What Ink Does the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8500 Use?
Last Updated:Quick answer: The Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8500 uses six Epson 552 ink bottles, 70 ml each: Black (T552020-S, pigment), Photo Black (T552120-S), Cyan (T552220-S), Magenta (T552320-S), Yellow (T552420-S) and Gray (T552520-S). Castle Ink sells all six as a genuine Epson 552 6-pack for $109.95. The ET-8500 takes exactly the same ink as its wide-format sibling, the ET-8550, and the same Epson C9345 maintenance box.
CastleScore · November 2026
87/100 — Highly Recommended
Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8500
| Pillar (weight) | Score | What it is based on |
|---|---|---|
| Owner ratings (28%) | 88 | 4.6★ across 230 ratings at Best Buy (91% would recommend) |
| Expert reviews (18%) | 80 | PCMag 4.0/5 (Excellent) |
| Cost per page (24%) | 99 | About 0.3¢ per page with our genuine Epson 552 6-pack ($109.95 for six 70 ml bottles: 6,700 black / 7,300 photo black / 6,200 per color pages). |
| Reliability (13%) | 76 | Most-reported problems on the ET-8500/8550 family: false paper-jam errors (000025); clogs after periods of no use; occasional printhead or board failures |
| Features (12%) | 84 | Print, copy, scan, six inks, borderless photos, CD/DVD printing, auto two-sided printing, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, SD card slot, 4.3-inch touchscreen. Letter/legal size only; no fax, no document feeder. |
| Value (5%) | 80 | Running cost and owner satisfaction against a street price of about $550 to $700 |
Still sold new. Best Buy lists the ET-8500 at $549.99 on sale (regularly $699.99).
CastleScore is Castle Ink’s own editorial rating, built from retailer star ratings, expert reviews, real cost per page and owner complaint patterns, checked November 8, 2026. It is not a customer review. See every ranked printer or how the score works.
The ink, pictured
Epson 552 6-PackGenuine Epson 552 bottles: all six colors, including the pigment black Epson's own 5-pack leaves out.
What Ink Does the Epson ET-8500 Take?
| Bottle | Epson part no. | Ink | Approx. yield (ISO) | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All six (6-pack) | T552020-S to T552520-S | Genuine Epson | See below | Castle Ink, $109.95 |
| 552 Black | T552020-S | Pigment | ~6,700 pages | Amazon (single) |
| 552 Photo Black | T552120-S | Dye | ~7,300 pages | Amazon (single) |
| 552 Cyan | T552220-S | Dye | ~6,200 pages | Amazon (single) |
| 552 Magenta | T552320-S | Dye | ~6,200 pages | Amazon (single) |
| 552 Yellow | T552420-S | Dye | ~6,200 pages | Amazon (single) |
| 552 Gray | T552520-S | Dye | ~46,600 pages | Amazon (single) |
| Maintenance box | C9345 (C12C934591) | Waste ink | Replace when prompted | Amazon |
Yields are Epson's ISO figures from its ET-8500/ET-8550 specifications. Gray is used mainly for neutral and black-and-white photo tones, so it lasts several times longer than the others. As an Amazon Associate, Castle Ink earns from qualifying purchases on the Amazon links.
Do I Need the 5-Pack or the 6-Pack?
The 6-pack, if you want to refill every tank. Epson's own 552 multi-pack (T552920-S) contains Photo Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Gray but not the pigment Black (T552020-S), which prints text on plain paper. Epson confirmed on Best Buy's Q&A that the black is sold separately. Our 6-pack includes both blacks.
What Does ET-8500 Ink Cost per Page?
About 0.3¢ a page. Epson.com charges $23.99 for the 552 Black and $21.99 for each other color, $133.94 for all six; our genuine Epson 6-pack is $109.95, or about $18.33 a bottle. At Epson's rated yields that's roughly 0.3¢ a page for black and for each color. Photo printing uses far more ink per sheet than the ISO document test, so expect fewer photos than pages: reviewers estimated the starter set at around 2,300 4x6 color photos.
How Do I Refill the Epson ET-8500?
- Turn the printer on and lift the scanner unit until it locks.
- Open the ink tank cover and unscrew the cap on the tank you're filling.
- Hold the 552 bottle upright and remove its cap slowly; don't squeeze it.
- Insert the keyed tip into the matching port and let the ink flow until it stops at the upper line. Remove and recap the bottle.
- Close the tank cap, ink cover and scanner unit, then go to Maintenance > Fill Ink to reset the level for each color you refilled.
Which Other Printers Use Epson 552?
Only the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550, which adds 13x19-inch printing. Other EcoTanks use Epson 502 or Epson 522, and their keyed bottles won't fit. In Europe the same printer takes Epson 114 bottles.
What ET-8500 owners ask
These come from Best Buy's Q&A, Epson's support pages and reviews from PCMag and Digital Trends, answered in our words.
What's the difference between the ET-8500 and the ET-8550?
Paper size. The ET-8500 prints up to legal size; the ET-8550 adds borderless prints up to 13x19 inches. They share the same six 552 inks, scanner and maintenance box.
Can it print two-sided and on card stock?
Yes. It prints two-sided automatically, and a rear straight-path slot takes thick media one sheet at a time. It can also print on printable CDs and DVDs.
Why does it report a paper jam when nothing is stuck?
The ET-8500/8550 family can throw false jam errors (code 000025) when something blocks the carriage, often a dislodged ink-tube guide near the rear feeder. Power off, check the tubes and the guide, and remove any debris.
Why don't the ink levels change after a refill?
The printer doesn't sense ink. After each refill, run Maintenance > Fill Ink for each color you topped up.
Does it have a document feeder?
No. PCMag lists the lack of an automatic document feeder as its main drawback; multi-page scans go one sheet at a time on the flatbed.
ET-8500 quirks worth knowing
- It has a 4.3-inch touchscreen, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB and an SD card slot for printing straight from a card.
- Black uses pigment ink; every other color, including Photo Black and Gray, is dye-based.
- It replaced the EcoTank ET-7700, adding the larger screen and the Gray ink.
- Like other EcoTanks, it can clog after weeks of no printing; a test page every week or so helps.
Frequently Asked Questions
What ink does the Epson ET-8500 use?
Six Epson 552 bottles: Black, Photo Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Gray, 70 ml each.
Does the ET-8500 use the same ink as the ET-8550?
Yes. Both use Epson 552 bottles and the C9345 maintenance box.
Does Epson 522 or 502 ink fit the ET-8500?
No. The ET-8500 only takes Epson 552. The bottle tips are keyed so other EcoTank inks won't fill its tanks.
Other printers that use Epson 552
More Epson ink guides: Epson EcoTank ET-2980 · Epson EcoTank ET-4850 · Epson EcoTank ET-2800 · find any printer
Replacing it? Our highest-rated alternatives
- Epson EcoTank ET-2980 (cheapest to run) — CastleScore 90
- Canon PIXMA MegaTank G3290 — CastleScore 88
- Canon imageCLASS MF275dw (laser) — CastleScore 81
Sources
Ratings and prices were checked on November 8, 2026 and will change over time.
Need replacement Epson ink cartridges? Shop Epson ink cartridges at Castle Ink. Compatible, up to 70% less than OEM, and shipped the same day when you order by 4 PM ET.