The Brother MFC-J1205W INKvestment Tank all-in-one printer boasts unique features, including its remarkably compact size and a distinct approach to inkjet tank technology. This review explores its design, print performance, special features, software compatibility, price, and overall value to help you determine if it’s the right printer for your needs.
The Brother MFC-J1205WThe Brother MFC-J1205W’s compact design fits easily in a home office.
Compact and Practical Design
The Brother MFC-J1205W’s off-white color blends seamlessly into most home office environments. Its compact dimensions—17.1 inches wide, 14.1 inches deep, and just 6.3 inches tall—make it one of the few all-in-ones suitable for shelf placement. Weighing only 12.3 pounds, it’s also lightweight and easy to move. A key design advantage is the front-facing paper tray and output bin, eliminating the need for rear access, except in rare paper jam situations. The removable paper tray also allows convenient access to the rear tray for photo paper. While the MFC-J1205W lacks a display screen, this simplifies basic operations, relegating more complex tasks to the mobile app or computer interface. Five simple buttons control paper size, Wi-Fi, power, and mono/color copying.
Print Performance: Speed vs. Vibrancy
Brother MFC-J1205WWhile the MFC-J1205W prints quickly, photo prints may lack vibrancy.
Despite its “INKvestment Tank” name, the MFC-J1205W utilizes large ink cartridges instead of refillable ink tanks, impacting long-term cost savings compared to true tank printers. Document printing is excellent, with crisp text, clear color graphics, and impressive speeds of 16 ppm for black-and-white and 9 ppm for color. Photo print quality, however, shows some weaknesses. While sharp, photos lack color saturation and contrast, even on the highest quality setting, appearing somewhat washed out. Interestingly, plain paper photo prints are surprisingly good, suggesting potential optimization for uncoated paper.
Scanning and Copying: Quick and Functional
Scanning with the Brother MFC-J1205W is fast but photos require an extra step.Scanning is quick, but photo scans require an extra step to adjust contrast.
The MFC-J1205W’s scanning and copying functionalities are fast and efficient. Scanning is particularly speedy, although the lack of an automatic document feeder necessitates single-page scanning. Photo scans initially exhibit high contrast, but a post-scan option allows switching to a “picture” mode, restoring normal exposure levels. This extra step, however, could become tedious for multiple photo scans.
Software and Compatibility: Mostly Seamless
Installing the Brother MFC-J1205WInstalling the Brother MFC-J1205W is straightforward.
The MFC-J1205W offers broad compatibility with Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, ChromeOS, and even Linux. Mobile printing, including direct printing from photo apps with automatic borderless printing, is seamless. The Brother mobile app provides additional control over cropping, rotating, and resizing. However, printing envelopes presented a challenge, requiring accessing the web portal to set a custom paper size—a cumbersome process that would benefit from integration into the mobile app.
Price and Value: A Middle Ground
Screenshots show BrotherBrother’s Mobile Connect app provides helpful page yield estimates.
At $129, the MFC-J1205W offers an attractive entry price. While marketed as an “INKvestment Tank” printer, its cartridge-based system, with a 750-page yield for both black and color, doesn’t offer the same long-term cost savings as true tank printers. Running costs average 3 cents per page for monochrome and 6 cents for color—competitive with cartridge-based inkjets but higher than tank printers. Brother’s helpful page yield estimates within the Mobile Connect app, however, provide valuable insights into remaining ink levels based on both standard and usage-based calculations.
Conclusion: Ideal for Space-Conscious Users
The Brother MFC-J1205W INKvestment Tank printer has a small footprint.The MFC-J1205W’s compact size makes it a great choice for small spaces.
The Brother MFC-J1205W excels as a compact and convenient all-in-one printer for home offices, especially where space is at a premium. Its front-loading design and ease of use are significant advantages. While photo printing and envelope setup could be improved, its speed, document quality, and reasonable running costs make it a compelling option for those prioritizing convenience and space efficiency over ultimate cost savings and photo print vibrancy.
