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Your New Office Assistant ! & MX870 vs Epson Artisan 810 Review
If you are looking at these reviews for the MX870, you are probably wondering what I was wondering... "What is the difference between the MX870 and MX860 and possibly also how does it compare to the Epson Artisan 810?" They are all top rated by Amazon customers for inkjet all-in-one printers.
They are all awesome! The Epson has more color cartriges, but I...
99 of 113 people found the following review helpful:
Warning: No Direct FAX capability under Mac OS X
Overall, this is an excellent multifunction printer. The other reviews are accurate. It prints, scans and copies well.
BUT... It does NOT provide direct FAX capability under Mac OS X. To send a FAX using a Mac is a two-step process: one must print the document (wasting ink and paper) and then send the FAX. (Direct FAX does work under Windows.)...
This review is from: Canon PIXMA MX870 Wireless Office All-in-One Printer (4206B002) (Electronics)
If you are looking at these reviews for the MX870, you are probably wondering what I was wondering... "What is the difference between the MX870 and MX860 and possibly also how does it compare to the Epson Artisan 810?" They are all top rated by Amazon customers for inkjet all-in-one printers.
They are all awesome! The Epson has more color cartriges, but I am not sure if that matters. I give the nod to the Epson on photo quality, but it might just be a subliminal issue of 'more is better'. My last Epson printer was the Epson 785EPX and it printed amazing photos and graphics, and it also used 6 colors.
Both the Canon and Epson have beautiful quick drying inks. The Canon has a special black ink that is a pigment instead of a dye, which you might like since pigments don't run when wet, so theirs is good for flyers and such. And, by the way, if you've discovered that you really benefit from pigment ink, look into the Epson Workforce 610. It is fast, and all its different colored inks are pigments. Graphics and text are outstanding, but photos a little lacking.
The Canon is a little slower to start printing, but once it gets going it is pretty fast. Both Epson and Canon models have an optional duplexer mode (prints on both sides to save paper - this feature significantly slows down print time if that is important to you) and an automatic paper feed. The paper feed on the Canon is fully integrated and two-sided, so it can copy/scan both sides of a document automatically as well. There are a few hiccups with the 860 on this that the 870 solves.
It's a small pain to reload the reglar A4 8 1/2 by 11 paper in both machines in their lower tray. The Epson has an additional slot on its lower tray for photo paper that some may like. The Canon has an extra paper feed at the back of the unit that is great for printing envelopes, prints, or other types of paper, so you don't have to change your main tray. The rear feeder should accommodate heavier papers and have a less likelihood of jamming because the paper comes straight through the machine with little bending. The projecting tray on the Epson looks and feels flimsy and most people seem worried about that, but remarkably I have never heard of anyone breaking it. The Canon has a cool feature... when you send it a wireless command to print, it automatically lowers its front door for the paper to be collected on, so you can keep the unit all closed up when not in use.
If you use OCR, and I love OCR (optical character recognition that allows you to turn your document scans into text files), you will prefer the Epson because it is integrated into their software package. Canons used to have OCR software, but have stopped in the recent year. Note: If you have Microsoft Office Student and Home version, its program 'OneNote' has OCR for you to use. Most people are totally unaware of it being there. By the way, OneNote is the best program on Microsoft Office. It is what keeps me from just using the free open source office software that is so amazing.
Price-wise, the Epson is about 100 more than the Canon. Amazon has some of the best prices. The newer Canon MX870 isn't even available in most stores yet and probably will run about 50 dollars more than the MX860 for the next six months. Apple users will like the smoother integrated software application of the MX870 that was a small problem on the MX860.
Space-wise the Canon is bigger. Look-wise, the Epson is sharper with its shiny black finish, like a piece of fancy stereo equipment. The Canon has a neutral light beige look. Very officey with clean lines.
They both fax if you ever need that every now and then instead of having to run to your local print shop.
The user interface of the Canon and Epson are both easy to use in different ways. I sort of wish the Canon buttons weren't so flush with the unit, but its not really a big deal. You will need to use the interface to copy and scan, but most print jobs you will want to do from your computer.
The Epson has some fun graphics software extra on it. Again, mostly 'fun' stuff. It also prints on printable CDs and DVDs. This could be important to you. It is the best of any printer at this. I don't need it because I print on CDs using LightScribe on my HP. I like that look better if I am going to customize the CD face.
The Canon has some very useful proprietary software that you will love if you surf the Web and want to copy and print out multiple bits and pieces of articles with ease... even on the same sheet of paper. You can do this anyway with Windows, but Canon's program is easier and faster.
Both Canon and Epson have ink cartridges that are separate from the print head, so it is easier to find third-party ink and save money. Third party ink is better than what it used to be, but the OEM (original equipment manufacture) cartridges are truer and faster drying for important projects and to bring out the full glory of these machines.
I chose the Canon MX870, but all the printers I mentioned here are rated tops at their price-point. I hope I covered a few of the more notable differences to help you narrow in on your search.
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I set up my new Canon Pixma MX870 last night. Took me 30 minutes to setup the printer and install on both my iMac and MacBook. Both Mac's run Mac OS X 10.4.11. I did have a hard time selecting a brand. I normally buy only HP printers but after my last AIO deskjet 6200 decided to breakdown again and the wireless deskjet 6800 worked only 1/2 the time I wanted to try a Canon or Epson. I will admit, I haven't owned a Canon printer since my old bubblejet from 1994. But it lasted until new OS's would no longer support it. I decided to buy the MX870 instead of the MX860 since I have read on several different sites that the 870 solves plenty of issues plagued by Mac users and has a better print speed. I also read that the MX860 was slow to start. Well, my MX870 was pretty quick starting up and gives a quality print. The wireless is awesome. Much easier to install than my last HP. I haven't tried printing any photos just yet. I am happy to see that there are 5 separate print cartridges. This printer is a great value for the money. I will say that if printing high quality photos and CD/DVDs is important to you, you should go for the Epson Artisan 810 instead. However, if you want a quality AIO without breaking the bank, choose the Canon Pixma MX870.
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This review is from: Canon PIXMA MX870 Wireless Office All-in-One Printer (4206B002) (Electronics)
(note: I copied this review (my review) from when i reviewed it on canon's actual site. No point in making a new review, just don't want someone to think i'm a marketer or canon employee if they see this elsewhere)
This is my first and only All in one photo ink jet printer so its hard for me to compare to anything else. However, regardless whether or not I have something to compare it to, I can say that I am more than happy with my product.
I've had it for only a few days now, but i've already put it through you know what trying to test out numerous features and settings as well as using different products (trying different photo papers, etc.). So far, I can not find even one complaint. It prints brilliant photos ( I have noticed, photo paper brand makes a very noticeable difference as well), performs excellent scans and copying / faxing functions as well as it could.
I love the design of the mx870. When your not using it, everything closes up making a nice neat little package, unlike some other models where trays are popping out left and right. I also LOVE the "gun metal" color. It looks very sleek.
The wireless connectivity is just awesome and setting up the wireless connection was EXTREMELY SIMPLE. Took less than 5 minutes.
Another important note is that so far, the ink really seems to last. I've already printed NUMEROUS photos, all at max quality (most ink used), including many 8.5 x 11" photos (which use a lot of ink due to sheer size), and the ink levels still say they are full!!!! Maybe too good to be true, hope its not a faulty ink level indicator lol (I doubt it).
Quality seems great. They made it very functional. When you open the printer to access the print head and ink etc, a handy little kickstand pops out and keeps it open for you to free up your hands. There are handy little red lights that light up when you install ink correctly. I guess I do have one complaint in this area though (if I HAD to nitpick); when your done placing something to scan and you go to close the bed, at first glance there seem to be some nifty "gas shocks"(?) that gently let the bed fall back down. This is a great and convenient idea, HOWEVER, not implemented entirely well because they work great right up until the last inch or so of closing at which point they "give out" and the bed slams shut. It's possible mine could just be defective. Either way, its really a small complaint because I just gently assist the closing with my hands anyway, no big deal.
The on screen display is well suited, and easy to use. As gimmicky as it sounds, I even like the blue light up WIFI logo when you're wirelessly connected, just sort of looks cool.
Finally, the included software is really good considering its simplicity. I have photoshop CS4 extended which will obviously blow any other photo tools out of the water. HOWEVER, i still constantly find myself using the included software instead! This is because it has really SIMPLE/QUICK but at the same time EFFECTIVE tools such as face smoothing. Just click a button, and the program automatically finds faces and helps smooth out wrinkles, or other imperfections. It's quite a noticeable improvement, sort of how Nancy Pelosi was airbrushed for that magazine cover and she looked 20 years younger. It may sound cheesy, but once you use it and see how simple it is, I can't imagine printing photos without it.
Now this isn't a complaint, just something I can hope for in the future. Having a wireless printer is handy, but it would be even more AMAZING if Canon could come up with a way to make the fax wireless. I don't see how this could be hard. Maybe wirelessly send the fax to the computer and have the computer dial out using the internet? Another option would be, considering most people have digital phone service nowadays through their modem, the printer could again wirelessly send the fax to the router which is already connected to the modem containing the phone line for digital phone service. With today's technology, having the fax be wireless as well should be AN EASY problem to solve. This would make their printer TRULY WIRELESS and would be a class leader (though, I must say I would buy a whole new printer just to have such a feature, which is bad for my bank account).
Sorry for the wall of text, just trying to be as descriptive as possible and cover all angles for any people considering this printer.
One final note. Before I settled on this printer, I must have researched and compared other all in ones for 3 days or more. In the end all that research pointed to this printer, and now that I have received it and tested it, I can confirm it. Other potential printers included "somethingpro 8500" (not allowed to say actual name, but you get the idea). That thing is more than 2.5 times more expensive and lacks many of the mx870's features. Point is, not only is this printer great, its VERY WELL PRICED. I would have paid twice as much as or more after testing this thing out. Can't believe I picked this thing up for only (not allowed to say here, but i assure you its a really great price when compared to similar products) with free shipping (shop around and you'll find it, substantially lower than MSRP).
If you need an all in one, BUY THIS CANON. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT. YOU WILL WONDER HOW YOU EVER GOT BY WITHOUT THIS THING, AND WITH ALL THE MONEY YOU SAVE OVER ITS COMPETITION YOU CAN BUY ENOUGH INK TO LAST YOU THE REST OF THE YEAR!!!!
(as overly positive as this review seems, I PROMISE YOU I am NOT working for canon. I normally don't even review items, but when I'm this pleased I want to spread the word. ENJOY!)
PROTIP: From my experience so far, get the printworks gloss photo paper over HP's 5 star version. Its cheaper, and identical images come out noticeably better on printworks. Can't speak for other finishes i.e. matte or semi-gloss, but the gloss is much better. I also have not tried canons line of products, but intend to next.
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This review is from: Canon PIXMA MX870 Wireless Office All-in-One Printer (4206B002) (Electronics)
Hooray, I finally got rid of my HP printer!!! This Canon printer is fast, surprisingly easy to set up (I have 2 PCs and 2 laptops printing to it wirelessly), it has great print quality for both B&W text and color images - I love it. Not only is the printer excellent, the software is also excellent - it's simple and intuitive to use and does exactly what it's supposed to do. This is unlike my previous HP printer software, which came with ridiculous bloatware and caused annoying condescending messages to pop up whenever I was in the middle of working. Also, the separate ink tanks I think will mean a better ink consumption (I've not used the printer enough to be 100% sure of this). And did I mention the printed manual is well written, easy to follow and accurate? By all means get this printer, it might be more expensive but it's totally worth it.
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This review is from: Canon PIXMA MX870 Wireless Office All-in-One Printer (4206B002) (Electronics)
A very nice All-In-One unit. In my first week with this printer: I faxed a few documents, scanned a few pictures, scanned a 30 page document into a pdf file, copied a 1-sided -> 2-sided document, copied a 2-sided -> 2-sided document, and printed 4x6 and 8x10 photos.
Initial setup was pretty easy. The most difficult part was installing the inks because the cartridge carrier is toward the back of the printer and the lid only opens to about 40 degrees. You need a lot of light to see what you are doing. Once you figure it out, though, snapping in the ink cart is very easy.
My printer is set up for wireless, so Wi-Fi configuration was next. This was also very easy, just picking your network and (in my case) entering your WEP key. The last part was to set up my computer (WinXP) to talk to the printer. Again, very easy because the setup is all driven from a CD program, auto-detecting the printer and installing the drivers. Rinse and repeat the CD for additional computers.
Scanning documents and photos was easiest through the Canon application that gets installed during setup. The app guides you through the various options of scanning single sheets, using the document feeder in single-sided or double-sided mode, and destination file. I scanned photos, single-sided docs, and 2-sided docs with no problems.
Copying documents was even easier, as that can all be done from the printer front panel. Using the panel, I was able to copy a 1-sided document into a 2-sided copy by changing the Standard Copy print options. I was also able to copy a 2-sided doc into a 2-sided copy by changing the Copy Menu from Standard Copy to Two-Sided Copy. It was a little confusing at first, but I got the hang of it.
On my first few dozen document pages, I had an intermittent black smear at the bottom of the pages. That eventually went away and I have not seen it since. I'm not sure if it was because my paper was slightly wrinkled or if the ink had smeared during installation, but it's gone now.
For printing photos, I again used the installed app. It allows very basic photo editing and positioning functions, but nothing fancy. You'll want to use your own application for photo editing, if you are so inclined. You definitely want to change the settings for highest photo quality, as the default settings can produce artifacts.
I've never owned a fax machine, but I've used them many times before. The fax operations seem pretty standard, although they have a nice option to share the phone line by assuming that all calls are voice calls until it hears the fax protocol. This avoids having to switch any settings to allow faxes to come through. I received one fax and it worked just fine. Maybe this line sharing is a standard feature in all fax machines these days, but it was new to me.
Print speed is a little on the slow side, but tolerable. Also, I wish that the paper tray had a higher capacity, but again tolerable. As with many inkjet printers, printing a single-sided document will result in the pages in reverse order in the output tray (but using the Auto-Document Feeder, the original is still in correct order). Interestingly, printing/copying with 2-sided output will result in the document in correct order because each sheet of paper has been flipped over. Regarding the Auto-Document Feeder: make sure that your document is lined up precisely within the page guides, as the feeder can pull in the sheets slightly crooked if you are not careful.
I bought this printer at full price and thought it was a steal. At its current price, it's pretty awesome.
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This review is from: Canon PIXMA MX870 Wireless Office All-in-One Printer (4206B002) (Electronics)
Overall, this is an excellent multifunction printer. The other reviews are accurate. It prints, scans and copies well.
BUT... It does NOT provide direct FAX capability under Mac OS X. To send a FAX using a Mac is a two-step process: one must print the document (wasting ink and paper) and then send the FAX. (Direct FAX does work under Windows.)
Adding insult to injury, Canon does not indicate this missing functionality in any of their pre-sales information. That is misleading and wrong. It is dishonest of Canon not to make this point clear. I would not have bought the MX870 if I had known about this. And I cannot recommend Canon since they were not up front about this missing feature.
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This review is from: Canon PIXMA MX870 Wireless Office All-in-One Printer (4206B002) (Electronics)
As an IT consultant, I see lots and lots and lots of various printers, especially all-in-ones all the time and the Canon line is truly one of my favorite. Here's my rundown:
PROS
- Ink is relatively cheap.
- The automatic output tray opening on its own is a great feature. It allows the unit to store into a smaller space and also makes the unit look very attractive when closed.
- Excellent installation CD. It's simple, really simple, and actually works.
- Easy-to-use duplexing feature. The simple interface on the front guides you through all of it's feature relatively easily.
- Able to print on almost any size paper borderless. This is one feature that's always made me loyal of Canons. Their secondary input paper tray in the rear permits a virtually straight paper path, which means that you can print on very odd items. Stickers, small paper like index cards and even heavier stock are not a problem since there is almost no turn or curve for it to jam on.
- Scanning and faxing via network actually works. Canon's Navigator software is a mature product. They've been refining it forever which means that it is feature reach yet simple to use.
CONS
- It does take a bit of time for the first print.
- Overall speed could be faster.
Overall, if speed isn't absolutely key and critical (which means you should be purchasing a laser anyways), then this is a great unit for any home or small business.
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This review is from: Canon PIXMA MX870 Wireless Office All-in-One Printer (4206B002) (Electronics)
I have been looking at all-in-ones casually for the last couple of years. After considerable research, I purchased the MX870. My old printer, a HP I purchased in 2000, still works well. With that in mind, here is what I was looking for in this purchase:
- Primarily, I was looking for a good scanner that could also replace my existing printer should it fail since it is so old.
- Easy to use scanning software
- Duplex scanning was desired
- Duplex printing was desired
- Separate ink for each color
- The ability to print in B&W even if a color ink is out
- Print speeds were not a concern - this is for home use
- Print quality was not much of a concern either - I haven't had a color cartridge for my current printer for 4 yrs
- I don't print photos, so printing on photo paper/borderless printing/etc. are not attributes I researched (in my opinion, it is just easier and cheaper to upload them to a service and have them sent to you. In the rare instances I need pictures sooner than that, I go to CVS, which I think is still cheaper than printing from home.)
So far the MX870 has lived up to my expectations.
- Set up was very easy. I would say it took 30 minutes, including unboxing and setting up the wireless (and I was taking my time).
- Scanning has been great. It scans really well from the feeder, and there are very easy to access options for color, dpi, etc. Last night I scanned a 25 pg document, front and back, and had no issues.
- The software does not seem to be a resource hog. You can select exactly what you want to install on the CD (just drivers, scanning software, photo software, etc). I think this is great. For my laptop and desktop, I needed the scanning software, but was able to opt out of installing the photo software for now. For my netbook, I can easily just install the drivers, and none of the other software.
- The scanning software is light on resources and easy to use. You scan something in, a window pops up so you can review it, rename it, etc. Couldn't be easier.
- Print quality is fine. I have it set to print fast duplex by default and this results in a product that works for me. In the 4 days I've had it, I haven't tried to print it on normal or best quality, so I cannot speak to those results, but judging by the quality of the fast, I would assume it would work for most home users.
- Copy is easy - no complaints.
- Print speed is a little slow. As I stated above, I've only printed on Fast, but this printer's fast is definitely not any faster than my old HP - even with duplex printing turned off. If speed is critical, this may not be your best bet. For most home users I would suspect it prints fast enough for general use.
I'll quickly mentioned the competition. Based on the criteria above, I was very seriously considering three other printers:
(1) The HP 6500 wired for $150 or wireless for $200
(2) The HP 8500 Pro wired for $200 wireless for $260
(3) The Brother MFC 6490CW - $200 on sale at Office Depot, regularly $300
(1) I decided against the HP 6500 wired because for $50 more you got wireless and duplex printing/scanning. I decided against the 6500 wireless because for $200, I could get the 8500 - from HPs better printer line - which even though it was wired, had more features and a higher quality scanner.
(2) I decided against the HP 8500 despite the fact that it is: (1) recommended by CNET, (2) discounted through my employer, (3) I have enjoyed my current HP for a decade. The reason I did this was simply because there are just too many bad reviews. I know there are a lot of reviews for it - almost double the amount there are for this printer - but they seem to be too recurring: bad printer heads, failing after a couple months, bad software, driver issues with Windows 7 and XP, and the list just went on. Before buying the HP, I would read not only the reviews on Amazon, but also the reviews on CNET and [...]. After an hour of reading "stay away" and "do not buy!" I imagine you'll be as scared as I was.
(3) I chose the Canon over the Brother because quite simply because it was cheaper on Amazon ($146) than the Brother on sale ($199, currently back to $299 it looks like) and it is much smaller. Both have great reviews all over the web, so without any reason to pick the more expensive Brother, I chose the Canon.
I hope this review helps and I'll update this review if I encounter issues (my expectation is a printer of this cost should last at least 5 years).
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This review is from: Canon PIXMA MX870 Wireless Office All-in-One Printer (4206B002) (Electronics)
Just got this printer from Amazon yesterday. Took me about 15 minutes to set up wirelessly (This is including unboxing, downloading drivers and softwares from [...] and installing it to my computer). I did not bother with the CD in the box (I just downloaded drivers and softwares from their website).
I have a macbook pro with snow leopard and it does work flawlessly! I have printed and scanned (duplex scanning!!!) and it works great! I also printed a photo from iPhone 3G wirelessly. I wish it could print a document (such as word or PDF) from iPhone (I have not played around with it much, but I don't think there is a canon iphone app that can do this).
Con: you can not print black and white, just gray scale. Black and white printing uses more ink. However, it is faster to print b & w rather than gray scale. I don't really plan on using this as my main printer. Just occasional photo printing (I mainly bought this for network scanning with ADF and duplex scanning).
I will have to play around with my windows 7 laptop in a couple week.
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This review is from: Canon PIXMA MX870 Wireless Office All-in-One Printer (4206B002) (Electronics)
Call me a Canon multifunction "junkie". I have owned Canon multifunction printers for at least ten years. I am always coming up with an excuse to get a newer version. I still have a MP F80 purchased YEARS ago and it still works. Next I bought a MP780; my daughter is still using it. Then I bought a MP830; just took it to the office to use so I would have an excuse to buy the new MX870. I was thrilled with how easy it was to set up on my wireless network, flawless connectivity, fast printing, ease of use. HOWEVER, I have one HUGE problem. The print output colors are not the same as the originals. I have a new Toshiba laptop using Windows 7 Pro. I have tried printing from MS Word 2003, photocopying a graphic document, and printing a colored web page. In all instances the print copy is different from the original. The reds are an orange red, the cyan a medium blue, the green darker, the yellow is a different shade. It's as if there's something "dark" mixing in the colors, especially the blues. I contacted Canon technical support and they were great. The guy, who speaks perfect English and was in Virginia, stayed on the phone with me for two hours troubleshooting. Finally I had to leave so he had me send a copy of the document I was trying to print to a senior technical support guy. That was Thursday - I haven't heard back from them yet. I have never had any problems with ANY of my former Canon products. The copies always matched the originals perfectly. So now I am stumped. I think it's going to take a new printhead or a total replacement to fix but I'll have to find out next week. I will post an update when I find out. Other than this problem, this is the best Canon I've owned so far; and I think this is a "glitch" uncommon to this product. I haven't seen anyone else's review complaining of the print quality. I'm staying firm in my loyalty to Canon; I believe they will take care of this problem.
***UPDATE*** Canon customer service has been great. They mailed me out a new printhead to see if it would fix the problem. It did not. I was offered the choice of taking it to a repair center free of charge or a replacement (refurbished). However, the tech guy said, since I had only had the printer 10 days, to contact the seller (not Amazon - another online retailer) to ask for a refund or exchange. I contacted the seller and they sent me a RMA to send it back. I got a great price on it $144 but now they are out of stock so I'm not sure what to do next. I should have paid the extra $25 and got it from Amazon to start with. I'll update again when I get another machine.
***UPDATE***YEAH! Amazon dropped the price to $149 - that's a great price. I am ordering my replacement from them. Amazon is the best. Can't wait to get it!!!
******UPDATE again! Got my new printer in 2 days from Amazon. Amazon is just great!!! Change my rating to FIVE (5) stars!
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