The Brother HL-5350DN is a sophisticated monochrome, mono-functional laser printer that includes advanced built-in Ethernet capabilities. This dynamic machine will integrate into an existing business configuration with ease. But it is also affordable enough and intuitive enough to serve admirably as a home office solution. The HL-5350DN shares much in common with its smaller sibling, the HL-5250DN. In fact, Brother does not price them very far apart. But the HL-5350DN distinguishes itself by being faster, lighter, more compact and reaching speeds of 30 pages per minute.
Design
A great deal of thought went into the design of both the Brother HL-5350DN and HL-5250DN. In both cases, Brother was able to produce machines that were more compact, lighter and had a smaller footprint than almost all comparable models. This design is convenient enough to serve well in the cramped quarters of a dorm room. It also sports a light grey on dark grey colour scheme that is stylish but reserved, which allows it to blend with almost any environment. As is the case with other Brother laser printers, replacing Brother HL-5350DN toner is very easy and quick. Like the HL-5250DN, the HL-5350DN does not have an LCD display or a keyboard. However, there is a software control panel that you can tap into from a PC, Mac or Linux machine in order to access advanced features.
Advantages
As a company, Brother really shines at delivering high quality and performance at an extremely competitive rate. The Brother HL-5350DN is no exception. And since Brother HL-5350DN toner cartridges are relatively inexpensive, this is no bait and switch. The HL-5350DN is one of the best cost-per-page options on the market for home use and for small businesses that have only light printing needs. The HL-5350DN is also extremely fast for this price level. Start-up time is a little on the slow side, but once it gets going, it really gets going. And users have the option of expanding the default 32 MB memory up to 544 MB, which helps speed when printing complex pages.
Disadvantages
The biggest disadvantage to the Brother HL-5250DN is that it holds a maximum of 300 pages. This is fine for home use, but it can present problems for small office environments. And while it does support multi sheet paper, it does so only up to 750 pages. For cost-effectiveness, businesses typically buy larger boxes than that. Another disadvantage is the lack of multi-function. At this price point, you can purchase a printer that includes copy, fax and scan functionality. However, those models do not even remotely achieve the same level of print quality that the HL-5250DN does. Another notable disadvantage is the lack of energy-saving features and the fact that this unit draws more juice than most comparable units do.
