Brother FAX275 Personal Fax & Telephone

The FAX275 was easy to set up and took only minutes without referring to the owner's manual, though we recommend perusal of the manual if you're setting up the machine up on a line with a phone that has an external answering machine or on a line with numbers that roll over. (Note that phone lines using call waiting or voice mail may run into trouble operating the FAX275.)

The handset is very lightweight and comfortable with a tapered design. In our tests, it delivered very clear, clean sound. The automatic fax-phone switch made it easy to place calls and receive faxes through the same phone line. The FAX275 supports caller ID and distinctive ring if offered through your phone service provider.

The unit's faxes were clear and easy to read. In order to avoid curling faxes, the FAX275 uses ThermaPlus paper, which is not as convenient as plain paper but performed well compared to most roll-type fax papers. The 16-digit LCD displayed clear, bright numbers and messages. The FAX275's ringer was unpleasantly jarring, but the ring volume was easily to adjust.

The phone index for alphabetical search of stored numbers is a great convenience, as is the automatic redial, delayed transmission, and hold button. The FAX275 includes a starter roll of ThermaPlus paper and a 90-day warranty.

Pros:

• Easy setup and use
• Crisp, quality printing
• Easy-to-load paper roll

Cons:

• Cannot use plain paper
• May conflict with some phone services

Also featured are a 64-shade grayscale, 16-digit LCD display, a phone index to look up stored numbers alphabetically, external answering machine interface, automatic redial, polling, and delayed transmission. The Brother International FAX275 includes a starter roll of ThermaPlus paper and a 90-day warranty.