Canon PIXMA TR8520

Canon PIXMA TR8520 Ink — PGI-280 / CLI-281 Cartridges

The Canon PIXMA TR8520 runs on PGI-280 / CLI-281 tanks: PGI-280XXL pigment black (up to 600 pages), CLI-281XXL black (up to 6,360 pages), CLI-281XXL cyan (up to 800 pages), CLI-281XXL magenta (up to 800 pages), CLI-281XXL yellow (up to 800 pages). Compatible cartridges for the TR8520 start at $10.49 at Clever Supplies — each one chipped, and each one covered by a lifetime warranty.

The Canon PIXMA TR8520 is a home-office all-in-one with an automatic document feeder. In practice that means the running cost of this printer is decided tank by tank: the black you burn through on documents is not the ink your photos drink. The tanks are all individual: replace each color as it runs dry, and feel free to run genuine Canon and compatible tanks side by side.

Which PGI-280 / CLI-281 cartridges should you buy for the TR8520?

PGI-280XXL Pigment Black Ink Cartridge — $10.49 · up to 600 pages — the pigment tank that carries feeder-fed documents in the home office
CLI-281XXL Black Ink Cartridge — $10.49 · up to 6,360 pages — the dye black for photo and graphics depth beyond document text
CLI-281XXL Cyan Ink Cartridge — $10.49 · up to 800 pages — cyan for clear blues in charts, graphics and pictures
CLI-281XXL Magenta Ink Cartridge — $10.49 · up to 800 pages — magenta for clear reds in charts, graphics and pictures
CLI-281XXL Yellow Ink Cartridge — $10.49 · up to 800 pages — yellow for clear highlights in charts, graphics and pictures
PGI-280 / CLI-281 Set of 11 BCMY Ink Cartridges — $82.34 · 11 cartridges (BCMY) — eleven cartridges in one box for a busy home-office printer
PGI-280 / CLI-281 Set of 5 BCMY Ink Cartridges — $44.93 · 5 cartridges (BCMY) — five cartridges in one box, a full set for the TR8520 slots

Chip, ink and everyday use

In a home office with a document feeder, documents dominate, and that workload falls on the pigment black for sharp text; photos, when they come, are a separate job for the dye tanks and their color. Each tank carries a new compatible chip, so the TR8520 reads levels like an original. If a tank is not recognized, reseat it until it clicks, restart, and clean the gold contacts with a dry lint-free cloth. Keep spare tanks sealed and upright.