Ink in HP Smart Tank 7301: Should You Use Dye or Pigment Ink?
- By Kevin Day
- On Jan 30, 2025
- Comment 0
Question:
Do you have ink for an HP Smart Tank 7301? What ink do you have for this printer?
Answer: Thank you for contacting us! I'm sorry for not getting back to you sooner. I know there can be confusion surrounding printer ink; I want to ensure you get the most accurate information. Thank you for supporting BCH Technologies (https://bchtechnologies.com) and our YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). Your responses are a valuable guide to helping us develop the right technical skills.
Now, let’s turn to your question.
Understanding Ink Compatibility for the HP Smart Tank 7301
Dye ink is recommended for this type of printer. The bulk ink bottles are not a direct fit into the printer. Instead, we have to fill our ink in an HP refill bottle and then use ours to refill. For our ink dye selection, go to BCH Technologies – Ink for HP (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-ink/hp/dyeink)
Pigment or Dye Ink: Which Should I Use?
Since the printer is compatible with both dye and pigment ink, you can't go wrong with your selection. But there are a few significant differences to keep in mind:
- Pigment ink printers require more cleaning than dye ink printers. If you have a pigment printer that uses dye ink, its cleaning cycle will be excessively the other way, thereby slowing down the chance of clogging.
- Using pigment ink in a dye printer will require more manual printing cleaning to avoid clogs. An example is the Epson Artisan 1430 Dye printer, but technically, pigment ink is often used and works fine in print shops for T-shirt printing.
Pigment Vs. Dye Ink – What You Need To Know
Tip: Dye ink is usually best — this is why:
- Dye inks are more cost-effective than pigment inks.
- Clogging issues with dye ink are rare and quickly solved. If pigment ink does clog, it’s typically a permanent condition.
- Modern dye inks have become more resistant to smudging and exposure to water. Dye ink is better for everyday prints, assuming you don't repeatedly display them in direct sunlight or immerse them in water.
In case you need good ink, we suggest:
- Epson printers: BCH Epson Dye Ink (https://bchtechnologies.com/standard-600-ml-4-color-refill-ink-for-epson-kd600x-ce/)
- HP printers: BCH HP Dye Ink (https://bchtechnologies.com/standard-600-ml-4-color-refill-ink-for-hp-kd600x-ch/)
- Canon printers: BCH Canon Dye Ink (https://bchtechnologies.com/standard-600-ml-4-color-refill-ink-for-all-printers-kd600x-cu/)
If you want an in-depth comparison, check out our articles:
- Pigment vs. Dye Ink Comparison (https://support.bchtechnologies.com/hc/en-us/articles/200555919)
- Why Dye Ink Printouts Look Better (https://support.bchtechnologies.com/hc/en-us/articles/200677489)
Should You Change Types of Ink?
While you can use dye and pigment ink interchangeably, do not mix them; they will go rancid in storage. The reason is that:
- Pigment ink consists of tiny particles suspended in a chemical matrix, and mixing with dye ink can cause these particles to coagulate and form clogs.
- If you change your ink system, use as much old ink as possible before filling.
- After adding new ink, print a few pages to remove the old ink still in the lines.
What if you want to toggle between inks?
If switching ink types risks clogging the printheads, then using similar base solutions to dilute the colorant will wash out residue:
- BCH Clear Dye Base (https://bchtechnologies.com/universal-dye-ink-base/)
- BCH Clear Pigment Base (https://bchtechnologies.com/universal-pigment-ink-base/)
Most users can swap the type of ink they use without experiencing issues, but these precautions help further minimize the risk.
Quick Summary
- Dye ink provides the best cost, ease of use, and reliability.
- A pigment printer can use dye ink, which is not enough at once (it may overclean itself).
- If using a dye printer, avoid pigment ink. Clean manually.
- Switching ink types — properly flush the printer, or memory will clog.
When to Get Professional Help
If your printer issues extend beyond ink selection, BCH Technologies provides an in-person printer evaluation and repair service (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service/), however, we are on a first come, first served basis and wait times may vary due to high demand. For those who like to troubleshoot it themselves, we have a lot of troubleshooting guides on our YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies).
So again, thank you for reaching out! I hope this guide will answer any questions you may have. We appreciate your continued support. Let us know if you need any more assistance!