The Brother MFC-J497DW is an all-in-one printer that offers a compelling blend of functionality, affordability, and user-friendliness. This review aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of its features, performance, and suitability for various printing needs. We will delve into its strengths and weaknesses, helping you determine if it's the right fit for your home or small office environment.
Unboxing and Setup: A Seamless Start
The MFC-J497DW comes packaged with all the necessary components, including the printer itself, ink cartridges, a power cable, a USB cable, and setup instructions. The setup process is straightforward, even for first-time users. Brother's clear and concise instructions guide you through the installation with ease.
The printer is compact and lightweight, making it easy to position on a desk or shelf. The design is sleek and modern, blending well with most office environments. It features a large color touchscreen that provides intuitive navigation through menus and settings.
Printing Performance: Speed and Quality
The MFC-J497DW delivers impressive printing speeds for an inkjet printer. While not blazing fast, it handles everyday tasks like printing documents, emails, and web pages efficiently. The black and white printing speed is around 22 pages per minute (ppm), while color printing clocks in at around 12 ppm.
Printing quality is another area where this printer excels. The text output is crisp and clear, ideal for documents and reports. Photos printed on photo paper are vibrant and detailed, with excellent color reproduction.
While the printing speed and quality are commendable, it's worth noting that this printer is best suited for light to moderate printing volumes. For high-volume printing needs, a laser printer might be a better choice.
Scan, Copy, and Fax: Comprehensive Functionality
Beyond printing, the MFC-J497DW offers a comprehensive suite of features, including scanning, copying, and faxing. The scanner is fast and accurate, capturing documents and photos with clarity. The copying function is equally reliable, allowing you to create duplicates of documents or photos with ease.
The integrated fax functionality adds further value, enabling you to send and receive faxes directly from the printer. While faxing may seem outdated in our digital age, it remains relevant for certain industries and businesses.
Connectivity: Wireless and Mobile Printing
The MFC-J497DW is equipped with a wide range of connectivity options, making it easy to integrate into your existing network. It features wireless connectivity, allowing you to print from any device on your home or office network. This eliminates the need for physical connections and provides greater flexibility in your printing setup.
The printer also supports mobile printing through Brother iPrint&Scan app, allowing you to print from your smartphone or tablet. This feature is particularly convenient for those on the go, enabling you to print documents, photos, and web pages from virtually anywhere.
Ink Cartridges: Cost and Efficiency
Like most inkjet printers, the MFC-J497DW uses individual ink cartridges for each color (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black). While this can lead to higher ink costs compared to printers that use a combined cartridge, Brother offers high-yield ink cartridges, which can help offset the expense.
It's important to factor in the cost of ink when evaluating the overall cost of ownership for any printer. Researching the price of replacement cartridges and their page yields can provide a good indicator of the printer's long-term cost effectiveness.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Versatile Functionality: Offers printing, scanning, copying, and faxing in one device.
- Affordable Price: Priced competitively for its feature set.
- User-Friendly Interface: Easy to set up and operate, thanks to a large touchscreen.
- Wireless Connectivity: Allows for wireless printing from multiple devices.
- Mobile Printing Support: Enables printing from smartphones and tablets.
- Good Printing Quality: Produces sharp text and vibrant photos.
Cons:
- Moderate Printing Speed: While not slow, it may not be ideal for high-volume printing.
- Individual Ink Cartridges: Can be more expensive than combined cartridges, though high-yield options are available.
- No Automatic Document Feeder (ADF): Requires manual feeding for multi-page documents.
Who Should Consider the Brother MFC-J497DW?
The Brother MFC-J497DW is an excellent choice for individuals and small businesses with moderate printing needs. It's an all-in-one printer that provides a balance of functionality, affordability, and user-friendliness. It's ideal for:
- Home Offices: For printing documents, emails, photos, and personal projects.
- Small Businesses: For handling basic office tasks like printing invoices, reports, and marketing materials.
- Students: For printing homework assignments, research papers, and study materials.
- Anyone Seeking Value: For those looking for a good value for their money in terms of features and functionality.
Alternatives to Consider
While the Brother MFC-J497DW is a solid choice, there are other all-in-one printers on the market that you might want to consider, depending on your specific needs and budget:
- Canon PIXMA TR8620: Offers similar functionality and features to the MFC-J497DW, including wireless connectivity, mobile printing, and an automatic document feeder.
- HP Envy Pro 6455e: A compact and affordable all-in-one printer that excels in printing quality and mobile connectivity.
- Epson EcoTank ET-2760: An all-in-one printer with a unique refillable ink tank system that offers low running costs.
Conclusion
The Brother MFC-J497DW is a well-rounded all-in-one printer that offers a compelling combination of features, performance, and affordability. It's an excellent choice for individuals and small businesses with light to moderate printing needs. While it might not be the best option for high-volume printing or users who require advanced features, it's a reliable and versatile printer that can meet the demands of most home and office users.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is the maximum paper size that the MFC-J497DW can handle?
A1: The MFC-J497DW can handle paper sizes up to 8.5 x 14 inches (legal size).
Q2: Does the MFC-J497DW support duplex printing?
A2: Yes, it supports automatic duplex printing, allowing you to print on both sides of the paper without manually turning the pages.
Q3: Can I use the MFC-J497DW to print directly from a USB drive?
A3: Yes, the MFC-J497DW has a USB port that allows you to print directly from a USB drive.
Q4: What are the dimensions of the MFC-J497DW?
A4: The MFC-J497DW measures 16.7 inches wide, 14.8 inches deep, and 6.8 inches high.
Q5: How do I replace the ink cartridges in the MFC-J497DW?
A5: Replacing the ink cartridges is a straightforward process. The printer will notify you when a cartridge is low on ink. Simply open the front cover, remove the old cartridge, insert the new cartridge, and close the cover.