Canon is a well-known brand in the world of photography and printing. They have a large catalog of printers to meet the needs of general consumers and businesses, with their PIXMA and imageCLASS lines being the most popular. They make both inkjet and laser printers, color and monochrome, and have a large selection of budget options. With their experience in photography, their printers are usually the go-to option for casual and professional photo printing, as they tend to offer superior color quality than their competitors.
Updates
- 01/27/2026Canon PIXMA TR7120 reviewed
- 11/05/2025Canon Color imageCLASS MF665Cdw reviewed
- 05/29/2025Canon PIXMA MG3620 updated
- 05/29/2025Canon PIXMA TR160 reviewed
- 04/16/2025Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310 reviewed
We've tested over 170 printers since 2020 with one goal in mind: to give you reliable, unbiased reviews that help you choose the right printer for your needs. To keep things fair, we purchase every product ourselves from major retailers, just like you would. Each printer then goes through a thorough, standardized testing process that evaluates all the key factors you should consider when buying a new model. From build quality and cost per print to color accuracy and overall performance, we provide as much detail as possible to guide your decision.
Want to learn more about our methods? Look at our How We Test Printers article for a deep dive into our testing procedures.
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Best Canon Printer
Build QualityEstimated Black Page YieldprintsEstimated Color Page YieldprintsDocument QualityScanningPrinting SpeedBlack-Only Printing CostUS$/printSee all our test resultsColor Printing CostUS$/printThe Canon Color imageCLASS MF665Cdw tops our list of the best Canon printers we've tested. It's fast, hitting up to 26 pages per minute, and it prints sharp, crisp documents consistently. Connectivity is flexible too, so accessing the printer from different devices is straightforward. The built-in scanner handles multi-page and double-sided documents quickly through its automatic feeder and delivers impressive results. Since it's a laser printer, you also won't have to worry about clogging.
Page yields are also outstanding. A single set of toners gets you around 2,300 black and 2,400 color prints. The cartridges are a bit expensive, but you won't need to replace them frequently, so the long-term cost is reasonable. Maintenance is also simpler than you'd expect, since each cartridge includes the drum, and you won't need to buy one separately. That said, an integrated drum has a tradeoff: the drum usually outlasts the toner, so you'll end up replacing it sooner than necessary. Photos are where this printer struggles, producing results that tend to look low-res, dull, and grainy. If high photo quality matters as much as high print volume, the Canon PIXMA G6020 is worth a look as our next pick.
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Best Mid-Range Canon Printer
Build QualityEstimated Black Page YieldprintsEstimated Color Page YieldprintsDocument QualityColor QualityScannerSpeedBlack-Only Printing CostUS$/printSee all our test resultsColor Printing CostUS$/printIf you don't need all the bells and whistles of a high-end model like the Canon Color imageCLASS MF665Cdw, you can save some money with the Canon PIXMA G6020, one of the best Canon PIXMA printers we've tested. It's a great option for keeping your maintenance costs low, thanks to its refillable ink tank that yields around 4,600 black and 5,300 color prints. Plus, replacement ink is cheap, so you won't have to worry about high maintenance costs if you print a lot. It has the usual Wi-Fi and USB connectivity, plus an Ethernet port.
This model produces high-quality black and color documents. Printed pictures look detailed, and while color accuracy isn't the best, it's not so bad as to make photos look unnatural or poor. Unfortunately, patience is necessary when printing, as it can only churn out eight black or three color pages per minute. The G6020 requires a little more maintenance than laser models, as the printheads can clog after extended use, and refilling the tanks can be messy if you aren't careful. It also only has a flatbed scanner, which makes scanning long documents a chore. If you want a similar model with an automatic document feeder, Canon also makes the Canon PIXMA G7020, but it's getting harder and harder to find.
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Best Budget Canon Printer
Build QualityEstimated Black Page YieldprintsEstimated Color Page YieldprintsDocument QualityScanningPrinting SpeedBlack-Only Printing CostUS$/printSee all our test resultsColor Printing CostUS$/printThe best Canon all-in-one printer in the mid-range price category is the Canon PIXMA TR8620a. It's an all-in-one color inkjet printer with plenty of features to meet every family member's needs. It feels decently well-built and offers wide connectivity options, including wireless printing via Wi-Fi, Apple AirPrint, and Mopria Print Service, making it easily accessible to everyone in the household. The flatbed scanner's lid can extend slightly to accommodate thicker books and documents, and there's an automatic document feeder to make scanning long documents easier. It also has an optical character recognition feature that lets you scan documents into a text file, meaning you can edit the text.
As for its printing performance, it can print excellent-looking photos with plenty of fine details and vibrant colors. Its black page yield isn't that great, so you'll have to replace the black ink cartridge fairly often, but its color page yield is good as it can print over 300 color pages before the ink runs low. The ink cartridges are inexpensive, so the printer doesn't cost much to maintain. Its printing speed is okay; it churns out about 12 black and white or four color pages per minute and can perform automatic double-sided printing. Overall, it's a versatile all-in-one and one of the best Canon printers for home use we've tested. If you find it around the same time, or slightly cheaper, the Canon PIXMA TR7120 is also a good pick. While its display isn't as good, its print quality is very comparable, and it offers slightly better page yields.
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Best Cheap Canon Printer
Build QualityEstimated Black Page YieldprintsEstimated Color Page YieldprintsDocument QualityScanningPrinting SpeedBlack-Only Printing CostUS$/printSee all our test resultsColor Printing CostUS$/printIf you have a tight budget, we recommend the Canon PIXMA MG3620. It's a basic all-in-one inkjet printer with a flatbed scanner, Wi-Fi and USB connectivity, and a two-cartridge system. However, it's still one of the best Canon printers and still produces good-quality documents and photos, so if you're only looking for a printer for the occasional one-off project, this printer can get the job done without costing you too much. The scanner also produces high-quality scans; it just doesn't have an automatic feeder or fax functionality.
The main downside of this printer is its page yield. Like most cheap printers, its two ink cartridges don't yield very many prints. So if you have high-volume printing to do, this printer isn't the best choice as it requires a lot of maintenance, and you may need to interrupt print jobs to change the cartridges. If you print a lot of photos, this printer has another downside: it uses a tri-color cartridge, so you'll have to replace the entire cartridge if only a single color runs out. Again, it's a good option if you only print once in a blue moon, but if you print often, it's better to get a printer with better page yields, like the Canon PIXMA G7020.
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Best Canon Photo Printer
Build QualityEstimated Black Page YieldprintsEstimated Color Page YieldprintsDocument QualityScanningPrinting SpeedBlack-Only Printing CostUS$/printSee all our test resultsColor Printing CostUS$/printFor those looking to print professional-quality photos, check out the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310. Sporting nine ink cartridges, this pigment-based inkjet model produces incredibly detailed and colorful pictures with remarkable color accuracy and deep, inky blacks. It also has a special 'Chroma Optimizer,' which applies a coating to seal printed pictures, giving them better uniformity, shine, and longevity. It supports various paper sizes up to 70 inches in length, as well as borderless printing up to 13" x 19", making it well-suited for creating posters and signs. You can use it to print documents, too; just know that it's extremely slow, pushing only one document page per minute.
Unfortunately, this is a print-only unit with no scanner, so you'll need a separate device if you want to scan anything. As for its cost- per-print, the ink cartridges yield a decent number of pages and aren't overly expensive, but because there are 10 cartridges, the cost can still add up quickly if you print a lot. Lastly, this is a pretty big device and will require a fair amount of desk space.
Compared To Other Brands
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Good photo printing quality.Most of Canon's printers have good photo printing quality, even the budget options.
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Higher color page yield.While most printers from other brands yield more black pages than color pages, Canon's printers tend to have a higher color page yield.
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Many affordable options.Canon has a wide range of budget-friendly models.
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Inkjet printers have low black page yield.Most of Canon's home inkjet printers have a lower black page yield than other brands.
Canon vs Brother
Brother and Canon are both major printer manufacturers that offer a wide variety of printers. Canon is generally better for photo printing quality, and they also have a wider range of professional and portable photo printers. Canon generally makes better color laser printers, but Brother usually makes better monochrome ones. You can see our recommendations for the best Brother printers.
Canon vs Epson
Canon and Epson are very similar overall. The main difference is that Canon still makes laser printers, whereas Epson largely focuses on inkjets. Canon printers are usually better for photo printing, but don't yield as many pages as Epson's EcoTank printers. You can see our recommendations for the best Epson printers.
Canon vs HP
Both HP and Canon make a wide range of printers. Canon focuses more on photo printing, while HP focuses more on general-purpose office and personal printers. Canon laser models usually perform better and cost less. However, those with a large print load might want to consider HP, as it makes laser models with a refillable toner tank, similar to supertank inkjet printers. See our recommendations for the best HP printers.
Compared to other brands, Canon is arguably the best for photo printing. Their inkjet printers tend to have a better color page yield, making them more cost-effective for printing photos. Also, their photo printing quality is usually better, as even the most basic budget option can print good-looking photos. Compared to Brother or Epson, Canon has more options in the budget range. However, if you mainly print in black, it's better to go with one of their laser models, as their inkjet printers tend to have a lower black page yield than other brands.
Lineup
Canon's printer lineup is large and diverse, ranging from consumer-level all-in-ones to large enterprise-grade printers. This list isn't exhaustive and only contains printers available to general consumers.
- PIXMA: Consumer-level printers for personal and home use, also includes photo printers.
- PIXMA G-Series: Refillable ink tank (MegaTank) printers.
- PIXMA PRO: Professional inkjet printers.
- SELPHY/IVY: Compact photo printers.
- MAXIFY: High-yield inkjet printers for small offices, some with MegaTank branding (GX series).
- imageCLASS: Laser printers for home or small offices.
Recent Updates
Mar 04, 2026:
We replaced the Canon imageCLASS MF751Cdw with the newer Canon Color imageCLASS MF665Cdw. It delivers similar performance, with slightly better page yields. We also replaced the now-discontinued Canon PIXMA G7020 with the Canon PIXMA G6020. We added the Canon PIXMA TR7120 as an alternative to the Canon PIXMA TR8620a.
Apr 29, 2025:
Replaced the Canon PIXMA PRO-200 with the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310 because the PRO-310 has better color accuracy and supports more media types.
Jan 27, 2025:
We replaced the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300 with the Canon PIXMA PRO-200 because the Pro-300 is discontinued and no longer available.
Oct 29, 2024:
We added the Canon PIXMA PRO-200 as an alternative to the 'Best Canon Photo Printer' and made small edits throughout for clarity.
Aug 08, 2024: We've done a major overhaul of this article, introducing a new format and new performance usages.
Conclusion
Canon is one of the top companies when it comes to printers. They're also one of the best, if not the best, for photo printing; this isn't surprising, given their long history in photography. They have a large selection of printers at all price points, so you can easily find what you need.