In our connected, digital world, the need for a physical document can feel like a sudden, unexpected throwback. One moment you’re managing everything on screens, the next you’re scrambling to print a shipping label for a return, a homework assignment for your child due tomorrow morning, or a crucial concert ticket that doesn’t have a mobile version. This is the reality for most modern households: the need for a printer is infrequent, but when it arises, it’s often urgent. The dilemma is real. Do you invest hundreds in a high-tech machine that will gather dust for weeks at a time? Or do you take a chance on an entry-level model, hoping it won’t fail you in that moment of need? It’s this precise scenario that led us to test the Canon PIXMA MG2525 All-in-One Inkjet Printer, a device that promises the holy trinity of home printing—print, scan, and copy—at a price point that barely registers as an investment.
- Print Documents and Web Pages Fast: Print documents and web pages with fast speeds of approx. 8.0 images per minute (ipm) for black and approx. 4.0 images per minute (ipm) for colour
- High Resolution: 4800 x 600 maximum colour dpi produces incredible quality and detail in both your business documents and photos.
What to Consider Before Buying an All-in-One Inkjet Printer
An All-in-One Inkjet Printer is more than just an item on your desk; it’s a key solution for streamlining countless home and small office tasks. It consolidates the functions of three separate devices into a single, compact footprint, saving space, money, and hassle. The main benefit is versatility. In a single afternoon, you can print a high-quality photo for a frame, scan important tax documents to create a digital archive, and make a quick copy of a permission slip for school. This convenience is the cornerstone of its appeal, turning chaotic paper management into a simple, centralized process. It’s the bridge between our physical and digital worlds, ready to serve at a moment’s notice.
The ideal customer for this type of product is someone facing the occasional but varied demands of modern life: a student needing to print essays, a family managing schoolwork and household documents, or a home-based professional who needs basic scanning and copying without the volume of a corporate office. It’s for the user who values convenience and functionality over blazing speed or professional-grade photo output. Conversely, it might not be suitable for those who run a business with high-volume printing needs, professional photographers who demand perfect color accuracy and borderless prints, or anyone who requires advanced features like wireless printing, automatic document feeders, or duplex scanning. For those users, a laser printer or a higher-end photo inkjet would be a more appropriate, albeit more expensive, alternative.
Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:
- Dimensions & Space: Printers, even “compact” ones, can have a surprising footprint. Before you buy, measure the intended space on your desk or shelf, accounting not only for the printer’s dimensions but also for clearance needed for paper trays, opening the scanner lid, and accessing ink cartridges. The Canon PIXMA MG2525 All-in-One Inkjet Printer is relatively small, but you still need to ensure it fits comfortably in your workspace without creating clutter.
- Capacity/Performance: This covers several key metrics. Print speed, measured in pages per minute (ppm) or images per minute (ipm), tells you how quickly it handles jobs. Resolution, measured in dots per inch (dpi), dictates the sharpness and detail of prints and scans. Also, consider the paper tray capacity—a small 60-sheet tray like this model’s is fine for home use but would be a constant annoyance in a busier setting.
- Materials & Durability: At the budget end of the market, printers are almost universally made of plastic. However, the quality of that plastic can vary. Look for a sturdy-feeling construction. We found the plastic on this particular model to feel quite thin and lightweight, which is great for portability but raises questions about long-term durability if it’s not handled with care.
- Ease of Use & Maintenance: A printer should simplify your life, not complicate it. Consider the setup process—is it a simple plug-and-play, or does it require complex driver installation? How easy is it to replace the ink cartridges? The long-term cost of ownership is dominated by ink, so understanding the price and page yield of replacement cartridges is arguably the most important part of your research.
Understanding these factors will ensure you choose a printer that truly meets your needs, rather than one that just meets your budget.
While the Canon PIXMA MG2525 All-in-One Inkjet Printer is a compelling choice for its price, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:
- Print, Copy, Scan: The PIXMA TS3720 is a true colour printer scanner copier all in one that is compact, versatile and easy-to-use with a 60 sheet rear tray that reduces the need to refill paper as...
- Innovative Cartridge-Free Printing ― No more tiny, expensive ink cartridges; each ink bottle set is equivalent to about 80 individual cartridges (2)
- FROM CANADA'S MOST TRUSTED PRINTER BRAND – The DeskJet 2855e is perfect for homes printing to-do lists, letters, financial documents and recipes. Print speeds up to 5.5 ppm colour, 7.5 ppm black.
Unboxing the Canon PIXMA MG2525: A First Look at This Compact Workhorse
Opening the box of the Canon PIXMA MG2525 All-in-One Inkjet Printer, the first thing we noticed was its weight—or lack thereof. At just 7.6 pounds, it’s incredibly lightweight, making it easy for one person to lift and place without any strain. The printer itself is a compact, unassuming block of matte black plastic. The design is purely functional, with no stylistic flourishes; it’s made to blend into the background of a home office or dorm room. Inside the box, we found the printer, a power cord, a setup CD-ROM, and two starter ink cartridges: one PG-243 black and one CL-244 color.
And then we noticed what wasn’t there. As many user reviews had warned us, there was no USB cable included. This is a critical omission. This printer has no wireless capabilities; its only connection method is USB. To leave out the one essential cable needed to make it function is a baffling and frustrating decision. It immediately transforms the “quick setup” into a “trip to the store” or an “additional online order.” This initial experience sets a distinct tone: this is a printer built to meet the absolute lowest price point possible, and that comes with significant compromises right out of the box. You can check the latest price and see if any bundles include the cable, but don’t count on it.
Advantages
- Extremely low initial purchase price
- All-in-one functionality (print, scan, copy) in one device
- Compact and lightweight design, ideal for small spaces
- Simple to operate for basic tasks
Drawbacks
- Does not include the essential USB-B cable for operation
- Mediocre print quality, especially for photos and graphics
- High long-term cost due to expensive, low-yield ink cartridges
- Loud operational noise during printing
Putting the PIXMA MG2525 Through Its Paces: A Performance Breakdown
A printer’s true value isn’t on the spec sheet; it’s in the day-to-day performance. We spent weeks with the Canon PIXMA MG2525 All-in-One Inkjet Printer, using it for everything from printing multi-page reports and scanning old photos to making quick copies of receipts. Our goal was to understand its real-world capabilities and, more importantly, its limitations. We wanted to see if its rock-bottom price could justify its compromises, or if those compromises were simply too great to overcome. The results were, to put it mildly, a mixed bag that perfectly illustrates the old adage: you get what you pay for.
Setup and Installation: A Tale of Two Halves
The setup process for the Canon PIXMA MG2525 All-in-One Inkjet Printer is a frustrating paradox. The physical part is wonderfully simple. After removing a few pieces of protective tape, you plug in the power cord. Installing the ink cartridges is straightforward: you lower the front panel, which reveals the cartridge carriage, and the PG-245 (black) and CL-244 (color) cartridges click into place easily. This part of the process took us less than five minutes and required no technical expertise.
The second half, however, is where everything grinds to a halt. The installation software, whether from the included CD or downloaded from Canon’s website, guides you through a few steps before delivering the critical instruction: “Connect the printer to the computer with a USB cable.” As we discovered during unboxing, this cable is not included. It’s not a standard USB cable either; it requires a USB-B connector, the squarish type common for printers but less so for other modern devices. This omission, as echoed by a chorus of frustrated users online, is the single biggest flaw in the user experience. One user noted they had to purchase a cable separately and wait for it to arrive, turning a 15-minute setup into a multi-day affair. We had to do the same. Once we had the cable, the software installation finished quickly and without issue. But this mandatory, un-included accessory feels like a deliberate cost-cutting measure that completely disrespects the customer’s time and convenience. It’s an immediate and significant mark against a device that is supposed to be about simple, accessible printing.
Print Quality Analysis: Managing Expectations
When evaluating the output of the Canon PIXMA MG2525 All-in-One Inkjet Printer, one must keep its price in perspective. This is not a machine for professional photographers or graphic designers, and our tests confirmed this emphatically. For basic, text-based documents like homework, recipes, or return labels, the quality is acceptable. Text is legible, though upon close inspection, we noticed what one user accurately described as “bleed and incomplete non-uniform ink deposition,” making characters look slightly blurry rather than laser-sharp. For draft-quality work or internal documents, it’s perfectly fine. We were able to print several D&D character sheets, as one user mentioned, and they were entirely usable.
Where the printer truly struggles is with color and graphics. The Hybrid Ink System, which uses pigment black for text and dye-based colors, sounds good on paper. In practice, the results are disappointing. We printed a few test photos on glossy paper and the colors were muted and inaccurate. Gradations were not smooth, showing visible banding, and we observed what another reviewer called “print-head patterns visible in images.” The color gamut is limited, meaning it simply can’t reproduce the vibrant, rich tones you see on your screen. Furthermore, it cannot perform edge-to-edge or borderless printing, always leaving a white margin around the page. For a device marketed with “Photo” in its name, this performance is a letdown. It’s a document printer that can technically print in color, but it is not a photo printer by any serious measure. If you’re looking for an affordable printer for basic text, you can find its specifications and latest pricing online.
The All-in-One Experience: Scanning, Copying, and Daily Use
Beyond printing, the all-in-one functionality is a major selling point. The scanner features a 600 x 1200 dpi optical resolution, which is standard for an entry-level device. In our tests, it proved perfectly adequate for digitizing documents and receipts. Scans were clear and captured text well. For archiving old family photos, it’s a serviceable option, though it won’t capture the fine detail and dynamic range of a dedicated photo scanner. The process is initiated through the computer, as there is no screen or advanced control panel on the printer itself—just a few simple buttons.
The copy function works as a standalone feature. You place a document on the scanner glass and press either the “Black” or “Color” button. It’s simple and effective for single pages. However, we confirmed a user’s finding that it struggles with lightly written or faint text, sometimes failing to pick it up in the final copy. We also noted that it can sometimes crop the edges of the original document. A significant drawback in daily use is the noise. This printer is loud. The clicks, whirs, and movement of the print head are quite pronounced, even with “Quiet Mode” enabled. This feature seemed to slow the printing process down slightly but did little to dampen the overall mechanical noise. For a shared living space or a quiet home office, the noise could easily become an irritant. The slow print speeds of 8 ipm for black and 4 ipm for color mean you’ll be listening to it for a while on longer documents, a compromise you’ll have to accept with this incredibly budget-friendly model.
The True Cost of Ownership: Ink Consumption and Longevity
The low upfront cost of the Canon PIXMA MG2525 All-in-One Inkjet Printer is deceptive. The real cost of any inkjet printer lies in its ink. The printer comes with “starter” cartridges (PG-243 and CL-244), which contain significantly less ink than the standard retail versions (PG-245 and CL-245). In our testing, we found the starter color cartridge ran out after printing just over 50 mixed-media pages. This rapid depletion was a common complaint among users, with one noting, “l’encre se vide rapidement” (the ink empties quickly).
A set of standard replacement cartridges can often cost nearly as much as, or even more than, the printer itself. High-yield XL cartridges are available and offer a better cost-per-page, but they are a significant investment. This business model—sell the hardware cheap and profit on the consumables—is common, but it’s particularly pronounced here. We also encountered an issue reported by another user: after installing a brand-new, genuine Canon cartridge, the printer occasionally failed to recognize it, requiring us to remove and reseat it multiple times. This combination of fast-depleting starter cartridges, high replacement costs, and potential recognition errors means the long-term cost of ownership can quickly spiral. This printer is most economical for those who print only a handful of pages per month. Anyone with more regular needs will find the ink costs unsustainable. The initial affordability of this all-in-one is its biggest draw, but it demands careful consideration of future expenses.
What Other Users Are Saying
Our findings are strongly corroborated by a wealth of user feedback. The most common and pointed criticism revolves around the missing USB cable. One user summed up the universal frustration perfectly: “Absolutely ridiculous! As for build quality, the plastic is very cheap feeling.” This sentiment was echoed in multiple languages, highlighting a significant failure in meeting basic customer expectations.
The second major point of consensus is the print quality, which is often described as subpar. The most detailed review stated, “The print quality is horrible, lots of ‘artifact’ – uneven tonality, print-head patterns visible in images… text looks blurry.” This aligns perfectly with our tests, confirming that it’s a device for basic text, not quality images. On the positive side, some users who understood the printer’s positioning were satisfied. One happy customer noted it was a “Decent printer for the price” and that “The installation was quick under 15 mins” (assuming you have a cable). Another said it was “Extremely easy to set up.” This feedback paints a clear picture: the Canon PIXMA MG2525 All-in-One Inkjet Printer is a functional device for those with minimal needs and managed expectations, but a source of immense frustration for anyone expecting more.
How Does the Canon PIXMA MG2525 Compare to the Competition?
The Canon PIXMA MG2525 All-in-One Inkjet Printer exists in a crowded market, and its primary selling point is its price. However, spending a bit more can unlock significant features and long-term savings. Here’s how it stacks up against some popular alternatives.
1. Epson EcoTank ET-2800 Wireless All-in-One Printer
- Innovative Cartridge-Free Printing ― No more tiny, expensive ink cartridges; each ink bottle set is equivalent to about 80 individual cartridges (2)
- Dramatic Savings on Replacement Ink ― Save up to 90% with replacement ink bottles vs. ink cartridges (1) – that’s enough to print up to 4,500 pages black/7,500 colour (3)
The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 represents the opposite philosophy to the Canon PIXMA. It has a much higher initial purchase price but offers dramatically lower long-term running costs. Instead of cartridges, it uses refillable ink tanks that you fill from bottles, providing thousands of pages per refill. This is the ideal choice for families or home offices that print regularly and want to avoid the constant cycle of buying expensive cartridges. Furthermore, the ET-2800 offers wireless printing from computers and mobile devices, a massive convenience feature completely absent from the wired-only Canon MG2525.
2. HP OfficeJet 200 Mobile Printer
- Main functions of this HP color portable printer: easy portable printing wherever you need it, wireless print from your laptop or mobile devices, 2" display and more
- Mobile printing: print from anywhere using your smartphone or tablet with the free HP reprint app, print even without a network using Wireless Direct printing
The HP OfficeJet 200 is built for a completely different user: the professional on the move. It is a compact, portable, print-only device designed to be carried in a bag and used in a car, at a client’s site, or in a hotel room. It features wireless connectivity and a long-lasting battery, prioritizing mobility over all else. It lacks the scanning and copying functions of the Canon MG2525 and comes at a premium price. Someone choosing the OfficeJet 200 needs to print high-quality documents anywhere, a task the stationary and basic Canon simply cannot perform.
3. Canon PIXMA TR150 Wireless Portable Printer with Battery
- Take your printing on the go with the PIXMA TR150 Wireless Mobile Printer.
- Print without wires - even on the go - thanks to multiple WIRELESS PRINTING options
As a direct competitor to the HP mobile printer, the Canon PIXMA TR150 also focuses on portability. It’s slim, lightweight, and comes with a battery pack for true on-the-go printing. Like the HP, it offers wireless printing, allowing for easy connection to laptops and smartphones. Compared to the Canon MG2525, it’s a specialized tool. You trade the scan and copy functions and the low price of the MG2525 for the freedom to print high-quality documents and even 4×6 photos from anywhere. It’s an excellent choice for field agents, consultants, or anyone who works out of a mobile office.
Final Verdict: Is the Canon PIXMA MG2525 All-in-One Inkjet Printer Right for You?
After extensive testing, our conclusion on the Canon PIXMA MG2525 All-in-One Inkjet Printer is clear and heavily conditional. This is a bare-bones, utility-grade device engineered to hit an astonishingly low price point, and it achieves that goal by making significant sacrifices. The print quality is passable for text but poor for graphics, the operation is loud, and the long-term ink cost is high. The most egregious issue is the decision not to include the essential USB cable, an anti-consumer choice that sours the entire setup experience.
So, who should buy it? We can only recommend this printer to the most infrequent of users: the student who needs to print a ten-page essay once a month, the person who needs to print a shipping label a few times a year, or anyone who needs a scanner and copier for occasional, non-critical tasks and is on the strictest possible budget. If you fall into that narrow category and are willing to buy a separate cable and stomach the high cost of ink when you eventually need it, then it will get the job done. For everyone else, we strongly advise investing a little more in a printer with wireless capabilities and a more sustainable ink system. If you’ve weighed the pros and cons and decided this is the right level of functionality for your minimal needs, you can check the latest price and availability for the Canon PIXMA MG2525.
Last update on 2025-11-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API