Brother MFC-680CN review

Multifunction devices, also known as all-in-ones, are on the rise.

Why would you want a separate printer and scanner when a single box can do both, plus instant copying, maybe with a fax machine thrown in? Canon and HP have generally produced exceptional all-in-one machines, but now Brother is looking to muscle in on their territory with a range of multifunctions from £50 to £200.

The DCP-135C sits at the bottom of the range, and under £50 for a multifunction device is pretty tempting. Pull it out of the box and everything you need is there: photocopier-style buttons for quick copies, a PictBridge port for printing directly from your digital camera, and a single-line LCD for status and printing updates. You may not get all the bells and whistles, such as a full-colour screen, memory card reader and fax, but this is a budget buy, and there are no disastrous omissions.

The MFC-680CN is the DCP-135C's suit-wearing city-worker cousin. It has a large 3.3-inch colour LCD for previewing images before you print them, a memory card reader that works with CompactFlash, Memory Stick, SD and xD cards, plus a full-blooded fax machine, complete with phone handset, so you can really clear off your desk. It also has an Ethernet port, so by plugging it into your network router (wireless routers usually have spare Ethernet ports) you can share it between several computers.

Paper trail

The two machines have several features in common. Neither has a paper tray that can handle more than 100 sheets of A4. That's enough for everyday home use, but in a small office you'd be making regular replacements. The MFC-680CN should really be able to handle more.

It does at least have a second feed for glossy stock. With the DCP-135, if you want to output some snaps onto 6x4-inch photo paper, you have to remove your plain paper from the tray and replace it temporarily. The MFC-680CN has a separate tray where you can leave up to 20 sheets; when you want to use it, you just push the photo tray towards the back of the printer and it's automatically activated. Even better, the MFC-680CN also comes with an ADF (automatic document feeder) for loading and copying multi-page documents. If you plan to scan documents regularly, this is much more convenient.

Both printers share the same inkjet print engine. The cartridges aren't interchangeable, but the ink is the same, and both machines have a maximum print resolution of 1,200dpi. This means the extra cost of the MFC-680CN is spent on extra features, not superior print quality. Our tests confirmed this, with neither printer standing out as a natural candidate for photos. Colours lacked punch and vibrancy due to a lack of saturation. We also noticed some very fine horizontal banding lines across our images, an uncommon problem these days which is indicative of a less than silky-smooth print mechanism. It's fine for the occasional print, but nothing compared to some printers or all-in-ones, such as the Canon Pixma MP510 (120571). This is particularly disappointing for the relatively pricey 680CN.

Waiting game

Printing took ages, as well. Three 6x4-inch top-quality photos emerged from the DCP-135 in 10 minutes 48 seconds, which is too slow for anything but occasional use. The MFC-680CN was significantly faster, finishing the same job in just six-and-a-half minutes, although our concerns about quality remained.