Canon PG-285 Black Ink Cartridge Review: Worth It?
“Just drop it in and you’re done. No mess no fussing.” That simple line captures why many buyers keep coming back to Canon PG-285 Black Ink Cartridge—but the story doesn’t end there. Across store reviews, people praise the plug‑and‑play setup and clean text output, while a noticeable minority grumble about short life and being pushed into bundle buys. Overall verdict: dependable everyday ink with a few real cost-and-availability headaches. Score: 7.8/10.
Quick Verdict
Conditional yes—great if you want hassle‑free, genuine Canon black ink for a TS7720/TR7820, less ideal if you print rarely or hate frequent cartridge swaps.
| What users highlight | Evidence from feedback | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Easy installation | Best Buy user timothyf said: “Just drop it in and you’re done. No mess no fussing.” | Best for home users who don’t want fiddly setup |
| Strong print quality | Best Buy user margaretr noted: “Always clear vivid color with every page I print.” (in context of the Canon ink set) | Students and small offices get crisp documents |
| Fits specific Pixma models well | Best Buy user cletus said: “Uniquely suited for a canon ts7720 printer. Easy to install.” | Low risk of compatibility issues on listed models |
| Standard cartridges feel short‑lived | Best Buy user williamb reported: “I don't get many pages front this ink.” | Heavy printers may need XL instead |
| Bundle buying frustration | Best Buy user all1 wrote: “I wanted to purchase a single black cartridge… I was forced to buy the twin pack.” | Price-sensitive users feel squeezed |
Claims vs Reality
Canon’s official messaging frames the Canon PG-285 Black Ink Cartridge as crisp, reliable ink designed for compatible Pixma printers, with “exceptional quality, durability and easy to install” and a listed 7.3 ml volume. Digging deeper into user reports, the “easy to install” claim is the least disputed part of the marketing. Multiple Best Buy reviewers describe a frictionless swap. Best Buy user timothyf said: “Just drop it in and you’re done. No mess no fussing.” Another Best Buy buyer echoed the fit-and-go feeling, with cletus calling it “easy to install” and “uniquely suited for a canon ts7720 printer.”
The quality claim also lands well in everyday use. While marketing emphasizes sharp black text and streak‑free output, users mostly speak in broad satisfaction terms. Best Buy user lindad wrote: “Great ink cartridge. Color good. Easy to fit in printer.” Even though that review refers to the 2‑pack set, the black cartridge is part of that experience. Best Buy user jamess added a real‑world check: “Copies look good!” For home offices and students, this translates into clean printouts without troubleshooting.
Where marketing runs into friction is durability and yield. Canon doesn’t promise a specific page count for standard PG‑285 in the Amazon specs, but buyers interpret “durability” as lasting a reasonable number of pages. Several reviewers say the standard cartridge empties quickly. Best Buy user williamb bluntly noted: “The ink works fiine and the print is fine. I don't get many pages front this ink.” Best Buy user roberts backed that up over longer ownership: “Doesn't last very long, and i seldom print. Buy the bigger tank.” While officially a standard 7.3 ml cartridge, multiple users report needing replacements sooner than expected.
Cross-Platform Consensus
A recurring pattern emerged around convenience. The Canon PG-285 Black Ink Cartridge is treated by many as a “no‑thinking‑required” consumable. For casual home printers, the key win is that it’s recognized instantly and installs cleanly. Best Buy user timothyf described it as literally a drop‑in job: “Just drop it in and you’re done. No mess no fussing.” For someone printing bills, school worksheets, or shipping labels, this kind of simplicity avoids printer downtime. Best Buy user jeffh’s shrugging review captures the practical satisfaction: “This is just ink. It fits in my canon printer. It works.” The benefit is reliability without drama.
Print quality is the other area of strong agreement. Marketing leans on crisp black text, and users don’t contradict that. Best Buy user margaretr said: “The ink never disappoints. Always clear vivid color with every page I print.” Though framed about Canon ink overall, it’s a clear endorsement of output consistency. Best Buy user jamess similarly focused on results rather than specs: “Copies look good!” For small offices or students doing lots of text-heavy printing, these stories suggest the cartridge does what it’s supposed to: readable, sharp documents.
Value perceptions are more nuanced but still often positive among light-to-moderate users. Some buyers talk about the set being a fair deal in context. Best Buy user la femme 0200 wrote: “Back up ink for new printer was a good deal in my opinion.” Best Buy user janiceb tied value to a time crunch: “My order came very fast: I needed the set of ink so i could finish my work.” For those who need ink now and want OEM reliability, the price feels justified.
After that praise, complaints cluster around lifespan and purchasing flexibility. Users who print frequently or dislike frequent maintenance say the cartridge runs out quickly. Best Buy user williamb’s experience is typical: “I don't get many pages front this ink.” Best Buy user roberts extended the same frustration over months: “Doesn't last very long… buy the bigger tank.” Even one‑week owners sense a fast drain, with Best Buy user big mouth calling their printer an “ink guzzler” and adding: “Third canon printer and this uses the most ink.” These aren’t isolated gripes; they show up repeatedly enough to shape expectations.
Another common frustration is how the black cartridge is often sold or promoted in bundles. Best Buy user all1 offered a detailed story: “I wanted to purchase a single black cartridge… I was forced to buy the twin pack.” They later found singles on Canon’s site and felt “disappointed to have been misled.” This affects emergency buyers—people who just need black for work or school and don’t want to pay for color they don’t need. Big mouth also complained about availability: “Cannot purchase it locally except at office depot.” For users in smaller towns or who prefer in‑store pickup, that’s a real pain point.
Divisive feedback appears around choosing standard vs XL. Some buyers explicitly avoid high‑yield cartridges because they fear drying out between prints. Best Buy user rosie said: “Was going to get xl size but read that if not used often the ink can dry out. Which i don’t use often.” But others push in the opposite direction, recommending XL for longevity. Best Buy user roberts’ “buy the bigger tank” advice directly contradicts rosie’s worry. For occasional printers, standard cartridges may feel safer; for high‑volume users, standard feels like false economy.
Trust & Reliability
Trust concerns in this dataset don’t revolve around counterfeits so much as product life and retail experience. On the genuine Canon side, users largely accept the cartridge as dependable and consistent in output. The stronger trust friction is emotional—buyers feeling pushed into bundles or misinformed about what’s available. Best Buy user all1’s story centers on being told singles weren’t sold, then finding them elsewhere, which undermined confidence in the buying process.
Long‑term durability stories reinforce that the cartridge performs steadily but may not last long. Best Buy user roberts had owned the ink for months and still centered the same issue: it “doesn't last very long.” Even buyers satisfied with prints aren’t always satisfied with replacement cadence. For anyone relying on the PG‑285 for regular printing, these longer‑horizon comments suggest planning for more frequent swaps unless stepping up to XL.
Alternatives
The only explicit alternatives mentioned in user‑adjacent data are the XL variants and third‑party compatible packs. The Canon PG-285XL is positioned in Provantage specs as higher yield (about 400 pages) and 12.7 ml. That lines up with the complaints from standard users who want more life. Best Buy user roberts’ “buy the bigger tank” recommendation is essentially a push toward XL. On the other side, cautious low‑volume users like rosie avoid XL due to drying fears, implying standard PG‑285 remains their preferred alternative.
Third‑party compatible cartridges (like the Lometic PG‑285/CL‑286 replacement pack on Amazon) tout “high yield” and easy recognition. But no user reviews for those compatibles are present in this dataset, so there’s no verified community consensus to compare beyond marketing language.
Price & Value
Canon’s official price for a single Canon PG-285 Black Ink Cartridge is listed as “as low as $24.99” in Amazon/Canon Canada specs, with the 2‑pack (black + tri‑color) showing up around $53.99–$75.86 depending on retailer snapshot. Community feedback shows value is situational. If you print intermittently and want OEM reliability, buyers often accept the cost. Best Buy user la femme 0200 called their backup ink buy “a good deal.” Best Buy user pamelan said the ink was “long lasting… for a distinct print,” suggesting their usage pattern matched the cartridge’s capacity.
But for users with heavier printing needs, the standard cartridge price feels steep relative to its lifespan. Best Buy user williamb’s “don't get many pages” complaint implies that cost‑per‑page becomes painful. The resale/market data from eBay doesn’t isolate PG‑285 pricing clearly, but the presence of many Canon ink listings and some PG‑285XL items indicates steady demand, not a niche cartridge. Buying tips implied by users: occasional printers may stick to standard to avoid drying out, while frequent printers may save money in the long run by going XL.
FAQ
Q: Is the Canon PG-285 black cartridge easy to install?
A: Yes. Best Buy reviewers consistently describe a simple swap. Best Buy user timothyf said: “Just drop it in and you’re done. No mess no fussing.” Best Buy user cletus also called it “easy to install,” especially on the TS7720.
Q: How long does the standard PG-285 last?
A: Many buyers say it runs out faster than they hoped. Best Buy user williamb noted: “I don't get many pages front this ink,” and Best Buy user roberts added it “doesn't last very long.” Light users may be fine; heavy users often prefer XL.
Q: Should I buy standard PG-285 or PG-285XL?
A: It depends on printing frequency. Some occasional printers avoid XL due to drying concerns—Best Buy user rosie said they skipped XL because “if not used often the ink can dry out.” Others recommend XL for better longevity, like roberts’ “buy the bigger tank.”
Q: Can I buy PG-285 black by itself, or only in a combo pack?
A: You can buy it as a single cartridge, but some retailers push the 2‑pack. Best Buy user all1 complained they were “forced to buy the twin pack” despite wanting black only, then found singles on Canon’s site.
Q: What printers is PG-285 meant for?
A: Official specs list compatibility with Pixma TR7820 and TS7720. Best Buy user cletus reinforced that real‑world fit, saying it was “uniquely suited for a canon ts7720 printer.”
Final Verdict
Buy if you’re a TS7720/TR7820 owner who wants genuine Canon black ink that installs in seconds and produces consistently clean text. Avoid if you print heavily and get annoyed by frequent replacements, or if you’re trying to minimize cost per page. Pro tip from the community: if you go weeks between prints, standard may suit you better; if you print weekly or more, consider the XL “bigger tank” route.
