  Would not work out of box after two tries
I've never had more problems with a Canon product than I did with the MX310. I'm an advanced computer user and couldn't get the unit to function after 5 hours or trouble-shooting, re-reading the manual, etc. It would not print or scan. I tired calling Canon tech support, but they were closed even though the product manual said they were open Saturday and it was within normal EST biz hours.
I was finally able to get a replacement unit and it didn't work either! Also, the software CD install made system-wide changes to my computer that I'm still repairing.
The unit is poorly designed. I practically had to turn it upside-down to reach the power and USB connectors. The USB connector and power cord inputs are inside a recessed box on the rear of the unit and are very difficult to reach (who's the idiots?). As other reviewers have written the ink carts are outrageously expensive.
I'm usually impressed with Canon products, but this one is a loser! I'm going with Epson. For one thing their ink carts don't cost an arm and a leg.
Good all-in-one solution for a budget
This is my second personal printer. Previously I used a DELL printer that came with a Dell Inspiron series desktop I got as a gift. That printer was always acting up and I was never really satisfied with it.
I bought this printer for approximately $85 including tax around May 2008. I have been very impressed with it, especially comparing it to the Dell I had previously. I cannot compare it to very high end machines because I have never owned one or used one, so take that into consideration while reading this review.
(PRINTING)
It prints pretty quickly, but it takes several seconds to prepare to print, maybe 10 seconds. So that is a bit of a con but it's not that big of a deal, and if you are printing multiple pages, it only needs that prep time once. However, if you are ust printing out one page, it will take maybe a total of 15 seconds.
(SCANNING)
Scan quality is very good for my needs. It scans at a resolution far greater than needed for my humble uses, which is just backing up documents or scanning the odd photo. Colors seem fine to me, although I don't have the needs of a professional photographer or anything.
(COPYING)
Copying works great, I have had to make several copies for friends and family members, and they are always satisfied with the quality, and one friend even remarked he couldn't tell which was the original and which was the copy. I'm sure if he inspected more closely he could tell, but after a quick glance he mentioned this.
(FAXING)
I rarely fax, and to date I have only had to fax one thing. I had to dig out the manual for this, and after a few minutes of reading and following the instructions, I had my fax sent off in no time, and it went smoothly. I used the ADF (auto document feeder), and it all worked without a hitch. To date I have not had to receive a fax yet, so I really don't know how that will work, but I will cross that bridge when I come to it.
The control panel is easy to use and has several ranges of options, including quality, color or black and white, paper options including thickness etc. You can set portrait or landscape, and can apply a couple of different effects to photo's to enhance them.
The maintence options are also easy to access and you can clean the printer and align the machine and other things, although I haven't had to do this past the initial setup.
I also cannot comment on printing directly from a pictbridge compliant device, like a mobile phone or digital camera, since I have no such devices, but the option is nice to have.
I have also used this printer to print envelopes which it does quite well.
Another maybe understated "feature" of this machine is the manual, which is clear and easy to understand. it's very comprehensive and walks you through all features of this machine. Given enough time I'm sure most people could figure things out for themselves, but it's nice to have as a reference, as in the example above when I needed to send a fax, it made it very easy.
Overall I am very satisfied with this product and I recommend it for people needing a lot of functionality and enough features for users with basic needs. It offers a good value for your money and I haven't encountered any problems yet. I am using this on Windows XP Home 32bit.
P.S. I also posted this on Canon's website.
Love it!
Love the simplicity, ease of use and results, especially at this price. I have been using it for a couple of months for copying and color printing with no problems. For black printing I use a laser copier. I have another Canon MFD purchased for a different location which cost three times as much, is more complex to use and has five ink cartridges as opposed to the two in the MX310. If you are a serious photographer you might be happier with the more complex machine, but for 99% of users this machine makes more sense. I recommend it highly. I have not set up the fax so cannot comment on it.
Horrible Ink Usage
This printer looks nice, but uses ink like crazy. Never have I spent so much on ink!!!! I do a lot of printing and found that I spend so much on ink that I could actually buy another printer each time. Wish I would have looked into the ink cost before buying...off to shopping for a cheaper printer.
Canon Pixma MC310 all in one
In my opinion Canon makes an excellkent product, so when my original al in one printer went down (not Canon) I turned to the Canon line. I purchased the MX310 thru Amazon on sale, including freight. It arrived in three days. The unit arrived in excellent condition via Fed Ex. Setup was reasonably easy. I still beliueve this stuff is made in Japan and instructiuons are written in China. The print is sharp and clear, the colors are excellent. It is in use in a home office environment. I heartily recommend this unit.
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