What Ink Does the HP Smart Tank 7602 Use?
Last Updated:Quick answer: The HP Smart Tank 7602 uses an HP 32XL Black ink bottle (135ml) and HP 31 Cyan, Magenta and Yellow bottles (70ml each). Ink is poured into four built-in tanks rather than swapped in as cartridges — one set of bottles covers roughly 6,000 black pages and 8,000 color pages.
CastleScore · October 2026
85/100 — Highly Recommended
HP Smart Tank 7602
| Pillar (weight) | Score | What it is based on |
|---|---|---|
| Owner ratings (28%) | — | No retailer rating with enough reviews to use. |
| 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%) | 78 | Most-reported problems: 'Printhead Missing' / 'Black Printhead Missing' errors that persist after cleaning, reseating, firmware updates or a new printhead. One owner reports a fourth unit with the same fault; one color stops printing despite full tanks; air bubbles or dried ink in the tubes after tanks run low, leading to service-center repair |
| Features (12%) | 87 | Print, copy, scan, document feeder, auto two-sided printing, fax, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, touchscreen. |
| Value (5%) | — | Running cost and owner satisfaction |
Limited data: We could not find enough owner ratings for this printer, so that weight is spread across the other pillars.
Discontinued. The Smart Tank 7602 is no longer sold new; RTINGS describes the Smart Tank 7603 as its replacement. HP 32XL and HP 31 bottles are still sold.
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 7602 Ink Bottles at a Glance
| Bottle | Color | Size | Approx. Yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| HP 32XL (1VV24AN) | Black | 135ml | ~6,000 pages |
| HP 31 (1VU26AN) | Cyan | 70ml | ~8,000 pages |
| HP 31 (1VU27AN) | Magenta | 70ml | ~8,000 pages |
| HP 31 (1VU28AN) | Yellow | 70ml | ~8,000 pages |
These are HP's figures: about 6,000 pages for the black bottle and about 8,000 for each color bottle. In practice a household that prints a few hundred pages a month will go a year or more between refills, which is the whole point of the Smart Tank line.
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 for the 7602. The ink is poured into the tanks, so there is no cartridge chip for the printer to check, and HP's page makes no statement about non-HP ink. Be cautious with generic "universal" dye bottles sold for tank printers: the 7602 uses pigment black and dye colors, and the wrong ink in its printheads is an expensive mistake.
How to Refill Ink in the HP Smart Tank 7602
- Open the ink tank access door on the front of the printer.
- Check the ink level windows to see which tanks need topping up.
- Open the cap on the tank you're refilling and unseal the matching color bottle.
- Turn the bottle upside down over the tank port and press down until the tip clicks into place.
- Do not squeeze the bottle. The system is gravity-fed and stops on its own when the tank is full.
- Remove the empty bottle, close the tank cap firmly, and close the access door.
Troubleshooting Tips
Faded or banded prints after a refill: Run a printhead cleaning cycle from the control panel or the HP Smart app. Tank printers that have sat idle often need two cycles.
Printer reports low ink with a full tank: Check the ink level windows on the front of the tanks. They show what is actually in each tank, so trust them over an on-screen warning.
Ink won't flow from the bottle: The nozzle has to seat fully into the port before the valve opens. Lift it out and press it straight down again rather than tilting it.
Won't join Wi-Fi: HP lists dual-band Wi-Fi with Wi-Fi Direct, plus an Ethernet port. If wireless setup keeps failing, a network cable to your router is the quickest way to get printing.
What Smart Tank 7602 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.
Can the fax work over the internet, without a phone line?
The built-in fax needs a landline. For faxing without one, HP offers Mobile Fax in the HP Smart app.
Will the document feeder scan both sides of a page?
No. HP says the 7602 does not scan both sides automatically, though it does print on both sides automatically.
I get "Printhead Missing" even with a new printhead. What can I do?
Owners on HP's forum advise keeping every tank above the minimum line, running a printhead cleaning and clearing air from the ink tubes. If the error won't clear, contact HP while the printer is under warranty. Some owners ended up with a replacement unit.
One color stopped printing even though the tank is full. Should I replace the printhead?
Possibly. In one solved HP Community case, cleaning and alignment didn't help, but a new printhead and the on-screen alignment brought cyan back.
How many pages will a set of bottles print?
HP rates the 135 ml HP 32XL black at about 6,000 pages and each 70 ml HP 31 color bottle at about 8,000 pages.
Smart Tank 7602 quirks worth knowing
- The 7602 has two replaceable printheads, one black and one tri-color, separate from the tanks. They are the usual failure point, and "Printhead Missing" errors are the most common complaint about this model.
- A new printhead can show an error until it is snapped fully into place. After that, the on-screen alignment finishes the swap.
- The HP 3YP61AE "GT" printhead kit often sold online as a Smart Tank part is listed by HP only for the Ink Tank 115, 315, 319, 415 and 419, not the Smart Tank 7602.
- The front USB port prints JPEG files only.
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.
- HP Smart Tank 7602 product page (specs, yields, Q&A)
- HP Community: Printheads missing, 4th printer in a row
- HP Community: Smart Tank 7602 Black Printhead Missing error
- HP Community: My HP 7602 Smart Tank (cyan not printing, solved)
- RTINGS HP Smart Tank 7603 review (7602 replacement)
- Adorama HP Smart Tank 7602 listing
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.