If you're still using the same old clunking, whirring printer from years ago, or are perhaps guilty of using the work printer for home projects, its time to invest in a home printer upgrade.
The Canon PIXMA TS9550 is a versatile A3 colour photo printer designed for home and small office use. It's neatly sized, but delivers on quality, and you can print with a huge range of media types. Whether you're looking for an A3 printer, or the best printer for cardmaking, the TS9550 ticks a lot of boxes.
I recently had the opportunity to put this model to the test, so read on for detailed insights into its performance and usability.
Jump straight to:
- Summary
- How we tested
- Canon PIXMA TS9550 review
- Where to buy Canon PIXMA TS9550
- Our verdict: should you buy Canon PIXMA TS9550?
- Looking for more A3 printers for cardmaking?
Summary
The Canon PIXMA TS9550 offers good print quality and a sleek, modern design. However, I found the setup process for wireless connectivity challenging. Once set up, though, the printer performed reliably, producing high-quality prints on a variety of media types.
How we tested
We tested the Canon PIXMA TS9550 in an office setting, evaluating its print quality, ease of setup and use, functionality, and overall value.
We used high-quality plain paper and Glossy II Photo Paper to assess its print performance.
Additionally, we tested the wireless connectivity, and assessed the size, design, and user interface to determine its user-friendliness.
Canon PIXMA TS9550 review
Key features
- Dimensions: 468 x 366 x 193 mm
- Weight: 9.7kg
- Connectivity: WiFi, USB, Ethernet
- Paper sizes: A3, A4, A5, B5, LTR, LGL, 20x25cm, 13x18cm, 10x15cm, 13x13cm, 8.9x8.9cm, 10x10cm, 17.5x25cm, 25x30cm, 30x30cm
- Ink cartridges: 5 Individual Ink Tanks (PGBK, BK, C, M, Y). ChromaLife100 inks
- RRP: £209.99 | $269.90
Quality - 5/5
Although it's a fraction of the price of some of the higher end printers we've reviewed, the print quality of the Canon PIXMA TS9550 is excellent.
It produces vibrant and accurate colours, with sharp lines and good contrast. I tested it printing borderless 4 x 6 inch photos on Glossy II Photo Paper, and they came out great.
I also tested printing quality using standard printer paper and A3 photo paper, switching between the fast, standard, and high-quality settings. Predictably, the fast and standard settings weren't as sharp and rich as the high-quality prints, but they took significantly less time to print.
You can also print using paper up to 300gsm, which makes it a great choice for cardmaking or scrapbooking.
Functionality - 3/5
The printer's functionality is robust, supporting a wide range of media types and offering features like duplex printing, scanning, and copying.
However, setting up the printer was quite challenging. The manual lacked an English section, so I used the QR code to follow the instructions on how to load the ink and paper.
Next, I downloaded the Canon Print app to connect the printer to my phone. This led to a frustrating back-and-forth process where I couldn’t get the printer to connect via the phone. Finally, I connected the printer to the Wi-Fi network, connected my phone to the same network, and managed to link the printer to my phone.
To connect the printer to my laptop, I needed to download a driver. Be aware that if you're using a work laptop, you'll need an administrator login—just having the password isn’t enough; you must be logged into an administrator account.
It took about 15 minutes to download the software, run through all the diagnostics, and connect to the laptop. Afterward, the wireless connection was established on both the phone and laptop.
Despite the initial success, I couldn't get the printer to work wirelessly with my laptop; it kept showing a 'printer is offline' message. I ended up connecting it via USB, which worked fine.
When I contacted support, they explained that a Wi-Fi connection of at least 80% strength is needed. My work connection was only at 30%, which isn’t ideal, and support mentioned that using an extender system can dilute the connection further. Once I connected via USB, everything worked smoothly. Changing the ink was straightforward as well.
Size - 5/5
With dimensions of 468 x 366 x 193 mm and weighing 9.7 kg, the Canon PIXMA TS9550 is relatively compact for an A3 printer.
It fits well in both home and small office environments, offering a good balance of size and functionality.
Design - 4/5
I really like the modern and sleek design of the PIXMA TS9550, and the touchscreen interface makes it super easy to use.
The black finish lets it blend into pretty much any setting. Even though I had some setup issues, the intuitive user interface makes daily operations a breeze.
Value for money - 4/5
Given its print quality, versatility, and additional features like scanning and copying, I find the Canon PIXMA TS9550 to offer good value for money.
The setup challenges were a notable drawback for me, but once I resolved them, the printer performed well and met my needs for both home use and small office tasks.
Where to buy Canon PIXMA TS9550
Our verdict: should you buy Canon PIXMA TS9550?
The Canon PIXMA TS9550 is a solid choice if you need a versatile and high-quality A3 printer. Its excellent print quality and multifunctional capabilities have been great for everything from photo printing to everyday documents.
However, be prepared for a potentially tricky setup, especially with the wireless connectivity. Once I got past those initial hurdles, the PIXMA TS9550 turned out to be a reliable and valuable addition to my home office.
Looking for more A3 printers for cardmaking?
If you're still browsing, take a look at our roundup of the best A3 printers on the market. Or why not check out the best printers for cardmaking?
