Electronics : Brother MFC 885CW - Multifunction ( colour ) - ink-jet - copying (up to): 22 ppm (mono) / 20 ppm (colour) - printing (up to): 30 ppm (mono) / 25 ppm (colour) - 100 sheets - 14.4 Kbps - USB, 10/100 Base-TX, 802.11b, 802.11g, USB host

Rating: - Poor design of paper trays knock off one point.
The photo quality prints are indeed stunning. (If the printer software is set to produce photo quality.)

I have an issue with some of the advertising material for this product: it does not make it clear that the term 'photo paper tray' does not refer to the type of paper usually used for printing near professional results, but to the size. After reading the literature, but before buying, I was of the impression that there were two full size paper trays - one for plain paper and another for photo type paper: that is not the case - the photo paper tray holds, typically, up to 20 sheets of 4 inch by 6 inch 'photo' quality paper. The photo tray rests on top of the plain paper tray. In addition, to utilise the photo tray one has to simultaneously pull both trays out of the machine, load the paper, and then slide the photo tray forward - thereby stopping the standard paper from loading. (It covers the leading edge of the plain paper.) When the combined tray assembly is pushed back into the machine, one can not easily get to the photo tray; that means that each time one needs to refill the photo tray that the whole procedure of pulling out both trays is required. (It holds up to 20 sheets: which can soon need to be refreshed.) In addition, because the photo tray, when in use, is not flush with the front of the machine, when a print has finished, it is very hard to pull out the finished print; in fact, Brother even mention that one might need to pull out both trays in order to remove a photo print. A4 size photo paper is placed in the standard paper tray when required.

Brother provide the software for the machine by way of 1 Compact Disc. Part of that software is the Control Centre. This will automatically load after installation unless you uncheck the `load when Windows starts' box. Referred to as ControlCentre, the Centre provides a pleasing interface, which clearly shows the options that are available to you - after the machine has been setup. If you intend to use the wireless connection to the printer then initially you must install it by way of either the USB or Ethernet cable: installing the wireless from the outset is almost certainly doomed to failure. (Ha, don't ask me how I know that!) After choosing which of the wired connections to use at installation time (USB or Ethernet) and then proving that the software works, one can then proceed to install the wireless connection. The software is fine; the Quick Start guide does a reasonable job. I was disappointed to find that, unlike the `inferior' model - the MFC 820CW - there is no language translation software included. A very interesting facial modelling programme is included via software that is not automatically installed when installing the machine.

The wireless DECT telephone looks puny but the sound reproduction is good. When setting up the unit for the first time one needs to select various parameters such as the country of use. Using the scroll button of the phone, one simply scrolls the phone screen menu down to the country of choice and then presses `OK'. I was going to buy the almost identical model printer which has a hard wired phone but I am so pleased that I did not: having a wireless phone is a blessing. It has 'speaker' phone facilities too.

Scanning now allows the use of thin books to be placed on the scanner face: this is a marked improvement from the MFC 820CW; but, the overall effect of a sliding hinge is that there is now a flimsy feeling to the lid. The external antenna is badly positioned and only pivots into an upright position: it needs to have a hinge on it because if it is 'caught' by accident then it is liable to break when lifting the scanner lid. The LCD screen, which is adjustable both for contrast and viewing angle, is in the wrong position: right in front of the indentation type 'handle' on the scanner lid. So, raising the lid by the correct method, via the 'handle', means closing the tiltable LCD otherwise it gets knocked back down again. Changing settings on the machine is easy due to the simple method of showing your choices via the 4.2 inches long LCD screen; ink levels are constantly shown on the screen, as is the user's choice of either fax, fax and telephone, fax and answering machine. Ink cartridges are at the front of the machine - on the right hand side: in keeping with Brother's usual method, all slots are colour coded to show where each respective cartridge is to be placed. Inserting the cartridges is simple; and almost fool proof. Before installing the cartridges a yellow coloured plastic insert needs to be removed before pushing in the cartridges. One needs to save the insert in case one needs to move the printer or store it for a while. Ink should not be left in the machine when it is being stored; and if the ink is not exhausted within 6 months then one must discard the cartridges.

The speed of printing is an improvement on the 820cw model; but is still nothing exemplary. Lag time before the printer started to print the text was 18 seconds. It took a further 14 seconds to print 60 lines of text - quality was 'normal fast'; the 60 lines were spread over one full page and one page with one small paragraph on it.

Judged overall, I am extremely pleased with the MFC 885CW. I paid slightly less than £194 inclusive of VAT and delivery charges.