EmailBest Reviewed
Inkjet Printers
- Best general-purpose inkjet printer Canon Pixma iP4700 *Est. $100
- Basic inkjet printer HP Deskjet D1660 *Est. $30
- Budget inkjet printer with LCD HP Photosmart D7560 *Est. $150
- Best photo quality, but expensive Epson Stylus Photo 1400 *Est. $275
- Office inkjet printer with networking HP Officejet 6000 Wireless *Est. $90
Get info about new reports and updates
Best general-purpose inkjet printer
- Excellent value
- Good balance of text, graphics and photo quality
- Prints straight from camera via PictBridge
- Duplex printing
- No LCD preview screen
- No memory-card slots
- Double-sided printing is slow
The Canon Pixma iP4700, an incremental update of the acclaimed iP4600, is quickly being recognized as the best general-use inkjet printer. While Canon's Pixma iP4000 series printers are primarily for photos, reviews say the iP4700 produces text and graphics very well, too. It's an excellent value for the price, and the iP4700 includes features, like duplex (or double-sided) printing, normally found only on pricier models. The iP4700 uses the same five ink cartridges as its predecessors, three color inks and two kinds of black -- longer-lived pigment for text, dye for photos. It costs about $60 to replace the whole set. Another perk is PictBridge compatibility, which allows printing directly from a digital camera. However, there is no LCD preview screen or memory-card slot. While the iP4700 improves slightly upon the print speeds of the sluggish iP4600, it still isn't the fastest inkjet on the market.
So far, only British review sites, including PC Pro, PC Advisor and TechRadar.com, have evaluated the new Canon Pixma iP4700. References to the ability to print directly on some CDs and DVDs don't apply to the model sold in the United States. All say the iP4700 isn't a huge leap forward, but the new version is as good or better than the older iP4600. That model is well represented in reviews, and thorough looks at the iP4600, like that at PCMag.com, can apply to the iP4700. Amazon.com and Newegg.com carry the iP4700, but users have only reviewed the iP4600 as of this update.
| Featured Stores | Store Rating | Notes | Total Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  5658 store reviews | In Stock. Ships Today | $94.99 | See It |
 |  1176 store reviews | In Stock. New | $99.00 | See It |
 |  1756 store reviews | In Stock. Free Shipping on Orders over $129 | $99.99 | See It |
| See All Stores | ||||
Our Sources
1. PC Pro
British site PC Pro gives the Canon Pixma iP4700 a Recommended tag. Reviewer David Bayon notes some minor improvements to the look and design of the iP4700, but says that, aside from being a touch faster, it's not much of an improvement on the iP4600 printer. However, Bayon says that since the iP4600 was so good, being a minor upgrade isn't a bad thing: "it's still the best all-round home photo printer" available.
Review: Canon Pixma iP4700, David Bayon, Oct. 22, 2009
2. PC Advisor
Carrie-Ann Skinner at the U.K.'s PC Advisor has much praise for the Canon Pixma iP4700. She says the printer has excellent output and is reasonably fast, though she doesn't contrast her test figures with those from similar printers. She also notes improved photo software over the iP4600 and says the iP4700 is "exceptionally quiet." Skinner concludes that the iP4700 is ideal for anyone who needs a good printer but can do without the extra features of a multifunction device.
Review: Canon Pixma iP4700 Review, Carrie-Ann Skinner, Aug. 19, 2009
This brief look at the Canon Pixma iP4700 measures the new model in relation to its predecessor, the iP4600. Reviewer Ian Osborne concludes that "if you already have an iP4600, it definitely isn't worth upgrading. But the high standards set by its predecessor are carried over, and the lineage retains its position as the best single-format inkjet currently on the market." The review links to TechRadar.com's look at the iP4600 for reference, but that is also rather brief.
Review: Canon Pixma iP4700 Review, Ian Osborne, Oct. 4, 2009
M. David Stone at PCMag.com reviews a wide range of printers, and while he hasn't yet looked at the Canon Pixma iP4700, his review of the older version, the iP4600, is based on typically thorough testing. Stone says the Canon Pixma iP4600 is prone to paper curls on graphics-heavy pages. Still, it earns a Good rating because of high-quality photo reproduction, the ability to print directly from cameras and duplex capability -- a rare feature at this price.
Review: Canon Pixma iP4600, M. David Stone, Nov. 3, 2008
5. Amazon.com
As of this writing, there are no user reviews of the Canon Pixma iP4700 at Amazon.com (though the printer is available for sale there). More than 60 owner reviews combine for a good score for its predecessor, the Pixma iP4600, with just a few users rating it less than three out of five stars. Complaints include slow printing, poor or mediocre text printing, high ink usage and inability to print on CDs or DVDs (a feature available on the European version of this printer).
Review: Canon iP4600 Inkjet Photo Printer, Contributors to Amazon.com, As of Oct. 2009
6. NewEgg.com
Newegg.com sells the Canon Pixma iP4700, but so far there are no user reviews posted. About three dozen owner reviews are available on the site for the earlier Canon Pixma iP4600, and nearly all give it four or five out of five stars. Minor criticisms listed by the mostly happy customers include slow speeds, ink use and difficult replacement, and the black, glossy surface being prone to fingerprints and smudges.
Review: Canon Pixma iP4600, Contributors to Newegg.com, As of Oct. 2009
Inkjet Printers Runners Up:
8 picks including: Amazon.com, O'Reilly Digital Media…
4 picks including: Amazon.com, PopPhoto.com…
4 picks including: Amazon.com, PopPhoto.com…
4 picks including: Amazon.com, PC Pro…
4 picks including: Amazon.com, Productopia.com…
4 picks including: Amazon.com, PC Pro…
3 picks including: Amazon.com, Laptop Magazine…
3 picks by top review sites.
2 picks including: About.com, Amazon.com…
HP Photosmart Pro B9180 Printer
 from Amazon.com New: Too low to display In Stock.
Average Customer Review:   |
||
|
|
HP Photosmart Pro B8850 Professional Photo Printer (Q7161A#B1H)
from Amazon.com New: Too low to display In Stock.
Average Customer Review: |
||
|
|
Epson R1900 Large Format Photo Printer
from Amazon.com New: Too low to display In Stock.
Average Customer Review: |
||
|
|
Epson Stylus Photo R2880 - printer - color - ink-jet
from Amazon.com New: $838.00 In Stock.
Average Customer Review: |
||
|
|
Canon Pixma PRO9500MkII Inkjet Photo Printer (3298B002)
from Amazon.com New: Too low to display In Stock.
Average Customer Review: |
||
|
|
Canon Pixma PRO9000MkII Inkjet Photo Printer (3295B002)
from Amazon.com New: Too low to display In Stock.
Average Customer Review: |
||
|
|
Canon PIXMA iP100 Mobile Photo Printer
from Amazon.com New: $199.95 In Stock.
Average Customer Review: |
||
|
|
HP D5460 Photosmart Printer
from Amazon.com New: Too low to display In Stock.
Average Customer Review: |
||
|
|
Canon iP3600 Inkjet Photo Printer (2868B002)
from Amazon.com New: $54.99 In Stock.
Average Customer Review: |
||
|
|
