Small Price, Big Performer, Happy User
Pros:
30 ppm fast, duplexing capabilities, and even the smallest of print is sharp.
Cons:
Some house lights dim briefly at times when the printer is warming up.
The Bottom Line:
If you want fast, crisp printing and duplexing capabilities but don't want to spend the bucks you may have thought you would have to spend, this printer is for you.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
When my wife's laser printer decided to retire from overwork, I went shopping for another printer for her. Three criteria were at the top of my list for the "new kid" replacement: speed, duplexing capabilities, and ruggedness.
At 30 ppm, the Brother 5250DN satisfied the speed requirement. Also, my wife is not good at waiting for something to happen, so the quick first page out feature was a bonus.
Duplexing was also a must, as she does a lot of that. When duplexing, the printer shoots the page almost all the way out into the tray, then pulls the page back in and prints the back side. Timings with my watch showed that printing an multi-page document on both sides of the paper took only slightly longer than printing the same document on one side only. One feature I really like is the ability to control the orientation of the printing on the reverse side of the page in relation to the printing on the front side of the page. The printing on the back side can be upside down in relation to the printing on the front side, or both sides can have the same orientation. This applies to portrait as well as landscape mode.
Other print options are available also. One in particular that I use as editor of a newsletter for a local non-profit group is the ability to print multiple pages on a single sheet. (2 on 1, 4 on 1, 9 on 1, 16 on 1, or 25 on 1) This allows me to see at-a-glance how much white space I have left to fill. (One time after printing 25 on 1 sheet, I examined the sheet with a 10x magnifier. To my surprised amazement, I could still easily read the print.)
Another feature that convinced me to purchase is the choice of toner cartridges: standard--with a yield of about 3500 pages, or the high capacity cartridge with a yield of about 7000 pages (based on the standard print coverage of 5% toner per page). At the store I purchased the printer from, the standard cartridge sold for about $65.00 and the high yield for about $95.00. For roughly 50% more in cost of the high yield cartridge, you get double the output over the standard.
Paper jams (which I have yet to experience with this printer) should be easy to clear. The back of the printer has a hinged panel that drops down for easy access to any jams in that area.
The only negative I have concerning this printer is the power draw when it's warming up. During the day with no house lights on, you will probably not notice anything. But at night with the printer going and a desk lamp on, you'll notice a slight and brief dimming of the lamp every now and then. It can be a little disconcerting until you get used to it. Given the printer's other strengths however, I'm willing to put up with that particular quirk.
Time will tell how much of a work-horse this printer really is, but so far, it's doing exactly what it was purchased to do.
