Design & Build Quality

Both printers use HP’s modern Smart Tank design with integrated refillable ink tanks positioned at the front for easy ink level monitoring. The white finish looks clean and blends nicely into home offices or study rooms.

The refill system is identical. HP’s spill-free bottles fit directly into the tanks without squeezing, making refilling much cleaner than many competing ink tank printers.

The printers are also almost identical in size and weight. At approximately 11 pounds, they are compact enough for desks, shelves, or small workspaces.

The main difference is the control panel. The HP Smart Tank 5103 includes touch controls that feel more modern and simplify navigation through printer settings. The 5101 sticks with a simpler control layout that works well but isn’t quite as user-friendly.

Winner: HP Smart Tank 5103

Print Quality & Performance

Print quality is one of the biggest strengths of both printers.

Both use HP Thermal Inkjet technology capable of producing:

• Sharp black text
• Rich color graphics
• Borderless photos
• Professional-looking school assignments
• Business documents
• Marketing materials

HP also includes AI-powered webpage formatting, which removes unnecessary advertisements and awkward page breaks before printing web pages or emails.

Both printers are designed to continue delivering consistent print quality with minimal maintenance.

The print speed is virtually identical:

• Black: Up to 12 ppm
• Color: Around 5 ppm

These speeds are suitable for home users but aren’t intended for busy office environments.

Since both printers use the same engine, print quality is essentially identical.

Winner: Tie

Ink System & Printing Costs

The refillable ink tank system is arguably the biggest reason to choose either model.

Instead of replacing expensive cartridges every few hundred pages, both printers use refillable tanks that can produce thousands of pages before requiring more ink.

Included in the box:

• Up to 2 years of ink
• Up to 6,000 black pages
• Up to 6,000 color pages

This dramatically lowers the cost per page compared to traditional cartridge printers.

HP’s bottle design also makes refilling nearly mess-free.

For families printing homework, office documents, recipes, tax forms, and color projects, the long-lasting ink supply can save hundreds of dollars over time.

Neither printer has an advantage here.

Winner: Tie

Scanning & Copying

Both printers function as all-in-one devices, offering:

• Flatbed scanning
• Color copying
• Document scanning
• School assignment copying
• Household paperwork digitization

The scanning quality is suitable for home users, although neither model includes an automatic document feeder (ADF). Multi-page scanning requires manually placing each page on the scanner glass.

For occasional home scanning, this is perfectly acceptable.

Winner: Tie

Paper Handling

The HP Smart Tank 5103 provides more detailed paper handling specifications.

It includes:

• 100-sheet input tray
• Multiple paper sizes
• Manual duplex printing

The HP Smart Tank 5101 supports similar functionality but HP provides fewer detailed specifications.

Since both target home users, paper handling remains very similar.

The biggest bonus is that the 5103 includes 100 sheets of HP photo paper, allowing you to begin photo printing immediately.

Winner: HP Smart Tank 5103

Wireless Connectivity & Smart Features

Both printers support wireless printing through Wi-Fi and work with the HP Smart app for mobile printing and management.

The HP Smart app allows users to:

• Print from smartphones
• Scan to mobile devices
• Monitor ink levels
• Manage printer settings
• Print documents remotely

However, the 5103 adds several extras:

• USB 2.0 connectivity
• Amazon Alexa compatibility
• Touch controls

Alexa support enables voice commands such as initiating prints or checking printer status when integrated with compatible smart home devices.

These additional features make the 5103 slightly more future-proof.

Winner: HP Smart Tank 5103

Ease of Setup & Maintenance

HP emphasizes easy setup across both printers.

Features shared by both include:

• Guided installation
• Wireless setup
• Automatic maintenance
• Auto Power On
• Spill-free refill bottles
• Reliable long-term operation

Unlike many ink tank printers, HP has designed these models to require very little user maintenance.

Routine cleaning and printhead management are largely automated.

Because the underlying platform is the same, both printers are equally easy to maintain.

Winner: Tie

Everyday Home Printing Experience

For daily home use, both printers excel at:

• Homework
• School projects
• Color worksheets
• Bills
• Photos
• Recipes
• Travel documents
• Office paperwork

The print quality remains sharp while operating costs stay extremely low thanks to the refillable ink system.

The HP Smart Tank 5103 becomes more attractive for households that occasionally print photos because the included photo paper eliminates an additional purchase.

Meanwhile, the 5101 remains an excellent budget choice for users focused primarily on document printing.

Winner: HP Smart Tank 5103

Price & Value for Money

At first glance, the HP Smart Tank 5101 appears to be the better deal at $189.

However, paying only $10 more for the HP Smart Tank 5103 gives you:

• Touch controls
• Alexa compatibility
• USB connection
• 100 sheets of photo paper
• Better accessory bundle

Considering the minimal price difference, the 5103 delivers noticeably better overall value.

Winner: HP Smart Tank 5103

Final Verdict

Both the HP Smart Tank 5101 and HP Smart Tank 5103 are excellent refillable ink tank printers that offer outstanding long-term savings, reliable print quality, and easy wireless printing. Their shared cartridge-free design, two years of included ink, and low operating costs make either model a smart investment for home users.

However, the HP Smart Tank 5103 stands out as the better overall choice. For just $10 more, it adds a touch control interface, Alexa compatibility, USB connectivity, and 100 sheets of HP photo paper. These extras improve convenience and overall value without changing the already excellent printing experience.

Overall Winner: 🏆 HP Smart Tank 5103

Choose the HP Smart Tank 5103 if you want the best overall value, smarter features, and a more complete package.

Choose the HP Smart Tank 5101 if you want the lowest upfront price and only need reliable everyday document printing.