Canon Pixma TS8750 review: Why this cheap printer surprised me

Telegraph

26-06-2025

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Score: 8/10
We like:
Excellent quality printing
Affordable
Easy setup
We didn't like:
Cartridge system means pricey ink
£109.64
Buy now
Price at
John Lewis
What is the Canon Pixma TS8750?
For those with relatively modest printing volumes, the Canon Pixma TS8750 is an astonishingly capable printer that's also surprisingly affordable. With an RRP around £150, it isn't the cheapest printer you'll come across, but it's miles ahead of most budget models in terms of print quality, ease of use and useful features.
The printer is a multifunction inkjet model, which means it can copy and scan, as well as print. It uses six replaceable ink cartridges, including a special pigment black for longer-lasting, smudge-free black and white prints. For printing in colour, it adds a grey for subtle shading to the usual mix of black, cyan, magenta and yellow inks. Cartridge printers are rarely the most cost-effective when it comes to replacing ink, but for its type, the TS8750 isn't too costly.
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How we test
I tested the Canon Pixma TS8750 by using it just like a regular consumer would. First, I set it up, following the supplied instructions, so I could use it to print from a Windows computer. As I followed this process, I noted any quirks and foibles and judged how straightforward (or otherwise) the process was. I also jotted down all of the printer's alternative connection options at this stage.
Once the printer was up and running, I printed a standard set of documents that I always use when testing printers. This means I can easily compare the quality of its printing with models I have reviewed before, and get a good idea of where it sits in the hierarchy.
While printing these, I tested a range of other features, from scanning to copying, to see how easy the TS8730 was to use. Throughout the process, I'm also looking at the overall design and general usability, making notes on what works and what doesn't.
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Setup
Score: 10/10
While most wireless printers push you into setting up your device from a computer, smartphone or tablet, the Canon Pixma TS8750 lets its onboard screen lead the way. This is an appealing proposition, since the printer keeps good track of where you are in the installation process and the large, colourful display provides plenty of information and feedback as you go.
Installing the ink cartridges is a case in point. Cartridge-based systems like this aren't difficult to refill, but the screen shows you how to lift the cover and install them. What I particularly appreciated is that as you pop each of its six cartridges into place, a coloured square appears underneath the image on the screen to let you know that you've installed it correctly. It's a little thing, but it's this kind of attention to detail that gets Canon a 10/10 score for setup.
I also enjoyed the job of aligning the print heads, which is a sentence I never expected to write. Most printers produce a printed sheet of results and ask you to compare the alignment of several lines or blocks of colour and decide for yourself which ones look best. Here, Canon prints the sheet for you, then you pop it on the scanner bed, and the printer figures out the rest.
Connectivity
Score: 8/10
As with most printers, you can connect to the Canon Pixma TS8750 by attaching a USB cable to a computer. More useful, however, is the ability to connect the printer to your home Wi-Fi, which makes it available to any device connected to your network. It means that you and your family can print from anywhere in the house. Though, without a Wi-Fi extender, you may struggle to connect from your car on your driveway.
There's another slot on the front of the printer, into which you can insert an SD memory card. If you have a digital or instant camera that uses this type of storage, it's a useful additional printing option. You aren't left out if you take photos on your smartphone, either. The free Canon Print app for Android and iPhone enables you to print almost anything from your smartphone, as long as you're on the same Wi-Fi network as the printer.
Design and features
The black plastic of the Pixma TS8750 looks smart, and it's reasonably compact. The printer's footprint is barely larger than the A4 scanner bed that sits on top, though the paper input tray does extend out the front, taking up a bit more space at the base. There's also a rear tray, into which you can feed alternative paper types such as envelopes or photo paper. There's no automatic document feeder on the scanner, though, so you'll need to manually copy multi-page documents one sheet at a time.
When you switch the printer on and send it a print job, the paper exit tray automatically pops out of the front, which keeps it nicely tucked out of the way until you need it. Unfortunately, it doesn't retract when you turn the printer off, but that does stop you from dumping documents onto the floor if you forget to remove them first.
I loved the large colour screen, which makes operating the printer easy, even before you get particularly familiar with it. I also appreciated that this printer can print on both sides of a sheet of paper automatically, by reversing the paper from the exit tray and flipping it to the second side for printing.
Print quality
Score: 9/10
Canon has been making capable photo printers for decades, and this is no exception. Its six-colour cartridge system adds a lighter grey tone to its repertoire of photo-printing colours, and it seems to have a beneficial impact. In my test photos, the images were dark where they needed to be, but subtle shades such as pale skin and light blue skies weren't oversaturated. Shadows maintained some detail to them, rather than being drenched in darker ink.
I was also impressed with the TS8730's printed text, which comes from a larger black cartridge that holds pigment rather than dye-based ink so that it doesn't soak into the paper. Even at standard print settings on plain paper, the letters are crisp and sharp on the page, and remain legible even at small print sizes.
Draft mode, which prints faster and uses less ink, is equally impressive. The main difference is reduced black coverage, so the letters appear slightly greyer, but there's no reduction in sharpness. Business graphics, such as blocks of colour on charts and graphs, are just as notable.
Ink costs
Score: 6/10
The downside of a cartridge printer is that the cost of printing each page is higher than you'll get from an ink tank or laser printer. If your printing requirements are relatively modest, this shouldn't be a big problem, as printers with more affordable ink refills tend to be more expensive to buy. That means you will need to print a lot of pages before a more expensive printer with affordable ink becomes better value.
Having said that, the TS8730 isn't terrible value when it comes to individual prints. Mono prints work out at 4.6p per page when taking into account Canon's ink yield information and current cartridge pricing. Colour prints are 9p each. That isn't bad value for a cartridge printer.
If you print a lot, it's easy to argue the case for a model with a more attractive price per page. However, if you look at our top-rated ink tank, the Epson ET-2830, it costs £65 more than this Canon model, and doesn't have useful features such as the screen and double-sided printing, which are usually reserved for pricier options in Epson's tank range. In raw printing terms, though, you'd need to have printed 1,413 mono prints on the Canon at 4.6p each before the more affordable ink of the Epson printer starts making a financial difference.
Technical specifications
Below, you'll find the tech specs of the Canon Pixma TS8750 compared with our overall best printer, the Epson EcoTank ET-2850. Both have similar basic specifications, but the cartridge-based Canon printer is more affordable to buy, while the Epson ink tank printer is significantly cheaper to run.
Should you buy the Canon Pixma TS8750?
There's a lot to love about the Canon Pixma TS8750. The quality of the prints and the ease of use, particularly during setup, are extraordinary given the low cost of entry. It's a scanner and copier as well as a printer, has an easy-to-operate screen and includes sophisticated features you don't find on many similarly-priced models, such as the option of automatically printing on both sides of a sheet of paper.
There are some caveats, particularly if you're likely to print a lot. Ink tank printers can churn out pages for a much lower cost, and you would still be using the ink that came supplied with a tank printer, such as the Epson EcoTank ET-2830, after you've changed the cartridges on the TS8750 several times over.
Still, for those with a modest printing requirement, particularly those who also like good quality prints without spending too much money up front, this printer is ideal.
Yes, if:
You want high-quality prints
You need to print both documents and photos
Copying and scanning functions are important
No, if:
Canon Pixma TS8750 FAQs
How good is the photo print quality from the Canon Pixma TS8750?
In my tests, I found the photo prints to be exceptional. The six-ink system lifts the quality of the colour above and beyond the quality you get from a traditional four-ink system. Subtle colours were reproduced well, and shadier areas contained lots of detail.
How much ink does the Canon Pixma TS8750 use?
The five dye-based cartridges (magenta, cyan, yellow, black and grey) come in 8.2ml capacities and cost £14.99 per cartridge. Together, they print on average around 500 colour A4 pages or 208 4x6 inch photos. The black pigment ink cartridge is used for printing monochrome text documents and produces 400 pages from an 18.5ml cartridge, which Canon sells for £18.49.
Is the Canon Pixma TS8750 easy to set up and use with various devices?
I found the Canon Pixma TS8730 extremely easy to set up. The printer itself can be set up independently of devices, using the screen to guide you through the process. If you use a computer or mobile device, elements such as your Wi-Fi password will be passed to the printer automatically. Setting it up with further devices is a simple matter of downloading the app and connecting to the same Wi-Fi network that the printer is on.
What types of paper can the Canon Pixma TS8750 handle?
The TS8730 can accept a broad range of paper types up to A4 in size. Plain paper should be between 64 105 grams per sq metre, while card and photo paper can go up to 300 grams per sq metre. The printer can print directly onto envelopes up to DL size (the ones that can take an A4 sheet, folded into three).
Does the Canon Pixma TS8750 have multiple paper feeds?
Yes. The front-loading cassette can hold up to 100 sheets of A4, while the rear feed can hold 20 sheets.
How good are the scanning and copying functions on the Canon Pixma TS8750?
In my tests, the scans were of good quality. It's capable of scanning at resolutions up to 2,400 x 4,800dpi in 16-bit colour. That should be plenty for most home purposes. Copying was quick and easy to perform using the large screen. I found that copies lost a little of the clarity of the original, but were good overall.