Brother MFC-6800 Printer Review
The Brother MFC-6800 is a multifunction laser printer that improves on earlier models with better copying and scanning abilities and a flatbed scanning surface. Print speed is around 10 pages a minute, which is a little behind competing models, but good for the price. Brother MFC-6800 toner is very affordable, keeping running costs low.
The Brother MFC-6800 can print, scan, copy and fax. Its features are better-rounded than previous models. It has both a 30-page automatic document feeder and a flatbed scanning surface, making it easy to scan, copy or fax many different sizes and types of media, including bulky books and stapled documents. The unit includes ScanSoft PaperPort software for managing scanned documents, which has OCR (optical character recognition) software built in for converting scanned documents to text files. The machine measures 12.5 inches by 18.1 inches by 18 inches and weighs around 24 pounds.
The Brother MFC-6800 toner cartridge included in the box is a "starter" cartridge with a capacity of only 1,000 pages. Standard Brother MFC-6800 toner cartridges have a capacity of 2,200 pages, however. The printer toner is very easy to access and replace, and toners are easy to find.
In their review of the Brother MFC-6800, PC Magazine liked its print quality and its versatility, especially for its affordable price. They also praised its fast scanning and copying speeds. They found its OCR software to be limited on any fonts other than Times New Roman.
Overall, the Brother MFC-6800 packs a lot of functionality into a compact and affordable package that should appeal to home and small office users. Lack of color printing could be an issue for some, but its low upfront price and the low cost of Brother MFC-6800 toner make for a very economical printer.