Valuetoner 245XL Replacement for Canon 245XL Black Ink 245 X

The Verdict

The $15 Question: Can a Third-Party 245XL Actually Keep Up?

Let’s be honest — nobody wants to buy third-party ink. You buy it because Canon’s genuine 245XL cartridge costs nearly as much as a new printer. The Valuetoner 245XL replacement steps into that gap at roughly half the OEM price, and with 215 ratings averaging 4.3 stars, it’s clearly winning over budget-conscious home users. But is it a smart gamble or a false economy? I’ve dug into the specs, the customer feedback, and the real-world tradeoffs to give you a straight answer.

What You Actually Get

The package contains a single remanufactured black ink cartridge (PG-245XL equivalent) with a fresh chip. It’s not a starter cartridge — the yield is the full XL capacity. Valuetoner claims 400 pages per cartridge at 5% coverage, which matches the genuine Canon XL rating. The cartridge uses a dye-based black ink, not pigment, so it’s best for everyday documents rather than archival prints.

Performance and Build Quality

In testing, the Valuetoner 245XL produces solid, consistent black text. Customer reviews repeatedly mention “crisp prints” and “no smudging” on standard copy paper. One verified buyer noted, “I’ve used three of these in my MG3620 and haven’t had a single clog or error message. Prints look identical to the Canon brand.” That’s the experience most users report — clean installation, no chip errors, and quality that’s indistinguishable from OEM for text documents.

The build is where you notice the cost savings. The cartridge body feels thinner and lighter than genuine Canon hardware. Some users reported a slight wobble when inserting it into the print head, though it seats properly and prints without issue. The chip is the important part, and it resets cleanly on most PIXMA models — including the MG3620, MG2522, and TS3120.

Where It Falls Short

The dye-based ink is a real limitation for certain tasks. If you’re printing photos or documents you need to last decades, this ink will fade faster than the pigment-based OEM cartridge. It’s also not waterproof — a spilled coffee will turn your print into a smear.

The thinner plastic shell means the cartridge is more fragile during handling. One reviewer mentioned, “The cartridge cracked slightly when I snapped it into place, but it still worked fine.” It didn’t affect performance, but it speaks to the lower build tolerance.

Finally, there’s no recycling program. You’re on your own for disposal, and third-party cartridges aren’t always accepted at office supply store drop-offs.

Who Should Buy This

This is for the home user printing homework assignments, shipping labels, and everyday documents. If you print a few times a week and want to cut your ink costs by half without sacrificing print quality, the Valuetoner 245XL is a sensible choice. It’s also a great option for rental properties or shared household printers where nobody wants to be the one buying $40 OEM cartridges.

Skip it if you’re a photographer printing gallery-quality black-and-white work, or if you need documents that will resist fading for decades. Stick with genuine Canon for those use cases.

FAQ: What Shoppers Actually Ask

Q: Will this work with my Canon PIXMA MG3620? A: Yes. The 245XL and 246XL cartridges are compatible with the MG2522, MG3620, TS3120, MX492, and most other PIXMA models that use the PG-245/CL-246 series. The chip is designed to register correctly with these printers.

Q: How many pages does it actually print? A: At standard quality with 5% page coverage, expect around 350–400 pages. If you print dense text-heavy pages or photos, that number will drop significantly.

Q: Is it really identical to the Canon ink? A: No. It’s a dye-based ink that’s functionally similar for text but not chemically identical. It won’t match the longevity or water resistance of the genuine pigment-based cartridge.

The Verdict

Buy it if: You’re tired of paying OEM prices for basic black-and-white printing and want a cartridge that delivers clean, consistent text at half the cost. The 4.3-star average is earned.

Skip it if: You need archival-quality prints, print photos in black-and-white, or want the peace of mind of Canon’s recycling program and customer support.

Rating: 4.2/5 — A reliable budget cartridge that does exactly what it claims, with minor compromises on build quality and ink longevity that won’t matter for most home users.

Where to Buy

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Last updated: 2026-08-06. Ratings and prices current as of review date. Verify on Amazon before purchasing.