Canon PIXMA TS3750i Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer Review: The Compact Home Office Solution We Put to the Test

There’s a specific kind of modern domestic panic that only a malfunctioning or non-existent printer can induce. I’ve been there myself. It’s 10 PM on a Sunday, and my son announces he needs a printed copy of his history project for the next morning. Or it’s the day before a flight, and the airline app is glitching, forcing me to print boarding passes. In those moments, the dream of a paperless world evaporates, and the urgent need for a simple, reliable machine that just *works* becomes paramount. The problem is that the market is flooded with hulking, overly complex devices designed for corporate environments. Finding a compact, affordable, and easy-to-use printer that can handle everything from a child’s school report to a high-quality holiday photo without requiring an IT degree to set up is the real challenge. This search for a dependable home printing hub is what led us to thoroughly test the Canon PIXMA TS3750i Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer.

What to Consider Before Buying an All-in-One Printer

An All-in-One Printer is more than just an item; it’s a key solution for consolidating your home office needs into a single, space-saving device. It solves the problem of clutter by combining the functions of a printer, scanner, and copier, eliminating the need for three separate machines. The main benefit is convenience. You can digitise old photos, make copies of important documents, and print reports or creative projects from one central hub, often controlled directly from your smartphone. This versatility is crucial for modern households where work, school, and personal life frequently overlap.

The ideal customer for this type of product is someone facing the daily demands of a busy household or a small home office. Think students needing to print assignments, parents managing school forms and creative projects, or remote workers who occasionally need to print, sign, and scan contracts. It’s for the user who values convenience and wireless connectivity over blazing-fast print speeds and massive paper capacity. Conversely, it might not be suitable for those who run a print-heavy small business or are professional photographers. These users would be better served by laser printers for high-volume text or specialised photo printers with more advanced ink systems.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Dimensions & Space: Home office space is a premium. Before buying, measure your intended desk or shelf space carefully. A printer’s footprint (width x depth) is critical, but also consider the vertical clearance needed to open the scanner lid and access the paper trays. The compact design of many modern inkjets is a significant advantage over bulkier office models.
• Capacity/Performance: Look beyond the initial purchase price to the long-term performance. Key metrics include print speed, measured in pages per minute (ppm) for both black-and-white and colour, and print resolution, measured in dots per inch (DPI), which determines print clarity. Also, consider the paper tray capacity; a 60-sheet tray is fine for home use but would be a constant hassle in a busier setting.
• Connectivity & Ease of Use: In today’s wireless world, seamless connectivity is non-negotiable. Ensure the printer supports Wi-Fi and has robust mobile apps for printing from smartphones and tablets (like the Canon PRINT app, Apple AirPrint, etc.). A simple setup process and an intuitive on-device interface, even a basic LCD screen, can make the difference between a useful tool and a frustrating gadget.
• Ink Costs & Subscription Plans: The printer’s price is just the beginning; the true cost lies in the ink. Research the price and page yield of replacement cartridges (look for XL options). Many brands now offer ink subscription plans (like the PIXMA Print Plan) that can offer savings and convenience for consistent users, but may not be cost-effective for very sporadic printing.

Keeping these factors in mind, the Canon PIXMA TS3750i Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer stands out in several areas, particularly for those prioritizing a compact design and ease of use. You can explore its detailed specifications here.

While the Canon PIXMA TS3750i Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer is an excellent choice for many, 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: A Compact and Unassuming Workhorse

Unboxing the Canon PIXMA TS3750i Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer, the first thing we noticed was its refreshingly compact and lightweight nature. Weighing just over 4 kilograms and with dimensions of 43.5 x 32.7 x 14.5 centimetres, it’s clearly designed to fit comfortably on a small desk or shelf without being an eyesore. The all-black, matte plastic finish is modern and functional, though it feels like a budget-conscious build—sturdy enough for home use, but not something you’d want to move around frequently.

Inside the box, we found the printer itself, a power cord, and a set of starter ink cartridges (one black PG-575i and one colour CL-576i). It’s crucial to note, as one user rightly pointed out, the conspicuous absence of a USB cable. While the printer is heavily marketed for its wireless capabilities, the lack of a cable for initial setup or for those who prefer a wired connection is a definite oversight. The setup guide is straightforward, directing you to install the cartridges and then use the Canon PRINT app or the on-device buttons for wireless configuration. The small integrated LCD screen is basic, but it provides enough information to guide you through the Wi-Fi connection process without too much fuss.

A Deep Dive into the Canon PIXMA TS3750i’s Performance

A printer’s value isn’t just in its specs, but in how it performs under the pressure of real-world tasks. We put the Canon PIXMA TS3750i Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer through a comprehensive series of tests, from initial setup to printing complex documents and glossy photos, to see if its performance lives up to its promise of being the ideal home printing solution.

Setup and Connectivity: From Box to First Print

Canon touts a “super-simple, time-saving setup,” and for the most part, our experience aligned with this claim. The primary method pushed by the instructions is wireless setup via a smartphone and the Canon PRINT app. We found this process to be relatively intuitive. After installing the two ink cartridges—a simple click-in mechanism—and powering on the device, we downloaded the app. The app quickly found the printer, and we were able to connect it to our Wi-Fi network by following the on-screen prompts. The one-touch wireless connectivity button on the printer itself is a nice feature that simplifies this process even further for WPS-enabled routers.

Within about 15 minutes, we had the printer connected to our network and were printing a test page directly from my phone using Apple AirPrint. The Mopria service for Android worked just as seamlessly. This level of mobile integration is where the printer truly shines. It’s incredibly convenient to print a document or photo you’ve just received in an email without needing to transfer it to a computer first. However, as noted, the lack of an included USB 2.0 cable is a drawback. If your Wi-Fi is unreliable or you simply prefer a stable, wired connection to your PC or laptop, you’ll need to purchase a cable separately. This felt like an unnecessary cost-cutting measure that could lead to immediate frustration for some users.

Print Quality and Performance: Documents, Photos, and Reality

This is where the rubber meets the road. For a budget-friendly home printer, the performance is a tale of two distinct experiences: standard documents versus photos and complex graphics. For everyday black-and-white text documents—like reports, recipes, or forms—the quality is excellent. Text is sharp and clear, with no noticeable smudging, thanks to the pigment-based black ink. The B&W print speed of 7.7 ppm is not fast by office standards, but for printing a few pages at a time at home, it’s perfectly acceptable. A 10-page document took just under a minute and a half, which felt reasonable.

Colour printing is a different story. The speed drops significantly to 4 ppm, which feels noticeably slow when printing a multi-page, image-heavy document. Our real-world testing showed that quality can be variable, confirming the mixed user feedback we saw. One user praised the “vibrant and clear” colours, while another lamented “very bad quality of pictures” with stripes and incorrect colours. We found the truth lies somewhere in the middle and depends heavily on the paper used. On standard plain paper, colours can appear somewhat muted. However, when we switched to Canon’s glossy photo paper to test its borderless printing feature, the results were genuinely impressive for a device in this price range. We printed a 4×6 inch photo, which took just over a minute (in line with the specified 65 seconds), and the colours were rich and the detail was good. The 4800 x 1200 dpi maximum resolution is clearly being put to good use here. However, for intricate graphic work like business cards, as one user attempted, the printer struggled, producing banding and less-than-crisp details. It’s a fantastic photo printer for casual family snaps, but not a tool for professional graphic design work.

Ink Consumption and Running Costs: The Achilles’ Heel

This is arguably the most critical aspect of the Canon PIXMA TS3750i Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer and the source of the most vehement user complaints. Several users reported the starter ink cartridges running out with shocking speed, with one stating they were nearly empty on the first day after printing “quite a few documents.” Our testing confirmed this aggressive ink consumption. The “i” in TS3750i signifies that the included cartridges are part of the PIXMA Print Plan, but they are starter cartridges with a very low yield, designed to get you up and running and encouraged to subscribe.

This business model is common, but it’s particularly pronounced here. If you plan on printing more than a handful of pages per month, purchasing the standard PG-575 and CL-576 cartridges will become expensive quickly. The high-yield XL cartridges (PG-575XL and CL-576XL) are a much more economical choice, offering a better cost-per-page. The other option is Canon’s PIXMA Print Plan, an ink subscription service. You pay a monthly fee based on your estimated page count, and Canon automatically sends you new cartridges before you run out. This can be cost-effective for users with predictable, moderate-to-high printing volumes. For the user who only prints a dozen pages a month, however, buying XL cartridges as needed is likely the better financial decision. Potential buyers must be aware of this and factor ongoing ink costs into their budget; the low initial price of the printer is deceptive if you’re a heavy user.

Scanning and Copying: Everyday All-in-One Utility

The “All-in-One” functionality is rounded out by a competent flatbed scanner and copier. The scanner is simple to use, either from a computer or directly to your smartphone via the Canon PRINT app. We found scanning family photos to create digital archives was straightforward, and the quality was sufficient for this purpose. Copying is also simple, with dedicated buttons on the printer’s control panel. The maximum copy speed of around 3 images per minute for black and white is slow, but fine for occasional one-off copies.

One notable limitation, echoed in user feedback, is the lack of an automatic document feeder (ADF) and the need for manual duplexing. If you want to make a double-sided copy or print a two-sided document, you have to print the first side, then manually take the paper out, flip it over, and re-insert it to print the second side. As a user noted, “Only thing not to like is having to put paper back in for double sided.” For a single document, it’s a minor inconvenience. For anyone needing to regularly print or copy multi-page, double-sided documents, this manual process would quickly become tedious.

What Other Users Are Saying

The general consensus among users aligns closely with our findings: the Canon PIXMA TS3750i Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer is a capable but compromised machine. Most agree it’s a “solid, fuss-free all-in-one printer that does exactly what most home users need.” The easy setup and reliable wireless printing are frequently praised. However, the caveat is almost always the same: “just watch cartridge costs.” This sentiment is echoed by another user who, despite being “very happy with it,” warned that “it might use up ink quickly if you’re printing a lot.”

On the more critical side, one user had a deeply negative experience with print quality, citing striped images and unreadable text on business cards, which highlights the printer’s limitations with complex graphics. This, combined with the printer reporting low ink after just a few prints, underscores the importance of managing expectations. This is not a professional graphics printer. Other minor but relevant complaints include the lack of an included USB cable and the manual process for double-sided printing, both of which we confirmed are valid points of friction for an otherwise user-friendly device.

How Does the Canon PIXMA TS3750i Compare to the Alternatives?

While the Canon PIXMA TS3750i Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer occupies a strong position in the budget home printer market, it’s important to see how it stacks up against key competitors. Different needs call for different features, and these alternatives may be a better fit for some users.

1. HP ENVY Inspire 7920e All-in-One Wireless Colour Printer

The HP ENVY Inspire 7920e represents a clear step up from the Canon PIXMA TS3750i, targeting a more demanding home office user. Its most significant advantage is the 35-page Automatic Document Feeder (ADF), which is a game-changer for anyone who needs to scan or copy multi-page documents regularly. This feature alone makes it far more efficient for office tasks. The HP also typically offers slightly faster print speeds and is heavily integrated with HP’s Instant Ink subscription service. For a family or remote worker who does a lot of scanning and needs a bit more speed and paper-handling capability, the higher upfront cost of the HP ENVY Inspire 7920e is often justified by its enhanced productivity features.

2. Epson WorkForce Pro WF-4830 4-in-1 Printer

The Epson WorkForce Pro WF-4830 is in a different league entirely, designed for a high-performance small office environment. Its features dwarf those of the Canon, boasting blistering print speeds of 25 ppm for black and 12 ppm for colour, a large paper capacity, and full duplex (automatic double-sided) printing, scanning, and copying via its ADF. It also includes fax functionality and an Ethernet port for a stable, wired network connection. This printer is built for volume and speed. While it’s significantly more expensive and larger than the PIXMA TS3750i, for a small business where time is money and printer downtime is not an option, the Epson WorkForce Pro is the far superior choice.

3. Canon PIXMA TS5350 Multifunctional Wifi Printer

For those who like the Canon ecosystem but find the TS3750i a bit too basic, the PIXMA TS5350 is the logical next step up. It’s an incremental upgrade that addresses some of the TS3750i’s shortcomings. The TS5350 often features a better OLED display for clearer navigation, slightly faster print speeds, and crucially, automatic duplex printing, which eliminates the manual hassle of printing on both sides of a page. It maintains a stylish, compact form factor suitable for home use. A user who finds the manual duplexing on the TS3750i to be a dealbreaker but doesn’t need the heavy-duty features of an office machine would find the PIXMA TS5350 to be the perfect middle ground.

Our Final Verdict: Is the Canon PIXMA TS3750i Worth It?

After extensive testing, we can confidently say that the Canon PIXMA TS3750i Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer is an excellent value proposition for a specific type of user. If you are a student, a parent printing occasional homework, or a casual home user who needs a reliable, compact machine for infrequent printing, scanning, and copying, this printer is a fantastic choice. Its strengths are its low upfront cost, small footprint, and seamless wireless and smartphone printing capabilities. The ability to produce decent borderless photos is a wonderful bonus.

However, this recommendation comes with a significant caveat: ink cost and consumption. Heavy users who print dozens of pages per week will find the cost of replacement cartridges quickly outweighs the initial savings. For these users, or for anyone who requires features like an automatic document feeder or automatic duplex printing, investing in one of the more advanced alternatives would be a wiser long-term decision. But for light, everyday home use where convenience and compactness are key, the Canon PIXMA TS3750i delivers exactly what it promises.

If you’ve decided the Canon PIXMA TS3750i Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer is the right fit for your home, you can check its current price and availability here.