faster. The job still needs correct paper, duplex settings and space for the finished sheets.
What this is based on
A parent alternating household tasks plus a digital two-sided packet crossed with equal black ISO speed and different duplex handling. No guaranteed time saving or unattended reliability is inferred.
Main trade-off
HP Smart Tank 6001
No document feeder or Ethernet. Physical packets still need repeated handling.
HP Smart Tank 5101
- Choose it for
- Handle short one-sided documents through AirPrint without buying unused duplex capability.
- Keep a basic flatbed routine if the current offer makes sense for your volume.
- Main trade-off
- Manual duplex and 30-sheet output. A loaded input tray is not an unattended-job allowance.
HP Smart Tank 6001
- Choose it for
- Remove the manual paper turn from supported two-sided PDFs.
- Fit more finished plain sheets in the output tray before collection.
- Main trade-off
- No document feeder or Ethernet. Physical packets still need repeated handling.
About this comparison
HP Smart Tank 5101 vs 6001 for school PDFs, interrupted evenings and family paperwork. See what automatic duplex and a larger output tray actually change.
These flatbed Smart Tank models serve the same shared home and student buyer. Their equal black ISO speed can make the upgrade look minor, while the physical paper routine changes substantially for longer and two-sided jobs.
Winner by situation
Start with what you need it to do
Two-sided school PDFs between other tasks
6001 removes the manual paper turn.
- HP Smart Tank 5101
- Caution
- HP Smart Tank 6001
- Better fit
80 finished plain sheets before collection
Only 6001’s output rating covers the total.
- HP Smart Tank 5101
- Caution
- HP Smart Tank 6001
- Better fit
A few one-sided forms at a time
Compare current offers. Black ISO speed is equal.
- HP Smart Tank 5101
- Good
- HP Smart Tank 6001
- Good
Weekly physical packets to scan
Neither has a document feeder.
- HP Smart Tank 5101
- Caution
- HP Smart Tank 6001
- Caution
What matters in practice
The differences that matter
The upgrade buys a different evening, even with the same black speed
A parent can send a supported two-sided PDF to the 6001 and avoid the specific stop to turn the stack. The 5101 requires that return, so the printer competes for attention while dinner, homework or another task is underway. Both list 12 black ISO pages per minute. That makes this a handling decision rather than a claim that each black page prints faster. The job still needs correct paper, duplex settings and space for the finished sheets.
How we reached this conclusion
A parent alternating household tasks plus a digital two-sided packet crossed with equal black ISO speed and different duplex handling. No guaranteed time saving or unattended reliability is inferred.
A long one-sided job exposes the output tray before the paper supply
An illustrative 80-sheet plain-paper job fits both input ratings. It exceeds the 5101’s 30-sheet output allowance and therefore needs collection during the job. It fits within the 6001’s 100-sheet output rating when that tray starts empty. The difference remains useful even if every page is one-sided. These ratings describe supported plain paper, not a guarantee for curled, heavy or photo sheets. Remove the finished batch before the next family member sends work.
How we reached this conclusion
A longer one-sided household batch plus a shared printer crossed with input versus output capacity. Eighty physical sheets are within both input ratings but only one output rating. No exact collection timing is assumed.
The wrong starting material can make the upgrade disappointing
If the task begins with a signed school packet on paper rather than a PDF, both models require placing individual originals on the flatbed. The 6001’s automatic duplex output does not add a feeder or automatically capture the backs. A household that mainly downloads and prints benefits differently from one that repeatedly scans incoming forms. Check which direction the paper travels in your week before choosing the higher model. A feeder-equipped alternative may address the actual nuisance more directly.
How we reached this conclusion
Downloaded school work versus incoming signed forms crossed with shared flatbed-only scanning and the distinction between input and output duplex. The recommendation depends on the task origin.
Choice A
HP, 1F3Y0A
HP Smart Tank 5101
Handle short one-sided documents through AirPrint without buying unused duplex capability.
- Best matched use
- Handle short one-sided documents through AirPrint without buying unused duplex capability.
Checked facts
- Two-sided PDF: Manual duplex.
- Input and output: 100 input, 30 output sheets.
- Listed speed: 12 black, 5 color ISO ppm.
- Physical originals: Flatbed without feeder.
Choice B
HP, 2H0B9A#B1H
HP Smart Tank 6001
Remove the manual paper turn from supported two-sided PDFs.
- Best matched use
- Remove the manual paper turn from supported two-sided PDFs.
Checked facts
- Two-sided PDF: Automatic duplex on supported paper.
- Input and output: 150 input, 100 output sheets.
- Listed speed: 12 black, 7 color ISO ppm.
- Physical originals: Flatbed without feeder.
Meaningful differences
What changes the fit
| What changes | HP Smart Tank 5101 | HP Smart Tank 6001 | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two-sided PDF | Manual duplex. | Automatic duplex on supported paper. | The 6001 can remove a mid-job visit rather than merely raise print speed. |
| Input and output | 100 input, 30 output sheets. | 150 input, 100 output sheets. | Output grows by 70 sheets, which can matter more than the 50-sheet input increase. |
| Listed speed | 12 black, 5 color ISO ppm. | 12 black, 7 color ISO ppm. | The black throughput headline is unchanged. Mixed jobs need their own timing. |
| Physical originals | Flatbed without feeder. | Flatbed without feeder. | Incoming forms remain a different job from printing downloaded files. |
What you give up
Every choice has a cost
If you choose HP Smart Tank 5101
- A two-sided packet requires returning to turn paper, with orientation and page order checked before continuing.
If you choose HP Smart Tank 6001
- Automatic output duplex does not create automatic two-sided scanning. Confirm that the work begins as a digital file.
Recommendation switch
The decision flips if...
Paper turns or output collection keep interrupting other tasks
Choose HP Smart Tank 6001. 6001 changes both parts of the printing routine.
What matters in practice
Before you choose
The family wants to stop attending the printer, even though the more capable model does not have a higher black printing headline.
What this comparison cannot tell you
- No measured mixed-job timing or print-quality comparison.
- Output examples assume supported plain paper and an initially empty tray.
- The 5101 has no invented capability advantage to force a split verdict.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| HP Smart Tank 5101 |
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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.
HP Smart Tank 5101
Handle short one-sided documents through AirPrint without buying unused duplex capability.
Keep a basic flatbed routine if the current offer makes sense for your volume.
See price & reviews on AmazonHP Smart Tank 6001
Remove the manual paper turn from supported two-sided PDFs.
Fit more finished plain sheets in the output tray before collection.
See price & reviews on AmazonLinks open in a new tab.