Canon is one of the most well-known and respected brands in the printing industry, with a long history dating back to the 1930s. The Japanese company first made its mark with high-quality cameras and optical devices before expanding into office copiers in the 1950s and eventually launching its first inkjet printer in the 1970s.
Since then, Canon has established itself as a leader and innovator in printing technology. Its inkjet printers in particular have gained widespread popularity for home and small office use. Among Canon‘s inkjet lineup, the Pixma series offers an attractive combination of affordability, compact size, and features like scanning and copying.
However, despite their budget-friendly price tags, Canon Pixma printers have also gathered a fair number of complaints from dissatisfied customers. While some people have had perfectly fine experiences with their Pixmas, many others recount tales of frustration. Based on extensive research into customer reviews and feedback, I‘ve identified the top 10 reasons you may want to think twice before putting a Canon Pixma in your shopping cart:
1. Unreliable color accuracy and print quality
One of the most common grievances about Canon Pixma printers is that they struggle with color accuracy. You may find that your printouts have a reddish tint, or the colors look washed out and dull compared to what you see on screen.
This seems to be especially problematic when printing photos. While the Pixma line is marketed as a great choice for printing your cherished family memories, many users complain that skin tones come out unnatural and details look fuzzy.
Of course, color accuracy is affected by a variety of factors like paper type, print settings, and even the age of your ink cartridges. But the bottom line is that Canon Pixma printers just don‘t deliver best-in-class print quality, especially compared to similarly priced competitors from brands like Epson and HP. If pinpoint color accuracy is important to you, a Pixma printer may not be your best bet.
2. Sluggish print speeds
Another big issue with Canon Pixmas is that they are S-L-O-W. Really slow. Like watching-paint-dry, might-as-well-go-make-a-sandwich-while-you-wait slow. In an age of instant gratification, this glacial pace can be maddening.
To quantify it, most Pixma models have print speeds between 5-10 pages per minute for black and white documents. Color print speeds are even pokier at around 4-7 pages per minute. That may not sound terrible, but trust me, you‘ll feel every second when you‘re tapping your fingers waiting for it to spit out a measly 5-page document.
By comparison, many entry-level inkjet printers from other brands boast at least double those speeds. If rapid-fire printing is a must, a Pixma printer will likely leave you feeling frustrated. You‘d be better off with a zippier alternative from HP or Epson.
3. Low paper capacity means constant refills
Canon Pixma printers tend to have very limited paper trays that only hold around 100 sheets at a time. This means you‘ll find yourself frequently opening up the printer to reload paper, especially if you print in any kind of volume.
What‘s worse, many users report that the stated 100-sheet capacity is overestimated. In reality, you may only be able to fit 70-80 pages before the printer starts beeping at you to add more. Talk about annoying.
While smaller paper trays help keep a printer compact, they become a real drag for busy households or home offices with lots of printing needs. If you don‘t want to be a slave to your printer‘s hunger for more paper, consider one with more generous paper handling, like 150- or 250-sheet models available from other brands.
4. Paper jams are a constant headache
Perhaps it‘s a side effect of their small size and bargain price, but paper jams seem to be a never-ending battle for many Canon Pixma owners. For whatever reason, these printers are notoriously prone to mangling and misfeeding pages, bringing your print jobs to a screeching halt until you can excavate the crumpled, torn mess.
On top of being enormously annoying, frequent paper jams also waste a lot of paper and ink. With already pricey consumables (more on that later), the added expense of sacrificial paper is like salt in the wound.
Jams also put additional wear and tear on the delicate parts inside your printer as you jostle everything to clear them. Over time, this increases the likelihood of even more malfunctions. It‘s a vicious cycle.
While no printer is immune from the occasional jam, Canon Pixmas seem particularly susceptible. If you have a low tolerance for coaxing mangled wads of paper out of your machine, do yourself a favor and get something more reliable.
5. High-priced ink guzzles your money
Perhaps the most universally loathed aspect of inkjet printers is the sky-high cost of replacement ink cartridges. But even in a market where ink is nearly as expensive as Dom Perignon, Canon really takes the cake.
Depending on the model, a single full set of ink cartridges for a Canon Pixma can cost anywhere from $50-100. Per-page costs often exceed 20 cents for color documents. And thanks to the tiny size of the cartridges, you‘ll find yourself forking over that chunk of change on a frustratingly frequent basis.
Worse yet, many users complain that their Pixmas burn through ink cartridges at an alarming rate, even when they aren‘t printing much. Some have accused Canon of using sneaky tactics like expiration dates to force you to buy new cartridges before the old ones are even empty.
While pricey ink is admittedly an issue with most consumer-grade inkjets, Canon Pixmas are among the worst offenders. If you aren‘t ready to take out a second mortgage to keep your printer fueled up, consider a model with high-yield cartridges from a brand like Brother. Or better yet, upgrade to an economical laser printer and say goodbye to ink anxiety once and for all.
6. Disappointing scanner and copier performance
Along with printing, many Canon Pixma models tout bonus features like scanning and copying. In theory, these all-in-one capabilities make a Pixma a versatile tool for handling all your document needs. But in practice, the quality of the scanner and copier is mediocre at best.
Numerous owners gripe that the scan function produces blurry, washed out images that look like they were taken by a potato. Scans also tend to be painfully slow. If you plan to digitize stacks of photos or documents, you‘ll want to clear your schedule first.
As for copying, let‘s just say you‘ll probably get better results walking to your local FedEx Office. Copies come out streaky, spotty, and sometimes downright illegible. And just like scanning, the copying process moves at an agonizingly slow pace, especially if you‘re duplicating multi-page documents.
While it‘s hard to expect miracles from a low-cost all-in-one device, other brands manage to deliver much better performance in this price range. If you actually intend to use your printer‘s bonus features on a regular basis, there are far better options out there than a Canon Pixma.
7. Hefty cost of ownership
On the surface, a $50-100 all-in-one printer like a Canon Pixma can seem like an incredible value. But don‘t be fooled by the enticing up-front price. These bargain-bin printers come with a slew of hidden costs that make them far more expensive in the long run.
In addition to the exorbitant cost of replacement ink, factor in the price of specialty paper, the wasted money from streaky unusable prints, and the potential need for pricey repairs if something breaks after the warranty ends. All these nickel-and-dime expenses add up quickly.
There‘s also the unquantifiable cost of your precious time and sanity. Every minute you spend clearing paper jams, waiting for your printer to wheeze out a page, or on hold with tech support is a minute of your life you won‘t get back. A discount printer can actually be a much greater drain on your wallet and well-being than a pricier but more reliable model.
The Bottom Line
When it comes to choosing a home printer, it‘s important to look beyond the sticker price and consider the big picture. Despite their entry-level price tags and relatively small footprint, Canon Pixmas come with a ton of baggage that makes them a questionable choice for many users.
From sluggish performance and image quality woes to spendy ink and paper-feed drama, these printers just don‘t offer a great experience or value overall. Take it from someone who has listened to countless tales of printing mishaps and letdowns. There are better options out there for even the most budget- and space-conscious shoppers.
Of course, this isn‘t to say that all Canon Pixmas are complete lemons. Some people have perfectly acceptable experiences with them. And if you‘re really strapped for cash, the prospect of paying under $100 for a printer/scanner/copier can be quite appealing. I get it.
But for most users, it‘s worth investing just a bit more upfront for a machine that won‘t make you pull your hair out. Do your research, read plenty of reviews, and consider what features and capabilities matter most for your needs. With a little legwork, you can find a printer that strikes the right balance of quality, reliability, and operating costs. Here are a few of my top picks:
Top Home Inkjet Printer Recommendations:
HP OfficeJet Pro 9015e
– Under $250
– Print, scan, copy, fax
– 22 ppm black / 18 ppm color
– 250-sheet tray
– Excellent print quality
– Instant Ink program to save on cartridges
Epson EcoTank ET-3760
– Around $400
– Print, scan, copy, fax
– 15 ppm black / 8 ppm color
– 150-sheet tray
– Refillable ink tanks, ultra low-cost printing
– Great text and image quality
Brother MFC-J995DW
– Under $200
– Print, scan, copy, fax
– 12 ppm black / 10 ppm color
– 150-sheet tray
– High-yield, low-cost INKvestment Tank cartridges
– Highly reliable, low maintenance
The moral of the story? Don‘t settle for a second-rate printer to save a few bucks or a few inches of desk space. With options like these, you can get all the features and performance you need without driving yourself crazy or draining your bank account. Your future self will thank you.
FAQs About Canon Pixma Printers
Q: Are Canon printers really that bad?
A: Some people have perfectly fine experiences with Canon printers. But many Pixma models tend to have quality and reliability issues that result in a frustrating user experience, especially for the price.
Q: How long do Canon Pixma printers last?
A: With proper care and maintenance, a Canon Pixma printer should last around 3-5 years. But many users find that print quality and reliability start to suffer after a year or two of regular use.
Q: Why do Canon printer ink cartridges run out so fast?
A: Some believe that Canon intentionally programs its printers to use more ink than necessary in order to sell more cartridges. Ink can also expire or dry up quickly if you don‘t print often.
Q: Do I have to use Canon brand ink cartridges in my Pixma printer?
A: Canon strongly recommends using only genuine Canon inks to avoid damaging the printheads. But you can find much cheaper third-party cartridges that work just fine in most Pixma models. Just be sure to choose a reputable brand.
Hopefully, this gives you a more complete picture of the pros and cons of Canon Pixma printers. Happy (or at least tolerable) printing!
