Brother HL-5250DN

I got this printer back in 2005. For the price ($237.49) it seemed like a bargain. The print quality wasn't great but I needed duplex printing. One year and one month later it didn't survive a cross country… move (well packed). Out of warranty, there wasn't any point getting it repaired. I got the Brother HL-5250DN to replaced a fully functional but antiquated HP LaserJet 4L, which had moved with me many times without incident in the 13 years I owned it. I replaced the non-functional Brother HL-5250DN with a Xerox Phaser 8550DN. It's not perfect - but it duplexes, it's fast, the print quality is good, and most importantly it works. I hope I can keep it as long as the 4L (3 years and counting).

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I used an iMac and cheap windows notebook with this printer over a network. It was a home printer, and never printed more than a few dozen pages a week. It was simple to set up, and worked great… (including duplex) for about six months. Then, it refused to turn on or show any signs of life. I called brother tech support (which was friendly) only to find that there was no "over the phone" solution. Unfortunately, the one year warranty was from the date of manufacture (December 2007), so it didn't do me any good since I didn't even buy it until January 2009. So, six months into ownership I tried to find an inexpensive fix and the best I could do would cost more than replacing the printer. It'd be a great printer if it worked, but it failed to do that for me.

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After reading several online reviews, I chose to get the 5250. I have been more than pleased. The print quality is every bit equal to the HP Laser Jet units used at my job. The graphics look great, every… font is rendered clearly and this beast is lightning fast. A major selling point was the price. For $279 I got a high speed laser with networking. I attached it to a wireless switch and it is now wireless for everyone in my home to use. Remote administration is easy. Just dial a web browser into the printer's address and you can see every possible setting and even a log of every error and every sheet printed. The front opens to reveal an alternate paper feeder, for doing duplex, envelope, or alternate size feeding. It automatically detects when paper is there and holds a couple dozen sheets or so. This unit easily competes with $600 units and performs just as well. I've been to a number of offices and noticed them using the same printer. My children noticed one at the doctor's office recently. You won't go wrong with this printer if you need networking.

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I've been using my Brother HL-5250DN printer for about a month, and I have been bitterly disappointed with the quality and performance. The construction quality is poor-- thin, low-grade plastic, nothing… like the Brother HL-1440 I replaced. The flimsy fold-down door for feeding envelopes sticks to the door which contains the drum and toner. It takes two hands to open it without risking breakage. The adjustable track for feeding envelopes is cheesy beyond belief. I doubt it would last a year. The printer creases envelopes, and I've already wasted lots of expensive stationery. The duplex function-- which is the reason I bought this newer printer-- seems to work so far, but judging from the other reviews, I should cross my fingers. Finally, this printer is quite noisy. Anyone who needs a quiet unit should look elsewhere. I foolishly ignored the negative reviews and bought this printer anyway, based on my superior experience of my Brother HL-1440, which is rock-solid and works perfectly after many, many years. (I bought it so long ago I can't even remember where or when.) I'm going back to it. I will never again buy a printer without checking the quality first-hand.

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