Brother LC753PKS XL 3-Pack Review: Conditional Buy
The loudest “complaint” isn’t about print quality—it’s about finding the ink at all. Best Buy reviewer Rich pleaded: “please do not delete availability of these items,” arguing there are “still customers that utilize these.” That kind of scarcity anxiety, paired with consistently high ratings (Amazon shows 4.7/5 from 2,646 reviews; Best Buy shows 4.7/5 from 1,099 reviews), frames the story: Brother LC753PKS XL High Yield 3 Pack Ink is widely trusted by long-time Brother printer owners, but increasingly treated like a disappearing staple.
Brother LC753PKS XL High Yield 3 Pack Ink verdict: dependable OEM color cartridges with strong longevity and easy installs—held back mainly by availability quirks and occasional packaging/expiry gripes. Score: 8.9/10
Quick Verdict
Brother LC753PKS XL High Yield 3 Pack Ink: Conditional Yes (especially if you own a compatible older Brother MFC printer and prefer OEM reliability).
Digging deeper into user reports, the clearest throughline is that people buying this pack are often supporting “very old” but still-working printers—and they’re willing to pay for fewer headaches versus refills. Best Buy reviewer Louie 1487 called it “quality ink and low cost” and said it’s “far better then those refill cartridges,” describing it as “a grab and go.” That “grab and go” theme repeats: owners don’t want experiments; they want cartridges that click in and work.
At the same time, value perceptions swing wildly depending on where shoppers catch it. Best Buy listings show it as clearance-priced and “sold out,” while Amazon and office-supply sites list it around the $38.99 range. That gap feeds two competing narratives: some call it “worth the money,” others call OEM ink “stupily expensive but… more problem free than the imitators,” as summarized on BirdEye.
| Data point (from sources) | What buyers liked | Where it shows up | What caused frustration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.7/5 rating (Amazon, 2,646 reviews) | Consistent satisfaction with OEM results | Amazon | Higher total cost with shipping/import in some regions |
| 4.7/5 rating (Best Buy, 1,099 reviews) | “Ink quality,” “ease of use,” “value” tags | Best Buy | “Harder to find,” sold out/clearance dynamics |
| High-yield claims: ~600 pages (Amazon specs; Brother Canada; Office Depot) | Perceived “last much longer” than standard | Amazon, Brother Canada, Office Depot, Best Buy reviews | Some users note shorter-than-expected expiry dates |
| Multi-pack convenience (CMY together) | Avoids being blocked from printing | Best Buy | Occasionally shipped as separate boxes vs. a true 3-pack |
| OEM vs refills | Fewer issues, less smearing/leaks | Best Buy; BirdEye | Price sensitivity vs cheaper imitators |
Claims vs Reality
Claim 1: “Approx. 600 page yield per cartridge” (ISO/IEC 24711).
Officially, Amazon specs and Brother Canada both state “up to 600 pages per cartridge,” and Office Depot repeats “up to 600 pages / cartridge.” In real-life feedback, users often translate that into a simpler lived experience: XL lasts about “almost twice as long” as standard. Best Buy reviewer Drums compared it directly: “yield 600 pages vs. 300.”
While the 600-page figure is a lab-style benchmark, many buyers don’t cite exact page counts—they describe fewer cartridge swaps. Best Buy reviewer Jones tied it to heavy use: “I’m a full-time college student… constantly making copies and printing… I definitely noticed how long it lasted.” The reality seems less about hitting precisely 600 pages and more about noticeable longevity compared with LC71/standard.
Claim 2: “Reliable OEM ink… designed to maximize efficiency.” (Amazon product copy).
This is where user stories strongly align. Best Buy reviewer Till Tech wrote: “these cartridges always work well with my brother printer with no issues.” Another Best Buy reviewer, Augie, anchored reliability in an unglamorous but important detail: “my 5-star review is based on the fact that not one has ever leaked.”
But the “efficiency” promise runs into one practical headache: some users buy OEM not because they love it, but because the printer ecosystem forces it. Best Buy reviewer John Edison warned that a Brother all-in-one “will not let you print at all… if any of the 3 color ink cartridges are empty,” even if black is full. For households that mostly print monochrome documents, the “maximize efficiency” pitch can feel at odds with being compelled to keep color stocked.
Claim 3: “Convenient multi-pack savings.” (Office Depot copy; multi-pack positioning).
Several users validate the convenience angle: Best Buy reviewer Zech Mo liked that it’s “great value instead of buying each cartridge separate,” and John Edison argued it’s “more economical by a dollar or two to buy all 3 at once.” For people who want to avoid downtime, the multi-pack is essentially a readiness kit.
Yet one buyer experience undercuts the neat “single box, single set” expectation. Best Buy reviewer Old guy said: “they sent 3 separate boxes not the 3-pack,” and also noted: “boxes were a bit beat up.” So while the product is conceptually a 3-pack, fulfillment sometimes doesn’t feel like it.
Cross-Platform Consensus
Universally Praised
A recurring pattern emerged across Best Buy and Amazon: people buying Brother LC753PKS XL High Yield 3 Pack Ink are often veterans of the Brother ecosystem who have tried cheaper routes and circled back to OEM. Best Buy reviewer Louie 1487 said: “been using brothers ink because it works far better then those refill cartridges.” On BirdEye’s review summary, one customer echoed that mindset bluntly: “stupily expensive but they are more problem free than the imitators.” For risk-averse home offices, that “problem free” framing is the core value proposition.
Longevity is the other major pillar, and it’s repeatedly described as a practical win for high-volume users. Best Buy reviewer Drums called it “high yield brothers ink” and emphasized it “last much longer.” Student and print-heavy users tell the same story with more context: Best Buy reviewer Jones shared they switched from LC71 to the larger capacity and said: “I go through a lot of ink and I definitely noticed how long it lasted.” Even without hard numbers, these stories consistently interpret XL as fewer interruptions.
Ease of installation shows up as a quiet but meaningful benefit, especially for older-printer owners who don’t want troubleshooting sessions. Best Buy reviewer Toni said it’s “easy to order” and “easy to place in the printer,” while John Edison described installation speed: “all of 15 seconds each to install.” For small offices, that’s less time fiddling with consumables and more time printing.
Color output quality also gets explicit praise when buyers print images or presentations. Best Buy reviewer Annie linked the purchase to photo printing: “I needed to print a few pictures and the clarity of color was awesome.” Another Best Buy reviewer Renee kept it simple: “colors are good… good quality… very happy.” The “universally praised” take here isn’t that it’s boutique photo ink—it’s that it consistently meets expectations for vivid, reliable color.
After those narratives, the most repeated positives can be summarized like this:
- OEM reliability over refills: “works far better then those refill cartridges” (Best Buy, Louie 1487)
- Longer-lasting XL yield: “last much longer” (Best Buy, Drums)
- Fast, simple installation: “15 seconds each to install” (Best Buy, John Edison)
- Solid color clarity: “clarity of color was awesome” (Best Buy, Annie)
Common Complaints
The most emotional complaint isn’t smearing or failures—it’s availability. Best Buy reviewer Rich wrote: “please do not delete availability of these items,” adding: “there are still customers that utilize these.” Another Best Buy meta-summary even notes: “some customers have noted that the product is becoming harder to find.” For owners of older compatible printers, this isn’t a minor annoyance; it’s a supply-line fear that threatens the printer’s usefulness.
Packaging and fulfillment issues show up as smaller but concrete irritants. Best Buy reviewer Old guy reported: “boxes were a bit beat up,” and the order arrived as “3 separate boxes not the 3-pack.” That matters most for gift purchases, office stocking, or anyone expecting the convenience of a single retail pack. It also feeds distrust—if you expect one sealed bundle and get multiple boxes, you may wonder if it’s old stock or mismatched inventory even when the ink itself works fine.
Expiration dating is another practical concern raised by at least one user. The same Best Buy reviewer Old guy noted: “expiration date is 15 months from purchase (seems shorter than other ink i have bought).” While this doesn’t prove widespread short-dated inventory, it’s a specific friction point for low-volume households that might store cartridges for a long time.
The recurring complaints, in user language, look like:
- Availability anxiety: “please keep them available” (Best Buy, Rich)
- Shipping/packaging quality: “boxes were a bit beat up” (Best Buy, Old guy)
- Not arriving as a single 3-pack: “they sent 3 separate boxes” (Best Buy, Old guy)
- Shorter-than-expected expiry: “15 months from purchase” (Best Buy, Old guy)
Divisive Features
Price is where opinions split, largely based on perspective and purchase channel. Some see strong value in the multi-pack and XL longevity. Best Buy reviewer Primetime 35 wrote: “best value you can get for color cartridges,” and Cookie said pricing was “cheaper than any of their competitors.” But elsewhere, the tone flips: BirdEye’s summary includes the complaint “stupily expensive,” even though it still acknowledges OEM is “more problem free.”
Printer lock-in is divisive in a different way: it’s not a feature of the ink, but it shapes why people buy it. Best Buy reviewer John Edison described a scenario that makes the 3-pack feel mandatory: the printer “will not let you print at all… even in monochrome… if any of the 3 color ink cartridges are empty.” For frequent color users, keeping CMY stocked is normal; for mostly-black document printers, this can feel like an unfair tax—pushing them toward buying the pack “to save the day.”
Trust & Reliability
“Trust” in this category largely means OEM authenticity and predictable performance, and the feedback repeatedly frames Brother LC753PKS XL High Yield 3 Pack Ink as the safe choice. On BirdEye, one reviewer said they “always use oem ink. works great, ink prints great,” and emphasized gratitude that it’s “still available to buy.” That “still available” refrain doubles as a reliability signal: long-time users keep coming back, not cycling through brands.
Long-term durability stories show up more as “no issues over time” than dramatic before/after narratives. Best Buy reviewer Till Tech said they’ve used them “for more than 2 years” and that they “always work well… with no issues.” Augie’s comment also frames reliability as the absence of disasters: “not one has ever leaked.” For home offices, leak-free and consistent recognition by the printer is the reliability standard that matters.
While some platforms in your dataset repeat Best Buy content under other headings, the most “scam concern” adjacent signals come from fulfillment oddities (separate boxes, beat-up packaging) rather than explicit fraud claims. The user feedback provided does not include reports of counterfeit ink; it’s more about whether stock is aging or distribution is getting messy.
Alternatives
Competitors are explicitly mentioned by users as reference points, not always as direct substitutes. Best Buy reviewer Louie 1487 compared ongoing costs: “cheaper then hp and canon,” positioning Brother OEM as a better long-run deal than those brands’ consumables. That’s not a drop-in alternative for the same printer, but it is part of how shoppers justify sticking with Brother cartridges instead of changing ecosystems.
The only true “alternative” raised in the feedback is the refill/third-party route—and it’s mostly discussed as a cautionary tale. Louie 1487 said Brother ink “works far better then those refill cartridges,” and BirdEye’s summary echoed: OEM is “more problem free than the imitators.” For users tempted by cheaper compatible cartridges, these quotes frame the trade: lower upfront cost versus higher risk of hassles.
Price & Value
Price and value depend heavily on where buyers find Brother LC753PKS XL High Yield 3 Pack Ink. Amazon lists it at $38.99 (plus shipping/import costs in the provided snapshot), and Office Depot lists $38.99/pack as well. Best Buy, in contrast, shows a clearance price of $7.99 but also “sold out,” which helps explain why buyers talk about it being “harder to find.”
Resale/market pricing signals on eBay show a wide spread, from an “open box” listing at $18.99 plus shipping (seller “al whizzbang”) to a new listing at $94.00 free shipping (seller “interloper-ecommerce”). Those swings suggest that when retail channels dry up, scarcity can push prices into “collector consumable” territory—bad news for owners trying to keep older printers alive affordably.
Community buying logic focuses on two “value math” arguments: buy XL over standard, and buy the CMY pack together. Best Buy reviewer Drums compared XL to non-high-yield: “yield 600 pages vs. 300.” John Edison argued the pack is “more economical by a dollar or two” than buying individually—and also framed it as insurance against being blocked from printing.
Practical buying tips implied by user feedback:
- If your printer blocks printing when a color runs out, keep a spare multi-pack on hand (Best Buy, John Edison).
- If you print a lot (school/work), XL longevity is a noticeable upgrade (Best Buy, Jones; Drums).
- Check packaging/expiration on arrival if you’re stocking up (Best Buy, Old guy).
- Shop around—prices can vary wildly from clearance to scarcity pricing (Best Buy listing vs Amazon/Office Depot vs eBay).
FAQ
Q: Does the Brother LC753PKS XL 3-pack really last longer than standard cartridges?
A: Yes, many buyers say the XL cartridges last noticeably longer than standard. Best Buy reviewer Drums compared “yield 600 pages vs. 300,” and Best Buy reviewer Jones said after switching to larger capacity, they “definitely noticed how long it lasted” while printing constantly as a student.
Q: Is OEM Brother ink worth it compared to refill cartridges?
A: For many buyers, yes—mainly to avoid hassles. Best Buy reviewer Louie 1487 said Brother ink “works far better then those refill cartridges,” and BirdEye’s summary includes: “stupily expensive but they are more problem free than the imitators.” The value is reliability, not cheapest cost.
Q: Will my Brother printer stop printing if one color cartridge is empty?
A: Some users say yes on certain Brother all-in-ones. Best Buy reviewer John Edison wrote the printer “will not let you print at all… even in monochrome… if any of the 3 color ink cartridges are empty,” which is why they recommend keeping the CMY 3-pack available as backup.
Q: Do these cartridges leak or smear?
A: Reports in the provided feedback lean positive. Best Buy reviewer Augie said: “not one has ever leaked,” and Best Buy reviewer 8119 described them as “don’t smear.” These comments focus on consistent, trouble-free use rather than exceptional performance.
Q: Any issues with packaging or expiration dates?
A: A few buyers mention minor fulfillment problems. Best Buy reviewer Old guy said “boxes were a bit beat up,” that they received “3 separate boxes not the 3-pack,” and noted an “expiration date… 15 months from purchase.” If you’re stocking up, checking dates on arrival may help.
Final Verdict
Buy Brother LC753PKS XL High Yield 3 Pack Ink if you’re a long-time Brother MFC owner who wants OEM “grab and go” reliability and fewer cartridge swaps—especially if you print frequently for school or a home office. Best Buy reviewer Till Tech summed up the steady-state experience: “always work well… with no issues.”
Avoid it if you’re only chasing the lowest possible ink cost and don’t mind experimenting with third-party refills—because even supporters admit the trade-off can feel “stupily expensive,” as captured in BirdEye’s summary.
Pro tip from the community: treat the CMY multi-pack like downtime insurance. Best Buy reviewer John Edison warned that without all three colors, the printer may refuse to print—so having the 3-pack “will save the day.”
