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Canon PIXMA MG2522  Printer Review

Reviewed Sep 07, 2022 at 10:26am
Tested using methodology v1.2 
Canon PIXMA MG2522
6.4
Family 
5.1
Small/Home Office 
5.3
Student 
5.6
Black & White 
7.2
Photo 
7.6
Color Quality 
7.5
Document Quality 
6.6
Scanner 
 0

The Canon PIXMA MG2522 is a budget inkjet all-in-one model from Canon's PIXMA MG2500 series of printers. It has a scanner but lacks features like an automatic document feeder, and it uses a two-cartridge system with one black and one tri-color ink cartridge. It doesn't support wireless connectivity, so you can only use it with a Windows or Mac computer via a USB connection. The PIXMA MG2500 series has many variants under various model numbers, as the model number changes depending on the region and color. In North America, you can get a black version known as the Canon PIXMA MG2525. The European version of this printer is the Canon PIXMA MG2540.

Our Verdict

6.4
Family 

The Canon PIXMA MG2522 is acceptable for family use. It prints good quality documents and detailed, color-accurate photos, and its cost per print is reasonably low. However, it prints slowly, and its small input tray means you'll have to refill it often during large print jobs. Unfortunately, it doesn't have wireless connectivity, so you can only connect to the printer with a USB cable. The scanner produces decent-quality scans but lacks an ADF, so it'll take a lot longer to scan multi-page documents.

Pros
  • Great color accuracy.
  • Prints small details well.
  • Produces good quality black and color documents.
  • Prints on glossy photo paper up to 8.5" x 11".
Cons
  • Low page yield.
  • No automatic document feeder or duplex scanning.
5.1
Small/Home Office 

The Canon PIXMA MG2522 is inadequate for use in a small or home office. You can only connect to the printer via a wired USB connection, which might be inconvenient in an office with multiple people sharing the same printer. It also lacks an automatic document feeder to scan multi-page documents, and it requires a lot of maintenance because the ink cartridges run out quickly, and the input tray only holds 60 sheets of paper. It prints good quality black and color documents but is very slow, printing only eight black or two color pages per minute.

Pros
  • Produces good quality black and color documents.
Cons
  • Low page yield.
  • No automatic document feeder or duplex scanning.
5.3
Student 

The Canon PIXMA MG2522 is inadequate for student use. Although the ink cartridges run out quickly and need regular replacement, the cost per print is reasonably low because the cartridges aren't overly expensive. However, it can only connect via USB, which might be inconvenient if you're in a room with limited space, and it only works with Windows machines and Macs, so you can't use it with a Chromebook or smartphone. It produces high-quality black and color documents but prints very slowly, so it isn't the best for printing long essays.

Pros
  • Produces good quality black and color documents.
Cons
  • Low page yield.
  • No automatic document feeder or duplex scanning.
5.6
Black & White 

The Canon PIXMA MG2522 is sub-par for printing black and white documents. Although it produces good quality black and white documents, it prints very slowly at only eight pages per minute. Also, its black ink cartridge runs out quickly, and its input tray only holds 60 sheets of paper, resulting in a lot of maintenance. It has a scanner but lacks an ADF for scanning long, multi-page documents.

Pros
  • Produces good quality black and white documents.
Cons
  • Low page yield.
  • No automatic document feeder or duplex scanning.
7.2
Photo 

The Canon PIXMA MG2522 is decent for printing photos. It produces detailed and colorful pictures with very accurate colors and can print on glossy paper up to 8.5" x 11". It requires a lot of maintenance because the ink cartridges run out quickly, but the cost per print is low because the cartridges are relatively inexpensive.

Pros
  • Great color accuracy.
  • Prints small details well.
  • Prints on glossy photo paper up to 8.5" x 11".
Cons
  • Low page yield.
7.6
Color Quality 
7.5
Document Quality 
6.9
Recurring Costs 
  • 6.4
    Family
  • 5.1
    Small/Home Office
  • 5.3
    Student
  • 5.6
    Black & White
  • 7.2
    Photo

  • Performance Usages

  • 7.6
    Color Quality
  • 7.5
    Document Quality
  • 6.6
    Scanner
  • 4.9
    Speed
  • 6.9
    Recurring Costs
  • Changelog

    1.  Updated Nov 21, 2024: 

      Added mention of the HP ENVY 6555e as an alternative with automatic duplex printing in the Printing Speed section.

    2.  Updated Jul 25, 2024: Added mention of the HP OfficeJet 8015e as an alternative with an automatic document feeder in the Scanner Features section.
    3.  Updated Jun 18, 2024: Added mention of the HP DeskJet 2855e as an alternative with wireless connectivity in the Connectivity section.
    4.  Updated Sep 07, 2022: Review published.

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    Differences Between Sizes And Variants

    We tested the Canon PIXMA MG2522 in white. There's a black variant known as the Canon PIXMA MG2525. The European version of this printer is the Canon PIXMA MG2540.

    Note: The model number changes according to the region and color.

    You can see our unit's label here.

    Popular Printer Comparisons

    The Canon PIXMA MG2522 produces good quality documents and photos for a printer in its price range. However, its lack of wireless connectivity means you can only use the printer via a wired USB connection, and you can't print from any mobile device.

    For other options, see our recommendations for the best home printers, the best all-in-one printers, and the best cheap printers.

    Canon PIXMA MG3620

    The Canon PIXMA MG3620 is much better than the Canon PIXMA MG2522 for most uses. The MG3620 has a mobile app and wireless connectivity via Wi-Fi, which the MG2522 lacks. In terms of printing performance, it depends on what you want to print. The MG3620 produces better black-and-white documents, while the MG2522 produces better color documents. For photos, the MG2522 has a wider color gamut and better color accuracy, but it doesn't print small details as well as the MG3620. 

    Canon PIXMA TS3520

    The Canon PIXMA MG2522 and the Canon PIXMA TS3520 are both budget all-in-one inkjet printers. The MG2522 is better for printing quality and cost per print; however, it doesn't support wireless printing via Wi-Fi and isn't compatible with any mobile app, features that are present on the TS3520.

    HP DeskJet 2755e [2723e, 2742e, 2752e]​

    The Canon PIXMA MG2522 is better than the HP DeskJet 2755e for most uses. The Canon produces better scans with more fine details and prints higher-quality documents and photos. Its ink cartridges also yield more prints, leading to a lower print cost. However, the HP supports wired and wireless connectivity, while the Canon only supports a wired USB connection. The HP has a mobile app you can use to print, scan, and perform maintenance tasks, which the Canon lacks.

    Test Results

    perceptual testing image
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    RATINGS
    Category:
    All
    Design
    5.0
    Build Quality
    TypeAll-In-One

    The Canon PIXMA MG2522 feels poorly built. Its plastic construction feels cheap and flimsy, with an output tray and scanner lid that bend easily. Changing the ink cartridges and removing paper jams can be challenging as you can only do so via the front panel above the output tray, which doesn't provide much room. You have to tuck in the output tray to open the panel fully, and the printer must be on when changing the cartridges. The output tray doesn't have a border to keep sheets from falling off. On the upside, the scanner has a foam backing to smooth out uneven sheets and extendable lid hinges to accommodate thicker items like textbooks. The power cord is removable, making it easy to replace if it gets damaged.

    Dimensions
    Height5.7" (14.4 cm)
    Width16.8" (42.6 cm)
    Depth12.1" (30.7 cm)
    Height When In Use
    8.1" (20.5 cm)
    Width When In Use
    16.8" (42.6 cm)
    Depth When In Use
    21.4" (54.4 cm)
    Weight
    7.4 lbs (3.4 kg)
    5.5
    Expected Maintenance
    Ink Related Maintenance
    Expected
    Drum Unit
    No Drum Unit

    The Canon PIXMA MG2522 requires a lot of maintenance. Like most inkjet printers, the printheads can clog if left unused for an extended period. You can resolve clogging issues with the built-in printhead cleaning function. There are also other maintenance functions built-in, like printhead cleaning, printhead alignment, nozzle check, bottom plate cleaning, and roller cleaning. One benefit of the design is that the printheads are in the cartridges, so if you can't resolve the clogging issue with the built-in functions, you can simply buy a new cartridge. The ink cartridges don't last very long, so you'll have to replace them often anyway. You'll also have to refill the paper tray often because it only holds 60 sheets of paper. As mentioned in the build section, you can only access the cartridges and paper jams through the front panel, which may be hard for people with large hands as the opening is small. You can see the user's manual here.

    0.0
    Display Screen
    Display ScreenNo
    Display Screen Size
    N/A
    TouchscreenNo

    The Canon PIXMA MG2522 doesn't have a display. It only has four LEDs to show the power status, errors (out of paper or other issues), and low ink levels (black and color).

    4.5
    Cartridge
    TechnologyInkjet
    SuperTank
    No
    Photo Cartridge
    No
    ColorYes
    Number Of Color Cartridges
    1
    Black Cartridge Model
    PG-245
    Tested Black Page Yield
    6.99 prints
    Estimated Black Page Yield
    132 prints
    Color Cartridge Model
    CL-246
    Tested Color Page Yield
    8.99 prints
    Estimated Color Page Yield
    191 prints
    Third Party Cartridge
    Purchased One Worked
    Ink Type
    Dye And Pigment
    High Yield Cartridge
    Yes

    The ink cartridges yield very few prints, meaning you'll have to replace them often. The printer comes with a PG-243 black and a CL-244 color ink cartridge, which contain 5.6 ml and 6.2 ml of ink, respectively. The printer is also compatible with the PG-245 and CL-246 cartridges, available in regular and XL sizes. The regular PG-245 contains 8 ml of black ink, and the CL-246 contains 9 ml of color ink. The XL PG-245 gives you 12 ml of black ink, and the XL CL-246 gives you 13 ml of color ink. We tested the yield using the regular PG-245 and CL-246 cartridges. The printer accepts third-party ink cartridges, but using them may void the manufacturer's warranty.

    6.1
    Scanner Features
    Scanner
    Flatbed
    ADF Capacity
    N/A
    Scan Speed
    1 PPM
    Duplex Scanning
    No
    Max Flatbed Scan Size
    8.5" x 11"
    Max ADF Scan Size
    No ADF
    Flatbed Hinge Adjustability
    0.33" (8 mm)
    Fax
    No
    Copy
    Yes
    OCR Included
    Software

    The Canon PIXMA MG2522 has mediocre scanner features. Its lack of an automatic feeder and duplex scanning capability means scanning multi-page and double-sided documents takes a long time. To use the optical character recognition feature, you need to scan the document as a PDF file that supports keyword search via Canon's 'My Image Garden' application. The character recognition feature works well; mistakes are mostly due to special characters. Check out the HP OfficeJet 8015e if you need a printer with an automatic document feeder.

    7.0
    Scan Quality
    Max Scan Resolution
    1,200 DPI
    Max Scan Color Depth
    24Bit

    The Canon MG2522 produces decent-quality scans. The scanner captures colors well and boosts the contrast slightly to make black text easier to read. However, the white text on a red background is harder to see, and some finer details, like the lines in the graphs, are very faint.

    In The Box

    • Power cord
    • USB-A to USB-B cable
    • Setup CD-ROM
    • User guide
    • Two ink cartridges:
      • 1x PG-243 Black ink cartridge
      • 1x CL-244 Tri-Color ink cartridge

    Battery
    Advertised Battery Life
    N/A
    Tested Charging Time
    N/A
    Document
    7.5
    Black & White Documents
    Color Ink Needed For Black & White
    No

    The Canon MG2522 prints black and white documents well. There are some vertical lines when printing in the Standard Quality mode as the printer overlaps the end of the previous line to avoid gaps, but they aren't present when printing in the High Quality mode. These lines are also hard to spot when printing the document in portrait mode, even in Standard Quality. The only other issue is that it has trouble simulating the color yellow, as seen in the title of the second page.

    8.0
    Color Documents

    Color documents look great. The text looks crisp, and all the colors look good. There are some vertical lines, but again, they're only present when printing in the Standard Quality mode, not in the High Quality mode. They're also very faint (the sample document accentuates them) and aren't noticeable when printing in portrait mode, even in Standard Quality. Fine details, like the lines in the graphs, come through but aren't always easy to see.

    6.9
    Cost-Per-Print
    See details on graph tool
    Black Cartridge Price
    18.99 US$
    Color Cartridge Price
    22.99 US$
    Black-Only Printing Cost
    0.144 US$/print
    Color Printing Cost
    0.120 US$/print
    Photo Printing Cost
    0.319 US$/print
    Ink Subscription
    No

    Although you have to replace the ink cartridges often, the cost per print is reasonably low because the ink cartridges are relatively cheap. That said, it'll still add up if you print a lot. You'll easily spend more on replacement ink than the printer itself.

    4.9
    Printing Speed
    Black Only Text Document
    8 PPM
    Color Document
    2 PPM
    Photo Printing Time
    48.9 s
    Single Page Out Time (Black Only)
    14.7 s
    Duplex Printing
    Manual
    Input Tray Capacity
    60 pages

    The Canon PIXMA MG2522 is very slow at printing black and color documents. Printing photos in Standard Quality is quick, but High Quality takes a lot longer, around 2 minutes and 5 seconds. It can't perform duplex printing automatically, so you'll have to manually reinsert the sheets into the input tray when prompted. The input tray holds 60 plain sheets of paper or 20 sheets of 4" x 6" photo paper. Check out the HP ENVY 6555e if you want a similar printer that supports automatic duplex printing.

    Document Printing Sizes
    Letter (8.5" x 11")Yes
    Legal (8.5" x 14")Yes
    Tabloid (11" x 17")No
    A6 (105mm x 148mm)Yes
    A5 (148mm x 210mm)Yes
    A4 (210mm x 297mm)Yes
    Max Paper Weight
    265 g/m²

    The Canon PIXMA MG2522 printer supports custom sizes ranging from 4" to 8.5" x 6" to 26.61".

    Photo
    7.0
    Color Gamut

    The Canon PIXMA MG2522 has a decent color gamut. It prints bright warm colors well, like yellows, oranges, and reds; however, it struggles with cooler colors like blues and greens. It also has trouble with lighter shades and dark blues and greens. There's some grain when transitioning from one color to another, but almost no banding.

    8.1
    Color Accuracy
    Average Color dE
    3.72

    The Canon PIXMA MG2522's color accuracy is great. Most color inaccuracies are minor and hard to spot except for cyans, blues, and yellows.

    7.5
    Small Details
    Max Print Resolution (DPI)
    4800 x 600

    The Canon PIXMA MG2522 prints small details well. There's a fair amount of dithering affecting the print quality, but you can still see the Tokyo Tower's general structure and the individual metal bars above.

    7.0
    Photo Printing Sizes
    Glossy Paper (4" x 6")Yes
    Glossy Paper (5" x 7")Yes
    Glossy Paper (8" x 10")Yes
    Glossy Paper (8.5" x 11")Yes
    Glossy Paper (13" x 19")No
    Borderless Printing
    No

    You need to set a custom size to print 8" x 10" photos as there isn't a preset option.

    Mobile App And Connectivity
    1.0
    Connectivity
    Ethernet
    No
    USB Input To Computer
    Yes
    Wireless
    No
    Bluetooth
    No
    Wi-Fi via Router
    No
    Wi-Fi Direct
    No
    External Storage Support
    No
    Apple AirPrint
    No
    Mopria Print Service
    No

    If wireless connectivity is a must, check out the HP DeskJet 2855e/2852e.

    0.0
    Mobile App
    Mobile AppNo
    App NameNo App
    iOSNo
    AndroidNo
    Photo (JPEG, PNG)
    No
    PDF
    No
    Microsoft Office Files
    No
    Text Files (TXT)
    No
    Webpages (HTML)
    No

    The Canon PIXMA MG2522 isn't compatible with any mobile app.

    OS Compatibility
    WindowsFully
    macOSFully
    Chrome OSNo

    Comments

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    1. Update: Added mention of the HP ENVY 6555e as an alternative with automatic duplex printing in the Printing Speed section.

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