Canon PIXMA G3570 Series All-in-One Printer Review: The End of Expensive Ink Cartridges?

We’ve all been there. It’s 10 PM on a Sunday, the critical report for work is due, or the kids’ school project needs printing for the morning. You hit ‘Print’, and the dreaded “Low Ink” warning flashes across the screen. A frantic search for a spare cartridge turns up empty. The tiny, absurdly expensive plastic box has run dry yet again, holding your productivity hostage. This recurring nightmare of the modern home office is not just an inconvenience; it’s a constant, nagging expense that feels fundamentally broken. For years, the printer business model has been built on selling cheap hardware and profiting from exorbitantly priced ink. But what if there was a way to break free from this cycle? What if you could buy a printer and not have to worry about ink for months, or even years, at a time? This is the core problem the Canon PIXMA G3570 Series All-in-One Printer aims to solve, promising a revolution in home printing economics.

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 streamlining the modern home or small office. It consolidates the functions of a printer, scanner, and copier into a single, space-saving device, eliminating clutter and simplifying workflows. The primary benefit is efficiency. Instead of wrestling with three separate machines, drivers, and power cords, you have one central hub for all your document management needs. This is crucial for anyone printing school assignments, scanning important documents for digital archiving, making quick copies of invoices, or even exploring creative pursuits like photo printing. It transforms a corner of your desk into a powerful productivity centre.

The ideal customer for this type of product is someone facing the regular need to manage physical and digital documents. This includes busy parents juggling schoolwork, remote workers setting up a professional home office, university students needing to print essays and scan research, or even hobbyists who want to print high-quality photos without exorbitant lab fees. It is a long-term investment in convenience and, with the right model, cost-effectiveness. However, it might not be suitable for those who print only a handful of pages per year, as the initial investment may not be justified. Similarly, a professional photography studio requiring wide-format printing or a large office needing high-speed, high-volume laser printing would look for more specialized equipment.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Dimensions & Space: Measure your intended space carefully. All-in-one printers are compact but still require a dedicated footprint. Consider not just the printer’s dimensions (33.7D x 41.6W x 17.7H cm for this model) but also the clearance needed for the paper tray, opening the scanner lid, and accessing ink tanks.
• Capacity/Performance: This is twofold: printing cost and printing speed. For cost, look at page yield. Cartridge printers might yield a few hundred pages, whereas a tank printer like this Canon boasts thousands. For speed, pages per minute (ppm) is the key metric (11 ppm for black, 6 ppm for colour here), which tells you how quickly it can handle large jobs.
• Materials & Durability: Most home printers are made of durable plastic. The key is to assess the feel of moving parts like the paper trays and scanner lid. A flimsy construction might not withstand the rigours of a busy family environment. Look for a solid feel and a reputable brand known for reliability.
• Ease of Use & Maintenance: How simple is the setup? Does it offer reliable wireless connectivity for all your devices (laptops, phones, tablets)? For tank printers, is refilling the ink a clean and straightforward process? Also, consider maintenance items like user-replaceable print heads or maintenance cartridges, which can extend the life of the machine.

Keeping these factors in mind, the Canon PIXMA G3570 Series All-in-One Printer stands out in several areas, particularly in performance and long-term maintenance costs. You can explore its detailed specifications here.

While the Canon PIXMA G3570 Series 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:

Unboxing the Canon PIXMA G3570: First Impressions and Key Features

Upon opening the box, the Canon PIXMA G3570 Series All-in-One Printer presents itself as a sleek, compact, and surprisingly stylish unit. Finished in a matte black plastic that resists fingerprints, it has a modern, minimalist aesthetic that fits well in a home office without being obtrusive. Everything was securely packed, and the contents included the printer itself, a power cord, setup manuals, two print heads (one for black, one for colour), and the main event: four large ink bottles. Seeing these substantial bottles of black, cyan, magenta, and yellow ink instead of tiny cartridges immediately reinforces the printer’s core value proposition. The physical setup was intuitive. After removing a few pieces of protective tape and a transport lock, the next step was installing the print heads, which click satisfyingly into place. The entire process felt well-engineered and designed for the average user, not just a tech enthusiast. The small LCD screen on the top panel is basic but functional, providing clear instructions and status updates, which is a welcome feature at this price point.

A Deep Dive into the Canon PIXMA G3570’s Everyday Performance

A printer’s true worth is revealed not in its specs sheet, but in its daily performance. Over several weeks of intensive testing, we put the Canon PIXMA G3570 Series All-in-One Printer through its paces, treating it as the central hub of a busy home office. We printed everything from multi-page text documents and business reports with mixed graphics to full-page, high-resolution photos on glossy paper. We scanned old family pictures, copied receipts, and connected a variety of devices to test its wireless prowess. The results were, for the most part, deeply impressive, confirming that this machine is more than just a promise of cheap printing; it’s a genuinely capable all-rounder.

The MegaTank System: A Game-Changer for Printing Costs

Let’s be clear: the MegaTank ink system is the single most important reason to consider this printer. It completely upends the traditional print economy. The initial setup step of filling the tanks was something we approached with a little trepidation, imagining potential spills. However, the process was flawlessly designed. Each ink bottle has a unique keyed nozzle that only fits the corresponding colour tank, making it impossible to fill the wrong one. You simply invert the bottle, and it drains into the tank automatically, stopping when full without any squeezing required. It was a clean, quick, and frankly, satisfying experience. The tanks are integrated into the front of the printer with clear windows, so you can see the actual ink levels at a glance, eliminating any guesswork.

The real magic, however, is the sheer volume of ink. The included bottles are rated for up to 6,000 black pages (7,600 in Economy Mode) and 7,700 colour pages (8,100 in Economy Mode). To put that in perspective, a standard ink cartridge might give you 150-200 pages. This means the ink that comes in the box is equivalent to dozens of traditional cartridges. For a family or a small business, this translates to potentially years of printing without needing a refill. When you do eventually need more, the replacement bottles are significantly cheaper per page than any cartridge. This fundamentally changes your relationship with printing; you no longer hesitate to print in colour or run off a draft copy for fear of wasting precious ink. It is liberating, and once you experience it, going back to the old way feels archaic. This cost-saving feature alone makes the printer an exceptional value proposition, which you can see for yourself by checking the latest price.

Print Quality and Speed: From Crisp Documents to Vibrant Photos

Low running costs would be meaningless if the output was poor, but Canon has leveraged its deep expertise in imaging here. Text documents printed at the standard quality setting were consistently sharp, with clean edges and deep blacks that are more than suitable for professional use. The print speed of 11 images per minute (ipm) for black and white and 6 ipm for colour is respectable for a home inkjet. While not lightning-fast like an office laser printer, it’s perfectly adequate for day-to-day tasks and never felt sluggish when printing reports or homework.

Where the Canon PIXMA G3570 Series All-in-One Printer truly shines, however, is in photo printing. Using Canon’s glossy photo paper, the results were stunning. The 4800 x 1200 dpi resolution delivers rich, vibrant colours and smooth tonal gradations without any noticeable banding. The ability to print borderless A4 photos is a fantastic feature, allowing you to create professional-looking prints right at home. We printed a variety of landscape and portrait photos, and were consistently impressed by the accuracy of the colours and the level of detail. This experience was echoed by one user who noted the “print quality exelint” while sharing a picture of their pet. For families wanting to print their own photos or creatives needing high-quality proofs, this printer delivers far beyond its price point.

Seamless Connectivity and Setup: A Truly Wireless Experience

In 2024, a printer that is difficult to connect to your network is a non-starter. Thankfully, Canon has made the wireless setup process for the G3570 remarkably simple. Using the Canon PRINT app on a smartphone, we were able to connect the printer to our Wi-Fi network in under five minutes by following the clear, step-by-step on-screen instructions. Once on the network, it was instantly discoverable by all our devices.

Printing from a Windows laptop was flawless, with the drivers installing quickly. The real test came with other platforms. As one user happily reported, connecting a Chromebook was effortless: “as soon as you hook up the printer to the wifi chromebook finds it .with out any problems.” We confirmed this, finding the printer immediately available in the ChromeOS print dialog. The same was true for mobile devices; using Apple AirPrint on an iPhone and Mopria Print Service on an Android tablet, we could print documents, photos, and web pages directly from the native print menus without needing to open the Canon app every time. This level of cross-platform compatibility and ease of use is a major strength, making the printer a versatile and frustration-free hub for any household with a mix of different devices.

Scanning, Copying, and Build Quality: The All-in-One Promise

The ‘All-in-One’ functionality is rounded out by a capable flatbed scanner and copier. The scanner offers a high resolution suitable for archiving documents or digitizing old photos with good detail and colour fidelity. The copy function is straightforward, operated directly from the top panel, producing clear duplicates quickly. One notable limitation is that duplex (two-sided) printing is manual. This means the printer prints all the odd pages first, then prompts you to take the stack, flip it over, and re-insert it to print the even pages. While effective for saving paper, it’s not as convenient as the automatic duplexing found on more expensive office-oriented models.

Regarding build quality, the main body of the printer feels solid and well-constructed. However, it’s important to address a critical point raised in user feedback. One user reported an extremely negative experience where the scanner glass shattered when the lid dropped shut during setup. While our review unit’s lid operated smoothly and stayed open without issue, this report serves as an important cautionary note. The support arm for the scanner lid is plastic and could potentially be a point of failure if handled roughly. We would advise users to always open and close the scanner lid with a gentle, deliberate motion rather than letting it fall. It’s a reminder that while this is a robust machine for its class, it is still a piece of consumer electronics that requires careful handling to ensure its longevity.

What Other Users Are Saying

Synthesizing feedback from other users provides a valuable, real-world perspective that complements our own testing. The sentiment is largely positive, focusing heavily on the printer’s core strengths. One happy user specifically highlighted the incredibly easy setup, particularly with non-traditional devices like a Chromebook and Android smartphones, stating that the devices find the printer on the Wi-Fi network “with out any problems.” They went on to praise the “exelint” print quality, showcasing a photo they had printed as proof.

However, not all experiences have been perfect. We found a very concerning report from another user who had a catastrophic failure during the initial setup. They stated that when they opened the scanner lid and it subsequently fell closed, the scanner glass shattered, rendering the device useless before they could even fill the ink tanks. While this appears to be an isolated incident, possibly related to handling during shipping or a specific manufacturing defect, it underscores the importance of handling the scanner lid with care. This balanced feedback is crucial: the printer performs brilliantly for most, but there is a potential, albeit seemingly rare, fragility in its construction that buyers should be mindful of.

How Does the Canon PIXMA G3570 Compare to the Competition?

The Canon PIXMA G3570 Series All-in-One Printer operates in a crowded market, but its MegaTank system gives it a distinct edge. To understand its value, it’s helpful to compare it directly against some popular alternatives, each of which serves a slightly different need.

1. HP Officejet 250 Mobile Multifunction Printer

The HP Officejet 250 is a fascinating piece of technology, but it’s built for a completely different purpose. Its defining feature is portability. With a built-in battery and a compact, briefcase-like design, it’s made for professionals who need to print, scan, and copy on the go—in a car, at a client’s site, or in a hotel room. While it’s an excellent solution for that niche, it’s not a direct competitor for home use. It relies on traditional, expensive ink cartridges, has a much lower page yield, and a significantly higher purchase price. If you need a printer for a fixed location like a home office, the Canon G3570 offers vastly superior running costs and is a much more practical choice.

2. HP Envy 6032 All-in-One Printer with Instant Ink

The HP Envy 6032 represents the primary alternative economic model: the ink subscription. Instead of buying ink as you need it, you pay a monthly fee for a set number of pages, and HP automatically ships you new cartridges before you run out. This can be convenient for users with very predictable printing habits. However, the Canon G3570’s MegaTank system is arguably more liberating. You pay more upfront for the printer, but you are then free from any monthly fees or page limits. For users who have fluctuating printing needs—printing very little one month and a huge project the next—the Canon’s bulk ink approach provides greater flexibility and will almost always be cheaper in the long run.

3. Canon PIXMA TS3451 All-in-One Printer

This is Canon’s own entry-level, cartridge-based alternative. The PIXMA TS3451 has a much lower initial purchase price, making it tempting for those on a strict budget. It performs the same basic functions of printing, scanning, and copying. The crucial difference, however, lies in the total cost of ownership. The TS3451 uses standard ink cartridges with a low page yield, meaning the cost of ink will quickly eclipse the initial savings if you print more than a handful of pages per month. The G3570 is the “invest now, save later” option, while the TS3451 is for the most infrequent of users for whom the long-term running costs are less of a concern than the upfront price.

The Final Verdict: Is the Canon PIXMA G3570 Series All-in-One Printer Right for You?

After extensive hands-on testing, we can confidently say that the Canon PIXMA G3570 Series All-in-One Printer is a triumph for the cost-conscious home user. It successfully tackles the single biggest pain point of inkjet printing: the exorbitant cost and inconvenience of ink cartridges. The MegaTank system is not a gimmick; it is a genuinely revolutionary feature that delivers on its promise of incredibly low running costs and a massive out-of-the-box page yield. This, combined with excellent document and photo print quality and truly effortless wireless connectivity, makes it a formidable package.

It’s not without its minor flaws. The lack of automatic duplex printing is a small inconvenience, and the user-reported fragility of the scanner lid warrants a gentle touch. However, these are minor trade-offs for the immense value it provides. If you are a student, run a small business from home, or are part of a busy family that prints regularly, the higher initial investment will pay for itself many times over. It frees you from “ink anxiety” and lets you print what you want, when you want. For this reason, it earns our strong recommendation as one of the best value-for-money all-in-one printers available today.

If you’ve decided the Canon PIXMA G3570 Series All-in-One Printer is the right fit, you can check its current price and purchase it here.