Give a Little.... Save a LOT!
Written: Jan 04 '06
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Pros: A quick, precise, quiet, and economical machine for all home/office needs.
Cons: Not child/toy friendly. Screwdrivers for jam removal not included!
The Bottom Line: In three years, I've had maybe 4 paper jams not caused by foreign objects. It's a very reliable printer. I love it. I love the LOW ink prices, too!
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| RCarte2000's Full Review: Canon MultiPASS F20 All-In-One InkJet Printer |
WHAT IS A CANON MULTIPASS F20?
A Canon Multipass F20 is an amazing All In One Inkjet Printer. With this marvelous machine, you can print black and white as well as vibrant color texts, graphics, and photos. It also serves as a copy machine and a scanner. The machine features a card slot for photo upload without the use of a PC.
HOW MY MULTIPASS CAME TO BE
I purchased my F20 from Gateway when I purchased my computer system almost three years ago. I was in love instantly. I need a reliable printer, one that is decently fast, and definitely reasonably priced as far as ink is concerned. I found it all with this All In One.
BRAGGING RIGHTS
Sure, this printer cost around $180 when I bought it. That may be steep to some people when it comes to an inkjet printer, but when the cost of the ink cartridges are taken into consideration, you realize it's a steal. I can purchase a black ink cartridge for around $6 and a color cartridge around $10. Compared to some manufacturers asking $20-$30 per cartridge, I have already exceeded the purchase price of the printer several times over.
As if that isn't good enough, I have been fortunate to find an online retailer who sells remanufactured inkjet cartridges even cheaper! I pay about .99 cents for black cartridges and about $2 for color. Unreal, isn't it? Tell me that isn't a steal!
The F20 also boasts a little blinking alarm light whenever the ink appears low. You can still print several more times once the alarm begins to flash, but it's a good reminder that soon you will print no more. It's much better than to be in the middle of a twelve page dissertation only to find out that the two pages prior didn't print or only have some text with streaks mixed in because your ink is so low.
Many printers claim to print quality photographs from digital or scanned images. Few seem to live up to the word "quality." I am here to testify to the fact that the F20 does one heck of a job with photographs. It prints them in fine detail on plain paper and on photo paper. I won't say they are as perfect as Kodak, but for an inkjet printer, they are pretty good!
Some printers are noisy enough to wake the neighbors. If you print at all hours like I do, it's not a good thing, especially if you have children. The F20 is remarkably quiet. It even has a night time mode to make it even quieter. I feel that the night time mode does slow the printing speed a little, but you have to sacrifice from time to time to get the better things in life.
YES DEAR, THERE IS A DOWNFALL
Don't panic on me... the downfall isn't a huge one. In fact, it's something I've worked with for a couple of years now and it always turns out just fine. I have a hyperactive toddler who insists on putting square things in round holes and so forth. If she can find somewhere to stick things, she does. She gets a kick out of hiding her toys in mommy's printer. From time to time, I'll find a pair of Barbie's underwear coming out with a letter I've just typed. I've also had the occasional sticker or two to become stuck to the rollers, but they peel off just fine.
The issue is that not all toys are as flat as Barbie's underwear and they go in the paper chute but don't come out on the other side. Somewhere in between, they become jammed inside the printer and the printer malfunctions. Sounds somewhat simple though... just open up the cover and pop out the toy, right? Well, with the F20, it's a little more intense. One panel screws to another panel, which screws to another panel, and with all said and done, you pretty much have to dissect the thing to find out where the toy is lodged. It's a similar situation with many paper jams. Yes, it can become a headache, but once again, one small sacrifice for one of life's luxuries.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS?
~The F20 is about 16" wide by 22" long and 10" tall.
~Front panel contains control features for copying/scanning.
~Copier options include zoom of 25% to 400%.
~USB Hookup.
~No bulky power supply. Just a thin electrical cord. The power supply is internal!
~2400 by 1200 dpi photo printing featuring borderless 4x6 prints.
~Weighs about 22 lbs.
~Print speed of 14ppm black and 10ppm color.
~9600 dpi scanning in 36 bit color.
No Longer Readily Available
As I purchased my MP F20 a few years back, as you can imagine, it has been replaced by newer and more improved models. Unless purchased used or at a discontinued products store, you won't be able to find this product on the shelves. That is a sad reality, as it truly is a great all-in-one machine.
My mother recently purchased a printer and she wanted one just like mine. Not being able to find it, she purchased the unit that was to replace the F20. She is not happy with her purchase at all. It is nothing like the F20, aside from the cheap ink cartridges. If she could find one like my F20, she'd gladly grab it right up.
If you desire to have one of these, my suggestion would be an online auction site, an online seller of used electronics or computer goods, a flea market or yard sale, or even a local classified ad distribution. Contacting Canon directly may be of some assistance, but more often than not, they send you the same direction that I have. I will never understand why a manufacturer cannot leave a good thing alone, but they never do. Best wishes in whatever direction you turn for all of your printing needs.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 180
Operating System: Windows
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Epinions.com ID:
RCarte2000
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Member: Becky Carte
Location: West Virginia
Reviews written: 225
Trusted by: 58 members
About Me:
29 years old, separated, mom of a 4 year old daughter and 2 stepchildren.
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