There is an awkward middle ground of printers in which companies need a professional grade machine without spending the amount it would take to purchase a small vehicle. To fill this niche, Canon released their i-SENSYS MF-6560PL. This multi-function printer was designed to offer many of the same features of a top end machine in a smaller package. The features and specs make it great alternative for small businesses looking to expand their printing options.
Design
It is quite amazing that Canon managed to fit so many features into a printer that is only slightly larger than a personal or home unit. This slim machine is only 50 cm at its widest point and weighs in at just under 22 kilograms. The pop out paper tray is situated on the front of the machine with the finished prints come out of the top. It can hold 500 pages with an optional 100 page auxiliary tray A pull out hatch along the bottom gives access to the Canon MF-6560PL toner cartridges and other internal hardware. The base model comes with 128 MB of internal memory, a Super G3 fax connection, and produces 1,200 x 600 dpi at max resolution.
Advantages
This printer covers the basics that any small to medium office will need as well as offering a few features that allow it to stand out from the others. Any company that relies on faxes will enjoy the speed and precision of the MF-6560PL. If the Canon MF-6560PL toner cartridges or paper run out, it will automatically save up to 1,280 pages of faxes as backup. The high speed USB port and computer software make it a great centralised machine for a work group. Specialty software can produce everything from posters to envelopes.
Disadvantages
The middle range of this printer is both its advantage and disadvantage. The limited capacity and quality of prints may put it out of contention for any medium businesses while the price range may also mean it cannot contend with cheaper alternatives for a small office or home. The 22 pages per minute also means that it is on the low end of speed when compared to other printers in the same price range and size.
