Brother MFC-8660DN Toner Cartridges

Brother MFC-8660DN Printer Review

The Brother MFC-8660DN is a multifunction monochrome laser printer designed for the small or medium office environment. It has the speed and capacity to support a fairly large number of users, and its multifunction features are well-designed and intuitive.

The Brother MFC-8660DN can print, scan, copy, and fax. It integrates well into a network environment with its built-in ethernet port, and most of its functions can be used across the network. PC faxing is supported, for example, as is network scanning. Scans can be sent to email, a network PC, or an FTP server. The unit includes a flatbed scanning surface and a large automatic document feeder with a capacity of 50 sheets for automatic scanning.

The unit's control panel is intuitive, offering dedicated buttons for the most used functions without so many as to be confusing. A full numeric keypad is included for faxing functions. The LCD screen does a good job of displaying necessary information, and offers features when pertinent, such as displaying the reduce/enlarge feature when copying. This makes the MFC-8660DN very easy to use even for a novice user. The screen is also backlit, making it easier to read in low light or situations where there is glare on the screen.

Most models of the MFC-8660DN include automatic duplex (two-sided printing) support, which can be set as the default for printing. This can save quite a bit of paper, and therefore save a lot of money over the lifetime of the printer. Duplexing can be turned off for individual print jobs as well. Print speed is around 30 pages per minute. Print quality is a mixed bag. Text is very sharp and is as dark and detailed as one would expect from a solid laser printer. Graphics and photo quality is a little below average, with some banding and other flaws cropping up.

The Brother MFC-8660DN toner cartridges have a capacity of 3,500 pages each. High-yield cartridges double the capacity to 7,000 pages. Using the high-yield Brother MFC-8660DN toner cartridges will result in a significant savings over the life of the machine. A compatible Brother toner cartridge is significantly less expensive and produces the same print quality and page yield.

Overall, the Brother MFC-8660DN is a great all-in-one device for a small or medium office. Its compact size and intuitive controls along with its affordable price make it stand out from the competition.