- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Our Verdict
- Test Results
- Differences
- Compared To Others
- Deals
- Discussions
The Canon PIXMA G1220 is a mediocre family printer. Thanks to its supertank ink system, it yields an outstanding number of pages for both black-only and color documents, which results in an exceptional cost-per-print. It produces decently detailed images, although there's some banding and graininess in certain areas. Color accuracy is reasonable and should be fine for casual photo printing, but it isn't recommended for professional use or tasks that require exact color reproduction. Unfortunately, it prints both black and color documents very slowly, but at least photos come out quickly. Also, it doesn't have any wireless connectivity options or even an Ethernet port; oddly, it doesn't come with a USB cable, even though it's the only way to print with it.
Our Verdict
The Canon PIXMA G1220 is mediocre for family use. It lacks a scanner, so it isn't ideal if you like digitizing photos or documents. It produces decent-looking images with reasonably accurate colors, but there's some banding and a lot of graininess. It also can't print wirelessly and isn't compatible with any mobile app. On the plus side, it has an exceptional page yield for both black-only and color documents, which keeps the cost-per-print very low.
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Outstandingly low cost-per-print.
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Reasonable color accuracy.
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Exceptionally high page yield.
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Easy access to paper jams and ink tanks.
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Banding and graininess in images.
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Very slow printing speed for documents.
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No scanner.
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No wireless connectivity options.
The Canon PIXMA G1220 is disappointing for small or home offices since it doesn't have a scanner. Also, it prints very slowly, and you can't print wirelessly. However, it yields an outstanding number of pages, which results in a very low cost-per-print. Also, it provides easy access to paper jams and ink tanks, but its build quality is only okay. Note that it doesn't come with a USB cable, even though it's the only way you can print with it.
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Outstandingly low cost-per-print.
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Exceptionally high page yield.
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Easy access to paper jams and ink tanks.
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Very slow printing speed for documents.
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No scanner.
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No duplex scanning.
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No wireless connectivity options.
The Canon PIXMA G1220 is only okay for students. While it has an exceptionally low cost-per-print thanks to its supertank ink system, it's very slow at printing. It doesn't feature a scanner, and it has no wireless connection options, meaning you can't print via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, or even off a USB thumb drive. You can print only by connecting it to your computer via a USB cable; however, it isn't included, so you need to buy one yourself.
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Outstandingly low cost-per-print.
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Exceptionally high page yield.
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Easy access to paper jams and ink tanks.
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Very slow printing speed for documents.
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No scanner.
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No wireless connectivity options.
The Canon PIXMA G1220 is adequate for black and white printing. It yields an exceptionally high number of black pages, which results in a very low cost-per-print. However, it prints documents extremely slow, and it doesn't have a scanner. It also can't automatically print double-sided. While it provides good access to paper jams and ink tanks, its build quality is just okay.
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Outstandingly low cost-per-print.
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Exceptionally high page yield.
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Easy access to paper jams and ink tanks.
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Very slow printing speed for documents.
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No scanner.
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No duplex scanning.
The Canon PIXMA G1220 is decent for casual photos. It produces reasonably accurate colors, and image quality should be satisfactory enough for filling up a photo album, but since there's a bit of banding and graininess, it isn't recommended for professional use. Printing in color is very affordable thanks to its exceptional supertank system, and photos come out amazingly fast.
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Fast photo printing speed.
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Outstandingly low cost-per-print.
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Reasonable color accuracy.
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Banding and graininess in images.
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Can't print 2" x 3" photo sizes.
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No scanner.
- 6.4 Family
- 5.0 Small/Home Office
- 6.5 Student
- 6.8 Black & White
- 7.2 Casual Photo
- Updated Jan 29, 2021: Review published.
- Updated Jan 26, 2021: Early access published.
Test Results
The Canon PIXMA G1220 has okay build quality. Its plastic body and the output tray feel fairly solid, and it has a removable power cable which makes it easy to replace if needed. It provides good access to paper jams and ink tanks by lifting the top lid. The lid can stay open on its own, but there's no dampener, so it slams shut if you don't guide it down slowly. Unfortunately, the individual ink covers feel flimsy. Also, parts of the printer's body lift when too much pressure is applied to it. It only has a USB Type-B port, and it can't be plugged into your router with an Ethernet cable or be used wirelessly. Oddly, it doesn't come with a USB cable.
The Canon PIXMA G1220 is fairly compact and shouldn't take up too much space on a desk.
The Canon PIXMA G1220 doesn't have a display screen. Instead, it has four physical buttons: Power, Cancel/Resume, Ok/Align Page, and Change Paper Format.
- User manual
- Power cable
- 1 x Black print head (not pictured)
- 1 x Color print head (not pictured)
- Canon GI-21 ink bottles
- 3 x GI-21 PGBK
- 1 x GI-21 Cyan
- 1 x GI-21 Yellow
- 1 x GI-21 Magenta
The Canon PIXMA G1220 has an incredible supertank system. Instead of using disposable cartridges, it uses four large-capacity tanks that you refill yourself with bottles of ink. It yields an exceptional number of pages, so you shouldn't need to refill the tanks very often. The printer doesn't allow you to keep printing in color if the black ink tank is empty. Like the Canon PIXMA G6020 and the Canon PIXMA G7020, it comes with three large black ink bottles, which should last you a while.
While you can technically fill the supertanks with any third-party ink, we didn't try it and don't recommend doing so. Low-quality ink can damage the print heads, and, unlike standard inkjet printers, the ink can't be simply removed if there's a problem. Using third-party supplies can also void your warranty.
The Canon PIXMA G1220 doesn't have a scanner. If you prefer having a scanner, check out the Canon PIXMA G2260 or the Canon PIXMA G3260.
The Canon PIXMA G1220 has an outstandingly low cost-per-print. Since it yields a large number of pages, you don't need to refill the tanks very often, and let alone buy new ink bottles. You can also subscribe to Canon's Auto Replenishment Service, which automatically orders and delivers ink to you when you're running low.
The Canon PIXMA G1220 is slow at printing. The first page of a black-only text document takes a while to come out, and subsequent pages hardly get faster. Color documents are also very slow, but photos print amazingly fast. It can't automatically print double-sided, so you need to manually flip over each page when prompted.
It produces reasonably accurate-looking colors. While it isn't recommended for tasks that require exact color reproduction, it should be fine if you're adding color to a report or printing casual photos. If color accuracy matters a lot to you, check out the HP DeskJet 2755e.
The Canon PIXMA G1220 has decent photo printing quality, but there's a lot of graininess in faces and a bit of banding when printing some colors.
These results are based on the actual physical photo, not the scanned image provided for reference above, which may not be representative of the printer's photo print quality.
The rear input tray has width sliders to accommodate most common paper formats.
The Canon PIXMA G1220 has terrible connectivity options. You can only print by plugging it into your computer via a USB-A to USB-B cable. Oddly, this cable isn't included with the printer. If you want to print wirelessly, check out its variant, the Canon PIXMA G3260.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Canon PIXMA G1220 has a few variants, like the Canon PIXMA G2260, which is nearly identical but includes a flatbed scanner, and the Canon PIXMA G3260, which has a flatbed scanner and wireless connectivity options. You can see the label of our unit here.
Compared To Other Printers
The Canon PIXMA G1220 is mediocre for family use, and it falls short when compared to many other supertank printers. Unlike the other supertank models we've tested, it has terrible connectivity options since you can't use it wirelessly or plugged directly into your router via an Ethernet cable. You can only connect to it with a USB cable, although, like the similar Canon PIXMA G1200, the cable isn't included in the box. It also doesn't have a scanner. Fortunately, it can yield an incredible number of both black and color pages, and its cost-per-print for photos is among the lowest we've tested. For other options, check out our recommendations for the best home printers, the best office printers, and the best printers with cheap ink.
The Canon PIXMA G3260 is better than the Canon PIXMA G1220. While the G1220 yields slightly more color pages, it isn't enough to make its cost-per-print lower. The G3260 has a flatbed scanner, better color accuracy, and prints photos with less banding. However, the G3260 is much slower at printing images. It can print via Wi-Fi, and it supports Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service, but like the G1220, the G3260 doesn't come with a USB cable for wired printing.
The Epson Expression ET-2750 is a better family printer than the Canon PIXMA G1220, but the Canon is an acceptable option if you mostly want to print photos. The Epson has a flatbed scanner and it prints much faster. It also supports wireless printing via Wi-Fi, Apple AirPrint, and Mopria Print Service. While the Epson yields more black ink pages, the Canon yields more color pages and costs less per print for photos and color documents. It also has much better color accuracy.
The Epson EcoTank ET-2760 is a better family printer than the Canon PIXMA G1220, but the Canon is a better option if you intend to print photos. Both printers use a supertank, but the Epson yields more black pages and at a lower cost-per-print. The Epson also has a scanner, a great variety of wireless printing options, and it prints much faster. However, the Canon yields more color pages at a lower cost-per-print than the Epson, and it has better photo quality.
The Canon PIXMA G2260 is better than the Canon PIXMA G1220. While the G1220 yields slightly more color pages, both printers have the same cost-per-print. The G2260 has a flatbed scanner, better color accuracy, and it prints photos with less banding. Otherwise, both printers have no wireless connectivity options, and neither come with the USB cable required for printing.
The Canon PIXMA G1220 and the Canon PIXMA G1200 are very similar supertank printers. Neither have a scanner, a display screen, or wireless connection options, automatic duplex printing. Both can only be used with a USB-A to USB-B cable, which neither comes with. Otherwise, the biggest difference is that the G1220 has more physical buttons, and it yields more pages than the G1200.
The Canon PIXMA G6020 is better for family use than the Canon PIXMA G1220. The G6020 features a flatbed scanner, wireless connectivity options, an Ethernet port, and a mobile app. Also, it has better photo quality. Although the G1220 yields more pages for both black and color ink, its cost-per-print is nearly identical to the G6020.
The Epson EcoTank ET-2720 and the Canon PIXMA G1220 are both inkjet printers with supertank system, but the Epson also has a flatbed scanner whereas the Canon is a printer-only unit. The Epson has more wireless connectivity options, including a mobile app that you can use with your phone. On the other hand, the Canon has significantly higher page yields and a lower cost-per-print.
The Brother MFC-J995DW is better overall than the Canon PIXMA G1220, but the Canon may be a better option if you only intend to print. The Brother has a scanner, a much faster printing speed, better photo quality, and it offers wireless printing, while the Canon can only print via a USB cable plugged directly into your computer. However, the Canon yields many more pages and it costs less per print since it uses a supertank that holds a lot of ink.
The HP Smart Tank Plus 551 and the Canon PIXMA G1220 are both supertank printers with an exceptional cost-per-print. While the Canon has a slightly higher black page yield, the HP yields significantly more color pages. The HP also has better color accuracy, wireless printing options, a mobile app, and a flatbed scanner.