What Ink Does the HP Smart Tank 5101 Use?
Last Updated:Correction (October 2026): an earlier version of this guide said compatible HP 31/32XL bottles were hard to find and that Castle Ink did not stock them, and it listed the HP 31 color bottles as 50 ml. We now sell compatible HP 32XL and HP 31 bottles, and replacement HP 31 bottles are 70 ml; only the bottles in the box are 50 ml.
Quick answer: The HP Smart Tank 5101 uses HP 31 ink bottles (cyan, magenta and yellow, 70 ml each as replacements) and an HP 32XL black ink bottle (135 ml), refilled directly into the printer's built-in ink tank rather than swap-in cartridges.
CastleScore · October 2026
79/100 — Recommended
HP Smart Tank 5101
| Pillar (weight) | Score | What it is based on |
|---|---|---|
| Owner ratings (28%) | 74 | 3.80★ average across 4,992 ratings at Amazon (3.8) |
| Expert reviews (18%) | 70 | PCMag 3.5/5 |
| Cost per page (24%) | 99 | About 0.3¢ per page blended (black + color) with our compatible HP 32XL black (6,000 pages) and HP 31 color bottles (8,000 pages). |
| Reliability (13%) | 82 | Most-reported problems: color not printing on a new unit after setup; ink thickening in the printheads with infrequent use; KCMY / ink-tank error at first setup blocks the alignment page even with tanks full |
| Features (12%) | 56 | Print, copy, scan, Wi-Fi. No document feeder, no auto two-sided printing, no fax, no touchscreen. |
| Value (5%) | 86 | Running cost and owner satisfaction |
Still listed new on HP's store, though Staples shows it out of stock. The Smart Tank 5100 is a current sibling that uses the same HP 31/32XL ink, but HP does not call it a successor.
CastleScore is Castle Ink’s own editorial rating, built from retailer star ratings, expert reviews, real cost per page and owner complaint patterns, checked October 8, 2026. It is not a customer review. See every ranked printer or how the score works.
The ink bottles, pictured
HP 32XL Black1VV24AN · 135 ml · ~6,000 pages
HP 31 Cyan1VU26AN · 70 ml · ~8,000 pages
HP 31 Magenta1VU27AN · 70 ml
HP 31 Yellow1VU28AN · 70 ml
HP 32XL Black
HP 31 Cyan
HP 31 Magenta
HP 31 YellowOur own compatible ink bottles, photographed in-house.
HP SMART TANK 5101 INK BOTTLES AT A GLANCE
| Bottle | Part number | Size | Yield (HP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| HP 32XL Black | 1VV24AN | 135 ml | up to 6,000 pages |
| HP 31 Cyan | 1VU26AN | 70 ml | up to 8,000 pages |
| HP 31 Magenta | 1VU27AN | 70 ml | up to 8,000 pages |
| HP 31 Yellow | 1VU28AN | 70 ml | up to 8,000 pages |
| HP 31 C/M/Y 3-pack | 9C228AN | 3 x 70 ml | — |
The bottles packed with a new printer are a 135 ml HP 32XL black and three 50 ml HP 31 colors. Every replacement HP 31 bottle is the larger 70 ml size.
HP says the bottles in the box hold up to 3 years of ink at 200 pages a month (some retailer listings still say 2 years), which is the main appeal of the Smart Tank line over HP's cartridge-based printers.
IS THERE COMPATIBLE OR THIRD-PARTY HP 31/32XL INK?
Yes. We sell compatible HP 32XL black (135 ml) and HP 31 cyan, magenta and yellow (70 ml) bottles, and other sellers offer them too. The HP 31/32XL bottle format is a different system from HP's cartridge ink (like HP 65, 67 or 910), so cartridges and bottles never interchange. HP's Smart Tank 5101 product page does not mention dynamic security; it describes ink sensors that protect the printheads.
HOW TO REFILL INK IN THE HP SMART TANK 5101
- Open the ink tank access door on top of the printer.
- Check the ink level window for each tank to see which color needs refilling.
- Unbox the correct color bottle and remove the seal.
- Insert the bottle nozzle-first into the matching tank port and let it drain fully — HP's bottles are designed to stop automatically.
- Remove the empty bottle and close the tank access door.
TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS
- Printer won't connect to Wi-Fi: Confirm your network is broadcasting a 2.4GHz signal, since this model doesn't support 5GHz. Moving the printer closer to the router can also help with dropped connections.
- Ink level window is hard to read: Check ink levels through the HP Smart app instead of the small front window for a clearer reading.
- Prints look faded or streaky: On the printer, go to Setup > Tools and print a Print Quality Report, then run Clean Printhead if the report shows gaps. Align Printhead is in the same menu.
- Mobile prints are cropped more than expected: Adjust the paper size and borderless settings in the HP Smart app before printing photos from a phone.
What Smart Tank 5101 owners ask
These are the questions that come up most for this printer on retailer Q&A pages, HP's support forum and owner reviews, answered in our words.
Will it connect to my 5 GHz Wi-Fi network?
No. HP's product page says the wireless works on 2.4 GHz only, even though some retailer listings call it dual-band. It also has Bluetooth Low Energy, which helps with first-time setup from a phone.
Can it fax, or scan a stack of pages?
No. It prints, copies and scans only, and the scanner is a flatbed with no document feeder.
Will the ink dry out if I rarely print?
HP says the sealed tanks won't dry out, but ink in the printheads can thicken. HP's advice is to print a page every week and leave the printer switched on so it can run its own maintenance.
Color isn't printing on my brand-new printer. What should I try?
HP's support agent recommends checking the tanks and caps, printing a Print Quality Report (Setup > Tools), running Clean Printhead up to three times, and making sure the job isn't set to grayscale.
A KCMY error appeared during setup even though the tanks are full.
KCMY refers to the four ink tanks (K is black). It usually clears after you re-check the fill levels and caps and switch the printer off and on again.
Smart Tank 5101 quirks worth knowing
- The color bottles in the box are 50 ml, but the HP 31 bottles sold as refills are 70 ml, rated for up to 8,000 pages each. The black HP 32XL is 135 ml (up to 6,000 pages) either way.
- HP's claim of 6,000 color pages from the ink in the box depends on buying an extra black bottle, according to HP's own footnote.
- The printheads (one black, one tri-color) come in the box and are installed by you during setup. They are the HP-specific parts; the ink itself goes straight into the tanks.
- You can't resize a copy from the printer's own panel. Reduce or enlarge copies through the HP Smart app instead.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I use any ink bottle in the Smart Tank 5101? No — it's designed specifically for HP 31 (color) and HP 32XL (black) ink bottles.
How long does one set of bottles last? HP rates a replacement HP 32XL black bottle at up to 6,000 pages and each 70 ml HP 31 color bottle at up to 8,000 pages. HP says the ink in the box lasts up to 3 years at 200 pages a month. Heavy printing uses ink faster.
Will third-party ink void my warranty? The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act protects your warranty when you use third-party ink.
Does it come with ink included? Yes. The box includes a 135 ml HP 32XL black bottle, three 50 ml HP 31 color bottles and the black and tri-color printheads. Nothing is pre-installed: you fill the tanks and fit the printheads during setup.
Other printers that use HP 31 and 32XL ink bottles
More HP ink guides: HP OfficeJet 3830 · HP Envy 5000 · HP OfficeJet Pro 8610 · find any printer
Replacing it? Our highest-rated alternatives
- Epson EcoTank ET-2980 (cheapest to run) — CastleScore 90
- HP Color LaserJet Pro 3201dw (laser) — CastleScore 82
- HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e — CastleScore 79
Sources
Ratings and prices were checked on October 8, 2026 and will change over time.
Need replacement HP ink cartridges? Shop HP ink cartridges at Castle Ink. Compatible, up to 70% less than OEM, and shipped the same day when you order by 4 PM ET.