Canon launches new Pixma printers with refillable ink tanks

 

 

Canon announced today four new PIXMA G-series printers, the highlight of which is that the ink system is refillable. The printers feature integrated ink tanks instead of cartridges and employ a simple refilling system using a bottle with a spill-resistant top.

With inkjet printers, it's long been held that the printers are essentially consumable devices, with price points that almost give the printer away, but lock the user into a cycle of buying ink at significant prices. The industry has worked this way for so long that an entire business of refilling inkjet cartridges has emerged, with manufacturers building special microchips into their ink cartridges to attempt to stop users from buying cheaper third-party ink.

 

With the introduction of these PIXMA printers, Canon looks to be chipping away at that market, hoping to encourage users to refill their printers with Canon's brand of ink: in the case of black ink, a bottle provides enough ink to print 6,000 pages, and costs $17.99. By contrast, a current Canon PG-40 black inkjet cartridge costs around $18 and produces an average of 326 pages.

"Our PIXMA G-series printer models offer smart design inside and out,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “Expanding the line of PIXMA printers with the added benefit of a built-in refillable ink tank system highlights Canon’s commitment to continuing to enhance the printing experience in businesses and in the home with genuine Canon print reliability.”

 

 

The PIXMA G-series printers are available today with the PIXMA G1200 MegaTank Single Function Printer available for $249.99, the PIXMA G2200 MegaTank All-In-One Printer available for $269.99, the PIXMA G3200 Wireless MegaTank All-In-One Printer available for $299.99 and the PIXMA G4200 Wireless MegaTank All-In-One Printer available for $399.99.