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One of the highlights of the Canon Pixma MP600 is its sleek design and relatively light weight for a multifunction unit. It’s also very stable on the tabletop, as the broadest surface lies flat on the table. The six small, square, rubber feet keep the unit immobile.
Tour
Front
Viewed from the front, the MP600 is a 16-inch by 6-inch rectangle of black plastic framed by silver plastic. The Canon logo is prominently displayed in the middle of the black plastic front. The paper cassette slides out from the bottom while the CF and SD/MS/SM memory card slots lie vertically behind a door to the right with a handy tab to open it with. A USB connection and an IrDA port lie below the memory card door. Two small LEDS are visible near the top center of the unit. When illuminated, the one on the right indicates that the power is on with a green light, while the one on the left indicates that the unit is working (printing/scanning/copying), with a yellow light.
Back
The MP600’s rear cover opens to allow access for removing jammed paper from the transport unit. The paper feed tray flips open and extends upward. With both doors in closed position, the rear is compact and neat. There’s a USB port on the left side for plugging the unit into the computer with a USB cable (an accessory that's not included). Above this is the electrical cable connecting the main part of the unit with the scanner door, which contains the controls under the flip-up panel.
Left Side
The left side of the MP600 employs a simple design with no functional aspects. Similar to the front is the black rectangle surrounded by silver plastic that extends down from the top.
Right Side
The right side of the Pixma MP600 is nearly identical to the left side, except that the USB port is visible at the lower back.
Top
With the main and operation panel door closed, the MP600’s top is an unobtrusive silver plastic rectangle adorned only by the Pixma logo in the center. The top of the unit is actually the scanner/copier door, with the 4" x 7" operation panel door/LCD screen at the front of the unit. This door flips open to reveal the LCD screen on the inside face of the door and the control panel below that. The control panel sports a simple display, with a MP3 player-like scroll-wheel in the center. Surrounding the scroll wheel are four directional buttons that assist navigation, and in the center of the wheel is the OK button. Two long, narrow function buttons sit above the scroll wheel and their functions are indicated by the on-screen menu, mostly the Remaining ink volume item and Introduction item. Immediately to the right of the scroll wheel are plus and minus buttons to increase or decrease the number of copies ordered. To the right of those are the two Start buttons—one for Black and one for Color. The Stop/Reset button, to interrupt the job, lies conveniently above the Start buttons.
To the left of the scroll wheel, from top to bottom, are the On/Off button, the Feed Switch button (with its corresponding printer icon and LED lights to indicate which tray the printer will pull paper from first), the Navi button which opens the menu on the LCD screen, and the Home button, which brings you back to the main menu on the screen. A Back button just below and to the left of the scroll wheel is helpful if you need to back out of a menu without going Home. The black plastic rear compartment houses the rear-feed paper tray, which flips open and extends to hold paper upright.
Interior
The inside of the Pixma MP600 is accessed by opening the output tray/door in the front of the unit, then lifting the top of the unit, including the scanner bed, from the front. The interior is simple and sturdy, with black plastic surrounding most of the moving parts. A hydraulic arm on the left assists lifting and holds the printer top open to provide access to the ink cartridges and print head. When the power is on, the print head carriage moves from its seat on the left (hidden) to the open center area of the printer. A hinged guard in front of the cartridges folds down to provide easier access. Details about removal and installation of the ink cartridges and print head can be found in the Setup and Ink sections.
Components
Display (8.00)
Canon claims that the 2.5" TFT LCD has a 170-degree angle of view, and it is bright and very readable. Its location on the flip-up panel just above the scroll wheel keeps the control panel uncluttered and allows for intuitive interaction between the controls and the screen.
Paper trays (8.00)
The MP600 comes with two paper feed locations. The first is a paper cassette, housed beneath the front output tray. The cassette slides in and out smoothly from its handy location beneath the printer. This keeps the paper neat, uncluttered, and away from dust and dirt. The unit also has an auto-sheet feeder—a fold-out paper carriage at the rear top, where paper can be fed manually or in a bunch. Both feeding locations have a capacity of 150 sheets of document paper. The two locations are handy when printing both photos and text. Paper feeds easily and fluidly from both trays. Duplex (double-sided) printing is possible from either tray. Roll printing options are not possible, typical with multifunction printers.
The output tray doubles as a door in the printer’s front, folding up neatly out of the way when not in use. Another nice feature is that if you’ve forgotten to open the door, it will open automatically when printing begins.
CD Burner (0)
No CD burner is included with the MP600, typical for an all-in-one printer in this price range.
Power supply
 The MP600’s power cord port is at the left rear of the unit. The cord itself is simply that, the cord, since the power adapter is housed within the unit.
Internal Memory (0)
The Pixma MP600 has no internal memory, which again is typical for an all-in-one printer in this class.
Multi-tasking (4.00)
The Canon MP600 cannot multi-task very well. It can store multiple jobs in the print queue, as any printer can, but only one function (copy, scan, print) can be performed at a time.
Hard Drive (0)
The Pixma MP600 does not have a hard drive included. Most all-in-one printers in this class do not have one as standard equipment.
Accessories (6.50)
Ink cartridges and the print head are standard accessories included with the Pixma MP600. Optional accessories also include a Bluetooth adapter for printing from these devices enabled with that technology. Additional inks and photo paper can be purchased from Canon’s website. Cartridges cost $14.25 each, except for the pigment black, which sells for a bit more at $16.25. The four dye colors are also available in a multi-pack for $49.99. Canon does not offer higher capacity versions of these cartridges.
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