The Brother DCP-J525W is one of the budget printers in Brothers most recent range but for the money you get a fantastic array of features. Like most modern printers it has a scanner/copier and can also operate wirelessly all for around £85. This model is also airprint compatible so you can print directly from any iPad, iPhone (3GS or later) or iPod touch (3rd generation or later).
Video Review
Design
Brother has a tendency to play it safe when designing their printers and this printer is far from the exception. The sleek black colour makes it an attractive looking addition to any office and the slightly textured top of the scanner bed should hide any subtle marks from general wear and tear nicely (not to mention dust). It has the typical sleek low profile thanks to the laser printer style paper tray tucked under the machine as opposed to the gravity fed paper popular in other inkjet printers. This makes it ideal for the user that likes to keep their printer tucked away under a desk or on a shelf instead of standing proudly on the desktop. It is however worth noting that the power cable is inserted into the side of the printer so if you have a particularly compact space to fit it into I would advise leaving yourself an extra inch or so in width to compensate.
Setup
Setting up the DCP-J525W is a pretty stress free affair. The software supplied talks you through the process every step of the way and even gives you the option of wireless or USB connection mid-way through. Those of you unfamiliar with Brother machines may find yourselves a little stumped if you ever try to connect by USB as the port is tucked away under the scanner bed with a small channel for the cable to exit.
Cartridges/Running Cost
Print & Scan Quality
The quality of the scanner is fantastic at a maximum of 19,200 dpi and also relatively speedy. The speed of prints at standard/draft quality is great but slows down substantially when printing photos in best quality. With a print resolution of 6,000 by 1,200 dpi and four separate colours it simply does not produce the quality or depth of colour that 5+ colour photo printers can produce. This is not to say the results are of poor quality and the average user would probably not even notice.
Our Verdict
In conclusion the Brother DCP-J525W has everything a small office or home user could ask for with a very reasonable price tag and low running costs. It may not have the print quality that the photographers amongst you require but for general paperwork and the odd photograph it should more than suffice.
