BROTHER MFC-885CW BLACK INK CARTRIDGE

Brother MFC-885CW Review

Overview:

The Brother MFC-885CW is a device that packs so many hardware functions into one console it is almost hard to believe. Though the occasional hardware problem inherent in tightly packed multifunctional units such as this can cause halts in productivity, buyers cannot argue with the double digit price of this print, copy, scan, fax, and more machine.

Pros:

The truly outstanding feature of the Brother MFC-885CW is the sheer number of devices Brother has managed to squeeze into a single, space saving device. With a wireless handset included, it even serves as a high quality telephone. With a wide 4.2 inch flip up color LCD display, the device allows users to preview, edit, enhance, and then print photos directly from a camera’s media card without ever connecting to a host PC.

Other stand alone functions that that LCD screen allows include received fax previewing and also PictBridge connectivity, which makes it easy to connect the Brother MFC-885CW directly to a digital camera for printing. Stand alone copying is also an option, though the unit’s full print resolution cannot be achieved when making duplicates without a PC.

A handy built in digital answering machine can hold up to 29 minutes of messages via on board memory, and the unit also includes a speaker for talking on speaker phone. Photo printing is made possible by resolutions of up to 6000 x 1200 dots per inch and a minimum droplet size of 1.5 picoliters, which ensures the greatest possible image and line accuracy.

Borderless printing is also part of the package and is critical when printing to glossy standard sized photo paper, while regular print speeds run at up to 30 pages per minute in black and white and up to 25 pages per minute in full color. A built in automatic document feeder is another crucial element in the device’s ability to keep projects moving along at acceptable speeds, though the ADF can only hold ten pages at a time.

For even more telephone versatility, the 5.8 Ghz cordless handset can be expanded with up to three additional phones, allowing the Brother MFC-885CW to serve as a true business hub.

Cons:

Bargain multifunctional devices do, sometimes, come at a price of their own. Sub par hardware has been reported as a cause for some users’ machines to be obnoxiously loud or have paper jam flaws. When dealing with a unit that crams so many bells and whistles into such a small package, one can expect the occasional, or more so, hardware hiccup.