Brother MFC 8460N

The Brother MFC-8460N shares the somewhat interesting shape with others in the range such as the MFC-8480DN. The oversized wings at the top allow for a full size scanner and copier screen to be installed onto a reasonably compact chassis. It also adds sufficient space for an automatic document feeder to sit atop the whole thing.

This like the 8480 is a mid range multifunction printer, copier, scanner and fax designed for the small or home office. Jam packed with features and offering good reproduction at a reasonable price, this is definitely one device worth considering when you’re next in the market for a mono printer.

With a decent 28 pages per minute print time, with the first appearing 8.5 seconds after pressing the print button, this is a printer for those whom time is an issue. That isn’t to say that there is a compromise to be made with regards quality, because there isn’t. Even though this is quick, the prints are of a good quality at the standard 1200 dpi.

Prints, copies and scans are clear and well reproduced. Edges were clean with little or no bleed. Black appears black, and grayscale images are even and the tones well distributed.

Setup is simple, unpack, plug in and insert the toner. Driver installation is quick and easy, as is the software suite that was included. You can add the MFC-8460N to a network, USB or parallel connection, all with ease. There seems to be no noticeable lag with USB that is evident on other printer in this class, and the test print of 25 pages went through with no delays at all.

There is a 250 sheet paper drawer, with the option of adding a further 250. The top multipurpose tray holds a further 50 as does the automatic document feeder. The control panel is logically laid out, with separate sections for each function. The LCD screen is clear and bright, while the menu is intuitive and easy to navigate.

The built-in 32Mb of memory should be enough for most uses, but it is upgradeable to 544Mb is you so desire. That is more than enough to be able to leave the average business printer to its own devices for a few days.

With good print reproduction, fast speed, ease of use and cost effective consumables this is a strong contender in the market. It performs just as well as many other devices that cost considerably more, but remains easy to use and maintain.