Brother HL-5250DN Network Ready Laser Printer with Duplex
by BROTHER
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Our Price: $649.88 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $148.00 (click here) Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Brother HL-5250DN Network Ready Laser Printer with Duplex
Customer Review: Beware - A piece of junk that doesn't work
Summary: 1 Stars
I ordered this printer from Amazon.com several months ago for a project. Because the project wasn't ready, I didn't even bother to set up the printer. Yesterday I tried to set it up for the first time.
First of all, the paper tray is supposed to come out in order to fill it, but it doesn't. Secondly, the paper roller doesn't pick up the paper. Third, the toner/roller combination doesn't work. Fourth, the instruction booklet I downloaded refers to blue tabs and other parts that don't exist on this this equipment. I won't even go into the two hours I spent with support regarding the printer driver.
In retrospect I should have tested the printer when I first got it. I didn't because it wasn't needed yet. Also, I foolishly expected a brand new piece of equipment would work once I got around to using it. So now I'm stuck with a piece of junk I can't return because too much time has passed. I'll have to try to find a person who knows Brother products and shell out more money to see if this printer is fixable.
Some people were lucky enough to get a printer that actually works. Unfortunately, I was influenced by their reviews. You take your chances with the Brother HL-5250. I hated to give this product one star. If I could, I would give it no stars or minus stars. Don't squander your money and serenity on this inferior product.
Customer Review: Brother HL-5250DN
Summary: 5 Stars
Received the 5250 from Amazon promptly, as usual. I purchased this printer to replace an HP IIIP that finally gave it up. The main points for me in the replacement was compactness, speed, paper capacity and network connectivity. This printer has absolutely exceeded my expectations. It gave me everything I wanted plus duplex capability. The speed of this printer amazes me. I had a little difficulty getting the network to function the way I wanted it, but after setting up an lmhosts file with NetBIOS on all PCs, it works perfectly. Wakes up using any PC whether connected or wireless. Using the Brother spooling software, I can even send print jobs when the printer is off if I'm in another room. Then, I can go to the printer, turn it on, and she starts spitting out my print job immediately. I used to have to wait forever for the HP to warm up and begin printing. I have thrown everything at this little gem and she just keeps churning out the print jobs. Print quality is superb and the duplexing function is fantastic. Would highly recommend this printer to anyone needing a monochrome lazer. All the talk about being noisey and using excess power is unfounded from my experience. All lazer printers dim the lights when heating up and will curl certain kinds of paper more so than others. HP gets all the shelf space in stores, but this Brother printer is the way to go. Period.Customer Review: OK, just don't try printing envelopes
Summary: 3 Stars
It does a good job of printing on normal printer/phot-copier paper. It does a good job on duplex printing. It is noisey and makes worrisome clacking noises when it first turns on.
It does an absolutely horrible job on printing normal business envelopes. It mangles every single one of them...and this after I made the channges in the printer set-up that Brother's web site tells you to make if the mangling happens. I just went through 4 envelopes trying to get one that was only a little mangled.
My old 4L HP did a perfect job of printing envelopes. I was going to replace it with this 5250DN, but now I need to keep it as a dedicated envelope printer.
Big disappointment. If only someone else would make an affordable duplex laser.
Added after a month of ownership: this thing gets very hot internally in use and as a result if you use it to print "big" jobs (I mean about 15-20 pages) it overheats and puts itself in an error state and you have to cool it and cycle power to get it working again. It seems that there is either no fan or inadequate cooling in the design. Really poor design. A Staples slesperson told me that Brother inkjet printers were junk, but the lasers were OK. He was half right. The lasers, at least the lower line ones, are junk, too.
I would definitely NOT but this thing again.
Customer Review: Super easy network set-up, works great w/ Mac & PC
Summary: 4 Stars
This printer has worked great for me, I've used it for one- and two-sided printing on both macs and PCs on my network. Took about five minutes to set up on both mac & PC, plugged the printer into the router, turned it on. Installed the driver on the mac, added the printer according to the instructions & was immediately able to print one & two-sided b&w and grayscale. Same story w/ the PC. Addressing a couple of earlier reviews:
This thing will curl cheap paper very badly. I've had good luck w/ heavyweight laser printer paper, not the cheap stuff. Good paper== no curling in my experience.
The "print is too light" -- black print is totally black on the default settings for me. Color printing defaults to grayscale, and does look a little light. Set it to b&w and no problem.
"They never tell you the userid & password to log into the printer"-- sure they do, you just have to read the manual. Page 26 of the manual on using their software to control the printer (which doesn't ask for a userid) lists password. If you turn the page over, page 28 describes going into the printer's web based configuration, where it clearly says what the default userid and password are.
I've found this a super easy printer to use, very small for a networked laser with duplexing. Would totally recommend it to others.
Customer Review: Keep it in the closet
Summary: 4 Stars
Mine arrived today. If you search online right now, this printer comes up as the greatest thing since sliced bread. Now that it is here, I have to say it is pretty good, an incredible value. When I ordered it, I kept on thinking that there must be something wrong with it for it to be so cheep. And now that I have it, I know. It is cheep. The case is flimsy, all the corners that could be cut were. Its also ugly - grey and dark grey plastic. But it prints very fast, very crisp on both sides of the page, the network interface works ok; it has everything that that $1000 office printer has, except this thing would be toast in no time in an office with more than three people.
Power is also an issue. This thing draws a lot of energy in short periods. My office is not exactly underpowered, but the lights are on the same 15A circuit as the printer and they dim while it is burning a page. I guess it's simple physics - you need 30% more power if you're printing 30% faster. It's not so much the total drain but the rapid fluctuation in load that is a problem.
But did I mention that it prints both sides of the page, and quickly? The reason I wanted this is because I am forever needing to print out the documentation no one ever includes any more. It's always pdf. Just think of this thing as your little pdf inflator.