Canon Pixma MP510 user reviews

4.5 stars

"Great Printer" on February 10, 2007 by spsmyth

Pros: Easy to setup and use

Cons: Only four cartridge printing system

Summary: I have had this printer only two days and already it has surpassed my expectations. Having had 6 inkjets from HP, Lexmark and Epson in the past 4 years (the best being the lowly HP 920c the worst being the Lexmark x85) I feel I am qualified to review this item.

Canon printers were not even on my radar when I started looking again, but I decided to do some more preliminary research, and take user reviews to heart this time. When comparing editorial reviews to user reviews, Canon was always closer than anyone else, i.e. if the editorial rating was 7.7, users usually rated it within .2 to one full point +/-. I figured if HPs and Lexmarks were getting 7's from editorial but averaging 4 from the users, that was a printer to avoid.

The editors are correct about the MP510. It is not as full featured as the MP530, MP600, or MP830. The main feature I wanted was five color printing. While this was not a deal breaker, it did put the MP510 at the bottom of my top three. The only reason I settled on it was I could not get to Fry's in time for the sale to get a refurbed MP830 or new MP600 for $149. I needed a printer right then, however, and purchased the MP510 on sale for $129.95.

Anyway, here are the guts:
Hardware Setup: Extremely easy, but long. Getting the printer out of its protective cocoon is more akin to surgery than unpacking a device. The printer is very sturdy and nicely made with shiny plastic. This means a lot of static cling membranes and orange tape. On the poster, they say you need to note the serial number inside the unit for product registration. Don't make yourself crazy, if you bought new, the SN is on the bar code plastered to the outside of the box. Once you are plugged in, with power off, you can connect to your computer and install the software. Also, do not listen to the salesperson. The printer does not come with a USB cable, but you don't need to spend a lot on a special USB 2.0 certified cable, any good USB will do.

Software Setup: Very straightforward. You may opt for the easy install or the custom. I went easy this time because there as Omnipage SE 4.0 in there and I would like a decent character recognition program. Product registration online is a snap and gets you privy to Canon's creator Website with clip art, greeting cards and paper projects.

Output: The printer has two paper trays, in the back for everything (this is the default) and one in the front for letter, legal and A4 sizes. I started using the front tray, but have since started using the rear as I can see no way to change the front tray to the default. I test printed a map from Google Maps and got great results. It is faster out than most laser printers. Text quality is great. I also printed a photo from my Kodak DC3400 digital camera on 4x6 Canon Glossy Photo Plus paper. As good as the lab. I was very shocked to see that I still have a lot of ink left after that. I have not tested the copier or the scanner as yet. I do like the LCD screen; sharp and clear and I can see it in the location I have decided to put the device.

At Fry's the number 5 black cartridge is $15.99 and the number 8 color carts are $13.99. The printer actually comes with full carts.

All-in-all, if you need a decent printer with multifunction capabilities and if you can find it for the price I did, this is an excellent device. Get it.