Brother MFC-4820C

If you run a business from home or your hobby requires a lot of paperwork, you might want to invest in a multifunction device.

These all-in-one machines comprise a printer, scanner and photocopier for a price considerably lower than if you were to buy each component separately. Posher models include fax capabilities.

The MFC-4820C is Brother's latest foray into the multifunction world and encompasses a few nice features to distinguish it from the crowd.

The first thing we liked was its compact size, which is largely due to a new ink cartridge design: instead of print cartridges chugging back and forth on a carriage, ink is distributed via a print head through tubes attached to a set of fixed ink cartridges.

This reduces noise levels dramatically and the four print cartridges are also inserted horizontally, which contributes to the overall reduction in height.

As a printer, the MFC-4820C is standard fare. The maximum 2400 x 1200 resolution isn't as high as dedicated photo printers and printing on plain paper will produce some grainy prints.

However, stick a piece of glossy paper in and the results are pretty good, although short of the best that HP and Epson have to offer.

Speed, however, was a bit of a let down. It only managed three pages of text per minute which isn't very impressive for an expensive printer.

It also took six minutes for a full-page, high-resolution image on glossy paper, which is about average.

The MFC-4820C can operate independently of a PC both as a fax machine and photocopier. Settings are adjusted by a series of buttons and a small screen on the front of a device.

There are one-touch commands for instant photocopying or scanning of your subject. Scans can be recorded up to a resolution of 600 x 2400.

Perhaps the device's most appealing feature is its range of memory card slots. Once a card from a digital camera is inserted, an index sheet can be printed to identify what images are on the card.

This means you don't need the PC connected to print your digital snaps.

Contact:
Brother 0870 830 4030
www.brother.co.uk

Also consider:
HP PSC2110
A good performer but no fax capability.