Canon
Printers · Last assessed Jun 9, 2026
Read the scope and sources before applying this finding.
← Back to manufacturer assessments
The letter is the published assessment. Missing factor evidence is labeled; it does not become a zero.
Why this grade
Canon is the least-locked of the four, though still a category-wide F. Canon cartridges carry authentication/level-detection chips and firmware updates can block third parties, but the lock is comparatively soft: during the 2022 chip shortage Canon shipped chipless cartridges and publicly told customers how to dismiss the 'cannot recognize cartridge / counterfeit' warning, explicitly stating there is no negative impact on print quality without the chip. That dismissible-warning behavior is materially less hostile than HP's hard block. Canon also sells a Parts Order Desk supplying genuine service parts including user-replaceable printheads, and its refillable MegaTank (PIXMA G) line lowers cost-per-page and sidesteps cartridges entirely. Weaknesses: cartridge PIXMA models remain razor-and-blades, and official public schematics are not openly published.
Sources
Methodology & scope
Five dimensions are scored 0–100 and weighted equally: parts availability, schematic access, repairability, OEM pricing and software freedom. The letter scale is A (90–100), B (80–89), C (70–79), D (60–69), F (below 60).
This assessment was last assessed Jun 9, 2026. Its assessment scope is Printers and is not a claim about every device the maker ships.
The record does not supply a methodology version identifier. Read the published method, limitations and version history ↗
Manufacturer response
No manufacturer response is recorded for this assessment.
What makes up the grade
- Parts Availability
- 50 / 100
- Schematic Access
- 40 / 100
- Repairability
- 52 / 100
- OEM Pricing
- 48 / 100
- Software Freedom
- 60 / 100
Grade history
No grade changes are recorded.
Corrections
Spotted an error, or have evidence we should weigh? Corrections are reviewed on the record.
Request a correction ↗