For a graduation present, I received a Canon Pixma MX310 All-In-One a few years ago. I would like to share my take on the printer’s quality and features, having owned it myself for a few years now.

As is the standard for All-in-one printers, the MX310 can Print, Scan, Copy and Fax. I have used all the features rather extensively except for the fax component. I will talk about each feature individually and then discuss a few other printer considerations.

The print feature on the MX310 is excellent. The installation software was easy to comprehend and I was able to connect the printer and print a few test documents within minutes of opening the box. Printing is reasonably fast and doesn’t seem as prone to jams as other printers on the market. The ink usage is fairly high, unfortunately, and the cartridges cannot be refilled, but replacement ink is modestly priced and can be found online for as little as $22 at a reputable dealer like 4inkjets. For the tech geeks, it prints up to 600×600 dpi in monochrome at 22 pages/minute and 4800×1200 dpi in color at 17 pages/minute.

Copying is also easy. The Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) is effective and comfortably holds up to thirty pages.. Copies are very crisp and clear, as would be expected from the quality Canon brandname. Copying of photos on photo-quality paper produces products almost impossible to distinguish from professionally developed photos.

The scanner is of similar high quality. My only issue with the printer, it seems, is when it comes to using the scanner feature. I always have trouble shfiting the printer into scanning mode. Often, I have to press the ‘scan’ button several times before the machine moseys into scan mode. After the scanning is complete, the quality, however, is great.

I don’t know much about the fax. From what I’ve seen online, opinions vary. The 20-number phone number storage capacity is appreciated, but the lack of options is picked at. For more precise information about the fax’s capabilities, I frankly suggest you look elsewhere on the web for reviews.

The largest complaint I have with the printer is its awkwardly large size. The printer is gigantic. It extends over most of my desk! I can’t fit my laptop on my desk if the printer is on it. The printer also makes a lot of noise. Also, when the printer indicates it is low on ink, there are actually 30-40 pages left (from my experience). I don’t know if this in intentional on Canon’s part, but it’s not very eco-friendly.

Pros: Good quality, very efficient.

Cons: Ink glutton, can’t refill ink cartridges, large size.

Final verdict: 3/5. Even though the quality and productivity are excellent, the cost to replace the ink and the large physical size is damning. It is a quality printer, but when I buy my next printer model myself, I will be looking for a smaller, quieter and more ink-efficient model.

Try inkcartridges.com for great deals on cheap ink cartridges.

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Computer Hardware & Accessories