Brother DCP-T220 Ink Tank Printer

Brother DCP-T220 is a compact, all-in-one ink tank printer that offers printing, scanning, and copying. It’s part of Brother’s “InkBenefit” Tank series

Brother DCP-T220 Ink Tank Printer is priced at Kes 17,300  here at Novelty Tech Solution in Nairobi, Kenya 

Full Specifications

Key Features Explained

1. Refillable Ink Tank System:

   • Ultra-Low Cost-Per-Page: This is the entire purpose of the printer. Refilling with high-yield BC-60 series ink bottles results in one of the lowest printing costs on the market.

   • Easy Refilling: The tanks are transparent, color-coded, and designed for simple, spill-free refilling.

2. Extreme Compactness:

   • Its small footprint is a major advantage for users with very limited desk space, such as in dorm rooms or small home offices.

3. Borderless Photo Printing:

   • Despite being a basic model, it supports borderless printing up to A4 size, which is suitable for printing photos and flyers.

Who is this printer for?

• Students: Ideal for printing assignments, notes, and basic project graphics at a very low cost.

• Home Users with Low-to-Moderate Print Volume: Perfect for families who need to print occasionally but want to avoid the high cost of cartridge printers.

• Budget-Conscious Users: This is one of the most affordable ways to get into ink tank printing.

• Users who only need a USB connection and have a dedicated computer to connect it to.

Potential Considerations / Limitations

• No Wireless Connectivity: This is the biggest limitation. The standard DCP-T220 cannot connect to Wi-Fi. It must be connected to a single computer via USB. If you need wireless printing from multiple devices or mobile phones, you must look for the Brother DCP-T220W or DCP-T226W model (the “W” denotes wireless).

• No Automatic Document Feeder (ADF): Like the DCP-L2540DW laser printer, it only has a flatbed scanner. This makes scanning or copying multi-page documents very tedious.

• Slow Print and Copy Speeds: The print and copy speeds are relatively slow compared to laser printers or more expensive ink tanks.

• Very Basic Paper Handling: A 100-sheet input capacity is low, and there is no automatic duplex printing.

• No Display: Operation is guided by LED lights, which can be less intuitive than a small LCD screen.

• Ink Type: Uses dye-based inks, which are vibrant for color but are not waterproof and may fade faster than pigment inks.

Comparison with Brother DCP-L2540DW (Laser)

Conclusion

The Brother DCP-T220 is a highly specialized printer that excels in one area: delivering the lowest possible cost for color pages. It achieves this by stripping away features like wireless connectivity, an ADF, and a display to reach an ultra-low price point.

Choose this printer if:

• Your primary need is affordable color printing.

• You have very limited space and a tight budget.

• You are okay with connecting it via USB to a single computer and do not need to print from your phone.

Avoid this printer if:

• You need wireless printing. (Look for the DCP-T220W/T226W instead).

• You need to scan or copy multi-page documents regularly.

• You print mostly black-and-white text and need speed. (A mono laser would be better).

• You require automatic two-sided printing.