Canon imageClass MF236n - Review 2022

Like the Editors' Selection imageClass MF249dw, the Canon imageClass MF236n ($199) is an entry-level monochrome light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation all-in-one (AIO) printer designed for low-volume printing, copying, scanning, and faxing in a small or micro home-based office or workgroup. You cede a few things for the low price, however, such as the ability to copy and scan two-sided multipage documents automatically, also as wireless networking. While the MF236n is a capable lilliputian AIO, what you requite up for a not-so-significant price departure betwixt information technology and the Canon MF249dw is more than than enough to keep the MF236n as a mere contender; however, in the right low-to-medium-print-volume environments, it'south a sensible alternative to its costlier sibling.

A Desktop-Size Laser AIO

The all-blackness imageClass MF236n looks like several other Canon entry-level monochrome light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation AIOs. It measures 14.2 past xv.4 by fourteen.7 inches (HWD) and weighs 26.7 pounds. That's identical in size to the MF249dw, equally well as the Canon imageClass MF227dw, some other elevation pick. The similarly priced Blood brother MFC-L2710DW is a couple of inches shorter in tiptop and depth, merely weighs well-nigh the same every bit the MF236n, whereas the Brother MFC-L5700DW, a slightly more expensive, college-volume monochrome laser AIO, measures several inches bigger than the MF236n and weighs nigh 10 pounds more. HP's LaserJet Pro MFP M130fw is priced similarly, and is significantly smaller and weighs 10 pounds less than the MF236n.

The control panel on the MF236n consists of several buttons and a 10-key number pad anchored past a six-line monochrome bear upon LCD. While non equally slick as machines with the entire control panel located on a large color graphical bear upon display, having the ability to access configuration options and functions via the monochrome touch on screen is much more than efficient than navigating with drill-downward menus with directional keys and an OK button.

The MF236n comes with a 35-sheet automated certificate feeder (ADF) for passing multipage documents to the scanner automatically. However, unlike the Canon MF249dw, the MF236n'south ADF is not auto duplexing, nor is the print engine. To print, scan, copy, or fax two-sided multipage documents, yous'll take to flip the pages manually. Both the Brother MFC-L2710DW'due south and MFC-L5700DW's 50-sail ADFs aren't motorcar-duplexing either (but their print engines are).

In terms of paper handling, the MF236n's input capacity is 251 sheets, split between a 250-sheet paper drawer and a ane-sheet override slot for printing one-off envelopes, labels, and other documents without having to remove and reconfigure the main paper drawer. Both the Catechism MF249dw and the Canon MF227dw come with the aforementioned paper-input configuration equally the MF236n, equally does the Brother MFC-L2710DW. The larger Brother MFC-L5700DW's paper-input capacity is 300 sheets, carve up betwixt a 250-sheet main drawer and a 50-sheet multipurpose tray, and information technology's expandable to 900 sheets, while the HP M130fw's sole newspaper-input source holds 150 sheets.

The MF236n'due south maximum monthly duty cycle is 15,000 pages (with a recommended monthly print book of 2,000 pages). That is the same as the Catechism MF249fw and the Brother MFC-L2710DW, but 5,000 pages fewer than the Canon MF227dw and the HP LaserJet Pro MFP M130fw. The Brother MFC L5700DW's maximum monthly duty cycle is 35,000 pages higher than that of the MF236n.

There'southward one feature, or lack thereof, that actually sets the MF236n apart from its competitors mentioned hither—it has no wireless radio. In other words, not just does it not support wireless networking, but information technology too lacks support for Wi-Fi Direct and near-field communication (NFC). Since its only ii connectedness options are Ethernet and connecting direct to a PC via USB, several mobile options that crave Wi-Fi aren't available. Nonetheless, you however get Google Cloud Print, Apple AirPrint, Mopria Print Services, and Canon Impress Business for scanning to and printing from diverse locations via Ethernet.

Fast for the Cost

Catechism rates the MF236n at 24 pages per minute (ppm). I tested it over Ethernet from our standard Intel Core i5-equipped testbed PC running Windows 10 Professional. The MF236n printed our 12-page Microsoft Word text certificate at a rate of 22.8ppm, simply brusque of its manufacturer'southward rating. The Catechism MF249dw printed the same document at virtually 5ppm faster, and the Brother MFC-L2750DW churned at around 12ppm quicker than the MF236n. The college-volume Blood brother MFC-L5700DW beat the MF236n by almost 16ppm, while the HP M130fw managed around 7ppm slower. (Unfortunately, the Catechism MF227dw was tested with an earlier benchmarking regimen, which makes comparison its results information here illogical.)

When I combined the results from press our colorful Excel, Acrobat, and PowerPoint documents filled with graphics and photos with the results from press the 12-page Give-and-take certificate in the previous test, the MF236n's score dropped to 16.3ppm, which—given the complexity of these documents and how well other printers typically fare in this part of our tests—isn't bad at all. That's exactly the same speed equally the Canon MF249dw, 2.3ppm faster than the Brother MFC-L2710DW, five.3ppm slower than the Blood brother MFC-L5700DW, and about 2ppm faster than the HP M130fw.

Strong Print Quality

In many ways, the MF236n reminded me of the Canon imageClass MF232w, peculiarly in terms of print speed and print quality. (These ii machines' list prices are $10 apart.) Similar the Canon MF232w, the MF236n prints very well overall, with near-typesetter-quality text down to the smallest point size we test—4 points. Our Excel graphics and PowerPoint handouts too came out looking better than average, with solid fills and smoothly flowing gradients. Hairlines (1 betoken and below) came out vivid and unbroken from end to cease, and colors looked spot on, with little to no color shifting.

See How We Test Printers

I did see a few streaks in some darker backgrounds, but, as I said about the Canon MF232w, these minor toner distribution flaws were barely noticeable. I had to look for them to find them. As for photos, the M236dw churned out skillful-looking grayscale images, with respectable detail and little to no graininess or lack of detail. Overall, the MF236n's print quality is appropriate for near business scenarios where black-and-white printing is acceptable.

Spend Money to Make Coin

The reality of printers like the MF236n, with running costs hovering betwixt iii to iv cents per page (this one is 3.five cents), is that if you plan to impress more than than a few hundred pages (say, 100 to 300) each month, you're nearly always meliorate off spending the money for a higher-volume AIO with a lower cost per page (CPP). For example, the difference between the MF236n's running costs and those of the Brother MFC-L5700DW is about two cents per page. Printing 200,000 pages over the life of the MF236n (3 to 5 years) will price you an additional $4,000—plenty to buy 20 or more of these entry-level AIOs.

That said, the Canon MF227dw, MF249dw, MF232w (and nearly other Canon entry-level AIOs), and the Brother MFC-L2710DW too accept running costs of 3.5 cents, and the HP M130fw's CPP is 3.9 cents. That relegates them all to low-volume scenarios, even though they take significantly college duty cycles. Using them in high-volume environments is, in my opinion, not a very wise use of your money.

A Low-Volume, Local Printer

Both Brother and Canon take then many lower-end monochrome laser printers that vary up the scale in features and price so gradually that picking the correct one requires some research. The differences between the MF236n and the Canon MF232w, nonetheless, are notable—and the list price betwixt them is a mere $x. The latter has no ADF and no fax, for example, while the former comes with fax and an ADF, only no wireless functionality. If you lot're shopping around in this labyrinth of similar prices and functionality, information technology'southward advisable to know what you lot're giving up for $x here or $50 there.

The lesser line on the Canon imageClass MF236n is this: If you don't meet ii-sided printing and copying in your future, don't require wireless connectivity to your printer, and don't need to print or copy more than a few hundred pages each calendar month, the MF236n should serve your small or home-based business organization or workgroup well. If fact, it's nearly ideal for a front -desk-bound setting, such equally a dentist's role or an automobile shop, where quick, curt, ane-sided monochrome documents—invoices, quotes, receipts, and and so on—are the norm. On the other mitt, the Canon imageClass MF249dw, our Editors' Choice, comes with a larger motorcar-duplexing ADF for not much more money.

Source: https://sea.pcmag.com/printers/20760/canon-imageclass-mf236n

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