Canon PIXMA TS7650i All-in-One Printer Review: The Modern Home Office Workhorse?

For years, my home office was haunted by the ghost of printers past. I’m talking about a hulking, beige behemoth that took up a quarter of my desk, communicated via a tangle of dusty cables, and seemed to have a personal vendetta against my Wi-Fi network. Every print job was a gamble. Would it connect? Would it jam? Did I have the one specific shade of cyan it demanded before refusing to print a simple black-and-white document? The frustration was palpable, turning simple tasks like printing a return label or a child’s homework into a 20-minute ordeal. This daily battle with outdated technology isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a drain on productivity and patience. In today’s world of seamless connectivity and instant gratification, a reliable, fast, and high-quality home printer isn’t a luxury—it’s an essential command centre for work, school, and creativity.

What to Consider Before Buying a Home Photo Printer

A Photo Printer, especially a versatile all-in-one model, is more than just an item to tick off an office supply list; it’s a key solution for bridging our digital and physical worlds. It empowers you to turn fleeting digital memories into tangible photo prints, produce professional-looking documents for your remote job, scan important receipts and records for digital archiving, and print out creative projects on demand. The main benefits are convenience, control, and quality. No more last-minute dashes to a print shop or waiting days for online photo orders to arrive. You have the power to create, copy, and capture right at your fingertips, whenever inspiration strikes or a deadline looms.

The ideal customer for this type of product is someone facing the daily demands of a modern household or home office. This includes parents juggling school assignments and photo album projects, students needing to print essays and research papers, remote workers requiring a reliable device for reports and scanning, and hobbyist photographers who want to see their work come to life without the expense of professional printing. Conversely, this might not be the right investment for those who print fewer than a dozen pages a year; a local library or print service might be more cost-effective. Likewise, professional photographers who require gallery-grade, large-format prints with archival-quality ink systems would be better served by a dedicated, pro-level photo printer.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Dimensions & Space: Printers are no longer the desk-hogging monsters they once were. Measure your intended space carefully. The Canon PIXMA TS7650i All-in-One Printer boasts a refreshingly compact footprint (37.4cm wide by 35cm deep), making it a perfect fit for a small desk, a shelf, or even a sideboard, as some users have noted. Consider both the operational footprint (with paper trays extended) and its stored size.
• Capacity/Performance: Look beyond the initial price and at the specs that define your daily experience. Key metrics include print speed, measured in pages per minute (PPM), and print resolution, measured in dots per inch (DPI). With speeds of 15 PPM for black and white and 10 PPM for colour, coupled with a 1200 DPI resolution, this model is built for efficiency and clarity. Also, check the paper capacity; a 200-sheet total capacity means less frequent reloading.
• Materials & Durability: A home printer should be built to withstand the rigours of family life. While most are constructed from plastic, not all plastics are equal. We found the Canon PIXMA TS7650i All-in-One Printer to feel surprisingly solid and weighty, suggesting a robust internal frame. Its clean, white finish gives it a modern aesthetic that blends well into a home environment rather than looking like a piece of industrial office equipment.
• Ease of Use & Maintenance: The most powerful printer is useless if it’s a nightmare to operate. Look for intuitive controls like a touch screen, straightforward wireless setup, and user-friendly software. Long-term maintenance is also a huge factor. Consider the cost and availability of ink cartridges and whether the printer offers any smart ink solutions, like Canon’s PIXMA Print Plan, which automates replacements.

Keeping these factors in mind, the Canon PIXMA TS7650i All-in-One Printer stands out in several areas. You can explore its detailed specifications and features here.

While the Canon PIXMA TS7650i All-in-One 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:

First Impressions: Unboxing the Modern, Compact Contender

From the moment the courier handed over the box, I was impressed. As one user highlighted, the packaging for the Canon PIXMA TS7650i All-in-One Printer is a masterclass in responsible design. It’s almost entirely recyclable cardboard, with minimal plastic used only where absolutely necessary to protect the device and its ink cartridges. Pulling the printer from its secure cocoon revealed a sleek, “snazzy” white unit that feels both modern and minimalist. It’s a far cry from the dull, utilitarian designs of yesteryear. The build quality immediately stands out; at 6.3 kilograms, it has a reassuring heft that suggests durability without being overly cumbersome. Its compact dimensions are a genuine highlight, promising to reclaim valuable desk real estate, a sentiment echoed by users upgrading from much older, larger PIXMA models.

Inside the box, the contents are straightforward: the printer itself, a power cord, a set of starter FINE cartridges (PG-585 Black and CL-586 Colour), and the necessary manuals. The setup process is guided by a vibrant 2.7-inch colour touch screen, which makes the initial steps of installing ink and connecting to Wi-Fi incredibly intuitive. The prominent LED status bar on the front is another thoughtful touch, providing an at-a-glance indication of the printer’s status. It’s clear that Canon has focused heavily on the user experience, aiming to get you from unboxing to your first print with minimal fuss.

A Deep Dive into the Canon PIXMA TS7650i’s Real-World Performance

Specs on a page are one thing, but a printer truly reveals its character during day-to-day use. We put the Canon PIXMA TS7650i All-in-One Printer through its paces, handling everything from multi-page reports and scanned receipts to borderless A4 photo prints. Over weeks of testing, it consistently proved itself to be a reliable, high-performing hub for our home office, blending speed, quality, and smart functionality in a way that genuinely simplifies creative and administrative tasks.

Setup and Wireless Connectivity: From Box to First Print in Minutes

Canon has clearly poured immense effort into demystifying the setup process, and it shows. The initial power-on sequence guides you through every step on the bright, responsive colour touch screen. Installing the two FINE cartridges is a simple, click-in affair. The real magic, however, lies in its wireless setup. We chose to connect it to our home Wi-Fi network directly through the printer’s interface, a process that took less than two minutes. There was no need to connect a computer via USB or decipher a cryptic manual. Once on the network, it was instantly discoverable by all our devices.

Printing from an iPhone using Apple AirPrint was instantaneous; the printer appeared as an option with no app or driver installation required. The experience was identical on an Android tablet using Mopria. For more advanced control, we downloaded the Canon PRINT app. This app is a powerful command centre, allowing you to print documents from cloud services like Google Drive and Dropbox, access photos from social media, initiate scans directly to your phone, and check ink levels remotely. This seamless integration confirms user reports of a “simple to set up” experience. It transforms the printer from a peripheral tethered to one PC into a shared, accessible resource for the entire household.

Print Quality and Speed: The Heart of the Matter

This is where the Canon PIXMA TS7650i All-in-One Printer truly shines. Let’s start with document printing. At 15 pages per minute for monochrome, it’s remarkably swift for a home inkjet. We printed a 20-page report, and the pages flowed out quickly and quietly. The text was consistently sharp and dark, with no smudging or bleeding, easily rivalling the quality of a laser printer for standard office work. The automatic 2-sided (duplex) printing is a fantastic feature, saving paper and creating more professional-looking documents without any manual intervention.

However, as a photo printer, its colour performance is the main event. Using Canon’s glossy photo paper, we printed a variety of high-resolution images, from portraits to vibrant landscapes. The results were stunning. The ChromaLife100 ink system, designed for longevity, produces rich, accurate colours and deep blacks. The 1200 DPI resolution ensures that fine details are preserved, and the transitions between tones are smooth and natural. The borderless A4 printing capability is a huge plus, allowing you to create beautiful, frame-ready prints at home. As one user noted, it delivers “great quality prints of both black and colour ink” and is “far faster” than older units it replaces. This combination of speed and quality makes it an incredibly versatile machine. For anyone looking to produce beautiful, high-quality photos at home, this printer is a truly compelling option.

Everyday Usability: The Smart Features That Make a Difference

Beyond raw performance, a printer’s daily usability is what determines whether it’s a help or a hindrance. The Canon PIXMA TS7650i All-in-One Printer is packed with thoughtful features that streamline workflow. The 2.7-inch touch screen is the primary interface, and it’s excellent—clear, responsive, and logically laid out. Copying is as simple as placing a document on the flatbed scanner and tapping a button. The scanner itself is high-resolution, producing crisp and colour-accurate digital copies of photos and documents alike. While the lack of an Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) means it’s not ideal for digitizing a 50-page manuscript, it’s more than capable for typical home use like scanning IDs, receipts, or a few pages of a contract.

The 2-way paper feed is another brilliant design choice. You can keep the main cassette loaded with up to 100 sheets of plain A4 paper for everyday documents, while the rear tray (also 100-sheet capacity) can be reserved for specialty media like photo paper, envelopes, or cardstock. This eliminates the tedious process of swapping out paper every time you want to switch from printing a report to printing a photo. The Auto Power On/Off function is another subtle but useful feature, ensuring the printer is ready when you send a job but conserves energy when idle. These elements combine to create a user experience that feels intuitive and efficient.

Ink Management and Long-Term Costs: The PIXMA Print Plan Advantage

The running cost of a printer is a significant long-term consideration. The Canon PIXMA TS7650i All-in-One Printer uses the PG-585 (pigment black) and CL-586 (tri-colour) FINE cartridges. The pigment black is excellent for long-lasting, smudge-resistant text, while the dye-based colours are ideal for photo printing. The primary drawback of a tri-colour cartridge is that if you exhaust one colour (e.g., cyan), the entire cartridge must be replaced, which can feel wasteful. This system is best suited for users with a balanced mix of printing needs.

To address the age-old problem of unexpectedly running out of ink, this model is compatible with the PIXMA Print Plan. This is an optional subscription service where the printer monitors its own ink levels and automatically orders new cartridges to be delivered to your door before you run out. The plans are based on the number of pages you print per month, not the amount of ink you use, which can be particularly cost-effective for those who print a lot of photos or dense colour documents. For busy households or home offices, this service provides peace of mind and can help manage printing costs more predictably, removing one more thing from your to-do list.

What Other Users Are Saying

Across the board, user feedback corroborates our own positive experience with the Canon PIXMA TS7650i All-in-One Printer. Many reviewers highlight it as a significant upgrade and an “excellent replacement” for older, slower Canon models. A recurring theme is the sheer simplicity of the setup process, with users praising how quickly they could get the printer online and connected to their various devices. The print speed is another frequently mentioned advantage, with one person noting it was “far faster than the unit it replaced.”

The quality of the output receives consistent acclaim, for both crisp monochrome documents and vibrant colour photos. The modern aesthetic and compact design are also a big hit, with comments on its “snazzy” white look and its ability to free up valuable desk space compared to older, bulkier printers. The touch screen display is cited as a major plus, making navigation and operation intuitive. The general sentiment is that this printer successfully combines modern features, strong performance, and user-friendly design into a package that is perfectly suited for today’s home environment.

How Does the Canon PIXMA TS7650i Compare to Alternatives?

While the Canon PIXMA TS7650i All-in-One Printer excels as a versatile A4 workhorse, the market also offers highly specialized printers for different needs. The alternatives we’ve looked at are not direct competitors but rather serve a completely different purpose: instant, portable photo printing. Understanding this distinction is key to choosing the right device for you.

1. INSTAX mini LINK2 Smartphone Printer

The INSTAX mini LINK2 is all about spontaneity and fun. It doesn’t print A4 documents or scan receipts; it produces charming, credit-card-sized instant photos directly from your smartphone. It’s incredibly portable, making it the perfect accessory for parties, weddings, or holidays where you want to share physical photos in the moment. Using the dedicated app, you can add filters, frames, and even draw in the air with the “instaxAiR” feature. If your primary goal is creating small, fun, shareable prints for a scrapbook or to give to friends on the spot, the INSTAX is a fantastic choice. It’s a memory-maker, not an office tool.

2. KODAK Photo Printer Yellow

Similar to the INSTAX, the KODAK Photo Printer is a compact, portable device designed for printing small photos directly from your phone. It typically uses dye-sublimation or ZINK (Zero Ink) technology to create durable, smudge-proof prints that often come with a peel-and-stick backing, making them perfect for journaling, crafting, and personalizing belongings. Its focus is on convenience and creativity in a small format. It cannot handle documents or A4 prints. This is the ideal choice for a crafter or scrapbooker who values the sticker functionality and portability above all else.

3. KODAK Step Wireless Colour Photo Printer

The KODAK Step is another entry in the ultra-portable instant printer category. It uses ZINK technology, meaning it requires no ink cartridges—the colour is embedded in the special paper itself. It prints 2×3-inch photos with a sticky back, making them perfect for instant keepsakes. Like the other two alternatives, its value lies in its pocket-sized portability and the instant gratification of printing a photo anywhere, anytime. It’s a lifestyle gadget for capturing and sharing moments on the go, whereas the Canon PIXMA TS7650i All-in-One Printer is a comprehensive productivity and creativity station for the home.

Our Final Verdict: Is the Canon PIXMA TS7650i the Right Printer for You?

After extensive hands-on testing, we can confidently say that the Canon PIXMA TS7650i All-in-One Printer is a superb all-rounder that hits the sweet spot for the modern home and home office. It successfully banishes the frustrations of older printers with its flawless wireless connectivity, intuitive touch screen controls, and brisk performance. The print quality is exceptional for this price point, delivering professional-grade documents and truly beautiful, vibrant photo prints that you’ll be proud to display.

We highly recommend it for families, students, and remote workers who need a single, reliable device to handle a wide range of tasks—from homework and reports to creative photo projects. Its compact, stylish design ensures it fits seamlessly into any home. While the lack of an ADF and the tri-colour cartridge system are points to consider, they are reasonable trade-offs for its impressive performance, feature set, and accessible price. It is a powerful, user-friendly, and versatile machine that proves a home printer can be a joy to use, not a source of frustration.

If you’ve decided the Canon PIXMA TS7650i All-in-One Printer is the right fit for your home’s printing, copying, and scanning needs, you can check its current price and purchase it here.