In the modern home office or student dorm, the need for a reliable printer is a recurring theme. It starts with a simple task: printing a concert ticket, a shipping label, or a last-minute essay. Suddenly, you’re wrestling with an ancient machine that refuses to connect, guzzles ink like it’s going out of style, or simply doesn’t exist. The alternative—a trip to the local print shop—feels like a journey back in time and an unnecessary expense. This is the frustrating gap the Canon PIXMA MG3620 Wireless All-in-One Printer Black aims to fill. It promises wireless convenience, all-in-one functionality (print, scan, copy), and an almost unbelievably low entry price. The real question is whether this budget-friendly promise holds up under the pressure of real-world use, or if the hidden costs and potential frustrations outweigh the initial savings.
- Wireless 3-in-1 (print | copy | scan)
- Easily print and scan photos and documents directly from your mobile devices.
What to Consider Before Buying a Home All-in-One Printer
A printer is more than just a peripheral; it’s a key solution for bridging the digital and physical worlds. It empowers you to create hard copies of important documents, preserve cherished photos, handle school assignments, and manage small business tasks without leaving your home. The main benefit lies in its on-demand convenience, saving you time, money, and the hassle of relying on external services. A good all-in-one device streamlines your workflow by combining printing, scanning, and copying into a single, compact footprint.
The ideal customer for a budget-friendly all-in-one like this is someone facing occasional to moderate printing needs. This includes students, families managing schoolwork and household documents, or home-based professionals who don’t require high-volume output. It’s perfect for the person who needs to print a few dozen pages a month, scan receipts for expense reports, and make the occasional photocopy. However, it might not be suitable for those who run a high-volume business from home, require professional-grade photo printing with extensive color accuracy, or need features like an automatic document feeder (ADF) for scanning multi-page documents. For those users, a more robust office-oriented printer or a dedicated photo printer would be a more appropriate, albeit more expensive, investment.
Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:
- Dimensions & Space: Home office space is often at a premium. Before purchasing, measure the intended location (desk, shelf, cabinet) to ensure the printer will fit, leaving enough room for ventilation and access to paper trays and ink cartridges. The Canon PIXMA MG3620 has a compact design at 12″D x 17.7″W x 6″H, but you must also account for the paper input and output trays when they are extended during operation.
- Performance & Connectivity: Evaluate your needs. How fast do you need to print? Print speeds are measured in pages per minute (ppm) or images per minute (ipm). Also, consider connectivity. While Wi-Fi is standard, check for compatibility with your devices (AirPrint for Apple, Google Cloud Print, etc.) and be aware that some budget models can be finicky with certain network setups, often preferring 2.4GHz bands.
- Ink System & Long-Term Cost: This is perhaps the most critical factor for inkjet printers. The initial purchase price is often just the beginning. Understand the printer’s ink system (e.g., two cartridges vs. individual color tanks), the page yield of replacement cartridges, and their cost. The “total cost of ownership” is a far more important metric than the sticker price, a reality we explore deeply in our testing of the Canon PIXMA MG3620.
- Ease of Use & Maintenance: A printer should simplify your life, not complicate it. Look for intuitive controls, a straightforward setup process, and easy-to-use software or mobile apps. Maintenance involves tasks like replacing ink and cleaning print heads; a user-friendly design makes these chores less of a burden. Some printers guide you through these processes, while others have cryptic error codes that send you searching online for answers.
While the Canon PIXMA MG3620 Wireless All-in-One Printer Black is an excellent choice for many, 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:
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Unboxing and First Impressions: A Compact, No-Frills Workhorse
Pulling the Canon PIXMA MG3620 Wireless All-in-One Printer Black from its box, the first thing we noticed was its surprisingly lightweight and compact build. At just under 12 pounds, it’s easy for one person to handle and position. The glossy black plastic finish is sleek, though it’s an undeniable magnet for fingerprints and dust. The design ethos here is clearly “functional minimalism.” There’s no fancy LCD touchscreen, just a simple panel of physical buttons and indicator lights. This simplicity can be a double-edged sword: fewer things to break, but also less intuitive feedback when troubleshooting issues. Inside the box, we found the printer, a power cord, a set of starter ink cartridges (one black, one tri-color), and a setup CD-ROM—a rather quaint inclusion in this day and age. Notably, as many users have pointed out, a USB Type-B cable for a wired connection is not included. This is a clear cost-cutting measure that presumes everyone will, or can, use the wireless setup, which we found to be a significant part of the user experience. You can check the latest price and availability of this popular model, but be prepared to source your own USB cable if you prefer a wired connection.
The Good Stuff
- Excellent value with a very low initial purchase price.
- Solid print quality for documents and everyday color printing.
- Automatic duplex (two-sided) printing saves paper and time.
- Compact, space-saving design fits well in small home offices.
Potential Drawbacks
- Wireless setup can be challenging and requires a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network.
- Ink cartridges can be costly, and the two-cartridge system is inefficient if one color runs out.
A Deep Dive into the Canon PIXMA MG3620’s Real-World Performance
A printer’s value isn’t on the spec sheet; it’s in the day-to-day experience of using it. We put the Canon PIXMA MG3620 Wireless All-in-One Printer Black through its paces over several weeks, handling everything from multi-page reports and scanned receipts to photo prints and creative projects. Our testing revealed a machine of distinct contrasts: capable and affordable, yet occasionally frustrating. It’s a device that truly shines in some areas while showing its budget-conscious compromises in others.
The Setup Gauntlet: Wireless Woes and Wired Workarounds
The setup process for the Canon PIXMA MG3620 Wireless All-in-One Printer Black is, frankly, the most divisive aspect of this machine. Our experience mirrored the mixed feedback from a multitude of users. The printer heavily pushes you toward a wireless, app-based setup using the Canon PRINT Inkjet/SELPHY app. For this to work smoothly, your home Wi-Fi network must be broadcasting on a 2.4GHz frequency; modern routers that prioritize 5GHz or use a single SSID for both bands can cause the setup to fail repeatedly. We spent a good half-hour troubleshooting before realizing we had to manually configure our router to isolate the 2.4GHz band for the printer to connect. This is a technical hurdle that, as one frustrated user noted online, could take someone “half of my day on it.” For the less tech-savvy, this could be a deal-breaker.
Once connected, the wireless functionality is decent. We were able to print seamlessly from our laptops, smartphones (via the app and AirPrint), and tablets. However, we did notice a slight lag between sending a print job and the printer waking up to start printing. This brings us to the second major setup critique: the lack of an included USB cable. For users who can’t or don’t want to wrestle with their Wi-Fi settings, a direct wired connection is the obvious, reliable alternative. Canon’s decision not to include the sub-$5 cable feels like a significant oversight. We had an old USB-B cable on hand, and as expected, a wired connection was plug-and-play simple. This printer’s full potential is certainly unlocked via its wireless features, but the path to get there can be rocky, a fact that is crucial to understand before you explore its mobile and tablet printing capabilities.
Print, Scan, and Copy Quality: Exceeding Budget Expectations
Once the setup hurdles are cleared, the core function of the Canon PIXMA MG3620 Wireless All-in-One Printer Black is where it starts to win you over. For a machine in this price bracket, the print quality is genuinely impressive. Text documents are sharp, crisp, and easily legible, even at smaller font sizes. Black output is deep and consistent, making it more than adequate for school essays, reports, and professional correspondence. We found its black-and-white print speed of 9.9 ipm to be accurate and perfectly acceptable for home use.
Color printing is also a strong point. Reports with color graphs, flyers, and other mixed-media documents came out vibrant and well-saturated. We tested its photo printing capabilities on 4×6 Canon glossy photo paper, and the results were surprisingly good. While it won’t dethrone a dedicated six-color photo printer, the 4800 x 1200 DPI resolution produces images with good detail and pleasing colors for casual snapshots and albums. One user accurately described it as “better than my old Epson for general household use,” which perfectly captures its performance level. The flatbed scanner also performs admirably, capturing documents and photos with good fidelity and color depth. Copies were faithful to the original, though the process is a bit slow. The standout feature here, especially at this price point, is the automatic duplex printing. The ability to print on both sides of the paper automatically is a fantastic paper-saving feature that is often omitted from budget printers.
Ink Economy and the True Cost of Ownership
Here we arrive at the classic inkjet printer dilemma: the “razor and blades” business model. The upfront cost of the Canon PIXMA MG3620 Wireless All-in-One Printer Black is incredibly low, but the long-term cost is dictated entirely by ink consumption. The printer uses a two-cartridge system: one black (PG-240/PG-240XL) and one tri-color (CL-241/CL-241XL). This system is convenient but can be wasteful. If you print a lot of blue documents and run out of cyan, you have to replace the entire tri-color cartridge, even if you still have plenty of magenta and yellow left. This inefficiency is a key trade-off for the printer’s low price.
During our testing, the starter cartridges yielded a modest number of pages before needing replacement. For anyone planning to print more than a handful of pages per month, investing in the high-yield XL cartridges is an absolute must. While the cost of genuine Canon ink can feel steep—sometimes approaching the cost of the printer itself—we found, in agreement with several long-term users, that sticking with OEM ink produces the most consistent and reliable results. One user who had their printer for five years noted, “Although I’ve purchased off-brand ink replacement cartridges, I highly recommend just using the Canon brand.” Some users have also raised concerns about a built-in “ink sensor” that may render the printer inoperative after a certain amount of ink flow, a form of planned obsolescence. While we couldn’t verify this in our short-term testing, the sheer number of these printers that have lasted for years suggests that for moderate use, the device offers excellent longevity for its price, making its overall value proposition quite compelling.
What Other Users Are Saying
The user experience with the Canon PIXMA MG3620 Wireless All-in-One Printer Black is remarkably polarized, and after our hands-on testing, we understand why. The positive feedback consistently centers on its incredible value and surprising durability for the price. One user captured this sentiment perfectly, stating they’ve “had this printer for five years without an issue,” praising its compact size and easy wireless printing. Another bought two—one for their shop and one for home—calling it “plug-in play in about five minutes of networking.” These users see it as a reliable workhorse for everyday tasks, offering features like duplexing that punch well above its weight class.
On the other hand, the negative feedback almost exclusively targets the frustrating wireless setup and the long-term cost of ink. One user detailed their struggle, ultimately discovering the printer requires a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network with WPA2 security—a specific technical requirement that isn’t immediately obvious. Another pointed out the perceived “self-destruct” mechanism related to the ink waste pad, viewing it as a deliberate strategy by the manufacturer. These critiques highlight that the printer’s success hinges heavily on the user’s technical comfort level and printing volume. It’s a fantastic device for some and a source of immense frustration for others, depending entirely on their specific needs and home network environment.
How Does the Canon PIXMA MG3620 Compare to Alternatives?
While the Canon PIXMA MG3620 Wireless All-in-One Printer Black offers a compelling package for its price, the market has diverse options. It’s important to consider how it stacks up against not just other printers, but also the consumables that define different printing ecosystems. Two of the provided “alternatives” are ink cartridges, which highlights a crucial decision point: are you buying into a new system, or optimizing an existing one?
1. HP 64 Black & Tri-Color Ink Cartridges Combo Pack
- HP Ink Cartridges are engineered to work with HP printers to provide consistent quality, reliability and value
- This cartridge works with: HP ENVY Inspire 7955e, 7958e; HP ENVY Photo 6220, 6222, 6230, 6232, 6252, 6255, 6258, 7134, 7155, 7158, 7164, 7830, 7855, 7858,...
This isn’t a printer, but rather the lifeblood of a competing ecosystem. If you already own a compatible HP ENVY Photo or Tango series printer, purchasing this combo pack is a far more logical step than buying a new Canon printer. This comparison underscores the “razor and blades” model of the printer world. Your choice isn’t just the hardware; it’s a long-term commitment to a specific line of consumables. For users who prioritize HP’s Instant Ink subscription service, which delivers ink automatically for a monthly fee, staying within the HP family and buying cartridges like these makes more financial sense for predictable, moderate-to-heavy use.
2. HP OfficeJet Pro 8125e Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer
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Here we have a direct competitor, but one aimed at a slightly more demanding user. The HP OfficeJet Pro 8125e is designed for the home office rather than just casual home use. Key advantages over the Canon MG3620 include an Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) for multi-page scanning and copying, faster print speeds, and often, eligibility for HP’s Instant Ink trial. This makes it a better choice for someone running a small business or who needs to digitize documents frequently. It comes at a higher initial price, but its features can provide significant time savings that justify the extra cost for the right user.
3. HP 64XL Tri-color Ink Cartridge
- Original HP Ink Cartridges are engineered to work with HP printers to provide consistent quality, reliability and value
- This cartridge works with: HP ENVY Inspire 7955e, 7958e; HP ENVY Photo 6220, 6222, 6230, 6232, 6252, 6255, 6258, 7134, 7155, 7158, 7164, 7830, 7855, 7858,...
Similar to the first alternative, this is a high-yield ink cartridge. Comparing it to the Canon printer itself highlights the importance of print volume. The “XL” designation signifies a higher page yield, reducing the cost per page compared to a standard cartridge. If you are an HP user who prints frequently, choosing the XL cartridge is the most cost-effective way to manage your printing expenses. For a potential Canon MG3620 buyer, this serves as a reminder to always opt for Canon’s own XL cartridges (PG-240XL, CL-241XL) to achieve the best possible long-term value from their printer.
Final Verdict: A Budget Champion with an Asterisk
After extensive testing and analysis, our verdict on the Canon PIXMA MG3620 Wireless All-in-One Printer Black is clear: it is a budget champion that offers phenomenal value, but with a significant caveat. For students, families, and individuals with light-to-moderate printing needs and a bit of technical patience, this printer is an absolute steal. It delivers print and scan quality that far exceeds its price tag, and the inclusion of automatic duplexing is a game-changing feature in this category. It reliably handles the everyday tasks of a modern household without demanding a large investment or a lot of desk space.
However, the asterisk is its setup process. If you are not comfortable potentially tweaking your Wi-Fi router settings or if you have a 5GHz-only network, you may face a wall of frustration. For those users, or for anyone who needs high-volume output or an automatic document feeder, investing in a more robust model like the HP OfficeJet Pro is the wiser choice. But if you can navigate the initial setup and your print volume is modest, you will be rewarded with a capable, compact, and incredibly affordable all-in-one machine. For its intended audience, the Canon PIXMA MG3620 Wireless All-in-One Printer Black is one of the best bargains in home printing today, and you can get this remarkably affordable all-in-one printer for your home or office right now.
Last update on 2025-10-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API