What Ink Does the Epson EcoTank ET-4950 Use?

Quick answer: the Epson EcoTank ET-4950 uses Epson 502 ink bottles — not cartridges. Four bottles, one per tank, and there is no XL or high-yield version because EcoTank bottles only come in one size.

The most common wrong answer for this printer is Epson 522. That family fits the ET-2800, ET-4800 and ET-2903, and aftermarket sites cross-list it onto 502 machines constantly. Epson's own 502 compatibility list names the Epson EcoTank ET-4950 directly. If a listing offers you 522 for this printer, it is wrong.

Epson EcoTank ET-4950 ink at a glance

Those are Epson's own ISO figures, and they are the whole reason to own an EcoTank. A single 502 black bottle prints roughly 8,500 pages — more than thirty standard cartridges from a two-cartridge printer.

What it actually costs to run

Castle Ink's compatible 502 four-pack runs $38.95. Against Epson's published yields, that works out at roughly 0.3 cents per black page once you account for the black bottle's share of the pack — against 15 cents or more on a cartridge-based home printer.

Put concretely: 5,000 pages of black text costs about $15 in ink on this printer. The same 5,000 pages on an entry-level cartridge machine runs well past $500. That gap is the entire argument for a tank printer, and it is not marketing — you can check it yourself with our ink cost calculator.

Castle Ink recommendation

Castle Ink stocks a compatible Epson 502 four-pack (BCMY) for $38.95, guaranteed for a year. One pack refills all four tanks.

A word of caution when shopping elsewhere: sublimation ink bottles are frequently sold with "502 / 512 / 522" in the title. They physically fit, but they are a completely different ink chemistry meant for heat-transfer work, and they will not behave correctly in a normal document printer. Buy ink described as a 502 replacement, not as sublimation ink.

How to refill the tanks properly

1. Print until the printer tells you a tank is low — do not top up early, because you cannot see the level accurately once the ink is mixed.
2. Open the tank cover and unlock the cap for the color you are filling.
3. Hold the bottle upright in the port. Epson's design meters the flow and stops when full — you do not need to squeeze.
4. Close the cap firmly and reset the ink level in the printer's menu if prompted.

Do not mix colors between ports. A wrong-color fill means a full ink-system flush at best.

About the Epson EcoTank ET-4950

The ET-4950 is the office-focused EcoTank: print, scan, copy and fax, with a 30-page automatic document feeder and a 250-sheet paper cassette. It is the model to buy from this family if you handle multi-page documents rather than the occasional letter.

Rated at 17 ISO ppm black with automatic duplex printing, a 2.4-inch color display, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct and Ethernet. The ADF is single-sided.

Common problems on this model

Tanks look full but the printer says empty

The printer counts ink used rather than measuring the tank. After refilling you may need to reset the level manually from the maintenance menu — otherwise it keeps reporting the old figure.

Faded or missing colors after sitting idle

Tank printers are more prone to dried nozzles than cartridge printers because the ink path is longer. Run a nozzle check, then one head cleaning. Printing a color page once a two weeks prevents most of it — see whether ink dries out.

Maintenance box message

EcoTanks route waste ink into a replaceable maintenance box. When it fills, the printer stops. It is a genuine consumable, not a fault — and unlike some Epson models, it is user-replaceable on this range.

Won't connect to Wi-Fi

Usually the 2.4 GHz band. See our printer Wi-Fi setup guide.

FAQ

What ink does the Epson EcoTank ET-4950 use?

Epson 502 ink bottles in black, cyan, magenta and yellow.

Does the Epson EcoTank ET-4950 use Epson 522?

No. 522 fits the ET-2800, ET-4800 and ET-2903. This printer takes 502, and the two are not interchangeable.

Is there an Epson 502XL?

No. EcoTank bottles ship in one size only — there is no XL tier to buy.

Can I use compatible 502 ink without voiding the warranty?

Yes. US law prevents a manufacturer voiding your warranty purely for using third-party supplies. See the legal answer.

Does the ET-4950 use different ink from the ET-4800?

Yes, and this catches people out. The ET-4800 uses Epson 522; the ET-4950 uses Epson 502. Same family name, different bottles.

Is the ET-4950 worth it over the ET-2980?

If you scan or copy multi-page documents, the ADF alone justifies it. If you print single sheets from a phone, the cheaper ET-2980 does the same job on the same ink.

Shop Epson 502 ink now

Grab the 502 four-pack. Different printer? Find yours on our Find Ink by Printer page, or see how your model ranks on running cost in the monthly CastleScore.