MFC-990CW

Retiring a working MFC-990CW over ink would waste sound hardware; keeping it running only requires honoring its cartridge specification. The specification is narrow: this is one of 23 family models limited to the standard LC61 tier. The high-yield LC65HY cartridges sold for this cassette family fit just four other printers — MFC-5890CN, MFC-5895CW, MFC-6490CW and MFC-6890CDW — and any listing that offers them as an upgrade for this model is wrong, however similar the cartridges look. This page lists LC61 cartridges only.

The Brother MFC-990CW runs on the LC61 standard cartridges — LC61BK black up to 450 pages, colors up to 325 pages each (ISO/IEC 24711). On cost per page, the standard black works out at about 1.9 cents a page ($8.69 for up to 450 pages) and each color at about 2.7 cents (up to 325 pages). If you print mostly black, the Set of 10's four-black mix matches how these printers actually consume ink.

Which LC61 should you buy?

One color at a time: black, cyan, magenta and yellow — $8.69 each.
Full refresh: the Set of 4 ($29.94) puts one of each color in one box.
Print every week: the Set of 10 ($59.85) puts four blacks and two of each color in one box.

Chip, ink and everyday use

A printer this well specified deserves parts handled to specification in return: a fresh cartridge is held by the housing, fingers stay off the chip contact, and only the empty slot is changed. Black, cyan, magenta and yellow are fully individual in the LC61 system, each with its own chip. Brother has discontinued the LC61 line; every Clever Supplies LC61 cartridge carries a lifetime warranty with 1-year free returns, rated at Brother's own ISO/IEC 24711 figures (black 450, colors 325).