Canon PG-245 XL/CL-246 XL Value Pack Review: 8.8/10
The loudest theme across thousands of reviews isn’t print quality—it’s value: Best Buy shows “96% would recommend” on the Canon PG-245 XL / CL-246 XL Ink Value Pack with Photo Paper, and that matches the recurring refrain of “great deal” and “lasts really long.” Verdict: a dependable OEM-style bundle that people keep rebuying, with a few persistent gripes around price and occasional smearing. Score: 8.8/10
Quick Verdict
Yes (conditional—best when bought on sale)
For shoppers who want genuine Canon cartridges for Pixma printers and like a small “photo paper bonus,” this combo is repeatedly described as easy to install and long-lasting. The hesitation comes from the well-worn complaint that XL ink is still expensive, and a few users mention smearing or packaging/shipping issues.
| What People Agree On | Evidence (Source) | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Easy installation | Best Buy reviewers: “they snap right in / out” (Best Buy) | Low-friction swap for home users |
| Good longevity | “lasts really long” / “last much longer” (Best Buy) | Fewer cartridge changes |
| Solid print quality | “color is amazing” / “printouts looked great” (Best Buy) | Reliable for documents + casual photos |
| Photo paper included | “comes with pack of photo paper” (Best Buy) | Bonus value for occasional prints |
| Price can sting | “a little expensive” / “somewhat pricey for xl” (Best Buy) | Best for sale/discount buyers |
| Occasional smearing/quirks | “it sometimes smears” (Best Buy) | Printer/paper dependent outcomes |
Claims vs Reality
Canon’s positioning emphasizes “exceptional quality & remarkable durability” and that XL cartridges “help you save money” by printing more between replacements (Amazon specs / manufacturer copy). Digging deeper into user feedback, the “durability” part maps well to what buyers actually say—many describe the cartridges as “long lasting” and a “best bang for your buck” purchase (Best Buy). One reviewer framed it in everyday terms: “For the amount of pictures i print, this ink seems to last the longest” (Best Buy). For families printing schoolwork and photos, that longevity claim feels confirmed in the lived experience.
The “save money” claim is where reality gets more conditional. Multiple Best Buy reviewers call it a “great deal” and say it’s “affordable,” especially as a combo pack (Best Buy). At the same time, a recurring pattern emerged: people still experience sticker shock with XL ink even when they like the product. One customer summed it up bluntly: “this ink works okay. it’s a little expensive… would’ve preferred to pay a little less” (Best Buy). Another called it “somewhat pricey for xl, but lasts longer” (Best Buy). The savings seem to depend on whether you’re comparing against standard-yield cartridges, buying at the right retailer, or catching a sale.
Marketing also leans on “sharp black text” and photo-friendly color output (Amazon specs). User stories largely reinforce print quality, but not universally. A Best Buy reviewer praised consistency: “snaps right in never had any issues with leaks or smears” (Best Buy). Yet another reported the opposite edge case: “overall, the ink is good… it sometimes smears as the paper is printed out” (Best Buy). The gap here looks less like a defective product pattern and more like a printer/roller/paper interaction that shows up for some users and not others.
Cross-Platform Consensus
Universally Praised
A recurring pattern emerged across retailer reviews: people buy this pack for convenience, then come back for the repeatable, low-hassle experience. Installation is the most consistent “quality-of-life” win. One Best Buy buyer described the swap as effortless: “these are a breeze to change, they snap right in / out” (Best Buy). For home users who print sporadically and don’t want troubleshooting, the ability to replace cartridges quickly matters as much as the ink itself.
Longevity is the next through-line, and it’s usually framed as cost-per-print peace of mind. A Best Buy reviewer called it “long lasting ink cartridges… best bang for your buck” (Best Buy), while another said the combo pack “last much longer than the single package” (Best Buy). That story repeats in different forms: people who print photos, kids’ school projects, or occasional documents are often trying to reduce how frequently they have to think about ink.
Print quality—especially color—gets vivid praise when users talk about results on lower-end printers. One Best Buy review linked the product directly to their device limitations: “the color is amazing with my lower end printer” (Best Buy). Another framed the outcome as dependable rather than spectacular: “the printouts looked great” after a quick install (Best Buy). For budget Pixma owners, that’s a meaningful point: the cartridge is perceived as a reliable way to get pleasing output without changing printers.
The included glossy paper also functions as a small “value anchor” that people mention unprompted. “Comes with pack of photo paper” and “photo paper bonus” show up repeatedly (Best Buy). For casual photo printers, that extra pack makes the bundle feel more complete—one shopper said they loved the 2-pack “because you get photo paper too, for not that much more” (Best Buy).
After those narratives, the most repeated positives can be summarized simply:
- Easy cartridge swap: “snap right in / out” (Best Buy)
- Longevity: “lasts really long” (Best Buy)
- Print quality: “color is amazing” (Best Buy)
- Bundle value: “comes with pack of photo paper” (Best Buy)
Common Complaints
Price is the most consistent pain point—even among satisfied buyers. Digging deeper into user reports, the complaint isn’t that the product is bad, but that printer ink economics feel punishing. One reviewer called it out as “a little expensive” despite saying it “lasts a decent amount of time” (Best Buy). Another described the exact tradeoff: “somewhat pricey for xl, but lasts longer” (Best Buy). This is the classic Canon OEM story: people trust the results but resent the category pricing.
Some complaints focus less on the ink and more on purchasing context—availability and retail packaging. A Best Buy reviewer noted frustration with scarcity elsewhere: “in the past, i went to several other stores… and wasted time and gas to find they had no ink cartridges” (Best Buy). That story suggests the value isn’t only the product; it’s also being able to actually get it when you need it. Another reviewer flagged shipping condition: “packing shipped in was not in the best condition nor was the packaging of the cartridges” (Best Buy). For buyers who need a clean, giftable, or storage-friendly box, that can be irritating even if the cartridges work.
A smaller but notable quality concern is smearing. One Best Buy customer described ink that’s “smooth but not long lasting” and added: “it sometimes smears as the paper is printed out” (Best Buy). Even that user hedged it might be “a function of the printer roller” (Best Buy), which points to variability by printer maintenance and paper type rather than a universal defect.
After the narratives, the common negatives reduce to:
- Still expensive for XL: “would’ve preferred to pay a little less” (Best Buy)
- Packaging/shipping issues: “packing… was not in the best condition” (Best Buy)
- Occasional smearing: “it sometimes smears” (Best Buy)
Divisive Features
Value perception is the most polarizing element. Some buyers call it “a great deal” and “very affordable” as a combo (Best Buy), while others see it as overpriced even if it performs. One person said “best buy sells it cheaper than most places” (Best Buy), yet another argued there are better bundles elsewhere, saying the same XL cartridges were “available at wholesale price for a pack of 3 for just $7 more” and they’d buy that instead (Best Buy). The product can be both “best bang” and “too expensive” depending on where and when you buy.
Longevity also splits depending on expectations. Many say it “lasts a long time” (Best Buy), but at least one user felt it was “smooth but not long lasting” (Best Buy). For heavy printers—people churning through pages weekly—the definition of “long lasting” differs radically from occasional home use. The feedback suggests the pack fits best for steady, moderate use rather than high-volume workloads.
Trust & Reliability
Digging deeper into retailer reviews, trust is tied to OEM dependability and repeat purchases rather than dramatic “failure” stories. Buyers often speak in routines: “i always buy this ink from best buy… it lasts really long” (Best Buy), and another wrote, “i will continue to buy this product” (Best Buy). That kind of repeat-buy language is a reliability signal: it suggests low incidence of deal-breaking issues like leaks, errors, or unusable cartridges—at least among the reviewers quoted here.
That said, reliability isn’t described as flawless. One Best Buy reviewer mentioned an odd status-reporting behavior: “my computer thinks there is less ink in the cartridges than there really is!” (Best Buy). Another person reported smearing but still planned to keep buying: “i’ll continue to purchase this one until my printer croaks” (Best Buy). The pattern reads like: even when quirks happen, many users judge them tolerable compared to the hassle of experimenting with alternatives.
Alternatives
The only explicit alternatives in the provided data are compatible/remanufactured replacement packs marketed for the same printer family—often positioned as cheaper per cartridge. For example, a replacement 3-pack is framed as a “better deal than buying each ink cartridge separately” with claims of “stable and reliable printing solutions” (YB Toner). Another compatible pack highlights “reliable and affordable printing” and multiple bundle sizes (True Image).
What’s missing from the dataset is true user commentary on these third-party options—there are product-page claims but no direct buyer quotes included here. By contrast, the Canon OEM-style combo gets thousands of review snippets emphasizing ease, longevity, and consistent results (Best Buy). If you’re risk-averse and want the most crowd-validated path, the weight of quoted feedback here leans toward staying OEM. If you’re price-driven, the existence of multi-pack compatible options suggests why some shoppers cross-shop—but the provided data doesn’t include real user stories validating their performance.
Price & Value
Current pricing in the dataset spans a wide range depending on retailer and bundle. Best Buy lists the 2-pack with photo paper at $61.99 (Best Buy), while Walmart shows $69.97 for the ink & paper combo pack (Walmart). Office Depot lists a similar pack at $56.99 (Office Depot). On Amazon, the Canon PG-245 XL / CL-246 XL Amazon Pack appears around $60.58 among “new offers” in the search snapshot (Amazon search results).
Resale/secondary-market pricing on eBay varies heavily by condition (new sealed, open box, refurbished) and includes significant shipping costs in many listings (eBay). That variation reinforces the theme that shoppers often hunt for deals and may treat ink as a commodity purchase—buying where the total cost (including shipping) makes sense.
Community buying behavior shows the most practical “tip” is timing and retailer selection. One Best Buy reviewer said: “always try to buy on sale or when i have members rewards” (Best Buy). Another praised the combo’s value but still compared it to wholesale bundles, suggesting price-shopping is common (Best Buy).
Buying tips distilled from the quoted behavior:
- Buy during sales or stack rewards: “buy on sale… members rewards” (Best Buy)
- Consider total bundle value: “comes with pack of photo paper” (Best Buy)
- Compare multi-packs if you print a lot: “pack of 3 for just $7 more” (Best Buy)
FAQ
Q: Is the Canon PG-245 XL / CL-246 XL value pack easy to install?
A: Yes. Multiple Best Buy reviewers emphasize quick, simple installation, including “they snap right in / out” and “installed… in a jiffy” (Best Buy). That matters most for home users who want to avoid printer errors or fiddly setup during a last-minute print job.
Q: Does the XL ink actually last longer than regular cartridges?
A: For many buyers, yes—longevity is a repeated praise point. Reviewers say it “lasts really long” and is “long lasting” (Best Buy). However, one user described it as “smooth but not long lasting,” suggesting results can depend on print volume, settings, and printer condition (Best Buy).
Q: Are there complaints about smearing or print issues?
A: Occasionally. One Best Buy reviewer reported it “sometimes smears as the paper is printed out,” though they suspected printer rollers might be involved (Best Buy). Others state the opposite—“never had any issues with leaks or smears” (Best Buy)—so the experience appears printer- or paper-dependent.
Q: Is the included photo paper actually valued by buyers?
A: Yes—many mention it as a meaningful bonus. Reviewers call it a “photo paper bonus” and note it “comes with pack of photo paper” (Best Buy). For casual photo printing, that extra pack helps the bundle feel like more than just replacement ink.
Q: Is it worth the price?
A: Conditionally. Some buyers call it “a great deal” and say it’s “priced competitively” (Best Buy), while others still describe it as “a little expensive” and prefer paying less (Best Buy). The most consistent value strategy in reviews is buying on sale or using rewards (Best Buy).
Final Verdict
Buy if you’re a home Pixma user who wants an OEM-style swap that “snaps right in / out,” values the “photo paper bonus,” and prefers the repeatable reliability many reviewers describe as “long lasting” (Best Buy).
Avoid if you’re a high-volume printer who’s highly price-sensitive—several satisfied owners still call it “a little expensive” and compare to bigger bundles elsewhere (Best Buy).
Pro tip from the community: “always try to buy on sale or when i have members rewards” (Best Buy).
