Sorry Hewlett Packard, Canon's nabbed your spot! (Canon Pixma iP3600)

Member Name: Sunrisesunset

Product:	Canon Pixma iP3600
Date:	14/10/09 (104 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: cost, print quality, print directly from camera, sleek design

Disadvantages: wacky ink catridge tray, not very accepting of unoffiial cartridges

I used to rely on my university's printers, but when a flood took out the server room, I was left stranded the day my essay was due. I used a housemate's printer, and decided straight away to get my own. I looked on countless websites and decided to go with the Canon Pixma iP3600.

PROCESSING

The printer is very quick, so it should not let you down when you're in a hurry. You can tell it to print, do another task for a few ten or twenty seconds, and the documents will be waiting when you turn back. A word of warning. The printer needs to time to 'warm up' first, so don't expect it to start printing as soon as you turn it on. It seems to ready itself for a minute or so, stops, and then starts printing. After that little exercise, it will print right away when you tell it to.

RELIABILITY

The only time it starts to be a let down is when you use unofficial cartridges. I bought a pack for around £15, instead of buying the more expensive ones under the Canon brand. The printer kept saying that the ink was empty even though I had just changed the catridges, and it still says that the ink is empty to this day (two months later). However, you can still print so it's not the end of the world, but it is slightly irritating.

EASE OF USE

After years with our old Hewlett Packard printer, it was an adjustment having to open the tray the printed sheets emerge from, knowing where to put photo paper and normal sheets, and how to store the tray that holds the paper. However, the printer reminds you when you have forgotten something. A message pops on screen telling you to open the tray, and it will not print until you do so.

It is VERY easy printing directly from a camera. You just plug the camera into the front of the printer via a usb and tell your camera to printer. No need for a screen on the printer, like higher end models include, because you can see it on the camera.

PRINT QUALITY

Very good. I printed some family photos and they looked professionally done, especially on the glossy paper supplied with the printer.

CARTRIDGES

My cartridges lasted for a month shy of a year. As I said the cartridges were a great deal, so I am very pleased. I'm a English Literature student so I printed A LOT of essays this past year, and the cartridges that came with the printer lasted the duration.

Another great thing about the cartridges is the little window on the side. Cartridges from years ago were completely opaque, so you only knew they were finished when it was too late. Now I can keep an eye on the ink levels and order replacements only when I have to.

Changing the cartridges can be a tad difficult. With our old printer we just lifted the lid and the cartridges slid over, waiting to be replaced. Canon likes to play games, though...I lift the lid, the cartridges slid to the left and the back to the right again, where I cannot get to them. Then they slid left again, and just when I reach towards them they slid right again. I haven't figured this out yet. Anyway, eventually they're tired and stop so I can take them out. However, I find myself removing them as quick as I can, because sometimes they slid right again, back into their hiding place.

FINAL WORD

If you need to save the pennies then the iP3600 is for you, but for £20 more- a year later and from a different website- I ordered an iP4600 for my parents. That one allows you to print on Compact Discs, which is great for precious albums, CDs for distribution, etc. Besides that extra ability, they work and look exactly the same.

Summary: Not too cheap or expensive, this printer is ideal for those in the middle

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