Comparison
Epson L3250 vs Canon G3410 vs HP Smart Tank 581: best ink tank printer in Ghana?
Prices checked
Short answer
Epson EcoTank L3250
GH₵2,500 – 2,870 across 8 sellers
See every price →Photo: Jumia seller: PC Plus Ent.
Canon PIXMA G3410
GH₵2,400 – 3,850 across 7 sellers
See every price →Photo: Deus (deus.com.gh)
HP Smart Tank 581
GH₵2,100 – 2,990 across 6 sellers
See every price →Photo: CompuGhana
Which should you buy?
Choose the Epson EcoTank L3250 if…
you want the easiest printer to buy ink and get help for. It's sold by the most shops in Ghana, and it's compact.
Choose the Canon PIXMA G3410 if…
you print a lot of text and want sharp black pages and the most pages per bottle. Canon rates the black bottle at about 6,000 pages.
Choose the HP Smart Tank 581 if…
speed matters most. HP rates it at 12 black pages a minute, the fastest of the three, and it prints from phones without extra apps.
Side by side: specs and running costs
| Epson EcoTank L3250 | Canon PIXMA G3410 | HP Smart Tank 581 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price in Ghana (new) | GH₵2,500 – 2,870 | GH₵2,400 – 3,850 | GH₵2,100 – 2,990 |
| Functions | Print, copy, scan | Print, copy, scan | Print, copy, scan |
| Largest paper | A4 | A4 | A4 |
| Colour | Colour | Colour (pigment black for sharp text) | Colour (pigment black for sharp text) |
| Print speed | 10 pages a minute black, 5 colour (ISO) | 8.8 pages a minute black, 5 colour (ISO) | 12 pages a minute black, 5 colour (ISO) |
| Two-sided printing | Manual | Manual | Manual |
| Document feeder | None (flatbed scanner) | None (flatbed scanner) | None (flatbed scanner) |
| Screen | None (set up with the Epson Smart Panel app) | Small 1.2-inch display | Small 1.2-inch icon display |
| Connections | Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, USB | Wi-Fi, direct wireless connection, USB | Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, USB, AirPrint and Mopria |
| Paper capacity | 100 sheets | 100 sheets | 100 sheets |
| Toner or ink | Epson 103 ink (Middle East and Africa units) or 003 (Asian units) | Canon GI-490 ink (African units; some imports take GI-41) | HP GT53XL black and GT52 colour ink |
| Rated yield | 4,500 pages black, 7,500 colour per bottle set | 6,000 pages black, 7,000 colour | About 6,200 pages black, 8,000 colour |
| Worth knowing | L3251 and L3252 are the same printer in different packaging; L3256 is the white version; L3260 adds a small colour screen | — | HP recommends 400 to 800 pages a month |
| Toner or ink price in Ghana | GH₵170 | GH₵150 | GH₵180 – 220 |
| Black cost per page (approx.) | GH₵0.038 | GH₵0.025 | GH₵0.029 |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column →
Specs from the manufacturers' published pages (linked below). Cost per page uses the lowest toner or ink price we found and the rated yield; real pages with photos or heavy text cost more.
How are they different in daily use?
On paper they're close. The differences that matter in daily use:
- Speed: HP Smart Tank 581 is rated at 12 black pages a minute (ISO), Epson L3250 at 10 and Canon G3410 at 8.8. In colour, all three manage about 5.
- Black text: the Canon and HP use pigment black ink, which gives crisper text on plain paper. The Epson uses dye ink throughout, which is fine for most documents and good for photos.
- Screen: the Canon and HP have small basic displays; the Epson has none and is set up with Epson's phone app.
- None of the three has a document feeder or automatic two-sided printing. For that, look at office laser all-in-ones in our printer prices.
Which is cheapest to run?
All three are cheap to run compared with cartridge printers, which is the point of an ink tank. Rated black yields per bottle are about 4,500 pages (Epson), 6,000 (Canon) and 6,200 (HP). The cost-per-page row in the table above uses current Ghana bottle prices, so it updates as prices change.
For most homes, the difference in running cost between these three is small. Check how easy it is to buy the right ink near you, which matters more than a few pesewas a page.
Check the ink code before you buy
Each brand sells different ink codes in different regions, and Ghana's shops stock both official and imported units:
- Epson L3250: 103 ink for Middle East and Africa units, 003 for Asian imports.
- Canon G3410: GI-490 for African units; some imports take GI-41.
- HP Smart Tank 581: GT53 black and GT52 colour.
Ask the seller which ink the printer takes and check it's on sale nearby. Current prices are in our printer ink price list.
What to check before you pay
Make sure the box is sealed and the starter ink is included, keep the receipt for the warranty, and print a test page before you leave the shop if you can. If you print rarely, run a page every week or two so the print head doesn't dry out. Our guide to ink tank vs laser printers explains when a laser printer is the better choice.
Before you pay
Before you buy a printer: what to check
A cheap printer can be expensive to own. A few minutes of checking now saves money every month afterwards.
Check the cost of ink or toner, not just the printer. Find the cartridge or bottle it uses, look up its price and how many pages it prints, and work out the cost per page.
Match the printer to what you print. Mostly black and white documents suit a laser printer; colour, photos and mixed use suit an ink tank. Need to scan and copy too? Get an all-in-one.
Make sure it's genuine and new. Ask whether the box is sealed and whether the starter ink or toner is included. Prices far below other sellers are a warning sign.
Ask about the warranty and who honours it. Keep the receipt and check whether the seller or a local service partner handles repairs.
Check how you'll connect. USB only, or Wi-Fi and phone printing? Confirm before buying if several people will share it.
If it will sit unused for weeks, think twice about inkjet. Ink can dry in the print head. A laser printer copes better with occasional use.
Not sure what to ask? We can get you up to three written quotes to compare side by side.
Questions people ask
Which is better, Canon or HP ink tank printer?
Between the Canon G3410 and HP Smart Tank 581, the HP is faster (12 vs 8.8 black pages a minute, ISO) and prints from phones without extra apps, while the Canon's black bottle is rated for about 6,000 pages. Both use pigment black for sharp text. Choose on speed versus ink availability near you.
Which ink tank printer is best for home use in Ghana?
For most homes, any of the Epson L3250, Canon G3410 or HP Smart Tank 581 works well. The Epson is the most widely sold, which makes ink and help easy to find; the HP is fastest; the Canon has the highest-yield black bottle.
Do these printers print on both sides automatically?
No. All three support manual two-sided printing only, where you turn the pages over yourself. For automatic two-sided printing, look at laser all-in-ones or office copiers.
How much is an ink tank printer in Ghana?
New ink tank printers were listed at GH₵2,100 to GH₵16,800 in Ghana in October 2026. These three popular all-in-ones sit near the lower end of that range.
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Get 3 free quotesKeep reading
- Printer prices in Ghana
- Printer ink prices in Ghana
- Ink tank vs laser printer: which is better for home, office or shop use?
- Epson L3250 vs L3350 (and L3251, L3252, L3256, L3260): which should you buy?
- Epson EcoTank L3250 price in Ghana
- Canon PIXMA G3410 price in Ghana
- HP Smart Tank 581 price in Ghana