Canon Pixma MX860

Pros: Very easy setup

Cons: Very poor faxing functionality.

Summary: I originally bought the HP Premium Fax C309a AIO. What a useless piece of junk. The software had so many bugs, I finally got fed up and returned it to the store. The Canon replaced it. Setup was a breeze, even the wireless setup worked flawlessly the first time.

I am however very disappointed with the fax functionality. I use faxing quite a bit in my business and my previous printer, a HP 3100 LaserJet, had a great Jetsuite Fax program. I thought the Canon software would be similar but it is not at all. For example:

1. If you put a fax in the ADF, you have to use the Canon control panel to send the fax, you cannot use the software on the computer. So that means you cannot use your address book to send the fax.

2. If you want to send a fax from your computer (say a Word document) you cannot put a separate document in the ADF and append it to the original document.

3. You cannot markup a fax sent from the computer. Sometimes I fax invoices and with the Jetsuite software I could do a preview and then markup the invoice to say "Past Due" or whatever. Not possible with the Canon.

4. You can receive to memory or not. If you do the faxes will not print automatically. You have to tell the machine to print them. If you do not receive to memory and the fax prints incorrectly there is no way to reprint it. It's gone because it was never stored in memory.

I spoke to the Canon tech about these shortcomings and his words were "Canon does not write faxing software" as if that justified everything.

I am seriously considering returning this machine as well because of these shortcomings. It simply boggles my mind that Canon would include such poor fax software with their equipment.