Brother MFC-845CW Ink Cartridges

Brother MFC-845CW Printer Review

The Brother MFC-845CW eliminates the need for multiple devices in an office by incorporating print, copy, scan and fax functions. One of its few setbacks is having some of the slower output speeds in its class of office inkjet printers, printing at a rate of only around 27 pages per minute for monochrome documents. For its low price tag, however, this small or home office unit still manages to pack in a nice bundle of features such as flexible connectivity, high-quality output and an easy-to-use front panel.

Located front and center on the MFC-845CW is a large 2.5-inch color LCD accompanied by a navigation pad, which will allow users to preview their photos, print recently received faxes and scroll through menu options. The front panel also includes a numeric pad for fax dialing and storing popular numbers for quick speed dialing. It also includes a unique cordless phone handset to operate as an office phone line.

One of the main draws to this device is the variety of connections it offers, ranging from wireless support and an ethernet interface for networking to a standard USB port and memory card slots for direct photo printing. The slots can support flash memory like SD memory cards, CompactFlash and Memory Stick. The unit's photo output performed well against expert tests, printing with precise color detail and a resolution of 1200x6000 dpi using color Brother MFC-845CW printer ink.

A small maximum media capacity of 100 pages will limit users to light-duty printing, but the unit also has a separate 20-sheet photo paper tray that can handle 4x6-inch media. The inclusion of a 50-sheet automatic document feeder is a nice perk and will allow users to scan larger jobs continuously.

The unit operates with a standard 4-color printer ink system that includes individual black, yellow, cyan and magenta Brother MFC-845CW ink cartridges. With yields of only 400 pages for each color Brother MFC-845CW ink cartridge and 500 pages for the black supply, this machine is best suited for low volumes.

The MFC-845CW provides users with a nice balance of office features and cost efficiency. Buyers that can overlook its small media capacity and slow performance on speed tests will benefit from this inexpensive all-in-one inkjet printer.