Which ink does the Canon PIXMA TR8520 use?
The Canon PIXMA TR8520 (inkjet, 2018) uses CLI-281XXL, PGI-280XXL, CLI-281, PGI-280.
Third-party cartridge risk: Low no firmware lockout is on record for this printer, so compatible and remanufactured cartridges should work.
The Canon PIXMA TR8520 uses a range of ink cartridges including CLI-281XXL and PGI-280XXL high yield models for black, cyan, magenta and yellow ink, as well as standard capacity CLI-281 and PGI-280 cartridges for black ink only. If you're looking to print large quantities, the XXL high yield cartridges offer more pages per unit of cost than their standard counterparts. You may also consider third-party compatible ink cartridges which are likely to work with this printer as there is no firmware DRM on record.
Compatible cartridges
| Cartridge | Color | Yield | Pages | OEM price | Cost/page | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLI-281XXL | black | XXL | 670 | $22.00 | 3.3¢ | OEM · AmazonCompatible |
| PGI-280XXL | black | XXL | 600 | $27.00 | 4.5¢ | OEM · AmazonCompatible |
| CLI-281XXL | cyan | XXL | 715 | $22.00 | 3.1¢ | OEM · AmazonCompatible |
| CLI-281XXL | magenta | XXL | 715 | $22.00 | 3.1¢ | OEM · AmazonCompatible |
| CLI-281XXL | yellow | XXL | 715 | $22.00 | 3.1¢ | OEM · AmazonCompatible |
| CLI-281 | black | standard | 256 | $13.00 | 5.1¢ | OEM · AmazonCompatible |
| PGI-280 | black | standard | 200 | $16.00 | 8.0¢ | OEM · AmazonCompatible |
| CLI-281 | cyan | standard | 259 | $13.00 | 5.0¢ | OEM · AmazonCompatible |
| CLI-281 | magenta | standard | 237 | $13.00 | 5.5¢ | OEM · AmazonCompatible |
| CLI-281 | yellow | standard | 259 | $13.00 | 5.0¢ | OEM · AmazonCompatible |
XL (high-yield) cartridges cost more upfront but lower the cost per page, which is better if you print a lot.
The Canon PIXMA TR8520 is not on our firmware-lockout list, so third-party ink should work. By list price its high-yield CLI-281XXL works out to about 3.1 cents per page, roughly 39% less than the 5.0 cents of the standard CLI-281. If you print often the high-yield cartridge is the better value, and a well-reviewed compatible version lowers the cost further.
Frequently asked questions
Which ink does the Canon PIXMA TR8520 use?
The Canon PIXMA TR8520 uses CLI-281, CLI-281XXL, PGI-280 and PGI-280XXL.
Does the Canon PIXMA TR8520 take XL cartridges?
Yes. Besides the standard cartridges it accepts CLI-281XXL and PGI-280XXL. A high-yield XL holds more ink and costs less per page, which is worth it if you print often.
Will third-party ink work in the Canon PIXMA TR8520, or will firmware block it?
The Canon PIXMA TR8520 is not on our firmware-lockout list, so compatible and remanufactured cartridges should work. Firmware can change with an update, so it is worth checking before buying a large supply.
How many pages do the Canon PIXMA TR8520 cartridges print?
Rated yields run from about 200 pages (PGI-280) to about 715 pages (CLI-281XXL), depending on the cartridge. Real-world yield depends on how much you print and how much ink each page uses.
What is the cheapest ink for the Canon PIXMA TR8520?
By list price the lowest cost per page here is the CLI-281XXL at about 3.1 cents per page. A reliable compatible or remanufactured cartridge can lower that further.
Related Canon PIXMA TR printers
Last reviewed . Compiled by MyCartridgeFinder from manufacturer cartridge finders and retailer cross reference tables, then checked against this printer's database record. Cartridge numbers and yields come from that record, never from guesswork. See our methodology and data sources.