Canon PIXMA TR4720 Review (2026): Honest Pros, Cons & Who It's Really For

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Comparing options? See our roundup of the Best Home Printers Under $100 in 2026 for side-by-side picks.

Quick verdict

The Canon PIXMA TR4720 is the printer most people should be buying for under $100 instead of defaulting to a cheaper HP DeskJet. For $79, you get features that normally appear two price tiers up: an automatic document feeder, auto duplex (two-sided) printing, and a built-in fax — plus the freedom to use third-party ink without your printer locking you out.

It's not perfect. The 2-line LCD screen feels straight out of 2008, color photo quality is just okay, and connectivity hiccups are a recurring complaint. But 60% of 15,000+ Amazon reviewers leave 5 stars, and the recurring 5-star theme — "finally, a printer that doesn't lock me into an ink subscription" — is exactly why this model keeps climbing the home office charts.

→ Check the current price of the Canon PIXMA TR4720 on Amazon

At a glance

Type	Cartridge-based color inkjet 4-in-1 (print / scan / copy / fax)
Print speed	8.8 ipm black / 4.4 ipm color
Paper capacity	100-sheet front input tray
Auto duplex printing	Yes (letter-size documents)
Auto document feeder	Yes (multi-page scan/copy up to legal size)
Fax	Built-in
Connectivity	Wi-Fi, USB, AirPrint, Mopria
Display	2-line monochrome LCD with control buttons
Ink	Canon PG-275 black + CL-276 tri-color (also XL versions)
Subscription required?	No — third-party / compatible ink works
Dimensions	17.2" × 11.7" × 7.5", 12.7 lbs
Typical price	~$79.00 (list $107.99)
Amazon rating	3.9 / 5 stars (15,848+ reviews)

Who the Canon PIXMA TR4720 is really for

This printer hits a sweet spot that's surprisingly hard to find at this price: a real home-office machine that can handle the small-business basics without forcing you into a cartridge subscription.

You'll be happy with it if:

• You occasionally need to scan or copy multi-page documents — tax returns, medical forms, kids' homework packets — and don't want to lift the lid for every page.
• You print enough double-sided documents to care about automatic duplex (no flipping paper by hand).
• You still send or receive faxes occasionally (yes, doctor's offices, mortgage companies, and government agencies still ask).
• You've been burned by HP+ printers locking out third-party ink and want a brand that doesn't pull that move.
• You print roughly 5–40 pages a week and don't want to step up to an ink tank printer just yet.
• You want a known-quantity brand with 15,000+ reviews of real-world usage data.

Who should skip it

• Anyone printing 50+ pages a week. Cartridge ink costs catch up fast. You'd save real money long-term by stepping up to a Canon MegaTank, Epson EcoTank, or HP Smart Tank — see our Epson EcoTank ET-2803 review for the most popular ink-tank pick.
• Anyone who prints photos as a primary use case. The TR4720's color reproduction is "fine for school posters and recipe cards" but not gallery-quality. Buy a dedicated photo printer or step up to Canon's PIXMA TS series.
• People who want a touchscreen. The 2-line LCD here is functional but dated. The Brother MFC-J1010DW (below) gets you a 1.8" color display for a bit more.
• 5 GHz-only Wi-Fi households. Like most home printers in this class, the TR4720 only connects to 2.4 GHz networks.
• Anyone in a hurry. 8.8 ipm is fine for a few pages but slow for a 50-page document. Laser printers are 2–3× faster.

What people love about it

Sifting through 15,000+ verified reviews, the praise lands in a few consistent themes:

"Bye bye HP" — no subscription, no lockout. Multiple top-helpful reviews describe explicitly switching to Canon to escape HP's Instant Ink and HP+ ecosystem. As one reviewer put it after years of HP frustration: the main reason they bought the TR4720 was so they wouldn't be tied to an ink subscription. If that resonates, you're not alone.

The feature set is genuinely surprising for $79. Auto duplex + auto document feeder + fax + wireless + Alexa compatibility is the kind of spec sheet you usually see at $150+. Many reviewers comment that the value-to-features ratio is the real reason for the high rating.

Setup is fast for most buyers. A large share of 5-star reviewers report having the TR4720 unboxed, on Wi-Fi, and printing from a phone or laptop in 10–15 minutes via the Canon PRINT app.

Compact footprint. At ~17 × 12 × 7.5 inches and 12.7 pounds, it fits where bigger all-in-ones can't. Reviewers consistently mention being able to tuck it under a desk or on a small shelf.

Auto duplex actually works. Saving paper without manual flipping is the feature most buyers say they didn't realize they'd love until they had it.

Text print quality is sharp. Canon's hybrid pigment-black + dye-color ink system produces crisp black text — meaningfully better than most $50 printers.

The legitimate complaints

The 17% of 1-star reviews aren't random — they cluster around predictable issues you should know about before buying:

1. Wi-Fi connectivity is hit or miss. Amazon's AI-generated review summary specifically flags "connectivity issues are common, with customers reporting that the printer won't stay connected to Wi-Fi." A subset of buyers report the printer dropping off the network after a few days of inactivity. The fix is usually router-side (channel changes, splitting 2.4/5 GHz bands), but it can be frustrating.

2. Ink cartridges run out fast. The included PG-275/CL-276 "starter" cartridges contain only a small amount of ink — multiple reviewers mention seeing low-ink warnings within the first 50 pages. Plan to budget another $30–$40 for an XL replacement set or use a more affordable third-party brand (the TR4720, unlike HP+ printers, will accept them).

3. Color print quality is good, not great. A small but vocal slice of reviewers describe colors as "faded" or "pastel." This printer's strength is sharp text and decent everyday color, not photo-lab output.

4. The display feels dated. A 2-line monochrome LCD with physical buttons is functional, but if you've been spoiled by touchscreens, you'll notice. Settings adjustments require button navigation.

5. Driver/software experience is mid. A handful of reviewers complain that Canon's setup website and software feel old-school, with no streamlined onboarding flow. Most buyers get through it; some don't.

6. Build quality is "plastic-y." At $79 you can't expect a tank, but multiple reviews describe the paper-handling parts as flimsy. Don't slam the front tray closed.

How the TR4720 compares to its closest siblings

	Cheaper alt: HP DeskJet 2855e	Canon PIXMA TR4720 (this review)	Upgrade: Brother MFC-J1010DW
Price	~$49.89	~$79.00	~$189.99
Amazon rating	3.8 ★ (17,664)	3.9 ★ (15,848)	4.1 ★ (8,993)
Print speed (black)	7.5 ppm	8.8 ipm	~12 ppm
Auto duplex	No	Yes	Yes
Auto document feeder	No	Yes	No
Fax	No	Yes	No
Display	LED icons only	2-line mono LCD	1.8" color LCD
Third-party ink allowed?	No (HP+ lockout)	Yes	Yes
Ink	HP 67 / 67XL	Canon PG-275 / CL-276	Brother LC401 / LC401XL
Best for	Lightest possible use	Home office basics	Heavier print volumes
Amazon link	View on Amazon	View on Amazon	View on Amazon

Cheaper alternative: HP DeskJet 2855e

If you genuinely just need to print the occasional school worksheet or shipping label and don't care about ADF, duplex, or fax, save the $30 and get the HP DeskJet 2855e instead. Same general use case, but with two big caveats: HP+ printers won't accept third-party ink (you're locked into HP cartridges or the Instant Ink subscription), and you'll be flipping paper by hand for every double-sided document. We have a full HP DeskJet 2855e review if you want the deeper comparison.

Upgrade pick: Brother MFC-J1010DW

If you print more than ~10 pages a week and want a better long-term ink experience, the Brother MFC-J1010DW is the natural step up. You'll pay ~$190 instead of $79, but you get a higher 4.1-star rating, a 1.8" color display, faster print speeds, auto duplex, and Brother's much-loved LC401 ink (cheaper per-page than HP or Canon, and widely available in compatibles). The trade-off: no automatic document feeder and no built-in fax. Pick the Brother if you mostly print, pick the Canon if you mostly scan and copy multi-page documents.

The bigger-step upgrade: ink tank printers

If you're seriously considering 50+ pages a week or you're printing for a small business, skip the cartridge-printer category entirely and look at ink tank printers. Our Epson EcoTank ET-2803 review walks through the most popular ink-tank pick on Amazon (20,000+ reviews). Up-front cost is ~$200–$240 vs. $79 for the TR4720, but the ink-per-page cost is roughly 1/10 what cartridge printers charge. The math gets favorable fast if you print regularly.

Ink and supplies for the Canon PIXMA TR4720

The TR4720 uses Canon's PG-275 (black) and CL-276 (tri-color) cartridges, available in both standard and XL sizes. The XL versions print roughly 2–3× more pages per cartridge and bring the cost per page down meaningfully. Because Canon doesn't enforce a subscription lockout, you can also use reputable third-party compatibles to cut ink costs further — a frequent reason buyers cite for choosing this printer over HP+ models in the first place.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Canon PIXMA TR4720 print double-sided automatically?
Yes. It has automatic duplex printing for letter-size documents, which is a rare feature at this price point.

Does it have an automatic document feeder (ADF)?
Yes — and it handles documents up to legal size, which is unusual for a sub-$100 printer.

Can I use the TR4720 without an ink subscription?
Absolutely. Unlike HP+ printers, Canon doesn't require any subscription. You can use standard PG-275/CL-276 cartridges, XL versions, or reputable third-party compatibles.

Does the TR4720 work with 5 GHz Wi-Fi?
No. Like most home printers in this class, it only supports 2.4 GHz. Most modern routers broadcast both bands by default — if yours doesn't, enable the 2.4 GHz band from your router's admin page.

Can I send faxes from a smartphone with this printer?
You can send/receive faxes from the printer itself (it has a phone line port). You'll need a working landline or VoIP fax line for fax functionality; for occasional faxing without a landline, online fax services are usually a better choice.

Is the Canon PIXMA TR4720 good for printing photos?
It can print borderless photos up to 8.5" × 11", but color accuracy is "fine for casual use" rather than photo-lab quality. If photos are your primary use case, look at the PIXMA TS series.

How many pages do the starter cartridges last?
The included PG-275/CL-276 "setup" cartridges contain a small amount of ink — expect ~50–100 pages before needing replacements. The XL versions last several times longer.

What's the difference between the TR4720 BK and TR4720 WH?
Color only — BK is black, WH is white. Same internals, same specs, same price (roughly).

Bottom line

The Canon PIXMA TR4720 is the printer to buy if you want home-office-grade features (ADF, duplex, fax) without paying home-office prices and without getting trapped in an ink subscription. At $79 it's an easy yes for the right buyer — and at 3.9 stars across 15,000+ reviews, the "right buyer" pool is enormous.

If you print very rarely, the cheaper HP DeskJet 2855e will do. If you print a lot, the Brother MFC-J1010DW or an ink tank model will save you money long-term. But for the price-to-features sweet spot, the TR4720 is what we'd quietly recommend to a friend who said "I just need a decent printer."

Where to buy

Canon PIXMA TR4720 (this printer): View current price on Amazon

HP DeskJet 2855e (cheaper alternative): View on Amazon

Brother MFC-J1010DW (upgrade pick): View on Amazon

Epson EcoTank ET-2803 (ink-tank cross-shop): View on Amazon

For more printer comparisons and our hand-picked accessories, visit our Castle Ink Amazon storefront.