Brother is a Japanese electronics company best known for its printers. They offer a wide lineup of laser printers, ranging from spartan print-only models well-suited for households with basic printing needs to fully featured all-in-one models for small businesses with high print volumes. Brother laser printers tend to have large page yields and print sharp documents regardless of price. The company also offers color inkjet printers, including conventional cartridge models and INKvestment models with higher-yield cartridges that reduce replacement frequency. While Brother printers generally produce sharp documents, their photo printing is less impressive, making them better suited to everyday paperwork than dedicated photo printing.
We've bought and tested over 20 Brother printers, and below are our recommendations for the top Brother printers for home and business use.
Updates
- 05/06/2026Brother MFC-J4355DW reviewed
- 04/10/2026Brother MFC-L8930CDW reviewed
- 03/12/2026Brother MFC-J1360DW reviewed
- 03/20/2024Brother MFC-L2820DW reviewed
- 03/15/2024Brother HL-L3280CDW reviewed
We've tested over 170 printers since 2020 with one goal in mind: to give you reliable, unbiased reviews that help you choose the right printer for your needs. To keep things fair, we purchase every product ourselves from major retailers, just like you would. Each printer then goes through a thorough, standardized testing process that evaluates all the key factors you should consider when buying a new model. From build quality and cost per print to color accuracy and overall performance, we provide as much detail as possible to guide your decision.
Want to learn more about our methods? Look at our How We Test Printers article for a deep dive into our testing procedures.
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Best Brother Laser Printer
Small OfficeHomeSet-And-ForgetArts, Crafts, & StickersTypeAll-In-OneSuperTankNoColorYesPrint TechnologyLaserSee all our test resultsWirelessYesWe recommend the Brother MFC-L8930CDW as the best Brother printer available and the best Brother all-in-one printer overall. This color laser model is a remarkably good pick for offices with heavy print loads, as it warms up quickly, prints at up to 34 pages per minute in both black and color, and produces extremely sharp documents with detailed overall output. Its toner cartridges already yield a large number of prints, but XL and XXL options are available if you need them to last even longer. The TN635XXL Super High Yield cartridges can print up to 7,500 black and 6,500 color pages by Brother's estimates, helping reduce replacement frequency and lower your cost-per-print. You'll also need to budget for separate drum replacements, though Brother estimates each drum at around 30,000 prints, so this won't come up often.
The scanner is also well equipped, with a Legal-size (8.5" x 14") flatbed and an automatic feeder that supports single-pass duplex scanning, so multi-page and double-sided documents aren't a hassle. Connectivity options include USB, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet, and you can also print directly from a USB flash drive. The two things worth keeping in mind are its size, as it's a large machine that needs a decent amount of space, and that, like most laser printers, it isn't ideal for photo printing, even though its color accuracy is passable. But if photos aren't part of your workflow, it's an excellent, efficient option for small offices.
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Best Upper Mid-Range Brother Printer
Small OfficeHomeSet-And-ForgetArts, Crafts, & StickersTypeAll-In-OneSuperTankNoColorYesPrint TechnologyLaserSee all our test resultsWirelessYesIf you're looking to spend a bit less, we recommend the Brother MFC-L3780CDW at an upper mid-range price point. This color all-in-one is similar in many respects to the more expensive Brother MFC-L8930CDW above. It produces amazingly sharp documents and prints up to 30 black-and-white or 28 color pages per minute. However, you'll need a wired connection via USB to achieve this top speed, as the monochrome document tops out at 20 PPM over Wi-Fi. It's also compatible with both AirPrint and Mopria protocols for easy access from any device.
It also has an automatic feeder with single-pass duplex scanning to process documents quickly. The regular toner cartridges yield around 1,600 black and 1,200 color prints, so they don't need frequent replacement. You can also buy XL cartridges that'll last even longer; the largest TN229 XXL cartridges can triple that output, according to Brother's estimates. Altogether, this printer is a great option for fairly high-volume offices that don't quite need the higher speed and greater page yield of the top-end Brother MFC-L8930CDW.
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Best Mid-Range Laser Brother Printer
Small OfficeHomeSet-And-ForgetArts, Crafts, & StickersTypeAll-In-OneSuperTankNoColorNoPrint TechnologyLaserSee all our test resultsWirelessYesIf you don't need color printing, the Brother MFC-L2820DW is a less expensive alternative to the Brother MFC-L3780CDW above. It still produces sharp documents quickly, either through printing or scanning. It also includes an automatic document feeder, but you give up automatic duplex scanning, so you'll need to flip double-sided documents manually. It has Wi-Fi, USB, and Ethernet connectivity. The toner cartridge is good for just under 1,300 prints and is relatively cheap, so you won't have to spend too much on replacement toner.
For those concerned about cost but still want an all-in-one, this printer has many variants. For example, the Brother HL-L2480DW is a cheaper model that lacks an ADF, although it prints slightly faster. You can also find bundles that include longer-lasting XL toner cartridges, like the Brother MFC-L2820DWXL, which might be cheaper than buying the cartridges separately. You can see all the variants and their differences in our full review.
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Best Budget Laser Brother Printer
Small OfficeHomeSet-And-ForgetArts, Crafts, & StickersTypePrinter OnlySuperTankNoColorNoPrint TechnologyLaserSee all our test resultsWirelessYesIf you don't need the Brother MFC-L2820DW's scanning, copying, or faxing functions, the Brother HL-L2460DW is a less expensive choice for black-and-white documents. It retains fast printing, automatic double-sided printing, and low running costs, making it a practical option for schoolwork, forms, and return labels. These budget laser printers have one key advantage over the inkjet printers we recommend below: there's no risk of printhead clogging if it sits inactive between prints. Not only will the printer be ready to go whenever you need it, but if you print infrequently, it can save you money over time, since you won't need to worry about picking up a new ink cartridge to replace a clogged one.
Beyond expected maintenance concerns, it has an outstanding cost-per-print and prints much faster than our budget inkjet pick below, the Brother MFC-J1360DW, at up to 34 pages per minute. It produces sharp text and well-defined graphs right out of the box, although its output can look a little too contrasty. Combined with its low running costs and resistance to clogging, this makes it a strong budget choice for straightforward document printing, especially if you go long stretches between print jobs.
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Best Inkjet Brother Printer
Small OfficeHomeSet-And-ForgetArts, Crafts, & StickersTypeAll-In-OneSuperTankNoColorYesPrint TechnologyInkjetSee all our test resultsWirelessYesIf you need color printing and scanning, the Brother MFC-J4355DW offers more versatility than the Brother HL-L2460DW above. This all-in-one inkjet produces sharp documents and detailed photos suitable for casual use, and its high-yield cartridges keep running costs low. Overall maintenance costs are quite low, and its cost-per-print is extremely low thanks to its relatively inexpensive ink cartridges that last a long time. There are also XXL cartridges available if you want to increase the yield even more.
Photos aren't its strongest suit, but it reproduces fine details well and is suitable for casual snapshots. Still, colors can look noticeably different from the original image, often with a red tint, so it's less suitable for photos where accurate color reproduction matters. The printer feels sturdy and well-built overall, but sadly, the power cord isn't removable, so you can't just replace it if it gets damaged. You can connect to the printer via USB or Wi-Fi, and it's compatible with Brother's mobile companion app, which you can use to print, scan, copy, perform maintenance tasks, and order supplies. The scanner produces excellent quality scans overall, and it has an ADF that scans up to 8 pages per minute, though you'll have to flip pages manually if scanning double-sided sheets, as it doesn't support duplex scanning.
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Best Budget Inkjet Brother Printer
Small OfficeHomeSet-And-ForgetArts, Crafts, & StickersTypeAll-In-OneSuperTankNoColorYesPrint TechnologyInkjetSee all our test resultsWirelessYesFor a less expensive inkjet, we recommend the Brother MFC-J1360DW. It retains many of the Brother MFC-J4355DW's useful features, including an automatic document feeder and automatic double-sided printing, while producing excellent documents with sharp text and detailed graphs. Its photos also have more accurate colors, making it a better choice for casual snapshots. The main trade-offs are slower printing and much lower page yields, so the J4355DW remains more economical if you print regularly in larger quantities.
Like most budget printers, it falls a bit short in page yield. It can print around 400 black-and-white and 300 color pages before you need to replace the cartridges, though you can roughly double that yield by opting for high-yield cartridges. It's worth noting that Brother also sells an INKvestment variant of this printer called the MFC-J1365DW, which uses higher-capacity cartridges. Brother estimates that these higher-yield LC504 cartridges can produce up to 1,200 black and 500 color pages per cartridge, which should reduce how often you need to replace them.
Compared To Other Brands
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Can yield a high number of pages.
Brother laser and inkjet printers tend to yield many pages before you need to replace their ink or toner cartridges.
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Low cost-per-print.
Although Brother cartridges can cost a little more to replace, you have to do it less often, resulting in an affordable cost-per-print.
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Quick print speed.Most Brother printers can print black-only text documents very quickly.
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Sturdy and well-built.Brother generally makes well-built printers that feel sturdy and have good access to their ink tanks or cartridges.
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Not really for printing photos.
Brother's color inkjet printers typically print grainier photos than other brands.
Brother vs Epson
Brother and Epson are both major printer manufacturers. Brother makes inkjet and laser models, while Epson focuses almost exclusively on inkjet models. Brother printers usually produce higher-quality documents, but Epson printers are better for photos, as they typically have a wider color range. If you're concerned about running costs, it's best to go with an Epson EcoTank printer, as these models yield significantly more prints than almost all Brother printers. See our recommendations for the best Epson printers.
Brother vs Canon
Brother and Canon are among the largest printer manufacturers in the world. While both companies offer a wide range of printers, only Canon makes professional photo printers. Canon home printers generally produce higher-quality photos but yield fewer prints than Brother printers. As for laser printers, Canon usually makes better color models, while Brother usually makes better monochrome models. Check out our list of the best Canon printers to see our recommendations.
Brother vs HP
Like Brother, HP is one of the most well-known printer manufacturers. Brother printers typically have better print quality; however, HP has a wider range of printers, including portable and laser printers with a refillable toner tank, similar to supertank inkjet models. While both manufacturers offer ink subscription services, Brother is typically more lenient regarding using third-party toner and ink cartridges. In contrast, HP often forces users to use genuine HP cartridges. See our recommendations for the best HP printers.
Brother makes well-built printers with a straightforward design. The company mostly focuses on laser printers suited for office use, so you can expect that their products have a quick print speed and high page yields. They also make a lot of standalone monochrome printers for those who primarily need to print documents, and they make some color inkjet models, though not nearly as many as other printer companies like HP and Epson.
Lineup
Brother has a straightforward lineup of inkjet and laser printers, including:
- Black-and-White Laser: Print-only monochrome laser models.
- Color Laser Digital: Print-only color laser models.
- Black-and-White Laser Multifunction: All-in-one monochrome laser models.
- Color Laser Digital Multifunction: All-in-one color laser models.
- Color Inkjet Multifunction: All-in-one color inkjet models.
- INKvestment Tank: All-in-one color inkjet models with Brother's proprietary INKvestment technology, which combines traditional ink cartridges with an internal ink tank to increase page yield.
Recent Updates
Oct 15, 2026:
We clarified the trade-offs between picks and reviewed them to ensure they're all accurate and available.
Jul 14, 2026:
We've added the faster, higher-yield Brother MFC-L8930CDW as our new top pick and moved our previous pick, the Brother MFC-L3780CDW/MFC-L3720CDW, to a new 'Best Upper Mid-Range' category. We've also replaced the Brother MFC-J1205W/MFC-J1215W with the Brother MFC-J1360DW as our 'Best Budget Inkjet' pick, since the older model is no longer available.
Jun 11, 2026:
We replaced the discontinued Brother MFC-J4335DW with its successor, the Brother MFC-J4355DW. We confirmed that all other picks are still relevant and available.
Mar 06, 2026:
We swapped the now-discontinued Brother MFC-L8905CDW with the Brother MFC-L3780CDW. We also added references to the successors of some picks, which have become more difficult to find over time.
Apr 09, 2025:
Minor text changes for clarity. No change in recommendations.
Conclusion
Brother is a well-known brand that offers a wide range of laser printers. They also have a small line-up of inkjet printers that are great for households with many printing needs. Brother tends to produce sturdy and well-built printers with high page yields at an affordable cost. However, their ink or toner cartridges are more expensive than their competitors. Moreover, Brother printers aren't the best at photo printing. Nevertheless, Brother has solid options at every price point, with models ranging from feature-rich all-in-ones for businesses to simple and dependable print-only units for home use.