BROTHER MFC-5860CN BLACK INK CARTRIDGE

Brother MFC-5860CN Review

Overview:

Though the now discontinued Brother MFC-5860CN is considerably larger in size than some of the current 30 page per minute MFCs on the market, its extensive feature set and excellent performance specifications shield the unit from obsolescence and will continue to do so for at least a few more years. The device’s print, copy, scan, and fax functions are complemented with a variety of media slots and additional, comprehensive features such as network PC faxing.

Pros:

The Brother MFC-5860CN’s excellent print speeds are on par with most of the inkjet material we see on the market today. With 30 pages per minute maximum black and white print speed and up to 25 pages per minute in color, large volume printing projects will move along swiftly. Unfortunately, the device’s maximum monthly duty cycle of only 4,000 printed pages limits the unit’s large scale volume printing capacity, but for an individual user or small network the device should suffice.

The device’s 35 page built in automatic document feeder is another welcome addition to the unit, especially when dealing with multiple pages of input. Other paper capacities include a 350 sheet total input capacity and 50 sheet output tray. 32 MBs of built in memory also allow for up to 480 pages worth of data to be stored within the unit’s fax page memory.

With a print resolution of up to 6000 x 1200 dots per inch, the Brother MFC-5860CN is fully capable of printing lab quality color photographs and, like most Brother MFCs, the device can execute a borderless print when dealing with standard glossy photo paper sizes such as 4 x 6 in. 

Cons:

While the Brother MFC-5860CN does come fully equipped with a variety of media slots, the unit does not include a built in LCD screen for previewing images. Without the ability to select particular images by site, printing the right content can be either tedious or a complete guessing game. Luckily, another stand alone photo printing option is made possible via a dedicated front USB port. This port allows for PictBridge printing directly from a digital camera itself without even removing the memory card. Images can then, presumably, be previewed and selected on the external device.