Brother MFC-5860CN Ink Cartridges

Brother MFC-5860CN Printer Review

Bundling together print, scan copy and fax functions, the Brother MFC-5860CN's multifunction capabilities and straightforward design make it a good solution for home offices. Considering its low asking price and comparing it to similar inkjet printers, the machine offers quick maximum print speeds of up to 30 pages per minute for monochrome documents. A few missing features keep the MFC-5860CN from being the best small office printer, but some of its more robust attributes make it ideal for busy homes.

With a size of only 17x15x11 inches, the printer is small compared to other all-in-one devices and will be able to share desktop space with a user's computer. This means users will easily be able to connect directly to a PC using its USB port. The additional front PictBridge port and card slots also enable direct photo printing from a user's flash memory device. The ethernet interface will allow users to print, share, scan, and fax documents over a network.

For unattended faxing and scanning, the machine incorporates a 35-sheet automatic document feeder as well as a flatbed scanner. Supported media ranges from coated paper to envelopes, and its single input tray's ability to handle up to 350 pages makes it a nice fit for frequent daily printing. When using specialty photo paper, the device can print images with lab-quality precision and a maximum resolution of Brother MFC-5860CN printer ink.

Including a 2-line monochrome LCD instead of a color touchscreen interface limits the types of on-board control tools users can access without needing their computer. To compensate for this the printer includes a number pad for fax dialing, a four-way pad for navigation through menu settings and dedicated buttons for printing, scanning and copying documents. Still, some buyers might prefer a more robust solution with a touchscreen display.

The device uses individual magenta, cyan and yellow Brother MFC-5860CN ink cartridges that can yield up to 400 pages each and an additional black printer ink supply that has a capacity of 500 pages. To reduce the cost of replacements users can opt to purchase inexpensive remanufactured Brother MFC-5860CN ink cartridges instead of more expensive OEM supplies.

Although the MFC-5860CN has much of the versatility needed to handle small offices with low volumes, its low-yielding supplies and basic LCD interface hold it back from being the best solution available to small offices. Instead, this color inkjet printer is ideal for home offices that want to alternate between projects like printing family photos and sending a business fax.