The Canon PIXMA iP2702 is an inkjet photo printer with a low MSRP of $49.99. It weighs 7.5 pounds, and comes with software to help you edit photos and print webpages. Other than that, the spec sheet is short and sweet, which makes it that much more important for the experts to fill in the blanks for us. So does the PIXMA iP2702 deserve a spot on the desk in your home office? A few online reviews are in, and the reception is lukewarm.

Susan Glinert of ComputerShopper.com gives the PIXMA iP2702 a below average 5.4 out of 10. On the positive side, MSRP is low, setup is easy, print speed is decent, and text quality is pretty good. However, color documents and photos are disappointing, and cost per page for ink is on the high side, which you expect for a budget-level printer. Also, it uses two ink cartridges – a black cartridge, and a tri-color cartridge. So if you run out of one color in the tri-color cartridge, you’ll have to throw it away, which seems a little wasteful. Glinert concludes that if you’re not planning to print much, the PIXMA iP2702 may be worth a look, but she recommends spending a little extra and getting something better.

PCWorld.com gives the PIXMA iP2702 a mediocre 2.5 stars out of 5. The review cuts to the chase by saying “it delivers what you can reasonably expect for that price: adequacy.” Cost per page for ink is predictably high, which makes it best suited for the occasional photo or short text printout.

Jan Hughes of MacLife.com gives the PIXMA iP2702 a decent 3 out of 5. Regular black text output is very good, and the printer is easy to use. On the flipside, photo print quality is disappointing, and having to throw away the tri-color ink cartridge after one color runs out is eco-unfriendly and expensive. Also, the lack of an output tray means printing can get a little messy.

Overall, the experts seem to agree that the PIXMA iP2702 delivers decent performance for the $50 price tag, but if you’re printing more than the occasional photo or webpage, you should spend a little extra and get a better printer with more features. For a more detailed comparison of this printer versus other models in its class, check out PrinterInfo.com’s tests and review of the PIXMA iP2702.