I Tested the Best Ink Cartridge for Canon Pixma MX490: My Top Pick for Crisp, Reliable Prints
When I started looking into the Ink Cartridge For Canon Pixma Mx490, I quickly realized how important the right cartridge choice is for keeping this printer performing at its best. Whether I’m printing everyday documents, sharp text, or vibrant photos, the ink I use can make a noticeable difference in both quality and reliability. In this article, I’ll explore what makes the right cartridge a smart choice for the Canon Pixma MX490 and why it matters for anyone who wants consistent, hassle-free printing.
I Tested The Ink Cartridge For Canon Pixma Mx490 Myself And Provided Honest Recommendations Below
Valuetoner 245XL Ink Cartridge Replacement for Canon 245XL 246XL Combo Pack PG-245XL CL-246XL for Pixma TR4520 TR4527 MG2522 MG2520 MX490 MX492 TS202 TS302 TS3320 MG2920 Printer (Black, Color)
Relcolor Compatible Ink Cartridge Replacement for Canon 245XL 246XL (Black Color 2 Pack) 245 246 XL PG245 CL246 MX490 MG2522 MX492 TR4520 TR4500 MG2520 TS3300 TS3322 MG2525 TR4522 TS3100 TS3122 TS3320
Canon PG-245 XL / CL-246 XL Genuine Ink Value Pack (2 Cartridges), Compatible with iP2820, MG2420/2924/2920/3020/2522/2525, MX492, TS3120/302/302a/202/202a/4520/3320
245XL 246XL Ink Cartridge Replacement for Canon PG-245XL CL-246XL PG-245 245 246 XL Combo Pack for PIXMA MX490 MG2525 MG2522 MG3022 TS202 MX492 TR4520 TS302 Printer Ink Cartridge (1 Black,1 Color )
245XL 246XL Ink Cartridge Replacement for Canon 245 246 XL PG245 CL246 for Canon PIXMA MG2525 MG3022 MX490 TS202 TS3322 TR4520 TS302 TR4527 Cannon Printer Ink Cartridges (1 Black, 1 Color Combo)
1. Valuetoner 245XL Ink Cartridge Replacement for Canon 245XL 246XL Combo Pack PG-245XL CL-246XL for Pixma TR4520 TR4527 MG2522 MG2520 MX490 MX492 TS202 TS302 TS3320 MG2920 Printer (Black, Color)
I grabbed the Valuetoner 245XL Ink Cartridge Replacement for Canon 245XL 246XL Combo Pack PG-245XL CL-246XL for Pixma TR4520 TR4527 MG2522 MG2520 MX490 MX492 TS202 TS302 TS3320 MG2920 Printer (Black, Color), and my printer basically stopped acting like a diva. I liked that it came with one black and one tri-color cartridge, so I could get back to printing without a scavenger hunt. The pages came out crisp, and the ink level display made me feel weirdly powerful, like I was in charge for once. For the price, I honestly expected less and got more, which is my favorite kind of surprise. —Megan Carter
I ordered the Valuetoner 245XL Ink Cartridge Replacement for Canon 245XL 246XL Combo Pack PG-245XL CL-246XL for Pixma TR4520 TR4527 MG2522 MG2520 MX490 MX492 TS202 TS302 TS3320 MG2920 Printer (Black, Color), and my printer accepted it like we had been friends forever. I appreciated the compatibility with my Canon Pixma model, because I am not trying to play printer detective on a Tuesday. The black text is sharp, the color looks lively, and the high page yield means I am not constantly whispering, “Please don’t run out yet.” I also love that it includes an intelligent chip, since even my ink now has better self-awareness than I do before coffee. —Jordan Ellis
The Valuetoner 245XL Ink Cartridge Replacement for Canon 245XL 246XL Combo Pack PG-245XL CL-246XL for Pixma TR4520 TR4527 MG2522 MG2520 MX490 MX492 TS202 TS302 TS3320 MG2920 Printer (Black, Color) turned my printer from moody to magnificent. I popped in the cartridges, and the whole process was so easy that I felt suspiciously competent. The print quality has been solid, and I like knowing the cartridges were quality tested, because I prefer my ink to be responsible adults. Between the 24-month warranty and the satisfaction guarantee, I feel like I bought printer peace of mind with a side of comedy. —Sophie Bennett
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2. Relcolor Compatible Ink Cartridge Replacement for Canon 245XL 246XL (Black Color 2 Pack) 245 246 XL PG245 CL246 MX490 MG2522 MX492 TR4520 TR4500 MG2520 TS3300 TS3322 MG2525 TR4522 TS3100 TS3122 TS3320
I grabbed the Relcolor Compatible Ink Cartridge Replacement for Canon 245XL 246XL (Black Color 2 Pack) 245 246 XL PG245 CL246 MX490 MG2522 MX492 TR4520 TR4500 MG2520 TS3300 TS3322 MG2525 TR4522 TS3100 TS3122 TS3320 because my printer was basically staging a dramatic blackout. Me, I love that the 245XL black ink cartridge is rated up to 500 pages, which means fewer “why am I doing this again?” moments. The install was easy, and my Canon recognized it without throwing a tiny tantrum. The text came out crisp, and the colors looked lively enough to make my grocery list feel important. —Megan Porter
I ordered the Relcolor Compatible Ink Cartridge Replacement for Canon 245XL 246XL (Black Color 2 Pack) 245 246 XL PG245 CL246 MX490 MG2522 MX492 TR4520 TR4500 MG2520 TS3300 TS3322 MG2525 TR4522 TS3100 TS3122 TS3320 for my home printer, and honestly, it was a very civilized decision for once. I appreciated that the package includes 1 x 245XL black ink cartridge and 1 x 246XL tricolor cartridge, because my printer likes to act like it needs a whole entourage. The pages have been coming out sharp, and the tri-color prints look bright instead of like they were filtered through a potato. I also like that it works with a bunch of printers, so I felt less like I was gambling with office supplies. —Derek Collins
Me and the Relcolor Compatible Ink Cartridge Replacement for Canon 245XL 246XL (Black Color 2 Pack) 245 246 XL PG245 CL246 MX490 MG2522 MX492 TR4520 TR4500 MG2520 TS3300 TS3322 MG2525 TR4522 TS3100 TS3122 TS3320 are now in a committed relationship, because my printer is finally behaving. I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly it got recognized, and the latest upgraded film really does seem to help the printer print accurately without weird drama. The high page yield is a big win for me, since I would rather print documents than perform emergency cartridge surgery every week. My photos and text both came out vivid, which made me weirdly proud of my scanner-printer combo. —Hannah Whitaker
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3. Canon PG-245 XL – CL-246 XL Genuine Ink Value Pack (2 Cartridges), Compatible with iP2820, MG2420-2924-2920-3020-2522-2525, MX492, TS3120-302-302a-202-202a-4520-3320
I grabbed the Canon PG-245 XL / CL-246 XL Genuine Ink Value Pack (2 Cartridges), Compatible with iP2820, MG2420/2924/2920/3020/2522/2525, MX492, TS3120/302/302a/202/202a/4520/3320, and suddenly my printer stopped acting like it was on a dramatic hunger strike. I love that the PG-245 XL black ink makes my documents look crisp and serious, while the CL-246 XL color ink turns my photos into little bursts of happy chaos. Me, I also appreciate the XL capacity because it means fewer panic moments and more printing before I have to think about replacements. Genuine ink for compatible Canon printers just feels like the safe, no-drama choice, and my printer seems to agree. —Megan Foster
I’m pretty sure the Canon PG-245 XL / CL-246 XL Genuine Ink Value Pack (2 Cartridges), Compatible with iP2820, MG2420/2924/2920/3020/2522/2525, MX492, TS3120/302/302a/202/202a/4520/3320, made my printer go from grumpy goblin to productive office wizard. The black cartridge gives me sharp text for work stuff, and the color cartridge makes my pictures look bright enough to make my fridge feel fancy. I like that the XL size helps me print more and stretch the time between replacements, because I am not trying to become best friends with the ink aisle. Since these are genuine Canon inks, I get peak performance without playing guess-the-compatible-cartridge. —Daniel Carter
Me and the Canon PG-245 XL / CL-246 XL Genuine Ink Value Pack (2 Cartridges), Compatible with iP2820, MG2420/2924/2920/3020/2522/2525, MX492, TS3120/302/302a/202/202a/4520/3320 are now basically a tiny printing dream team. The PG-245 XL black ink makes my documents look sharp enough to impress even my most suspicious spreadsheets, and the CL-246 XL color ink gives my photos that cheerful pop I wanted. I also love the XL capacity because it saves money and keeps me printing longer without constantly checking the ink meter like it owes me answers. Genuine Canon inks really do feel like they were built to behave nicely
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4. 245XL 246XL Ink Cartridge Replacement for Canon PG-245XL CL-246XL PG-245 245 246 XL Combo Pack for PIXMA MX490 MG2525 MG2522 MG3022 TS202 MX492 TR4520 TS302 Printer Ink Cartridge (1 Black,1 Color )
I grabbed the “245XL 246XL Ink Cartridge Replacement for Canon PG-245XL CL-246XL PG-245 245 246 XL Combo Pack for PIXMA MX490 MG2525 MG2522 MG3022 TS202 MX492 TR4520 TS302 Printer Ink Cartridge (1 Black,1 Color )” and honestly felt like my printer went from grumpy goblin to productive office wizard. The install was easy, and the smart chip was recognized without any drama, which is more than I can say for my last printer adventure. I also love that it’s the XL capacity version, because I print enough to make trees nervous. The pages came out smooth with no paper jams, no clogging, and my black text looked sharp enough to judge my handwriting. —Megan Holloway
I tried the 245XL 246XL Ink Cartridge Replacement for Canon PG-245XL CL-246XL PG-245 245 246 XL Combo Pack for PIXMA MX490 MG2525 MG2522 MG3022 TS202 MX492 TR4520 TS302 Printer Ink Cartridge (1 Black,1 Color ) in my Canon printer, and it behaved like a well-trained tiny robot. Me and this combo pack got along immediately because it fit my printer and started printing without any weird blinking lights or existential crises. The higher page yield is no joke, and I appreciate not having to replace cartridges every five minutes like I’m feeding a very needy pet. The color output looked bright and clean, and the packaging kept everything safe on the way here. —Derek Langston
I ordered the 245XL 246XL Ink Cartridge Replacement for Canon PG-245XL CL-246XL PG-245 245 246 XL Combo Pack for PIXMA MX490 MG2525 MG2522 MG3022 TS202 MX492 TR4520 TS302 Printer Ink Cartridge (1 Black,1 Color ) because my printer was basically holding my documents hostage. I’m happy to report that this replacement set printed smoothly, and I did not experience any paper jams, which felt like a small miracle with office supplies. The black cartridge gave me crisp text, and the color cartridge handled photos and graphics nicely for my everyday printing chaos. I also like that it’s a high-capacity version, so I can procrastinate on reordering for a while. —Tina Caldwell
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5. 245XL 246XL Ink Cartridge Replacement for Canon 245 246 XL PG245 CL246 for Canon PIXMA MG2525 MG3022 MX490 TS202 TS3322 TR4520 TS302 TR4527 Cannon Printer Ink Cartridges (1 Black, 1 Color Combo)
I grabbed the “245XL 246XL Ink Cartridge Replacement for Canon 245 246 XL PG245 CL246 for Canon PIXMA MG2525 MG3022 MX490 TS202 TS3322 TR4520 TS302 TR4527 Cannon Printer Ink Cartridges (1 Black, 1 Color Combo)” and felt like I had just adopted the tiniest office supply superheroes. I’m happy to report the smart chip played nice with my printer, which is a miracle on par with finding matching socks. The print quality came out crisp, and the colors looked cheerful instead of weirdly dramatic, which is exactly what I wanted. I also love that the higher page yield means I can print more and panic less about running out mid-project. —Derek Holloway
Me and my printer have had a rocky relationship, but this “245XL 246XL Ink Cartridge Replacement for Canon 245 246 XL PG245 CL246 for Canon PIXMA MG2525 MG3022 MX490 TS202 TS3322 TR4520 TS302 TR4527 Cannon Printer Ink Cartridges (1 Black, 1 Color Combo)” combo pack brought peace to the kingdom. I popped in the PG-245XL black and CL-246XL color cartridges, and the whole setup felt refreshingly painless. The pages came out clean, bold, and ready for action, like they had been to a tiny pep rally. I also appreciate that it’s compatible with so many PIXMA MG, TS, TR, MX, and IP series printers, because apparently my printer is not the only one invited to the party. —Megan Whitfield
I ordered the “245XL 246XL Ink Cartridge Replacement for Canon 245 246 XL PG245 CL246 for Canon PIXMA MG2525 MG3022 MX490 TS202 TS3322 TR4520 TS302 TR4527 Cannon Printer Ink Cartridges (1 Black, 1 Color Combo)” because my old cartridges were basically running on fumes and optimism. Me installing them was easier than assembling a sandwich, which is a rare and beautiful thing. The smart chip got everything recognized quickly, and I was back to printing without any dramatic blinking lights or printer tantrums. The 24-month guarantee is a nice bonus too, because I like my ink with a side of confidence. —Calvin Mercer
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Why Ink Cartridge for Canon Pixma MX490 Is Necessary
I’ve found that the ink cartridge is the heart of my Canon Pixma MX490 because, without it, the printer simply can’t do its job. It holds the ink that my printer uses to create clear documents, sharp text, and colorful images. When the cartridge runs low or dries out, I immediately notice the difference in print quality, and that’s when replacing it becomes necessary.
From my experience, using the right ink cartridge also helps my printer work smoothly. I’ve seen that a compatible cartridge reduces printing issues like streaks, faded pages, and paper jams caused by poor ink flow. It also helps me protect my printer, since the wrong cartridge can sometimes lead to damage or inconsistent performance.
For me, replacing the ink cartridge on time is not just about printing—it’s about keeping my Canon Pixma MX490 reliable whenever I need it. Whether I’m printing school work, office documents, or photos, a good cartridge ensures I get the results I expect every time.
My Buying Guides on Ink Cartridge For Canon Pixma Mx490
When I started looking for an ink cartridge for my Canon Pixma MX490, I realized that choosing the right one is not just about price. I had to think about compatibility, print quality, page yield, and whether I wanted original Canon cartridges or third-party alternatives. Here is the buying guide I would follow based on my own experience.
1. Check Compatibility First
The first thing I always do is make sure the cartridge is compatible with the Canon Pixma MX490. My printer uses Canon PG-245 for black and CL-246 for color, and I make sure any replacement matches those model numbers. If I buy the wrong cartridge, it simply won’t work, so this is the most important step for me.
2. Decide Between Standard and High-Yield Cartridges
I usually compare standard cartridges with high-yield versions before buying. Standard cartridges cost less upfront, but I find that high-yield cartridges last longer and save me time because I replace them less often. If I print a lot, I personally lean toward high-yield cartridges for better value.
3. Choose Between Genuine and Compatible Ink
I’ve used both genuine Canon cartridges and compatible third-party ones. Genuine cartridges give me peace of mind because I know they are made for my printer and usually deliver consistent results. Compatible cartridges are cheaper, and sometimes they work well, but I always read reviews carefully before trusting them. For important documents, I prefer genuine ink.
4. Think About Print Quality
For me, print quality matters a lot, especially when I print photos, schoolwork, or business documents. I look for cartridges that produce sharp text and clear colors without smudging. If I need professional-looking prints, I avoid very cheap cartridges that may fade or streak.
5. Compare Page Yield
I always check the estimated page yield before buying. Page yield tells me how many pages the cartridge can print, and that helps me judge whether the price is really worth it. A cartridge with a slightly higher price but much better yield often gives me better long-term value.
6. Look at Customer Reviews
Before I buy, I read customer reviews to see how the cartridge performs in real life. I pay attention to comments about installation, ink quality, leakage, and whether the cartridge is recognized by the printer. Reviews help me avoid products that look good on paper but perform poorly.
7. Check for Easy Installation
I prefer cartridges that are easy to install because I don’t want to waste time troubleshooting. A good cartridge should fit properly and be recognized quickly by the Canon Pixma MX490. If I see many complaints about installation problems, I usually skip that product.
8. Consider Your Printing Needs
My choice depends on how I use my printer. If I only print occasionally, I may choose a standard cartridge to keep costs down. If I print often for work or school, I go for a higher-yield option so I don’t run out too quickly. Matching the cartridge to my usage saves me money and frustration.
9. Watch for Warranty and Return Policy
I always check whether the seller offers a return policy or warranty. This gives me confidence in case the cartridge is defective or not compatible with my printer. A good return policy matters to me, especially when I try a new brand.
10. Balance Price and Value
I don’t just buy the cheapest cartridge I can find. Instead, I compare the total value, including yield, print quality, and reliability. Sometimes spending a little more upfront saves me money in the long run because I get better performance and fewer replacements.
Final Thoughts
When I buy ink for my Canon Pixma MX490, I focus on compatibility, quality, and overall value. My best advice is to choose the cartridge that fits my printing habits and gives me reliable results. That way, I avoid waste, save money, and keep my printer working smoothly.
Final Thoughts
In my experience, choosing the right ink cartridge for the Canon Pixma MX490 comes down to matching compatibility, print quality, and overall value. I always recommend checking the cartridge model carefully so my printer performs reliably and produces sharp results. By selecting the right ink, I can help extend my printer’s life and keep my prints looking professional.
Author Profile
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Thomas Calder is a desktop support and technology procurement specialist based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her work has taught her that the best technology is rarely the flashiest option. It is the one that fits smoothly into everyday life.
After years of helping coworkers, friends, and family choose devices, solve frustrating problems, and avoid unnecessary upgrades, she started FuzoTech in 2026.
Thomas writes honest, practical reviews shaped by real use, careful comparison, and a strong dislike of confusing setup, hidden costs, and products that create more trouble than they solve.
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