In our increasingly digital world, the need for a physical document can feel like a sudden, jarring halt to a smooth workflow. One moment you’re seamlessly navigating your projects, the next you’re staring at a “Print” button with no reliable device to answer the call. I remember the frustration all too well. My old printer was a behemoth—a loud, clunky machine connected by a nest of cables that seemed to have a personal vendetta against my Wi-Fi network. Printing a simple return label became a 20-minute ordeal of rebooting, reconnecting, and muttering under my breath. Photo printing was a fantasy. This constant friction is more than an inconvenience; it’s a productivity killer for anyone working from home, a roadblock for students with deadlines, and a creative bottleneck for families wanting to bring their digital memories to life. The search for a compact, reliable, and truly wireless printer isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity for a modern, streamlined home.
- With a 1.44" OLED DISPLAY & LED STATUS BAR easily navigate and view your printer status. The OLED display displays deep, accurate color and the LED Status bar provides simple printer status...
- Designed for ease of use and simple replacement, the PIXMA TS5320a only needs 2 FINE CARTRIDGES for great print quality. Enjoy sharp text documents and great looking photos thanks to its HYBRID INK...
What to Consider Before Buying an All-in-One Inkjet Printer
An All-in-One Inkjet Printer is more than just an item; it’s a key solution for consolidating your home office needs into a single, efficient device. It elegantly solves the problem of clutter by combining a printer, scanner, and copier into one compact footprint. For families, students, and remote workers, the main benefit is versatility. You can print a last-minute school assignment, scan important tax documents for digital archiving, and make quick copies of a recipe, all without needing three separate machines. This consolidation not only saves space but also simplifies your tech setup, reducing the number of drivers to install and cables to manage. For those on a budget, an inkjet model like the Canon Pixma TS5320a Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer offers a low initial investment with the capability to produce vibrant color photos and sharp text documents.
The ideal customer for this type of product is someone facing a variety of printing needs in a low-to-moderate volume. Think of the student who needs to print essays, research papers, and occasional photos for projects. Consider the small home-based business owner who needs to print invoices, scan receipts, and copy contracts. It’s also perfect for the modern family that wants to print photos from their smartphones, create craft projects, and handle schoolwork. However, it might not be suitable for those who print hundreds of text-heavy pages per week. In that high-volume scenario, a laser printer or an ink tank printer, which offers a lower cost-per-page, would be a more economical choice. Similarly, professional photographers requiring gallery-quality prints with archival-grade color accuracy would likely look towards more specialized, professional photo printers with 8 or more ink cartridges.
Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:
- Dimensions & Space: Printers can be deceptively large once you account for the paper trays and the space needed to open the scanner lid. Measure your intended space carefully. The Canon Pixma TS5320a Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer, with its compact dimensions of roughly 40 x 32 x 15 cm, is designed for tight spaces like a bookshelf or a small desk, but you still need to ensure you have vertical clearance for the scanner.
- Capacity/Performance: This refers to print speed, paper tray capacity, and ink yield. A speed of 13 pages per minute (ppm) for black and white is solid for home use, but would be slow in a busy office. A 100-sheet paper tray is standard for compact models but might require frequent refilling if you print large documents. Most importantly, investigate the cost and page yield of replacement ink cartridges, as this is the primary long-term cost of owning an inkjet printer.
- Materials & Durability: Most consumer-grade printers are constructed from plastic. Look for a sturdy build that doesn’t feel flimsy, especially around moving parts like paper trays and scanner hinges. The matte or glossy finish can also affect how easily it shows fingerprints and dust. While not built like a commercial tank, a well-cared-for home printer should last for several years of moderate use.
- Ease of Use & Maintenance: How simple is the setup? Does the printer have an intuitive screen and straightforward app? The Canon Pixma TS5320a Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer aims for simplicity with its OLED display and Canon Print app. Also consider maintenance: how easy is it to replace ink cartridges and clear a paper jam? A user-friendly design can save you immense frustration over the life of the product.
Understanding these factors will ensure you choose a printer that not only fits your budget but also seamlessly integrates into your daily life. It’s about finding the right balance of features, performance, and long-term value for your specific needs.
While the Canon Pixma TS5320a Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer is an excellent choice, 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.
First Impressions: Sleek, Smart, and Surprisingly Compact
Unboxing the Canon Pixma TS5320a Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer revealed a device that defies the old stereotype of the bulky, beige office machine. The model we tested was a clean, modern white, with rounded corners and a pleasingly compact form factor that felt right at home on a minimalist desk. It’s immediately clear this printer is designed for modern living spaces, not a corporate cubicle. Setting it up was refreshingly straightforward. After removing a few strips of protective tape, we plugged it in, installed the two FINE ink cartridges (one black, one tri-color), and loaded paper into the rear tray. The printer’s 1.44-inch OLED display, though small, is bright and clear, guiding us through the initial Wi-Fi connection process using the Canon PRINT app on a smartphone. The entire process, from box to first print, took less than 15 minutes. One of the most striking initial features is the LED status bar on the front—a simple but brilliant design choice that glows, pulses, or changes color to indicate the printer’s status (printing, idle, error) at a glance from across the room. It’s a small touch that adds a layer of intuitive, non-intrusive communication we grew to appreciate. You can see its thoughtful design and full feature set here.
What We Like
- Dual-Paper Feeding: The ability to have plain paper in the front cassette and photo paper in the rear tray is a massive convenience.
- Compact & Stylish Design: Its small footprint and modern aesthetic fit well in home environments without being an eyesore.
- Easy Wireless Setup: The Canon PRINT app and straightforward on-screen instructions make connecting to a network simple.
- Automatic Duplexing: Saves paper and money on two-sided document printing without any manual intervention.
Potential Drawbacks
- 2-Cartridge Ink System: A single tri-color cartridge can be wasteful; you have to replace the whole unit even if only one color runs out.
- Photo Printing Nuances: Achieving high-quality photo prints requires using the right paper and settings, a stumbling block for some users.
Performance Deep Dive: The Canon Pixma TS5320a Under the Microscope
A printer’s true worth is measured in smeared ink, crisp text, and the silent hum of productivity. Over several weeks, we put the Canon Pixma TS5320a Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer through its paces, treating it as the central hub for a busy household. We printed everything from multi-page reports and shipping labels to 5×5″ social media snapshots and glossy 4×6″ family photos. We scanned old documents, copied recipes, and tested its wireless capabilities from every corner of the house. Our goal was to push beyond the spec sheet and understand how this machine performs in the real world, where convenience, quality, and reliability are paramount.
Setup and Wireless Connectivity: A Breath of Fresh Air
The initial setup experience can make or break a user’s relationship with their printer, and this is an area where Canon has clearly invested significant effort. We found the process to be remarkably painless. The Canon PRINT Inkjet/SELPHY app is the star of the show. We downloaded it to both an iPhone and an Android tablet, and in both cases, the app immediately detected the printer and walked us through connecting it to our home Wi-Fi network. There was no need to manually enter complex network passwords on a tiny screen; the app handled the handshake seamlessly. This “Wireless Connect” feature is a game-changer for those who are not tech-savvy.
Once connected, the printer’s wireless performance was robust. We sent print jobs from a laptop in an upstairs office, a smartphone in the living room, and a tablet in the kitchen, and the Canon Pixma TS5320a Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer woke from sleep and started printing promptly every time. It supports Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service, meaning there was no need to install drivers or special software on our mobile devices—printing was a native option directly from our photo gallery, email client, and web browser. The 1.44” OLED screen, while not a touchscreen, is crisp and easy to navigate with the adjacent physical buttons. It provides clear instructions for tasks like loading paper or running maintenance cycles. Combined with the clever LED status bar that visually communicates what the printer is doing, the overall user interface feels intuitive and well-designed, a feature that really sets it apart in the budget category.
Print Quality and Speed: A Tale of Two Cartridges
At its core, a printer must produce high-quality output, and the Canon Pixma TS5320a Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer delivers respectable results, especially given its 2-cartridge FINE Hybrid Ink System. For everyday documents, this system shines. It uses a pigment-based black ink, which resulted in exceptionally sharp, smudge-resistant text that rivals the clarity of some entry-level laser printers. We printed business reports, contracts, and school essays, and the text was consistently crisp and easy to read, even at smaller font sizes. Print speeds were close to the advertised 13 ppm for black and white, which felt plenty fast for typical home printing tasks.
Color printing is where things become more nuanced. The dye-based inks in the tri-color cartridge produce vibrant, well-saturated colors on plain paper for charts, graphs, and presentations. However, photo printing is where we encountered the learning curve mentioned by some users. One user review expressed deep disappointment with photo quality and difficulty loading photo paper. In our testing, we initially saw mediocre results on generic photo paper—colors were a bit flat and lacked punch. The magic happened when we switched to Canon’s own Photo Paper Plus Glossy II and, crucially, selected the correct paper type in the printer driver settings. The difference was night and day. With the right combination of media and settings, the printer’s 4800 x 1200 dpi resolution produced detailed, vibrant, and attractive photos that are more than suitable for family albums and framing. This confirms our expert finding: the printer is capable of great photos, but it is not a “press print and forget” device; it requires the user to pay attention to settings and media choices to unlock its full potential. The cost of running through tri-color cartridges can add up, but for occasional photo printing, the quality is impressive for its class.
Paper Handling and Versatility: The Dual-Tray Advantage
Perhaps the most compelling and user-friendly feature of the Canon Pixma TS5320a Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer is its dual-paper feeding system. This is a feature typically found on more expensive models, and its inclusion here is a massive win for convenience. We loaded the 100-sheet front cassette with standard 8.5″ x 11″ plain paper for all our document printing needs. Then, we stocked the rear vertical tray with 4×6″ photo paper. This allowed us to switch between printing a work document and a family photo without ever having to manually swap paper stacks. The printer automatically detects which tray to use based on the paper size and type selected in the print dialog. This simple feature eliminates a common point of friction and encourages more spontaneous printing.
We also specifically tested the square photo printing feature, using 5″ x 5″ glossy paper. Printing directly from an Instagram feed via the Canon app worked flawlessly, producing perfect borderless prints ready for a corkboard or scrapbook. This is a fantastic feature for anyone active on social media. Regarding the user’s reported difficulty loading paper, we found the rear tray requires the paper guides to be snug against the paper stack to prevent misfeeds. If the guides are too loose, the paper can skew. While it required a moment of attention, we did not find it overly difficult once we understood the mechanism. Finally, the automatic duplexing worked reliably, effortlessly printing on both sides of the page for longer documents, saving paper and contributing to a more professional-looking result. This level of paper handling flexibility is a standout benefit and a key reason to consider this model.
All-in-One Functionality: Scanning, Copying, and Beyond
The “All-in-One” promise of the Canon Pixma TS5320a Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer is well-realized. The flatbed scanner on top provides a simple way to digitize documents, old photos, and receipts. Using the Canon IJ Scan Utility on a PC, we could scan directly to a PDF, email, or image file with just a few clicks. The maximum optical resolution is sufficient for creating clear digital copies of documents and decent-quality photo scans for sharing online. It’s not a professional-grade photo scanner, but for general home office archiving and digitizing, it performs admirably.
The copy function is equally straightforward. Placing a document on the scanner glass and pressing the Black or Color copy button on the control panel initiates the process without needing a computer. Copy speeds were reasonable, at around 4 images per minute, and the quality of the copies was excellent, closely replicating the color and sharpness of the original. We found this incredibly useful for making quick duplicates of forms, IDs, and recipes. The combination of these functions in one machine streamlines countless small tasks. Being able to scan a signed contract directly to a cloud service or quickly copy a child’s permission slip reinforces the value of having a versatile hub like this in a home setting, solidifying its place as a true workhorse. When you check the latest price and availability, consider the value of having three devices neatly packed into one.
What Other Users Are Saying
Our hands-on experience is crucial, but we also look at broader user feedback to get a complete picture. The sentiment around the Canon Pixma TS5320a Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer tends to be polarized, often centering on user expectations. We saw feedback that directly mirrored our own findings. For instance, one user noted their disappointment, stating, “I bought it mainly to print pictures from myPhone the quality of printing isn’t good. I can’t load the right photo paper for it.” This highlights the critical point we discovered during our testing: this printer’s photo quality is highly dependent on using quality, brand-matched photo paper and selecting the correct settings. It’s not as forgiving as more advanced models, which can be a source of frustration for users expecting plug-and-play perfection.
On the other hand, many users praise the very features we found compelling. Positive comments frequently celebrate the incredibly easy Wi-Fi setup via the Canon app, the sleek and compact design that fits into any decor, and the sheer convenience of the dual paper trays. For users whose primary need is reliable document printing with the occasional photo, and who value aesthetics and ease of use, the feedback is overwhelmingly positive. This balanced perspective suggests the printer is an excellent fit for the right user, but potentially frustrating for those with very specific, high-end photo printing expectations.
How Does the Canon Pixma TS5320a Compare to the Competition?
The budget all-in-one printer market is fiercely competitive. While the Canon Pixma TS5320a Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer carves out a nice niche with its design and dual-tray system, it’s essential to see how it stands against popular alternatives. Each competitor offers a different value proposition, focusing on ink cost, portability, or high-volume output, which may be a better fit for your specific needs.
1. HP Smart Tank 5102 Wireless All-in-One Printer
- FROM CANADA'S MOST TRUSTED PRINTER BRAND – The Smart Tank 5102 is perfect for families printing a variety of color documents in high volumes. Print up to 12 pages per minute black and 5 pages per...
- FULLY LOADED WITH SAVINGS – Best for low-cost, high-volume printing—up to 2 years of Original HP Ink included; get up to 6,000 black or colour pages right out of the box
The HP Smart Tank 5102 represents a completely different approach to ink. Instead of cartridges, it uses a high-capacity refillable ink tank system. The primary advantage is an extremely low cost-per-page, as it comes with up to two years of ink right in the box. This makes it an outstanding choice for users who print frequently and want to minimize long-term running costs. While its upfront cost is higher than the Canon’s, the savings on ink can be substantial over time. However, it lacks the Canon’s convenient dual-paper tray system and its design is more utilitarian. If your priority is minimizing ink costs above all else, the HP Smart Tank is the superior economic choice.
2. HP OfficeJet 250 Portable Printer
- Main functions of this HP all-in-one portable printer: scan, copy, easy portable printing wherever you need it, wireless print from your laptop or mobile devices, 2.65" color touchscreen, auto...
- Mobile printing: print from anywhere using your smartphone or tablet with the free HP ePrint app, Android users can easily detect and connect to a nearby OfficeJet 250 and print using Wi-Fi Direct
The HP OfficeJet 250 is a specialized device built for one thing: portability. It’s a compact, battery-powered all-in-one printer that you can slip into a backpack and take on the road. For professionals who travel, mobile contractors, or anyone who needs to print, scan, and copy away from a traditional office, this machine is in a class of its own. It’s not designed to be a primary home printer; its print speed is slower, and its paper capacity is smaller than the Canon’s. You’re paying a premium for the freedom of portability. If you’re a road warrior, the OfficeJet 250 is the obvious choice, but for a stationary home office, the Canon Pixma TS5320a Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer offers better performance and features for less money.
3. Epson EcoTank ET-3850 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 7,500 pages black/6,000 color (3)
The Epson EcoTank ET-3850 is a direct competitor to the HP Smart Tank and a significant step up from the Canon in terms of office-centric features. Like the HP, it uses refillable ink tanks for a very low cost-per-page. Where it stands out is the inclusion of a 30-page Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) for multi-page scanning and copying, a feature the Canon lacks. This makes it far more efficient for digitizing large documents. It also includes an Ethernet port for more stable wired networking. The ET-3850 is aimed squarely at the serious home office or small business user who needs volume, efficiency, and low running costs. It is, however, considerably larger and more expensive than the Canon.
Final Verdict: A Stylish and Versatile Printer for Modern Homes
After extensive testing, our verdict on the Canon Pixma TS5320a Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer is overwhelmingly positive, with a few important caveats. This is not the printer for a high-volume office or a professional photographer. Instead, it is an exceptionally well-designed machine for the modern home, student dorm, or creative space. Its strengths lie in its blend of style, compactness, and clever convenience features. The easy wireless setup, intuitive app, and brilliant dual-paper feeding system remove common frustrations and make printing a seamless part of your workflow. It produces excellent text documents and, with the right paper and settings, very pleasing photos.
The 2-cartridge ink system is a trade-off for its lower purchase price, and users must be prepared to invest in quality photo paper to get the best results. If you are looking for a versatile, attractive, and user-friendly all-in-one that can handle everything from homework to hobbies without taking over your desk, the Canon Pixma TS5320a is a fantastic choice. It balances performance and features at a price point that offers tremendous value. If this sounds like the perfect fit for your home, we highly recommend you check the current price and order yours today.
Last update on 2025-11-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API