Stylish, but lacking in the web department.
The MX895 is the latest in a long series of inkjet all-in-ones from Canon. Its features include USB, Ethernet and Wi-Fi connectivity, faxing, a small (3in/7.6cm) yet clear and bright display, and a set of buttons that are backlit to show only the controls relevant to the current mode.
The Canon can reduce show-through when scanning double-sided originals.
The first page of our test document printed in 22 seconds, with page two emerging after another 10 seconds for a run-on speed of 6ppm, compared with the nominal 9.3ppm. The quality matched other recent models in the same price bracket.
The MX895 is billed as an office printer, but since it’s part of the Pixma range we printed our regular set of photos. It took a respectable 38 seconds to print a 10x15cm image with the usual Canon quality.
A selection of stationery (such as checklists or graph paper) can be printed on demand, with more designs (like monthly calendars) available from Canon’s web service.
The MX895 is supposed to be able to print from Picasa albums; however, when we tried, our albums were visible, but the printer wouldn’t fetch individual images. A sensible feature is that you don’t have to store the account password if you prefer to enter it each time you access Picasa, although we expect support for a broader range of online services.
We used an iPad to successfully test the built-in support for AirPrint. Printing from Android devices is also supported via a free app. The MX895 is billed as working with Google Cloud Print, but our brand-new review sample apparently required a firmware update to enable that feature.
The device can scan and print to or from USB storage or memory cards. Direct printing from PictBridge-enabled cameras is also supported. The card slots are concealed behind a flap on the front of the device, with the USB port recessed beneath it. Scanning and copying gave generally good results, though slight banding was visible on colour copies. The duplex ADF requires two passes, which slows the process, but we liked the MX895’s ability to reduce show-through when scanning double-sided originals.
Special features :
- Wi-Fi, Ethernet and USB
- Fax
- Memory card support
- Limited web connectivity
Pros : Duplex scan and print, dual paper feed.
Cons : Limited cassette capacity.
Verdict : 7 out of 10.
Available from Canon, retailing for $230
