We’ve reviewed a number of multifunction printers designed for the Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs). Most of the printers we’ve reviewed explicitly try to blend multiple requirements of SMEs into one device. Very few actually try to cater to a specific crowd within the SME market. As is obvious, they do this to ensure that their products remain relevant to as many customers as possible. Canon Color imageClass MF810CDN, however, is a different kind of beast when compared to those other specimens of the same ecosystem.
Everything about the Canon Color imageClass MF810CDN screams “LARGE!” Within its segment, it is one of the largest options you can go for. Size, volume, or quantity is something of a calling card for this MFP. This means multiple things. The first is that this characteristics of the Canon Color imageClass MF810CDN makes it suitable for those businesses that fall within the SME category but print larger volumes of documents that most other businesses in this category. In fact, the capacity aspect of this MFP is reflected in a few of its features as well.
Because of this reason, this MFP is suited for businesses placed in the upper end of the SME spectrum. In other words, businesses that aren’t far from being considered large will find this machine very useful. To be able to handle large volumes, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) probably had to compromise on its physical statistics as well. This, ladies and gentlemen, is a big boned machine.
This means that setting this machine up will require some preplanning for most businesses because its large dimensions and heavy weight will have to be considered very seriously. This characteristic of the Canon Color imageClass MF810CDN doubles up as strength as well as weakness. It is up to you how you interpret it. We’ll explain both.
Strengths of Canon Color imageClass MF810CDN
Why do businesses buy laser colour MFPs? They do it to get access to scanning, copying, faxing, and printing of decent quality within a single device. They could easily buy individual devices for each of those functions but it rarely ever turns out efficient, regardless of whether you consider operational angles or financial perspectives.
Therefore, when we see colour laser MFPs that don’t perform well in any of those primary or core functions, we stop and wonder at the sheer oversight of it all. We didn’t even pause with the Canon Color imageClass MF810CDN.
This machine excels when it comes to the quality of results with all the four core functions that are expected from an MFP. The quality of scanned images, printed documents, copied files, and faxing is top notch here.
Output quality of most laser colour printers is decent and this machine meets the usual expectations. However, while many laser colour MFPs perform poorly with graphics and photo prints, this machine does well with those as well.
The strengths of the Canon Color imageClass MF810CDN don’t just stop at the output quality either. There are many more. For instance, the largeness overall characteristic of this machine translates into its total sheet capacity.
In its standard configuration, the total paper capacity of the Canon Color imageClass MF810CDN is 650 sheets divided between a 100 sheet multipurpose feeder and a 550 sheet main paper tray. However, if the user opts for three additional trays with 500 sheets capacity each, then the total paper capacity can rise to an amazing 2,150 sheets.
The device also comes with an Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) capable of handling 50 sheets. However, owing to duplexing and duplex scanning features, this ADF can essentially process 100 pages at one go.
The hardware of the Canon Color imageClass MF810CDN is solid in its own right. It won’t win any prizes for being beautiful but it is strong and tough enough to handle most knocks.
Weaknesses of Canon Color imageClass MF810CDN
The biggest weakness of the Canon Color imageClass MF810CDN is cost. Not only will this machine cost you more than other MFPs in the same segment the first time but also time and time again. In other words, you’ll have to spend more to get this printer and then spend more to run this printer.
While both these cost related aspects may seem like a weakness at first glance, it is only the second that can pose a problem. The initial cost for getting Canon Color imageClass MF810CDN may be high when compared to other printers in the same segment but that is only because you get full cartridges with this machine.
Competing MFP models from other OEMs only come with starter cartridges which is why they’re cheaper. As far as the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) goes, it is high only if you insist on using genuine cartridges. On the other hand, if you use generic cartridges from a reliable seller, then TCO shouldn’t be a problem for you at all since generic cartridges can be had for as low as 17 percent of the original price.
Another downside of Canon Color imageClass MF810CDN is that it doesn’t support Wi-Fi connectivity. You’ll have to connect this machine to your Wi-Fi network via an Ethernet cable. Moreover, what takes the bite out of this little flaw is that this MFP does support mobile printing via Canon’s proprietary software programmes, Mopria, and Air Print.
Key Features of Canon Color imageClass MF810CDN
Canon Color imageClass MF810CDN is a good option for most SMEs that depend on high volume printing. More importantly, this is a machine that is known for its well-balanced feature set.
We’ve already spoken about the output quality of this machine. With respect to speed of printing, this device may not be a champ in its segment but it isn’t a chump either. The rated print speed of this device is 26 pages per minute (ppm). This falls in the mediocre range, which means that most businesses shouldn’t have a problem with it.
While the duty cycle of Canon Color imageClass MF810CDN isn’t as high as the higher model in this range, it should be more than sufficient for most businesses. The duty cycle of this machine is about 67,000 pages, far more than what most businesses need.
Finally, the interface of this device is quite intuitive. There is an easy to use colour LCD touchscreen measuring 3.5 inches along with an alphanumeric keypad that can be used for faxing purposes.
If you’re one of those people who pays premium for aesthetics, however, then you may not find this machine to be all that great. The design of Canon Color imageClass MF810CDN is simplistic and minimalistic. In fact, you can even call the design of this MFP “clunky” or “manly”. This MFP measures 24 inches x 20.1 inches x 22.3 inches and weighs in at a hefty 43 Kg.
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