- Top Pick: Brother DCP-L2640DW Wireless Compact Monochrome Multi-Function Printer, Copy, Scan, Duplex, Mobile Printing
- Best Value: Brother HL-L2405W Wireless Compact Monochrome Laser Printer with Mobile Printing, Black & White Output | Includes Refresh Subscription Trial(1), Works with Alexa
- Premium Choice: Brother MFC-L2820DW Wireless Compact Monochrome All-in-One Laser Printer with Copy, Scan and Fax, Duplex, Black & White | Includes Refresh Subscription Trial(1), Works with Alexa
For most buyers the best Brother is a monochrome laser: the HL-L2460DW if you only print, the MFC-L2820DW if you also scan, copy or fax, and the HL-L3280CDW or MFC-L3780CDW if you need color. Brother’s laser range is known for low toner cost and dependable text output, and its main caution is the Refresh toner subscription, which some owners report has disabled printers.
- Brother’s lineup in plain terms
- At a glance: Brother printers compared
- Best Brother laser printers
- Best Brother color laser printers
- Best Brother printers for home
- Best Brother printers for small business
- Running cost and the Refresh subscription
- Setup and compatibility
- Pick X if you…
- Choosing the right Brother in three steps
- Space and noise
- Alternatives
- Frequently Asked Questions
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Brother’s lineup in plain terms
Brother organizes its home and small-office printers into mono lasers (HL for print-only, DCP for scan and copy, MFC for scan, copy and fax), color lasers (the L3000 series), and inkjets. The INKvestment line uses large-capacity cartridges or tanks, and Tom’s Guide ranks the MFC-T780DW first among printers overall. Most current models support AirPrint, Mopria and Brother’s own app, so printing from iPhone, Android or Chromebook is driverless.
At a glance: Brother printers compared
| Model | Type | Best for | Reported specs | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HL-L2460DW | Mono laser, print only | Homes and students | Automatic duplex, dual-band Wi-Fi, Ethernet; roundups cite 32 or 36 ppm | No scanner |
| DCP-L2640DW | Mono laser all-in-one | Print, scan, copy | One roundup lists 36 ppm and a 50-sheet feeder | No fax |
| MFC-L2820DW | Mono laser all-in-one with fax | Small offices | RTINGS scores it 9.0 of 10; large feeder, touchscreen | Rear paper-jam access, some Wi-Fi reconnects |
| HL-L3280CDW | Color laser, print only | Color documents at home | 27 ppm, automatic duplex, Wi-Fi and Ethernet; RTINGS 7.6 of 10 | No scanner |
| MFC-L3780CDW | Color laser all-in-one | Small business, Mac users | Called best color laser all-in-one by a roundup citing PCMag and Wirecutter | Larger, higher outlay |
| MFC-J4355DW | Color inkjet all-in-one | Home office, ink savings | Reported as a Wirecutter pick by one blog | Secondary source |
Best Brother laser printers
HL-L2460DW for plain printing
Technobezz names the HL-L2460DW its top pick for simplicity and low running costs, and other roundups call it a best-value or overall pick. Compared with the entry HL-L2405W it adds automatic duplex, a faster engine, and Ethernet alongside dual-band Wi-Fi. A Mac-focused guide citing Wirecutter chooses it as the black-and-white option. Speed is quoted as 36 ppm by two outlets and 32 ppm by another, so read Brother’s specification page if speed is a deciding factor.
MFC-L2820DW for scan, copy and fax
RTINGS calls it an excellent all-in-one monochrome laser best suited to small offices, with excellent page yields and very good scans. Castle Ink describes a large document feeder and a touchscreen, and lists drawbacks: paper jams are cleared from the rear, and some users have to recover the wireless connection manually. The RTINGS page also covers the DCP-L2640DW and HL-L2480DW, which are siblings with fewer features. A roundup citing Wirecutter lists the MFC-L2900DW XL as its top mono all-in-one for 2026, which is worth comparing if you want more toner capacity.
Best Brother color laser printers
The HL-L3280CDW is the budget color laser. RTINGS praises its wide connectivity and the high page yield with relatively cheap toner, and warns that the missing scanner may be a dealbreaker. It prints 27 pages per minute, duplexes automatically and connects over Wi-Fi or Ethernet. One site warns that some retail bundles are poor value, so compare the bundle with the bare printer. For a scanner and a feeder, look to the MFC-L3780CDW, which a Mac-focused roundup says PCMag gave an Editors’ Choice badge and Wirecutter named best color laser all-in-one for 2026 (secondary claims, best read at the original outlets).
Best Brother printers for home
A home that mostly prints homework, forms and shipping labels is well served by the HL-L2460DW. Toner does not dry out, so occasional use is fine, and a high-yield cartridge lasts a long time. If the household wants color photos, a laser is not ideal, and a tank printer from Canon, Epson or HP is a better fit. Brother’s INKvestment MFC-T780DW, which Tom’s Guide ranks first overall, is the Brother route to low-cost color, though Tom’s Guide flags a 20-sheet feeder as a drawback.
Best Brother printers for small business
For a small business the MFC-L2820DW or MFC-L3780CDW offers scan, copy and fax from a feeder, with Ethernet for shared use. Look at the duty cycle, the paper tray count and the toner yield. Brother toner comes in standard and high-yield sizes, and high-yield cartridges generally lower cost per page. Network features such as secure print and address-book scanning vary by model, so compare each model’s specification page.
Running cost and the Refresh subscription
Lasers have a low cost per black page, and RTINGS highlights the MFC-L2820DW’s page yield. The caution: owners of the HL-L2460DW report that Brother’s Refresh toner subscription flagged genuine toner as invalid and remotely disabled the printer. Castle Ink advises avoiding the subscription. The simplest approach is to buy toner when needed and decline the plan during setup unless your volume is steady and you accept its terms.
Setup and compatibility
- Use the Brother app or the printer’s panel to join Wi-Fi; Ethernet is available on the models above.
- AirPrint and Mopria cover Apple, Android and ChromeOS devices, so no driver is needed for printing.
- Linux: one guide rates the HL-L2405W highly for compatibility, but through Brother drivers and not purely driverless.
- Rear-access paper jams on the MFC-L2820DW mean leaving space behind the printer.
- Check scanner and fax needs before buying a print-only HL model, as they cannot be added later.
Pick X if you…
| If you… | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Only print text at home | HL-L2460DW | Duplex, Ethernet, low running cost |
| Need scan, copy and fax | MFC-L2820DW | High RTINGS score, large feeder |
| Need color and own a scanner | HL-L3280CDW | Color laser with cheap toner |
| Need color with scanning | MFC-L3780CDW | Color laser all-in-one |
| Want low-cost color inkjet | MFC-T780DW or MFC-J4355DW | High-capacity ink designs |
Choosing the right Brother in three steps
First decide on mono or color. Mono lasers cost less to buy and run, and for letters, forms, school work and shipping labels there is rarely a reason to pay more. Second decide how you will use the machine: print-only (HL), print plus scan and copy (DCP), or print, scan, copy and fax (MFC). Features cannot be added later, so choose the one that matches the real task list. Third check the physical details: footprint, whether a document feeder is present and how many sheets it holds, and whether paper jams are cleared from the front or the rear, since the MFC-L2820DW is reported to need rear access.
It is also worth thinking about toner. Starter cartridges that ship in the box are usually smaller than the standard or high-yield replacements, so the first change comes sooner than the page ratings on the replacement toner suggest. Reviewers who praise Brother’s running cost are generally talking about the high-yield cartridges, bought as needed, and not about a subscription.
Finally, remember that lasers are not the best choice for glossy photos. If a household prints school reports during the week and photo prints on weekends, pairing a Brother laser with an occasional lab print, or choosing a tank printer, is more satisfying than forcing one machine to do both jobs.
Space and noise
Lasers warm up before printing and are louder than most inkjets, so place them where the noise will not bother a study or bedroom. Mono models like the HL-L2460DW are compact, while color all-in-ones with feeders are noticeably deeper. Leave room above the scanner lid and behind the machine for jam access. A printer within good range of the router, or on Ethernet, avoids most wireless dropouts that owners mention in reviews.
Alternatives
- HP LaserJet Pro MFP 3101sdw: mono laser with Legal support, but HP-chip toner rules apply.
- Canon imageCLASS MF455dw or MF665Cdw: office lasers with Ethernet.
- Epson EcoTank ET-4850: a tank all-in-one for home offices that print color.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Brother laser printer is best for home use?
The HL-L2460DW is the usual pick for print-only households, and the MFC-L2820DW suits those who also scan and copy. Both are monochrome, so choose a color laser or tank printer if you need color.
Is the Brother HL-L3280CDW a good color laser?
RTINGS scores it 7.6 out of 10, praising connectivity and page yield, while noting it has no scanner. It suits color documents better than photos.
Do Brother printers work with iPhone and Chromebook?
Yes, current models support AirPrint and Mopria, so both print without a driver. Scanning may need the Brother app or an extra step.
Is Brother’s Refresh toner subscription safe to use?
Some owners report genuine toner being flagged as invalid and the printer being disabled. Castle Ink advises avoiding it, and buying toner as needed avoids the risk.
Laser or inkjet from Brother?
A laser is better for text and for printers that sit idle. An INKvestment inkjet suits households that want color at a low cost per page, accepting a smaller feeder on some models.
Why do reviewers disagree about the HL-L2460DW speed?
Some list 36 pages per minute while another lists 32. Differences can come from test conditions or regional versions, so use the maker’s page for the exact figure.
