The Canon PIXMA TR7020 is an entry level all in one wireless inkjet printer. It is ideal for a small or home office that doesn’t have much room. There are a fair amount of features for the small size and price.
It isn’t the fastest printer but does make good quality prints for its compact size. Cartridges are a bit pricey but for low volume printing this isn’t a big deal. It would take thousands of pages of printing to add up to a significant amount.
For an inexpensive printer it has a few perks. Practical ones such as wireless, a document feeder, and auto duplex. Then there’s appealing ones like the LED status bar and that it comes in two colors: black or white.
Finally there’s unique perks, particularly Linux driver support, the document removal reminder for scanning, and that it can print square photos directly from a mobile device.
Canon includes various printing and scanning apps for smartphones or tablets. Setup and using mobile devices with this printer is on the easy side of the spectrum. It can also print square photos directly from a mobile device.
The HP Envy Pro 6455 is similar in price, size, and features.
Getting Started
I unboxed the unit. Canon built handles into the plastic wrap to make pulling it of the box easier. Nice touch. I removed some packing tape and added ink.
The auto alignment feature is convenient as well. We tech’s align print cartridges so many times it becomes second nature but we can still appreciate a printer that can align itself. One less thing to do.
QR codes are available to get started with mobile devices. Setting up the phone app is as simple as installing the app and scanning the QR code. There’s a button dedicated just for the QR code.
Brands are taking advantage of smart phones more and more. Control panel functions for copying or scanning can be done from apps now. In fact the HP Envy Pro relies heavily on a smartphone for copy or scan functions. Unlike the HP, Canon has a OLED display and more buttons for those who still prefer that kind of user interface.
Wifi, USB, and Bluetooth are included with both the Canon Pixma TR7020 and the HP Envy Pro 6455. Both are Mac friendly as well.
Once setup I tested the weight and proportions. I used a standard scale and ruler. I found the Canon Pixma TR7020 weighs 18.4 lbs. My measurements revealed a printer 16 inches wide, 14.5 inches deep, and 8.5 inches high. An average size and heft for an inkjet printer.
Features
The Canon Pixma TR7020 is capable of copy, print, and scan. No fax for either the Canon or HP. The document feeder doesn’t automatically flip the paper for the second side but it can take 35 originals. When not in use the tray folds up for a polished appearance.
The main paper tray pulls out to load 100 sheets of paper. I’ve always preferred the contained paper trays. Not only do they look better but paper is easier to load. You don’t have to guess if paper is in all the way or worry about the open tray getting in the way. The exit tray also pulls out for printing and can be closed when not in use.
The rear paper tray also holds 100 sheets of paper. The HP Envy Pro 6455 has only one paper input tray. Canon printers in general have more paper capacity than other brands.
Print Operations
To test the Canon Pixma TR7020 print speed I printed pictures of cats and dogs. Less coverage than ISO/IEC 19798 and 24711 standard color test pages but they served my purposes. My color test pages clocked in at 7.2 pages per minute.
My B&W test pages were just emails, so much less coverage than a standard ISQ/IEC 19752 B&W test page. I clocked those pages in at 13.1 ppm.
The HP Envy Pro 6455 is 10 ppm for B&W and 7 ppm for color. These are average or just below average speeds for an inkjet printer. Not slow enough to be irritating. But if you’re like me and have your hand at the exit tray waiting for the paper to come out this printer will require some patience.
The Canon Pixma TR7020 makes good quality prints for a 4 color process. My test 4 x 6 photos come out great. Text from my test pages is crisp and readable. The HP Envy Pro 6455 makes descent photos as well. Better paper gets better results but that’s a characteristic of any inkjet printer.
Canon’s print drivers cover the basics of printing fairly well. It has some page setup options for size and layout. There are some basic color adjustments and matching settings.
Operating Costs
The Canon PIXMA TR7020 operating costs are average for a low duty cycle inkjet printer. Lower volume printers, 500 pages per month or less, tend to cost more than high volume printers. Supertank printers have the lowest operating costs. But they tend to lack things like a document feeder.
The Canon B&W prints cost 9 cents a page and color prints 12 cents a page. Using XL cartridges will lower this 2 cents a page.
For the HP Envy Pro 6455, B&W pages cost 19 cents and color costs 24 cents per page. Which is considerably higher. It’s meant to push people to HP’s instant ink program. Their program can cap printing costs at 6 cents a page.
Summary
Compared with the HP Envy, the only advantage is HP’s instant ink program. Quality and features go to the Canon. The Canon is also smaller. In my opinion the Canon is easier to setup and use than the HP. Which is an exception since I’ve found HP’s in general to be easier.
The Canon PIXMA TR7020 is a smart, compact all in one printer. Good features. A few nice perks. Canon includes phone printing apps and light desktop publishing programs. All which makes it ideal for home or office looking for a compact all in one.
The Copier Guy, aka Dave. I’ve worked on scanners, printers, copiers, and faxes over 23 years. When I’m not fixing them I’m writing about them. Although, I’m probably better at fixing them. I have certificates from Canon, Xerox, Ricoh, Kyocera, Lexmark, HP, and Konica Minolta. My experience includes other brands as well as several types of processes. If it uses paper I’ve probably worked on one.
