Brother International Multifunction Devices

The Bottom Line: The Brother MFC-990CW is a speedy, fully capable all-in-one device that earns our recommendation for an individual or a family that will make use of its touch screen and telephone/answering machine. Mechanical issues notwithstanding, this is the highest-scoring Brother printer we've tested to date.

Specs: Fax, Copier, Printer, Scanner, Ink-jet, 1200 x 2400 dpi, Cordless handset

The Bottom Line: The Brother MFC-3360C does decent quality text and graphics, but anyone printing a large volume of photos won't be happy with the extremely slow output speed. If you're set on buying a multifunction printer, put your $90 toward a more capable device, like the Canon Pixma MX330.

Specs: Fax, Copier, Printer, Scanner, Ink-jet, 600 x 1200 dpi, Corded handset

The Bottom Line: We've tested plenty of printers at CNET, but very few have frustrated us as much as the Brother DCP-165C multifunction has. The counterintuitive setup, bland design, deplorable print quality, and crawling output speeds earns this printer a double thumbs down. Spend $30 more and you can get the Canon Pixma MX330, an all-in-one printer that adds a fax machine on top of the copy, scan, and print features.

Specs: Copier, Printer, Scanner, Ink-jet, 1200 x 2400 dpi

The Bottom Line: The Brother MFC-490CW is an improvement over the more expensive MFC-5890CN, but that still doesn't excuse its drudging print speeds and mechanical issues under the hood. Instead of dealing with these headaches, we recommend you look toward the Canon Pixma MX330, which will give you consistent performance and a variety of extra features for the same price.

Specs: 1 year warranty

The Bottom Line: The Brother MFC-5890CN all-in-one is hands down the worst printer to take up space in our lab. From the irritating initial set up to the horrendous output quality and slow print speed, this device is the easiest way to flush $200 down the drain.

Specs: Fax, Copier, Printer, Scanner, Ink-jet, 1200 x 2400 dpi, None

The Bottom Line: The Brother MFC-7440N prints quickly and is fairly inexpensive to sustain, but we simply can't get behind a printer with poor quality graphics, significant hardware defects, and a boring design.

Specs: Fax, Copier, Printer, Scanner, Laser, 600 x 2400 dpi, None

The Bottom Line: The Brother HL-2170W laser printer can be the perfect money saving sidekick to your existing inkjet, but don't expect it to handle even the most minor graphic jobs.

The Bottom Line: The Brother MFC-685CW inkjet multifunction printer offers tons of great features at the expense of print speed and quality. If speed and quality are your priorities, look elsewhere.

Specs: Fax, Copier, Printer, Scanner, Ink-jet, 600 x 2400 dpi, Corded handset

The Bottom Line: Our quibbles with the Brother MFC-9440CN pale in comparison to the many things we like about it, chiefly its sublime combination of fast speeds with high-quality output. It's currently our favorite recommendation for a small office environment.

Specs: Fax, Copier, Printer, Scanner, Laser, 1200 x 2400 dpi

The Bottom Line: The Brother MFC-440cn has a lot to offer, but it falls short on print quality. We prefer the Canon Pixma MP530 for a small-office environment.

Specs: Fax, Copier, Printer, Scanner, Ink-jet, 2400 x 600 dpi