Canon PIXMA MP280 multifunction printer
The no-frills MP280 multifunction inkjet may fall short on features, but its speed and print quality are solid
Pros
- Low purchase price, exceptional text and image output
Cons
- Black ink is expensive, control panel can be hard to understand
Bottom Line
The no-frills Canon Pixma MP280 multifunction printer may fall short on features, but its speed and print quality are as good as you'll find on pricier models.
-
Price
$ 79.00 (AUD)
At just $79 (as of August 20, 2010), the Canon Pixma MP280 color inkjet multifunction printer (print/copy/scan) is priced to tempt budget-minded users. It offers impressive output quality, but its minimal features and higher-than-average ink costs mean that only low-volume users need apply.
The Pixma MP280's speed is middling. On a PC, plain-text pages averaged 5.6 pages per minute, and photos came out at 1.5 ppm. Its text speed was identical on a Mac, but the higher-resolution photo we used in that test understandably took longer. Scanning and copying were slower than average.
Where the Pixma MP280 really shines is in the quality of its output. At default settings on plain paper, text looked nicely black and very smooth, but photos appeared too orangey; the effect disappeared when we switched to Canon's own photo paper. Color copies were precise and vivid.
There's no doubt that the Pixma MP280 is designed for low-volume use. It has neither an automatic document feeder for the scanner nor automatic duplexing for the printer, and it sports only a single 100-sheet, vertical paper feed in the rear. Though it comes with manual duplex help for PC users, Mac users get nothing. The software is the same capable printing/scanning/editing bundle you get with Canon's more-expensive units. The control panel's buttons are labelled, but the bulk of communication relies too heavily on a single-digit LED and a small array of indicator lights; their codes and flashing are impossible to understand unless you consult the on-screen manual.
The standard-size, 220-page black costs $29.50, or 13 cents per page. The 224-page, tri-chamber colour cartridge costs $33.95 or 15 cents per page. A four-colour page would cost an above-average 16.6 cents. The high-yield inks offer little relief: The $42.96, 401-page black is a pricey 10 cents per page, while the $44.95, 349-page color cartridge costs 12 cents per page. A low-volume user might be able to tolerate such costs.
The Canon Pixma MP280 has a price to please students or other monetarily challenged shoppers--and it produces output worth showing around. Just don't expect much from the features, or the ink pricing.
Brand Post
Most Popular Reviews
- 1 Dell U3223QE review: A winning debut for an IPS Black monitor
- 2 HP Spectre x360 16 review: The right 2-in-1 at the wrong time
- 3 Acer K242HYL review: An affordable monitor for any occasion
- 4 GeForce Now review: You bring the games, Nvidia streams the hardware
- 5 Asus ProArt PA279CV monitor review: The go-to for content creators on a budget
Latest News Articles
- Canon ink is freaking out after shipping without crucial chips. Here’s how to fix it
- Epson RapidReceipt RR-600W scanner released for home offices
- Epson announces heat-free EcoTank printers
- Ricoh delivers new high speed, black and white, office printers
- Canon’s Pixma Endurance has a new name
Resources
Macworld
What's new, plus best mac-related tips
and tricks
Business Centre
The latest business news, reviews, features and whitepapers
Videos
Watch our video news and reviews from around the world
Guides
Comprehensive buying guides, features, and step-by-step articles
PCW Evaluation Team
Pedro Peixoto
Aruba Instant On AP11D
Set up is effortless.
Cate Bacon
Aruba Instant On AP11D
The strength of the Aruba Instant On AP11D is that the design and feature set support the modern, flexible, and mobile way of working.
Dr Prabigya Shiwakoti
Aruba Instant On AP11D
Aruba backs the AP11D up with a two-year warranty and 24/7 phone support.
Tom Pope
Dynabook Portégé X30L-G
Ultimately this laptop has achieved everything I would hope for in a laptop for work, while fitting that into a form factor and weight that is remarkable.
Tom Sellers
MSI P65
This smart laptop was enjoyable to use and great to work on – creating content was super simple.
Lolita Wang
MSI GT76
It really doesn’t get more “gaming laptop” than this.
Featured Content
- Which Lenovo Laptop Should I Buy?
- Every TV in Samsung's 2022 line-up: OLED, Neo QLED and more!
- Top 10 best Android and Apple phones for under $600
- Everything you need to know about Smart TVs
- What's the difference between an Intel Core i3, i5 and i7?
- Laser vs. inkjet printers: which is better?