Canon Pixma MG6150 review

This is more like it. In stark contrast to Canon’s minor update to its inkjet printers, the revamping of its all-in-one range is extensive to say the least. Six new models have been launched, along with a new naming convention, and it’s the Pixma MG6150 that stands out as the one to see. Positioned just below the existing MP990, it takes the best bits of that superb device and drags them into 2010.

The finish is now a glossy black that’s more suitable for a living room or stylish flat, and once you’ve dinked the spring-loaded screen upright, you’ll realise there are no buttons. We were hoping that meant an iPhone-style touchscreen to match that of the Lexmark Interact S605, but instead it’s the next best thing. Similar to some high-end Epsons, the 3in non-touch LCD hosts the key information and menus, but a large area of the lid in front of it doubles up as a touch panel.

You’ll see the back, home and option-select buttons glow into life, while within menus it adapts: when you’re in the copy menu, for example, the panel has plus and minus icons to adjust the number of copies, and the mono and colour Start symbols loom large. All the while, a four-way directional button rests in the centre for navigation. Menu navigation isn’t really any more intuitive than with the physical buttons it replaced, but the sheer responsiveness and all-round design makes it a pleasure to use.

Inside, there’s more good news. The MG6150 uses the print engine from the MP990, so it’s quicker than the long-A-Listed MP640 and has an extra grey ink to help smooth tonal shifts and for better monochrome quality. It hasn’t really been tweaked: speeds are almost identical to the MP990, with 11.8ppm and 6.1ppm rates in mono and colour respectively, and a time of 44 seconds for a top-quality 6 x 4in photo. It didn’t really need any work, though, as that engine proved fastest in our recent all-in-one group test, and the quality it produces is simply second to none. Its sharp, detailed photos pack oodles of colour, and its text is as bold and thick as it is clean.