A few years ago, I received a Canon Pixma MX310 All-in-One Printer as a graduation present. I’ve used it for a few years now, and would like to share my take on the quality and features of the product and provide some kind of final verdict.
As is the standard for All-in-one printers, the MX310 can Print, Scan, Copy and Fax. I am familiar with all of the printer’s components except for the Fax feature. I will talk about each feature individually and then discuss a few other printer considerations.
The MX310 really excels at printing. Within minutes of opening the box, I was able to connect everything and print a test document, thanks in part to the comprehensive installation software and user manual. Printing is reasonably fast and doesn’t seem as prone to jams as other printers on the market. Ink usage is rather high, unfortunately, and the ink cartridges cannot be refilled like many other popular models. Replacement ink is not badly priced online, however, where it can be found for as little as $22 from 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 document feeder holds up to 30 pages and the automatic feeder (ADF) works well. Copies are very crisp and clear, as would be expected from the quality Canon brandname. The copying of photos to high-quality photo paper results in photos that are almost impossible to pick out from professionally-developed stills.
The scanner is also a quality tool. I do have an issue with the printer, however, when it comes to scanning. I have always had issues getting the printer to shift to the scan function. Often, I have to press the ‘scan’ button several times before the machine moseys into scan mode. Once the documents are scanner, however, the quality is excellent.
I don’t have any experience with the fax component. From what i’ve read online, reviews seem to be mixed. 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 biggest problem I have with the printer is its large size. The thing is huge. It sprawls over half of my desk! If the printer is already on my desk, I can’t fit my laptop. I’ve used a variety of printers, so I can also say that the printer is relatively loud. The printer indicates its ready for an ink refill, however, when there are still 30-40 pages left in the cartridge. It’s not very eco-friendly, and I hope it wasn’t intentional on Canon’s part.
Pros: Good quality, very efficient.
Cons: High ink usage, inability to refill ink, unwieldly wize.
My final rating is 3 stars out of 5. Even given the higher productivity, the negative features of large ink consumption and physical size are really unfortunate. 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 4inkjets.com for great deals on cheap ink cartridges.
If you enjoyed this article, you might also like...
