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Canon MG5520 BK Wireless Inkjet All-in-One Printer — main product image
Canon MG5520 BK Wireless Inkjet All-in-One Printer
Canon MG5520 BK Wireless Inkjet All-in-One Printer
Canon MG5520 BK Wireless Inkjet All-in-One Printer
Canon

Canon MG5520 BK Wireless Inkjet All-in-One Printer

★★★★★4.1 (1255 reviews)
4800 x 1200

4800x1200 dpi, auto-duplex, and AirPrint in a five-ink all-in-one that cuts paper costs by up to 50% without sacrificing photo output quality.

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Overview

The Canon PIXMA MG5520 is a five-ink wireless all-in-one inkjet printer with a maximum photo resolution of 4800x1200 dpi. The five-ink architecture is the key differentiator in this class: a dedicated pigment black cartridge (PGI-250 XL) handles document text with crisp edge definition, while four dye-based inks (CLI-251 XL in cyan, magenta, yellow, and a second black) handle photo gradients and color reproduction. Running these as individual tanks means granular cost control — a heavy photo printing session burns through cyan and magenta faster than black, and the MG5520 lets you replace those specific cartridges rather than a combined unit. The XL cartridge sizing extends yield per replacement cycle, reducing interruptions during larger print jobs.

The MG5520 is built for a home office or small creative workspace that prints a mix of documents and occasional photo output. Auto-duplex handles the day-to-day document volume efficiently, and AirPrint plus the Canon PRINT app mean iOS and Android users can send jobs without touching a desktop. The auto-document feeder extends scan and copy functionality to multi-page documents. At 14 pounds and a full desktop footprint, this is a committed desk installation — not a printer you move around. For a user who wants consolidated print/scan/copy capability, genuine photo output quality, and the running-cost benefit of individual ink tanks, the MG5520 fits the role cleanly at its price point.

Key Features

Easily print and scan from your mobile devices and popular online cloud services with our free Canon PRINT app.

Built-In Auto Duplex Printing: Duplex Printing: Automatically print on both sides of the page without the hassle of turning it over manually. This can reduce your paper consumption and cost by up to 50%.

Compatible with Individual/Combo CLI-251 XL Ink Tanks (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) & PGI-250 XL Pigment Black Ink Tanks.

AirPrint: Wirelessly print photos, emails, web pages, documents and more from compatible iPad, iPhone or iPod touch devices

4800 x 1200 dpi photo resolution, Load plain and photo paper right into of the printer at the same time!

Specifications

Brand
Canon
Model
MG5520 BK
Type
Wireless Inkjet All-in-One
Print Resolution
4800 x 1200 dpi
Ink System
5 Individual Tanks (PGI-250 XL, CLI-251 XL C/M/Y/BK)
Connectivity
Wi-Fi, AirPrint, Canon PRINT App
Display
2.5" LCD
Auto Duplex Printing
Yes (plain paper only)
Maximum Media Size
8.5" x 14"
Dimensions
18 x 14.6 x 5.9 inches
Weight
14 lbs
Color
Black

Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

  • Five individual ink tanks eliminate unnecessary cartridge waste — replace only the exhausted color, not a full combo unit.
  • Auto-duplex printing reduces paper consumption by up to 50% without manual page flipping, measurably cutting per-page cost.
  • 4800x1200 dpi photo output delivers genuine photo-quality results on compatible media, not just "photo-capable" marketing language.
  • AirPrint and Canon PRINT app support cover iOS and Android mobile printing without driver installation on mobile devices.
  • Simultaneous plain and photo paper loading via separate trays reduces media-swap interruptions during mixed print jobs.

👎 Cons

  • Auto-duplex is limited to plain paper — photo paper and heavier stock require manual single-sided printing.
  • No Wi-Fi Direct or NFC — devices must be on the same network to print wirelessly, limiting ad-hoc print scenarios.
  • At 18 x 14.6 x 5.9 inches and 14 pounds, this is a full desktop footprint printer — not suitable for tight or shared desk setups.
  • Maximum 8.5" x 14" media support excludes any wide-format or poster printing use cases.
  • 2.5" LCD display is functional but small for navigating scan and copy menus on the unit itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

The MG5520 uses five separate ink tanks: PGI-250 XL pigment black, plus CLI-251 XL in cyan, magenta, yellow, and dye-based black. Individual tanks mean you replace only the color that runs out — not a combined cartridge. This directly reduces consumable waste and cost compared to tri-color combo cartridges.
The 4800x1200 dpi maximum applies to photo output on compatible photo paper. Standard document print resolution is lower — sufficient for crisp text but not the headline spec. For borderless photo printing, the full 4800x1200 dpi output is engaged.
Auto-duplex is supported on plain paper up to 8.5" x 14". It is not supported for photo paper or cardstock. The mechanism automatically feeds and flips the page, but thicker media must be printed single-sided manually.
The MG5520 supports Wi-Fi for network printing, AirPrint for direct iOS device printing, and Rode's free Canon PRINT app for mobile printing and scanning from Android and iOS. It does not support Wi-Fi Direct or NFC.
The MG5520 handles media up to 8.5" x 14" (legal size). It does not support tabloid or 13" wide-format output.

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