Best Compatible Ink for Canon PG-245 & CL-246 (2026): Remanufactured vs Genuine

Last updated: November 2, 2026.

Quick answer: For a PIXMA MG2522, TS3120, TR4520 or MX490, the set we would buy is our remanufactured Canon PG-245XL black and CL-246XL color combo at $39.99. Each cartridge is rated at about 300 pages. Canon's own PG-245XL and CL-246XL cost $37.00 and $41.00 at Staples, $78.00 together, so the combo is about 49% cheaper and works out to roughly 6.7 cents a page against 13 cents. The caveat on this family is the ink gauge, not a lock-out: a refilled Canon cartridge cannot report its level, and the printer will ask you to switch off ink-level detection with a five-second press of the Stop button. The smaller PG-243 and CL-244 fit the same printers.

Shop the full range: Canon PG-245 and CL-246 ink cartridges (PG-245XL, CL-246XL, the combo pack and a PG-245XL MICR black).

We'll say the obvious thing up front: we sell these cartridges, so our recommendation is not neutral. To make up for that, the table below puts LD Products, 4inkjets, CompAndSave, Staples and a marketplace brand next to our own prices, and on this family LD Products and 4inkjets are two dollars cheaper than we are. This post covers which printers take PG-245 and CL-246, how PG-243 and CL-244 fit in, what every option costs per page as of November 2026, and how to handle Canon's ink-level messages.

What printers use Canon PG-245 and CL-246 ink?

PG-245 (black) and CL-246 (color) are the cartridges for many of Canon's entry-level PIXMA MG, MX, TS and TR printers. Canon makes them in standard and XL sizes.

• PIXMA MG: MG2420, MG2520, MG2522, MG2525, MG2920, MG2922, MG3022 and MG3029
• PIXMA MX: MX490 and MX492
• PIXMA TS: TS202, TS302, TS3120, TS3122, TS3320, TS3322 and TS3420
• PIXMA TR: TR4520, TR4522 and TR4527
• PIXMA iP: iP2820

Each cartridge has its printhead built in, so a new cartridge is also a new set of nozzles. That is the main reason we sell these as remanufactured: you get Canon's own printhead, cleaned and tested, rather than one built by a third party.

What about PG-243 and CL-244? They are lower-capacity cartridges that fit the same printers; Quill's PG-243 listing names the MG2522, TS3120, TR4520 and MX490 among them (Quill). Staples sells the PG-243 for $19.00 and the CL-244 for $25.99, and the PG-243 is rated at about 180 pages. We don't sell 243 or 244; a PG-245XL or CL-246XL goes in the same slot and holds more ink.

Canon PG-245 / CL-246 prices compared: OEM vs Castle Ink vs other sellers

Prices checked November 2026 at the sellers' sites; they change often.

LD Products and 4inkjets (the same company) sell the remanufactured XL pair for $37.98, two dollars less than our $39.99, and CompAndSave is within a dime of us. If the lowest price is the whole decision, buy from LD. What you get from us instead is same-day shipping from Greenlawn, NY on orders placed by 4 PM ET Monday through Friday, a 1-year return window with a full refund, US phone support, and a promise to replace or refund any cartridge that arrives defective. The Staples store brand costs about $15 more for the same yields, and the marketplace compatible pair costs more than twice what we charge while claiming yields well above Canon's rating.

Our pick: remanufactured PG-245XL and CL-246XL combo

The PG-245XL and CL-246XL combo at $39.99 is the set we would put in any of these PIXMA printers. Both cartridges start as genuine Canon XL cartridges that are cleaned, refilled and tested, so the printhead in each is Canon's. At about 600 rated pages it costs 6.7 cents a page against 13.0 for Canon's XLs bought singly and 13.3 for Canon's own XL 2-pack. The trade-off is in the table: LD is $2 cheaper for an equivalent set.

The other Castle Ink options: the PG-245XL black at $21.95 and the CL-246XL color at $24.95. Bought separately they total $46.90, so the combo saves about $7 if you need both. We also stock a PG-245XL MICR black ($45.99) for check printing.

Canon's ink-level detection, support code 1686 and the warranty

Canon does not run an HP-style firmware program against third-party cartridges, and we know of no US lawsuit over Canon inkjet lock-outs. What Canon printers do is track each cartridge's ink use. A refilled cartridge's chip remembers being emptied, so after you install one the printer shows a message that the remaining ink level cannot be detected, usually with support code 1686 or a related code. Canon's own manual for the TS3100 series gives the fix: hold the Stop button for at least five seconds to turn off ink-level detection for that cartridge, and printing continues (Canon manual, support code 1686). The same manual notes that Canon recommends new, genuine cartridges for optimal quality, which is fair to tell you.

Two things to know about that step. First, it switches off the low-ink warning for that cartridge, so watch your prints and swap the cartridge when text fades or a color drops out. Second, you do it once per installed cartridge, not every time you print.

On the warranty, Canon's PIXMA limited warranty excludes damage caused by non-Canon or refilled cartridges, not the use of them as such (Canon USA warranty terms). Because the printhead is in the cartridge on this family, a faulty cartridge's printhead goes out of the printer with the cartridge when you replace it. More on the legal side in does compatible ink void your warranty?

How to choose a PG-245 / CL-246 cartridge

• Buy the XL. PG-245XL is rated at about 300 pages against 180 for the standard PG-245, and the XL costs little more from any third-party seller.
• If you already have PG-243 or CL-244 cartridges, a PG-245XL or CL-246XL fits the same slot and prints more.
• Buy the pair. Our combo is $39.99 against $46.90 for the two singles.
• Expect the support code 1686 message with any refilled cartridge and hold Stop for five seconds to continue.
• Prefer remanufactured over new-build compatibles on this family; it keeps Canon's printhead.
• Be skeptical of yield claims above 300 pages for a PG-245XL; Canon rates the same shell at 300.

Canon PG-245 / CL-246 Compatible Ink FAQs

The bottom line

For a PIXMA MG2522, TS3120, TR4520 or MX490, the remanufactured PG-245XL and CL-246XL combo at $39.99 is the set we would buy: about half the price of Canon's XL cartridges, with Canon's own printheads. LD Products and 4inkjets sell an equivalent pair for $2 less, and we have shown their prices so you can choose on service. Shop all Canon PG-245 and CL-246 ink cartridges.

Related reading: best compatible ink brands, compatible vs OEM Canon ink, compatible vs remanufactured vs OEM, is XL ink worth it?, and our Canon ink cartridge collection.