Canon TS705 Printer Review: The Compact Workhorse with a Few Surprises

In our increasingly crowded home offices, space is the ultimate luxury. For years, I struggled with a bulky all-in-one printer that dominated a corner of my desk. It was a jack-of-all-trades but a master of none; it scanned, it copied, but its primary function—printing—was merely adequate. The documents were fine, but photos came out looking flat and uninspired. I needed something different: a dedicated machine that was a master of one thing. I wanted a compact printer that could disappear into a bookshelf but emerge to produce crisp, professional documents and vibrant, gallery-worthy photos without fuss. The challenge is finding a device that sheds the bulk of multifunctionality without shedding the quality and features that matter most, like robust connectivity and efficient paper handling. This search for a focused, high-performance, yet space-saving solution is what led us to test the Canon TS705 Printer.

What to Consider Before Buying an Inkjet Printer

An inkjet printer is more than just an item; it’s a key solution for bringing your digital world into physical reality. Whether it’s for printing a crucial business report, a child’s school project, or preserving family memories in a photo album, the right printer acts as a reliable bridge. The main benefits lie in their versatility, especially for colour printing. Unlike laser printers, inkjets excel at blending colours smoothly, making them the superior choice for high-quality photo printing. They can handle a wide variety of paper types, from standard A4 to glossy photo paper and even custom media, offering a level of creative flexibility that is hard to match.

The ideal customer for this type of product is someone working from a home office, a student, or a photography hobbyist who values print quality and versatility over raw speed and volume. If you need to print hundreds of pages of black-and-white text daily, a laser printer might be more cost-effective. Likewise, if your workflow heavily relies on scanning and copying documents, an all-in-one (AIO) device would be a better fit. However, for those who want a specialist—a machine dedicated to producing excellent text and outstanding photos without the added footprint of a scanner—a high-quality, single-function inkjet like the Canon TS705 Printer is precisely the right tool for the job.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Dimensions & Space: Measure your intended space carefully. A “compact” printer can still be cumbersome if it doesn’t fit on your shelf or desk. Consider not just the footprint but also the clearance needed for paper trays to open and for accessing the rear feed. The Canon TS705 Printer is designed specifically with a small footprint in mind, making it an excellent candidate for tight spaces.
• Capacity/Performance: Look beyond just pages per minute (PPM). Consider the paper capacity; a larger tray means less frequent refilling. We’ve found that a capacity of 250 sheets, like that offered by this model, is a sweet spot for home office use. Also, evaluate features like automatic duplex (two-sided) printing, which saves paper but can sometimes be slower, a point we’ll explore in detail later.
• Materials & Durability: Most consumer-grade printers are constructed from durable plastic. While they may not feel as premium as commercial machines, they are built to withstand regular home use. Check for a solid feel in the moving parts, like the paper trays and output supports, as these are the components you’ll interact with most often.
• Ease of Use & Maintenance: Modern printers should be simple to connect to your network and devices. Look for versatile connectivity options like Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and mobile app support. Ink replacement is another key consideration; individual ink tanks are generally more economical than tri-colour cartridges, as you only replace the colour that runs out.

Keeping these factors in mind, the Canon TS705 Printer stands out in several areas. You can explore its detailed specifications here.

While the Canon TS705 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 and First Impressions of the Canon TS705 Printer

The Canon PIXMA TS705 arrives in a reassuringly sturdy box. Upon opening it, we were greeted with a well-packaged unit, secured with minimal, easy-to-remove materials. Our first impression was of its compact and dense design. Weighing just 5.4 kg and sporting a clean, black, boxy aesthetic, it feels substantial and well-built for its size. Unlike many competitors that feel hollow, the Canon TS705 Printer has a solidity that inspires confidence.

Included in the box are the printer itself, a full set of five starter ink cartridges (a pigment black for text and four dye-based inks for photos), a power cable, a setup CD-ROM, and the usual manuals. One notable omission is a USB cable, which is standard practice for many manufacturers these days, as they assume most users will opt for wireless connectivity. The setup process, guided by the quick-start manual, was remarkably straightforward. From installing the print head and ink cartridges to connecting it to our Wi-Fi network using the small but functional two-line LCD display, we were up and running in under 15 minutes. This ease of installation was a sentiment echoed by many users, who found the process painless even for those less technically inclined.

A Deep Dive into the Canon TS705 Printer’s Real-World Performance

A printer’s true worth is only revealed through extensive use. We put the Canon TS705 Printer through its paces over several weeks, testing everything from long document runs to high-resolution photo prints and specialty media. We explored its connectivity, pushed its paper handling to the limits, and scrutinized its output quality under various settings. Our findings paint a picture of a highly capable, yet specialized, machine with distinct strengths and a few surprising quirks.

Setup and Connectivity: A Triple Threat for Any Home Network

In today’s multi-device households, connectivity is king, and this is where the Canon TS705 Printer truly excels. It offers a trifecta of connection options that cater to every possible scenario: USB for a direct, stable link to a desktop PC; Wi-Fi for cable-free convenience with laptops, smartphones, and tablets; and a physical Ethernet port for a rock-solid, reliable connection to a wired home network. This level of flexibility is often reserved for more expensive, office-focused models, so finding it in such a compact home printer is a significant advantage.

Our setup experience was seamless. We first connected it to our office Wi-Fi network directly through the printer’s onboard LCD menu, which was simple and intuitive. Once on the network, it was instantly discoverable by our Windows and Mac computers. We then tested the Canon PRINT app on both Android and iOS devices. As confirmed by numerous users, the app is well-designed and makes printing photos and documents directly from a smartphone an effortless task. For those who prefer a wired connection, plugging in an Ethernet cable was all it took for the printer to appear on our network, ready for action. This robust connectivity ensures that no matter how your home or small office is configured, the TS705 will integrate without a headache. It’s a true “set it and forget it” device that just works.

Print Quality and Speed: A Tale of Two Modes

This is where the story of the Canon TS705 Printer gets interesting. When it comes to single-sided printing, its performance is nothing short of excellent. Using the pigment-based black ink, text documents are laser-sharp, with crisp edges and deep, consistent blacks that resist smudging. Print speeds for standard documents are brisk and more than adequate for home office needs. One user happily reported it was “very fast” and we concur; it doesn’t leave you waiting around.

Where it truly shines, however, is in photo printing. The five-individual-ink system, which includes a dedicated photo black ink, produces stunning results on glossy photo paper. Colours are vibrant yet accurate, transitions are smooth, and details in shadows are well-preserved. We printed several A4 borderless photos, and the quality was genuinely impressive, rivalling that of professional lab prints. Many users bought this printer specifically for photos and were, like us, very satisfied with the output. For those who prioritize brilliant photo and sharp document printing, the print quality alone makes this model a compelling choice.

However, there’s a significant caveat: automatic duplex (two-sided) printing. While the feature works, it comes with two major compromises. First, it’s slow. As one particularly astute user detailed, the printer completes the first side, then pauses for a full 9 seconds—presumably to let the ink dry—before pulling the page back in to print the second side. This adds a substantial delay to multi-page documents. Second, and more critically, we confirmed that the print quality in duplex mode is noticeably worse than in single-sided mode. Text appears slightly grainier and less contrasty. This is a perplexing issue and a definite trade-off for the convenience of saving paper. For casual duplexing of internal documents it’s acceptable, but for important reports or presentations, we’d stick to single-sided printing.

Paper Handling and Media Versatility: More Than Just A4

A printer’s utility is often defined by its ability to handle different tasks, and the paper handling on the Canon TS705 Printer is surprisingly robust for its size. It features two paper input sources: a 250-sheet front cassette for plain A4 paper and a rear paper feed that can hold up to 100 sheets of plain paper or 20 sheets of photo paper. This dual-tray system is fantastic. We could keep the main cassette loaded with standard paper for everyday documents, while using the rear tray for special media like envelopes, card stock, or glossy photo paper without having to constantly swap out the main supply. This is a huge convenience that streamlines the workflow significantly.

The standout feature, however, is one that has become increasingly rare on modern printers: a dedicated tray for printing directly onto printable CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs. For photographers, videographers, or musicians looking to create professional-looking physical media, this is a killer feature. We tested it with a few printable DVDs, and the results were sharp and professional. One customer review highlighted that they purchased the printer specifically for this function and were “very satisfied with the finish.” While the included software for designing the labels can be a bit basic, especially on older operating systems, the hardware itself performs the task flawlessly, adding a unique and valuable capability to its arsenal.

The Five-Ink System and Running Costs

The heart of the Canon TS705 Printer‘s excellent print quality is its five-cartridge ink system. It uses a larger PGI-580 Pigment Black cartridge for crisp, durable text on plain paper, and four smaller CLI-581 dye-based cartridges (Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow) for photo printing. This hybrid approach is the best of both worlds. The pigment black ensures documents are sharp and water-resistant, while the dye inks blend beautifully to create the wide gamut of colours needed for lifelike photos.

A key benefit is that all five cartridges are individual. This means you only have to replace the specific colour that has run out, which is far more economical and less wasteful than printers that use a single tri-colour cartridge. We found the standard cartridges to be reasonably priced, confirming one user’s comment that they “don’t cost a fortune.” For those who print more frequently, Canon offers both XL and XXL high-yield cartridges, which significantly lower the cost per page. While it won’t be as cheap to run as a bulk-ink tank printer, for its category and print quality, the running costs are competitive, especially when using the high-yield options.

What Other Users Are Saying

Across the board, user feedback largely aligns with our own extensive testing. There is widespread praise for the Canon TS705 Printer‘s simple installation and versatile connectivity, with many highlighting how easy it was to get printing from all their home devices—PCs, tablets, and smartphones. One user expressed they were “VERY SATISFIED,” praising its ability to “PRINT and that’s it, but very well on PAPER (even front/back), PHOTOS and CD/DVD.” Another user, who bought it to print a book, was “delighted,” calling the print quality “top.”

The niche feature of CD printing also receives specific acclaim, with one buyer noting that while it’s not the same as a professional print shop, “for a home printer for this function it is very, very good.”

However, the criticism we observed is also consistent and important. The most detailed negative feedback came from a user who meticulously documented the duplex printing issue. They noted the long pause between sides and, more importantly, provided photographic evidence of the “grainy and less contrasty” output in duplex mode. This isn’t an isolated issue; it’s a fundamental characteristic of how the machine operates, and potential buyers should be aware of this specific performance trade-off.

How Does the Canon TS705 Printer Compare to the Competition?

The Canon TS705 Printer occupies a specific niche as a single-function printer, but it competes in a market flooded with all-in-one devices. Understanding how it stacks up against key alternatives is crucial for making the right choice.

1. Epson EcoTank ET-2750 A4 Wi-Fi Printer

The Epson EcoTank ET-2750’s primary advantage is its incredibly low running cost. Instead of cartridges, it uses refillable ink tanks that you top up from bottles, providing thousands of pages per refill. It’s also an all-in-one device, offering scan and copy functions that the Canon lacks. However, the Canon TS705 Printer fights back with superior photo quality thanks to its five-ink system, a much higher plain paper capacity (250 sheets vs. the Epson’s 100), and the inclusion of an Ethernet port for more stable networking. The choice is clear: if your priority is the absolute lowest cost-per-page for high-volume document printing and you need a scanner, the EcoTank is the logical pick. If you prioritize photo quality, paper handling, and connectivity in a print-only machine, the Canon is superior.

2. Epson Expression Premium XP-6105 Printer

The Epson XP-6105 is a more direct competitor. It is also a compact, photo-focused all-in-one that uses a five-ink system (Epson’s Claria Premium inks). It delivers excellent photo quality, includes a scanner and copier, and also supports CD/DVD printing. This makes it a compelling alternative for users who want similar photo performance but also need multifunctionality. The Canon TS705 Printer, however, maintains key advantages in its paper handling, with a front cassette that holds 250 sheets compared to the Epson’s 100. The Canon also includes that valuable Ethernet port. If you don’t need a scanner and value higher capacity and more robust networking, the TS705 holds its ground firmly.

3. Epson Expression Photo XP-970 Inkjet A3 Printer

The Epson XP-970 elevates the game to a different level. Its killer feature is the ability to produce borderless prints up to A3 size, making it the clear choice for serious photography enthusiasts or graphic designers who need to work in a larger format. It uses a six-colour Claria Photo HD ink set for even better photo fidelity and, like the other Epsons, includes scan and copy functions. This is a more specialized, and more expensive, machine. The Canon TS705 Printer is the more practical and affordable choice for users who are content with A4 printing. It offers fantastic A4 photo quality without the size, complexity, and cost associated with A3 capabilities.

Our Final Verdict: Is the Canon TS705 Printer Right for You?

After rigorous testing, we can confidently say the Canon TS705 Printer is an exceptional single-function printer that knows its strengths and plays to them perfectly. It is the ideal solution for a user who has no need for scanning or copying but refuses to compromise on print quality, connectivity, and paper capacity. Its compact size belies its powerful performance, delivering razor-sharp documents and truly beautiful photos that can stand proudly next to professional prints. The versatile connectivity and generous paper trays make it a convenient and reliable workhorse for any busy home or small office.

Its primary weakness—the slow and lower-quality duplex printing—is a notable flaw, but not a dealbreaker for everyone. If you primarily print single-sided documents and photos, this issue is irrelevant. If you need a compact, dedicated printing powerhouse that excels at its core mission, the Canon TS705 Printer is one of the best choices on the market today. It does one job, and it does it exceptionally well.

If you’ve decided the Canon TS705 Printer is the right fit, you can check its current price and purchase it here.