Canon 4498B030 Wireless Color Photo Printer with Scanner and Copier

After 5 years of dependable use, my Canon MP530 stopped working. I believe it had something to do with the ink cartridges I was using because they were generics I got on eBay. I had used them successfully for years but they were the type that you had to glue the chip on, and I never found a fully satisfactory way to handle this delicate business. So I wasn't too surprised when I eventually got error messages. I tried replacing the cartridges with genuine Canon cartridges, but the error messages still didn't go away, so I suspect the sensor went out and it was time to get a new printer. This time I wanted to find something smaller and simpler; a scanner and printer to use with my desktop computer and not much else. I use a printer mostly for black and white text documents, not for photos. I send my photos to a photo lab. It is more cost efficient and of superior quality to anything I've gotten out of a home printer. I also needed a quality scanner. I found both those features in the Canon MP280. It is lightweight, simple, and attractive. The prints and scans are excellent quality. I like that it has only 2 ink cartridges compared to the 5 cartridges in my MP530. The noise factor isn't a problem for me. I don't find it excessive. I have no idea why Canon didn't provide a printer cable, but I already had the cable from my MP530. Aside from that, I love my Canon MP280 and would recommend it to anyone who needs a simple printer/scanner for light to moderate use.

Okay, I admit it. I bought this printer because it is cheap and I do not need it very often and then only for a page or two at a time. I have had some horrible Amazon experiences with tech products, but because this machine seems to be available nowhere else for anything near the Amazon price I gave them another chance.Delivery was miraculously efficient. UPS dumped the poorly packed and virtually falling apart Amazon box on my doorstep wrong side up, but the machine itself was packed in its own Canon box with the customary styrofoam braces, so I did not notice any damage in unpacking it. I had to wait for the separately ordered usb cable but within 2 hours I had the machine up and running and cranking (literally) out pages in fast mode which is entirely adequate for my purposes, which relate principally to printing from an old dos program (dbase III plus). This requires one to enable sharing under Properties and to specify net use lpt1: \\(computer name)\(printer name) from the dos prompt, but I doubt more than 6 people still care about this and those to whom this means nothing should not worry about it.I would not recommend this printer to those needing one for long documents, but for a page or two at a time it seems fine (so far).

It's a very, very basic printer (not wireless and doesn't print both sides) BUT for me, it's perfect. It's (comparatively) quiet, fast and - despite all the printing I've done over the past 6 weeks - it is still going strong on the original ink cartridges. Installation was quick and without any problems. IF I had bothered to read all the reviews on Amazon on this product, I would have found it $30.00 less at Walmart. That being said, I don't shop at Walmart for personal reasons and the printer was delivered to my door. Since I live quite a hike from my parking space, just this luxury of having something delivered was worth the extra bucks. BACKGROUND to this purchase: I had an HP for years and loved it but fixing it was too costly. So, after hours of searching the web, and comparing reviews & prices, I bought a Brothers printer because supposedly the printer would work even if the color cartridges were low. This was NOT the case. It went through ink like water thru a sieve and it was extremely noisy.

I got this printer in a super rush because my HP inkjet up and died mere days before my wedding (needed print out direction on how to get to the wedding reception [wouldn't do for the groom to get lost, now would it?]) and my decision was based on exactly two things:1. I've purchased Canon Printers before when I was an IT Support Specialist for a City and people LOVED them.2. I needed something dirt cheap and I needed it NOW.This printer does NOT disappoint.Unlike HP's new INSANELY bloated drivers that consume your PC alive (along with your heart and soul possibly) the installation of software is quick and easy and for the most part installs software that you will actually use and that actually functions without crashing every five minutes.The printer is fast, relatively quiet (for an inkjet), and has EXCELLENT quality scans and printouts.I've used this printer to print out glossy and matte wedding photos and they look spectacular (indistinguishable from high-quality photographs).I have had ZERO problems with this printer. Highly recommended. And at this price, I would GLADLY buy a new one if it broke in a year or three.

I have had trouble with this printer since I received it 11/16/11. First I couldn't get it to print in color than the ink ran out in after about 3 weeks. it was the ink that was in the box with the printer. I purchased new ink and since it isn't Canon ink it doesn't print everything or it says I am low or out of ink and they are new cartridge. I did call customer service in Dec. about about the color (which was their ink) and they couldn't help. I got new ink. the printer only prints sometime and says it is low in ink or there is no ink. I called again and they said they couldn't help this time because I wasn't their ink. I told them I even had trouble with their ink too but since it was over 15 days they couldn't or wouldn't help me help me. I DON'T recommend this printer or company too anyone.

How annoying. They don't give the USB cord to get started. I won't know how this machine operates for 10 more days when the chord I need to connect it to my computer arrives.Should have read the reviews first, as I am not the first one to note this.