BROTHER MFC-4550 DRUM

Brother MFC-4550 Review

Overview:

The Brother Multi-Function Center (MFC) 4550 is a laser printer/copier/fax machine that features and easy-to-use interface topped off by a practical LCD screen that will guide you through the device’s various functions step-by-step. This machine was designed for use in small business offices, but can be a valuable asset to your home office as well. Not only does 4550 deliver high resolution laser printing and copying, it is loaded with useful, practical features such as Windows compatibility as well as a user-friendly One-touch dial, automatic redial, and automatic answering.

Pros:

MFC-4550 prints at 6 ppm (when loading A4 or letter size paper from the multipurpose sheet feeder) with a maximum resolution of 600 by 600 dpi on plain paper. With a 200-sheet loading capacity, this machine can handle 20 lbs worth of paper without undue stress to its frame. MFC-4550 comes with 512KB memory convenient for storing print jobs for completion at a later date (this memory is expandable to 1MB or 2MB using an optional memory board). An economy printing mode is available as well, allowing the user to save up to 50% of the normal toner usage during print jobs. This of course, saves the user money in the long run, demanding far less replacement ink toner cartriges.

Brother MFC-4250 features a 14400 – 2400 bps fax modem and utilizes electrophotography via semiconductor laser beam technology. Print quality is enhanced by MFC-4550’s 64 levels of Gray Scale, as well as Automatic/Super Light/Super Dar k printing settings which allows for the reception and transmission of a wide variety of incoming faxes, whether they come in a little too dark or a little too light. 

Cons:

With a print-out speed of 6 ppm, Brother MFC-4550 is quite slow in comparison with many of the more recent multifunction devices. While this fact can be overlooked in some specific scenarios, a bustling small office with a normally-heavy printing workload will almost surely experience a high degree of frustration at this device’s slow printing speed.

The Brother MFC-4550 can only print in black-and-white. Should the situation require even the slightest notion of color in any printed documents, an entirely different copying machine would need to be purchased/utilized. This seems like a bit of a downer, considering the wide variety of functions MFC-4550 has. Having to purchase a separate stand-alone printer will, at the very least, take up extra office space and leave you wondering why you simply didn’t purchase a multifunction device that truly did everything.

MFC-4550 is an older model laser-printer and shows its age. For starters, it is a discontinued model and can pretty much only be purchased second hand. While ink and toner for this device are still produced and can be purchased for fairly cheap, the consumer is forced to ask the paranoid question: how long will that last? While this machine is still a very capable multifunction office center, the consumer may wish to go with a newer model device in order to have the peace of mind that parts and supplies for their investment will still be available for years to come.