Canon PIXMA MX512 Pro Reviews

Canon makes some very nice multifunction printers, but the company’s efforts to reinvent the control panel make the Pixma MX512 more irksome to use than it should be, and the pricey black ink will cut into your bottom line.

The Canon PIXMA MX512 packs in four devices - print, scan, copy and fax - and more in a compact, good looking and easy to use box. The text and photo quality were as good as we've seen from a Pixma in the Office AIO lineup, its Energy Star qualified (and beats the pants off any laser-class competition in energy use) and it includes a number of useful business features: auto duplexing, 30-sheet ADF, front side USB with memory card reader, dual function panel, AirPrint, etc. The cons are frustrating for sure - slow color document printing and a smaller fold out tray - but not necessarily a deal breaker for Canon's target SOHO audience since they may be working with lighter print volumes. Ink is never cheap, and Canon has yet to come out with an affordable option like Kodak or Lexmark, but with the Pixma MX512's two cartridge system, you can purchase a set of high capacity cartridges for $50.

If you take ink price out of the equation, the Pixma MX512, in isolation, is a very good low-cost inkjet. Alas, though, that would be like ignoring the fact that a car you're considering buying can only run on high-octane fuel. Frankly, if Canon would sell its ink cartridges for this model at a more competitive per-page price, we'd have no reservations about recommending it. The Pixma MX512's printed, copied, and scanned output are all good quality, and its $149.99 price, considering all the productivity and convenience features you get, is a good value. The problem is that you can find several models on the market already that provide good print and reproduction quality without taking you to the cleaners each time you buy ink.

The Canon Pixma MX512 Wireless Office All-in-One offers a long list of features, but unless your print needs are extremely light duty, the high cost per page limits its appeal.