Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

**Six weeks later Update*** - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This is my final update. I decided to keep this printer because my husband thought he could make it work with Off-Brand cartridges. He did. Before I go into the amazing print quality (using affordable, non-Canon toner) I want to point out that Canon wants to sell us cartridges not printers. The printer is a loss leader. Replacing all the cartridges using Canon branded toner costs as much as the printer, the first time. In the long-term, you'll end up shelling thousands of dollars for this printer in toner cartridge costs. Furthermore, it is not illegal to use off-brand toner. This printer will try to convince you otherwise. You will get messages reading "counterfeit cartridges" regularly when using affordable options. (None of us would stand for having to use LG brand eggs on an LG stove to cook our kids breakfast. I can use my backyard chicken eggs and my stove doesn't warn me that I am using counterfeit eggs.) This message is yet another strategy to force you to drop another $400+ for cartridges. Okay, now how do you get Off-brand cartridges to work? It is not easy! Every time you install new cartridges, you have to reset the printer to factory settings. This is done by tapping the Menu button then selecting Management Settings, then Initialize then answering Yes. If you plan on using this as a fax machine (with an address book) this completely breaks that functionality. (Since your address book will be erased every time you initialize the machine.) Finally, I added several photos of print jobs using the original toner, off-brand (non-high capacity) toner, and off-brand (high capacity) toner. Each picture includes descriptions of the type of toner used, printer settings, as well as the print dates. I purposely chose a vivid, colorful cover to some homeschool curriculum we are using. Pay close attention to the blue in the butterfly and the reds in the lobster. The off-brand, high-capacity cartridges work better than the Canon brand ones. (We bought both normal capacity and high-capacity off brand cartridges here on Amazon.) So, in short, so long as you never plan on saving any custom settings or address books, you can use off-brand cartridges, despite the printer trying to convince you it is not legal by using the word "counterfeit". (It is totally legal to use non-Canon brand cartridges.) (My final rating has fluctuated and now stands at a 2. Having to reset my printer, every time I replace the toner, just to avoid price gouging is the main factor in this rating.) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ***One week later update*** - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This is the first printer I have ever owned that will not take off-brand cartridges. It is locked down. I am not going to pay the same price for the printer over again every time I need to replace my toner. I have one more off brand set of cartridges coming (these with a chip). If these do not work, I plan on returning this entire printer and getting one that will work with off brand cartridges. ***Second update*** I purchased a different set of compatible toners (non cannon brand) with a chip. Yellow is out. Despite the new toner being full, the printer will not print with it. Any color jobs are dim and the color yellow (specifically) comes out very light. I loved the features I described above but, unfortunately, I must send it back. I will not buy their over priced cartridges and am now seeking out a printer that accepts off-brand toner. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Here is my original review from shortly after the printer arrived: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This thing just arrived today and so far so good! I wanted: (1) Automatic double sided printing (2) Wireless connectivity (3) AirPrint (4) copy/scan capabilities I have not tried out the scan yet but I printed out 125 full-color pages of my daughter's homeschool math workbook to test it out. Overall, the printed workbook looks beautiful and nearly professional. The page numbers and headers printed out a bit light. I am not sure if that is because the headers and footers are typeset in a light blue font or because I'm using the default cartridges that came with the printer. All that said, I'm definitely happy with this purchase and I'm looking forward to trying the double-sided scanning and how well this prints on vinyl sticker paper.