HP Smart Tank 5000 vs 6001: Which All-in-One Printer Should You Choose?

A printer can look like a simple purchase until you start comparing the features that affect everyday use. The HP Smart Tank 5000 and HP Smart Tank 6001 are both wireless, cartridge-free all-in-one printers designed for home users who want to print, scan, and copy without constantly replacing traditional ink cartridges. At first glance, they look remarkably similar, but there are several practical differences that can change which model makes more sense.

After comparing the two models closely, I found that the HP Smart Tank 6001 is the more feature-focused option. It increases print speed, adds automatic duplex printing, supports wired as well as wireless connectivity, and offers a higher listed color-page yield. The Smart Tank 5000, meanwhile, keeps the same basic refillable printing concept while offering a slightly simpler feature set. For everyday home printing, the difference isn’t just about speed; it’s about how much convenience I want from the printer.

Key Difference Between HP Smart Tank 5000 vs 6001 Printer

The biggest difference is performance and functionality. The HP Smart Tank 5000 prints up to 5 ppm in color and 10 ppm in black, while the Smart Tank 6001 reaches 7 ppm color and 12 ppm black. The 6001 also adds automatic duplex printing and supports wired connectivity, while its listed ink yield reaches 8,000 color pages or 6,000 black pages, compared with up to 6,000 black or color pages for the 5000.

HP Smart Tank 5000 vs 6001 Comparison Table

Feature	HP Smart Tank 5000	HP Smart Tank 6001
Printer Type	Wireless All-in-One Ink Tank	Wireless All-in-One Ink Tank
Functions	Print, Scan, Copy	Print, Scan, Copy
Printing Technology	HP Thermal Inkjet	HP Thermal Inkjet
Color Printing	Yes	Yes
Max Color Speed	5 ppm	7 ppm
Max Monochrome Speed	10 ppm	12 ppm
Connectivity	Wireless	Wired, Wireless
Ink System	Refillable Ink Tank	Refillable Ink Tank
Included Ink	Up to 2 years	Up to 2 years
Listed Ink Yield	Up to 6,000 black or color pages	Up to 8,000 color / 6,000 black pages
Automatic Duplex	Not listed	Yes
Borderless Printing	Yes	Yes
Network-Ready	Yes	Yes
Auto Power On	Yes	Not listed
AI-Enabled Printing	Yes	Yes
Mess-Free Refilling	Yes	Yes
Weight	14.15 lbs	14.07 lbs
Premium Support	Yes	Not specified in supplied data
Best Fit	Straightforward home printing	Faster, more versatile home printing
Check Latest Price on Amazon	Check on Amazon	Check on Amazon

Detailed Comparative Review

Design

The first thing I noticed when comparing the physical specifications is how closely matched these two printers are. The HP Smart Tank 5000 weighs 14.15 pounds, while the Smart Tank 6001 weighs 14.07 pounds. That’s only a 0.08-pound difference, so I wouldn’t use weight as a deciding factor.

Both models share the same OOV White / Portobello color and are built around the same basic all-in-one concept. I get printing, scanning, and copying in either machine, along with a refillable ink tank system.

Both also support borderless printing, which I find useful when working with photos, graphics, or other documents where I don’t want a visible border around the edges.

Where the 6001’s design becomes more interesting is its feature set. Automatic duplex printing is specifically listed, meaning the printer can automatically print on both sides of compatible paper. That’s something I appreciate because it can reduce manual paper handling and make longer documents more convenient to print.

The 5000 doesn’t list automatic duplex printing among its supplied features. Instead, it keeps things focused on the essential home-printing experience.

My take: Physically, these printers are almost identical in size class and weight. The 6001’s automatic duplex capability makes its design more practical for anyone who regularly prints multi-page documents.

Ease of Use

Both printers are designed around the same cartridge-free philosophy, and that’s one of the things I like most about this HP Smart Tank lineup.

With the Smart Tank 5000, I get refillable ink tanks rather than conventional cartridges. HP specifically describes the refill process as mess-free: the ink bottles can be plugged into the tank and allowed to drain without squeezing or spilling. For me, that’s an important convenience because ink refilling is one of those tasks that can quickly become annoying when the process is complicated.

The 6001 uses the same general refill approach, so there isn’t a major difference between the two models in this area. Both also include up to two years of ink, which means I can start using either printer without immediately worrying about buying replacement ink.

The 6001 does give me more connectivity flexibility because its specifications list both wired and wireless connectivity. The 5000 is listed with wireless connectivity.

The 6001 also specifically lists mobile and wireless printing among its key features. The 5000’s supplied specifications identify wireless and network-ready functionality but don’t provide the same explicit mobile-printing statement.

Another advantage I see with the 6001 is automatic duplex printing. Once I start printing longer documents, not having to manually flip pages becomes a meaningful convenience.

My take: Both are straightforward refillable printers, but I’d find the 6001 easier to live with if I regularly print documents because of its automatic duplex feature and broader connectivity options.

Functions

This is where the difference between the two models becomes much more obvious.

Both printers provide the three core functions I expect from a home all-in-one: printing, scanning, and copying. Both also produce color output and support borderless printing.

However, the Smart Tank 6001 is faster.

The HP Smart Tank 5000 is rated at up to 5 pages per minute for color printing and 10 pages per minute for monochrome printing. The 6001 increases those figures to 7 ppm color and 12 ppm monochrome.

Those aren’t enormous numbers, but the difference is meaningful for repeated printing. If I’m printing several documents at once, I’d rather have the faster model, particularly when black-and-white documents make up a large part of my workload.

The ink capacity figures also favor the 6001 in the supplied specifications. HP lists the Smart Tank 5000 at up to 6,000 black or color pages out of the box. For the 6001, HP lists up to 8,000 color pages or 6,000 black pages.

This distinction matters if I expect to print a lot of color material. The 6001’s listed color yield gives it additional appeal for that type of workload.

Both models also include HP’s AI-enabled printing feature. The supplied information says HP AI can help format web pages and emails while removing unwanted content, helping reduce wasted pages caused by awkward layouts.

The 6001 therefore adds several practical improvements without abandoning the basic strengths of the 5000.

My take: The 6001 clearly gives me more functionality where it matters: faster printing, automatic duplex, wired/wireless connectivity, and a higher listed color yield.

Maintenance

The maintenance experience is quite similar because both printers use refillable ink tanks rather than disposable cartridges.

The Smart Tank 5000 is designed for long-term cartridge-free printing, and HP specifically emphasizes its mess-free refill system. The supplied information also describes the printer as requiring no complicated maintenance, although normal printer care is still necessary.

The 6001 follows the same cartridge-free approach. I don’t have to deal with repeatedly purchasing and replacing traditional cartridges, and both models come with up to two years of ink.

The main difference for me isn’t really maintenance itself; it’s how efficiently I can use the printer. Automatic duplex printing on the 6001 can reduce paper consumption when I print on both sides, while its higher listed color yield can mean fewer ink-related interruptions for heavy color printing.

Both machines are also marketed for high-volume, low-cost printing, making them considerably different from basic cartridge printers in terms of their intended ownership experience.

My take: Maintenance is essentially a tie based on the supplied information. Both use the same refillable approach, so I’d choose between them based on their other features rather than expecting a major maintenance difference.

Which One Makes More Sense for Different Users?

The HP Smart Tank 5000 makes sense to me if I want a straightforward home ink-tank printer with wireless connectivity, borderless printing, AI-assisted printing, scanning, and copying. It covers the essentials without adding features I may not need.

The HP Smart Tank 6001 becomes more attractive if I regularly print documents, use color frequently, or want more flexibility. Its faster 7 ppm color and 12 ppm black speeds, automatic duplex printing, wired and wireless connectivity, and higher listed color yield make it more versatile.

That doesn’t mean the 5000 is inadequate. Its 5 ppm color and 10 ppm black speeds are perfectly aligned with basic home printing needs, and it retains the same fundamental cartridge-free concept.

The question I would ask myself is simple: Do I need the additional convenience of automatic duplex printing and faster output? If the answer is yes, the 6001’s extra features become much easier to justify.

HP Smart Tank 5000 Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Cartridge-free refillable ink tank
• Up to two years of ink included
• Up to 6,000 black or color pages listed
• Wireless connectivity
• Borderless printing
• Print, scan, and copy functionality
• HP AI-assisted web and email formatting
• Mess-free ink refill system
• Network-ready
• Auto Power On
• Premium support

Cons:

• Slower than the Smart Tank 6001
• No automatic duplex printing listed
• Wired connectivity isn’t listed
• Lower listed color yield than the 6001

HP Smart Tank 6001 Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Faster 7 ppm color printing
• Faster 12 ppm monochrome printing
• Automatic duplex printing
• Wired and wireless connectivity
• Up to 8,000 color pages or 6,000 black pages listed
• Up to two years of ink included
• Borderless printing
• Mobile and wireless printing
• HP AI-assisted printing
• Mess-free refill system
• Print, scan, and copy functionality

Cons:

• Slightly more feature-heavy than necessary for very basic printing needs
• Premium support isn’t specifically listed in the supplied specifications
• Auto Power On isn’t listed among its supplied special features

HP Smart Tank 5000 vs 6001: My Final Take

After comparing the two, I see the HP Smart Tank 5000 as the simpler entry point into HP’s Smart Tank lineup, while the Smart Tank 6001 builds on the same basic formula with several useful upgrades.

If I were choosing the 5000, it would be because I wanted a dependable home printer with refillable ink, wireless connectivity, borderless printing, scanning, copying, and AI-assisted printing without necessarily needing automatic duplex or faster output. Its up-to-two-years-of-ink package and 6,000-page listed yield also make it suited to regular home use.

The 6001 is the model I’d choose for a more demanding everyday workflow. The jump from 5 to 7 ppm in color and 10 to 12 ppm in black isn’t revolutionary, but it’s measurable. More importantly, the addition of automatic duplex printing makes the printer more convenient for documents, while wired connectivity gives me another way to connect it when wireless isn’t the preferred option.

The higher listed color yield is another meaningful distinction. HP rates the 6001 for up to 8,000 color pages, compared with up to 6,000 black or color pages for the 5000.

So, in my comparison, I would lean toward the HP Smart Tank 6001 when its additional features match my workflow. If I mostly need straightforward wireless home printing and don’t care about automatic duplexing or the faster print speeds, the Smart Tank 5000 still covers the fundamentals very well.

The important point is that both models share the same core advantage: refillable, cartridge-free printing designed for long-term home use. The 6001 simply adds more speed and convenience around that foundation.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is the HP Smart Tank 6001 faster than the 5000?

Yes. The Smart Tank 6001 is rated for up to 7 pages per minute in color and 12 pages per minute in monochrome, compared with 5 ppm color and 10 ppm monochrome for the Smart Tank 5000.

2. Does the HP Smart Tank 6001 have automatic duplex printing?

Yes. Auto-Duplex is specifically listed as a feature of the HP Smart Tank 6001. Automatic duplex printing is not listed in the supplied specifications for the Smart Tank 5000.

3. Which HP Smart Tank has the higher ink yield?

The Smart Tank 6001 has the higher listed color yield. HP lists up to 8,000 color pages or 6,000 black pages for the 6001, while the 5000 is listed for up to 6,000 black or color pages.

4. Do both printers use refillable ink?

Yes. Both the HP Smart Tank 5000 and Smart Tank 6001 use refillable ink tanks and are designed for cartridge-free printing. Both also include up to two years of ink according to the supplied product information.

5. Which should I choose: HP Smart Tank 5000 or 6001?

I’d choose the Smart Tank 6001 if I wanted faster printing, automatic duplexing, wired and wireless connectivity, and a higher listed color yield. I’d consider the Smart Tank 5000 if I primarily wanted the core Smart Tank experience for home printing and didn’t need those additional features.