Canon BJ-30 Ink Cartridges

Canon BJ-30 Printer Review

The Canon BJ-30 inkjet printer won't win any awards for speed or output quality, and it is limited to only black-and-white output. Its most appealing feature is its portability, however, able to be folded up and carried around easily. Its maximum speed of 3 pages per minute is a little disappointing, but Canon BJ-30 printer ink is affordable.

The dimensions of the BJ-30 are 2.25x11.82x6.19 inches, and it weighs only 3.09 pounds. This makes it easy to fold up and slide into a laptop bag, for example, and take it with you on the go. When unfolded, it takes up a little more vertical space, but it can hold up to 30 sheets of paper, and supports other types of media such as envelopes and transparencies.

All of this portability doesn't come without drawbacks, however. In addition to its slow speeds, this inkjet unit has an output resolution of only 720x360 dpi, which is adequate for simple text and graphics, but not much more. It also includes only a parallel port for connecting to a computer. Many modern systems no longer include a parallel port, and carrying around an adapter reduces the portability benefits somewhat. The machine also doesn't include a battery, as some of its competition does.

One advantage the unit does hold over other portable models is that Canon BJ-30 printer ink cartridges are very affordable. Though each Canon BJ-30 ink cartridge can only supply up to 150 pages, their low prices make them affordable to replace. Best of all, compatible Canon BJ-30 ink is available from many third-party sellers at lower prices than OEM versions.

For buyers who want a highly-portable printer and don't mind the lack of color output, the Canon BJ-30 could be a decent choice. Lack of a USB connection and a low resolution make it difficult to recommend for more than very basic needs, however.