The Canon PIXMA TS8350 is a five-ink all-in-one inkjet — popular for home photo printing thanks to its individual colour tanks and excellent print quality. But more tanks means more ongoing costs. Is it still worth running in 2026?
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What ink does the Canon PIXMA TS8350 use?
The TS8350 uses Canon PGI-580 (pigment black) and Canon CLI-581 (colour) cartridges — a 5-cartridge system covering pigment black, cyan, magenta, yellow, and grey/photo black. The colour cartridges are typically sold as a set.
| Cartridge | Type | Yield | Typical UK price | Cost per page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PGI-580 Black (standard) | Pigment black | ~200 pages | ~£15 | ~7.5p |
| PGI-580XL Black | Pigment black | ~400 pages | ~£22 | ~5.5p |
| CLI-581 Colour set (standard) | Dye colour | ~250 pages | ~£36 | ~14.4p (full colour page) |
| CLI-581XL Colour set | Dye colour | ~500 pages | ~£56 | ~11.2p (full colour page) |
Note: The CLI-581 colours are sold as a multipack set. Individual colour cartridges are also available separately.
For standard document printing (mostly black), expect roughly 5–8p per page on XL cartridges. For photo printing, the 5-ink system produces excellent results that justify the cartridge investment.
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OEM vs compatible cartridges
Original Canon CLI-571 / PGI-570: The safest choice for photo printing — Canon's pigment and dye formulations are tuned for accurate colour reproduction on compatible photo paper.
Compatible cartridges: Available from various suppliers at 30–50% savings. For everyday document printing, quality is usually fine. For high-quality photo printing, results can vary — some compatible inks produce slightly different colour profiles.
Our take: If you're buying this printer specifically for photo printing, stick with OEM inks or buy from a reputable compatible supplier with a returns policy. For document printing only, compatible cartridges save real money.
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Monthly running costs (document printing)
| Monthly volume | OEM cost/month (est.) | Compatible cost/month |
|---|---|---|
| 50 pages | ~£2.50 | ~£1.25–1.50 |
| 100 pages | ~£5.00 | ~£2.50–3.00 |
| 200 pages | ~£10.00 | ~£5.00–6.00 |
This is noticeably more expensive than a laser or EcoTank printer for document-heavy printing. If you're not printing photos, that's worth factoring into your decision.
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Should you keep the Canon PIXMA TS8350?
Verdict: Keep it if you print photos. Consider upgrading if you mainly print documents.
Keep the TS8350 if:
- You regularly print photos at home — this is where it genuinely earns its running cost
- You value individual ink tanks (you only replace what you need)
- You're already using XL cartridges to keep the cost per page reasonable
Consider upgrading if:
- You barely use the photo printing features
- You print mainly black text documents (a mono laser would cost far less)
- Your monthly print volume has grown — a high-volume printer would be more economical
2-year cost comparison (100 pages/month, documents only, ~70% black)
| Option | Hardware cost | 2-year ink cost | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keep TS8350 (OEM XL) | £0 (you own it) | ~£158 | ~£158 |
| Upgrade to EcoTank ET-2850 | ~£250 | ~£14 | ~£264 |
| Upgrade to Brother laser (mono) | ~£95 | ~£24 | ~£119 |
At 100 pages/month of mostly documents, a mono laser is cheaper in total cost than keeping the TS8350 running — and you'd break even within about 7 months. An EcoTank is more expensive in this scenario because the hardware cost outweighs the ink savings over 2 years.
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FAQ
What ink does the Canon PIXMA TS8350 use?
It uses the Canon PGI-580 (pigment black) and Canon CLI-581 (colour) cartridge system. Both standard and XL variants are available. Colour cartridges are sold individually or as a multipack.
Is the Canon PIXMA TS8350 expensive to run?
For document printing, yes — it's more expensive than a laser or EcoTank. For photo printing, the 5-ink quality justifies the cost. XL cartridges significantly reduce the cost per page.
How much does it cost per page on the TS8350?
Around 5.5p per page for black on the PGI-580XL. Full-colour page costs are higher — expect 11–14p per colour page depending on coverage and whether you use XL or standard.
Should I buy PGI-580XL / CLI-581XL or standard?
XL is almost always better value if you print regularly. The higher upfront cost is offset by more pages, resulting in a lower cost per page.
See the full Canon PIXMA TS8350 printer page → Calculate your running costs → Compare Canon printers by running cost →
