Canon Pixma MX522 Pro Reviews

Like the Pixma MX512 before it, the MX522 prints respectable-looking business documents and photos. It also copies and scans well. The problem is that we can make this claim about several other low-end business-oriented AIOs these days, and many of those are not as slow as this one, nor do they cost nearly as much on a per-page basis to use. While we found this Pixma’s overall performance serviceable, we couldn’t find any reasons to promote it above the pack. As we have said repeatedly about these entry-level Pixmas, since they are entry-level machines, we could live with their slow printing. Small offices and workgroups that need a higher-speed, higher-volume AIO really should look to slightly costlier midrange or higher-end models, such as the HP OfficeJet Pro 8600 Plus$212.87 at EnterComputers.com, which, if you shop around, you can find for about $70 to $80 more than this Pixma. You may spend a little more up front, but you’ll get much better value, in terms of speed and ink cost, over the long haul. You can also find AIOs in the same price range as the MX522, such as HP’s OfficeJet 6700 Premium e-All-in-One, that print faster and provide much lower CPPs. Our bottom line is that the Pixma MX522 is a capable, easy-to-use AIO for entry-level buyers, but we can recommend it only for small and home offices with very modest printing needs.

Basically a beefed-up version of the Canon Pixma MX452 Wireless Office All-In-One Printer$88.99 at BuyDig.com that I recently reviewed, the Canon Pixma MX522 Wireless Office All-In-One Printer$126.99 at BuyDig.com adds enough extras to easily justify the higher price. Most notably, it adds an Ethernet port, a duplexer (for two-sided printing), a color LCD for the front panel menu, and the ability to print from a USB memory key. The extras make it that much more attractive as either a personal printer in any size office or for the dual role of home and home-office printer.