Brother MFC-8860DN Flatbed Laser All-in-One Printer with Duplex

by Brother

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 18 x 21 x 19 inches ; 36.8 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 51 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B000ET5W6E
• Item model number: MFC-8860dn
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (91 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #58 in Electronics > Office Electronics > Fax Machines
  • #94 in Electronics > Computers & Add-Ons > Printers > All-In-One Printers > Laser All-In-One Printers
• Date first available at Amazon.com: July 7, 2004

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description The MFC-8860DN has a convenient flatbed design that accommodates either single sheets or bound documents for copying, faxing, or scanning. With the ability to function as a digital copier, the unit supports reduction and enlargement of documents from 25 to 400 percent in one percent increments, makes up to 99 copies, and includes sorting functionality. Copies up to legal size can be made from both the glass and the automatic document feeder. Print and copy speeds up to 21 pages per minute keep up with busy offices, while outstanding resolution of up to 1,200 x 1,200 dpi gives each document exceptional legibility.

The MFC-8860DN features two sided (duplexed) printing, copying, scanning, and faxing. You can take a typical document file and simply choose to print it as a duplexed document right from the MFC-8860DN's print menu, with the orientation you prefer. Your selection then happens automatically, without the need to reload the paper to print the other side. You can also copy or scan two sides of the same document and either print the copy or store the scan as two single-sided pages, or as a single two-sided page. Or, you can copy or scan two single-sided documents and produce a copy or store a scan as a single two-sided page. You can even scan a two-sided document for faxing with only one step and it will be received as two single-sided pages.

Print, fax, scan, and copy -- all from one powerful unit. View larger.

Send scans, copies, and faxes directly from the MFC-8860DN to colleagues that are listed in your network address book.

Choose the document feeder or the flatbed.

Single or double sided -- you make the call.

As a full-function stand-alone fax machine, the MFC-8860DN supports up to 340 total speed dial locations, and also incorporates dual access and broadcast faxing features. It stores up to 600 pages for Quick Scan faxing or out-of-paper fax reception. Stand-alone fax and copy operation is standard, so no computer is required.

When operating as a scanner, the unit is capable of color scanning up to 9,600 dpi interpolated resolution (up to 600 x 2,400 dpi optical). For Windows and OS X 10.2.4 or greater based users, there is an easy-to-use "scan to" button for scanning directly to an FTP site, image application, OCR, E-mail application or file. Save time and reduce errors with instant direct access through your network connected MFC-8860DN to a virtually infinite number of e-mail and fax addresses stored in your LDAP network address books. Simply use the large, clear 5-line LCD display on the MFC-8860DN's control panel to view the contacts stored in your network address books and scroll to select the address you need. Then you can quickly send faxes and Internet faxes to your selection, and perform scan-to-e-mail-address functions.

The MFC-8860DN provides the ability for an administrator to set various levels of password protected access to certain features, for each of up to 25 different users per machine. Through this feature, you can restrict specific employees such as part-time workers or interns from access to scan-to-e-mail functions or other avenues for sending data outside your walls.

The color scanner function comes bundled with document management and OCR software. ScanSoft PaperPort SE with OCR software is available for Windows and Presto! Page Manager is available for Mac users. Meanwhile, The MFC-8860DN is supplied with built-in wired Ethernet networking. The unit is compatible with both PC and Mac operating systems (Windows 98/NT4.0/2000/Me/2000/XP and Mac OS 9.1-9.2, OS X 10.2.4 or greater). Standard emulations of PCL6 and BR-Script3 (PostScript3) are included as well. Brother provides a one-year warranty, covering parts and service.

What's in the Box
Multifunction unit, paper tray, multipurpose tray, TN540 Standard Yield Toner Cartridge (3,500 Pages), DR510 Drum Unit (20,000 Pages) CD-ROM with drivers and utilities, printed user's guide, warranty information

Product Description

Brother MFC-8860DN Flatbed Laser All-in-One Printer with Duplex

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

176 of 178 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice multifunction that could use some improvements, May 8, 2006

By 

Scott H. "scott11686" (Miami, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brother MFC-8860DN Flatbed Laser All-in-One Printer with Duplex (Office Product)

I bought the 8860DN a couple weeks ago to replace my aging HP 3330. While I'm quite happy with much of the 8860DN, there are a few things that could use improvement. Some of these can be addressed in software, others I fear are hardware issues.

BTW, I'm on my second machine because I thought some of the issues with the first warranted a replacement. Now I know its a "common" issue.

1) The print engine creaks and makes popping sounds as the fuser heats and cools. Even the demo machine in Office Depot does the same thing. The creaking is really annoying if you sit near the machine. A Brother senior tech rep tells me this issue is common to many Brother lasers. Well, gimme a break because HP and others don't creak! **UPDATE** Brother Corporate office tells me the popping sounds are considered "normal" by the engineers and at this time they have no plans to fix. Pathetic if you ask me. I think most users will agree!!!

2) The scanner ADF head will sometimes make odd sounds when its scanning the last page of a multi-page scan. It sounds as if the motor or gears need lubrication.

3) I've had the COPY function lockup on me a couple times (other fucntions continue to work) and the only way to correct is to power cycle. Cause is unknown but the clowns at Brother support tell me to keep power cycling the resolve the problem. IDIOTS!

4) The IFAX feature is not very well explained and is somewhat odd in the way it works (or tries to work). I've yet to really figure it out. As an alternative I use the FAX FORWARD TO EMAIL function which works well.

5) A PC software bug: When scanning multiple pages its impossible to multitask since the scanner interface takes the focus away from whatever you are doing everytime it begins scanning a new page. Brother apparently knows about this issue and will correct in the next software version.

Other than the above isues, I'm fairly satisfied in the short time I've been using this MFC. If I may comment in response to one of the previous reviews, the beep sound is adjustable and I believe if the user took the time to read the manual, he'd be quite happy with the level of customization available on this machine (I rarely hear of people complaining about too many features). Oh, and yes as stoneaged as it sounds, some people still do occasionally receive faxes.

As far as I'm concerned, the print speed is excellent. Even complex pages print quickly with nearly no delay between pages. A huge improvment over my old HP. Also, I find the scan speed on non complex scans to be excellent. Complex and high res scans are somewhat slower, but they are with many scanners (and certainly about every multifucntion I've run across). Print duplexing is another very nice touch and I'm surprised it works as well as it does. The 8860DN gets the job done and it does them well overall.

Things about the 8860DN I prefer over the new HP 3390 I compared it to.

1) 8860 has a legal size scan plate
2) 8860 will fax forward to email
3) 8860 is $150 less with approx. the same cost per page in consumables.
4) 8860 does duplex scan, copy

78 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent - very happy, August 23, 2006

By 

Technologist "Neil" (San Francisco Bay Area) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Brother MFC-8860DN Flatbed Laser All-in-One Printer with Duplex (Office Product)

After reading reviews here I hesitated but happened to see the same machine (but without duplex capability) at a work site and that clinched it for me.

This machine is FAST. Setup is easy (I used the network connection) and the software is vastly improved over the last Brother laser I had (an HL-1270N).

The ticking noises other reviews mention is very slight and lasts just a few seconds while it heats up. Previous lasers I've had would typically whir loudly during this warm-up time - not this one. I sit next to the printer and it's really nothing. I think people have noticed it because it occurs in silence without other whiring sounds. The noise of the paper pick up (which is typical of any laser printer) is louder than the ticking (heating) sounds and the ticking stops before the first page comes out (so it lasts mere seconds). 5 seconds ticking, 5 seconds whiring and printing, page comes out. Followed by maybe 20-30 very small ticks over the next few minutes as it cools down. In comparison, my QMS color laser whirs loudly for about 15 minutes after printing a page.

What I didn't appreciate before ordering is that even the scanner has duplexing capability - fantastic! Double sided faxes and scans are simple.

Scanning works well both from the printer and when controlled from the PC. From the printer it shows the list of the available networked PC names to scan to - very nice. Pick your machine, press start, job done.

The only slight quirk I've noticed so far is that when sending double sided faxes the reverse sides are transmitted upside down. Maybe there's a setting for this somewhere. I haven't needed to read the manual AT ALL so far.

I haven't seen any sign of flickering room lights or other concerns from the power draw during heat-up. Installation couldn't have been simpler. Machine is not too heavy and is easily picked up and moved by one person.

OCR software works very well - again an improvement on the past.

Verdict (after owning a few days): Don't hesistate to buy - so far very very happy. Vast improvement over previous MFC's and lasers I've owned.

51 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Multi-Function Machine, April 27, 2006

By 

Eric Wade (Tulsa, OK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Brother MFC-8860DN Flatbed Laser All-in-One Printer with Duplex (Office Product)

Having had bad experiences with multi-function machines in the past, I over-researched this purchase. To begin with, this machine's specs are top notch for the money. You simply cannot get this much bang for your buck from any other company. Taking the machine out of the box and setting it up was remarkably easy. I actually thought I was forgeting something. The software installed cleanly and is user-friendly. I should mention, however, that I have not gone through the fax machine setup (not using for that purpose at the present time). Also, the machine does not come with a USB cable, which is, unfortunately, fairly standard with printers today.

Prints and copies at 30 ppm in 600 dpi. I have tested this and it appears fairly close to true (maybe a little slower, like 28 ppm). It produces nice, crisp clear letters in both print and copy modes. The 50 page ADF is made from a reasonably sturdy plastic. At least it doesn't feel like it is going to come loose or break off, and I have not had any paper jams (as of yet) in the ADF or standard, 250 count paper tray.

The scan function has worked well. Two very nice features this model provides are scan to pdf file and scan to OCR. The scan to pdf file is a rare option in a desktop multi-function machine at this price. It works well, although I am still playing around with the settings in an effort to find the best scan quality at a decent file size. I think the pdf file sizes I have been getting are too large (around 700KB - 1MB for a 1 to 2 page pdf). Surely this can be corrected by changing some settings. The scan to OCR also works remarkably well. I can remember 5 years ago attempting to use scan to OCR on another machine and being very disappointed. Things have improved greatly.

The cost of the toner cartridges on this model are reasonable. A high yield 7000 page cartridge for around $80 - $90 works out to a cost per page of 1.14 - 1.28 cents per page of toner, which is quite good.

Can't comment on the fax functions b/c I am not using it for that purpose.

Overall, a very nice machine with impressive features at this price. Hopefully it holds up.