- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Our Verdict
- Test Results
- Compared To Others
- Deals
- Discussions
The Brother HL-L2390DW is a very good laser printer that's best suited for printing in black and white. The printer has an excellent printing speed, and a very well thought out design that gives the user easy access in case of a paper jam. The printer has a remarkable cartridge system with high black page yield. It also includes an adequate scanner, but unfortunately, doesn't have an Automatic Document Feeder. The printer also lacks the ability to connect to devices via Bluetooth and doesn't include an Ethernet port. Overall, this printer is best suited for students or for those who need to print a large number of documents as quickly as possible.
Our Verdict
The Brother HL-L2390DW is a bad printer for family use. Not only does it lack the ability to print in color, but the images that it can print are of poor quality. It doesn't support glossy paper or 4" x 6" formats, limiting the kind of images you can print. However, the scanner is decent and can be used with the mobile app.
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Excellent black and white printing.
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Passable scanner.
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Bad photo printing quality.
The Brother HL-L2390DW is a sub-par printer for home or small office use. Its printing speed is exceptional, and thanks to its creative design, you can increase the size of the output tray for large printing jobs. However, not only does it lack an Automatic Document Feeder for scanning, but it also can't be set up with your network via Ethernet. Additionally, the power cord is built-in, so if ever it gets damaged it will be harder to replace.
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Outstanding build quality and simple design.
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No Ethernet connectivity.
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Basic and inadequate display screen.
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No Automatic Document Feeder.
The Brother HL-L2390DW is an acceptable printer for a student. Thanks to its exceptional printing speed and low cost per print, students can feel comfortable printing large projects without breaking the bank. The excellent mobile app can also be useful for students, and because the scan lid raises, it's easier to scan large documents such as textbooks or magazines. However, if you have a project that requires colored photos, this printer is black and white only.
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Excellent black and white printing.
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Excellent printing speed.
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Remarkable app and connectivity.
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Can't print in color.
The Brother HL-L2390DW is an impressive printer if you only need to print in black and white. It has a low cost per print, an excellent printing speed capability, and includes an impressive black page yield. Unfortunately, its display screen is inferior to other models and has poor visibility.
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Excellent printing speed.
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Outstanding build quality and simple design.
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High black yield cartridge.
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No Ethernet connectivity.
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Basic and inadequate display screen.
The Brother HL-L2390DW shouldn't be used to print photos. The image quality is terrible and the grayscale has some obvious banding.
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Bad photo printing quality.
- 3.1 Family
- 5.6 Small/Home Office
- 6.9 Student
- 8.4 Black & White
- 1.8 Casual Photo
- Updated May 11, 2021: Changed Photo Printing value in Cost-Per-Print box from $0.125 to N/A.
- Updated Jun 22, 2020: Review published.
- Updated Jun 17, 2020: Early access published.
Test Results
The Brother HL-L2390DW has outstanding build quality. The plastic build feels solid, and the printer includes grooves on each side for easy moving. The paper tray cassette can expand for both longer formats and different widths. The design makes it so that you can easily access paper jams from the rear side of the printer by pulling open the compartment door. The scan lid can also be raised for the scanning of larger items. Unfortunately, the power cord is built-in to the printer and can't be removed, making it difficult to replace if damaged.
The Brother HL-L2390DW is similar in size to the Brother HL-L2395DW Laser. It doesn't take up an excessive amount of space on a desk but is fairly tall.
The Brother HL-L2390DW has a bad two-line LCD back-lit display. It has poor visibility from any side angles and is best viewed when standing directly in front of it. The only positive is that it lights up, but other than that, it's a very basic display with decent menu navigation options and no swivel or tilt capability.
The Brother HL-L2390DW has a remarkable cartridge system. The toner is a separate unit from the drum unit, so you won't have to replace the drum every time you replace the toner. The printer accepts third-party toners, but using them may void the warranty. It also has an impressive estimated black page yield, so you won't need to replace the cartridge as often.
The scanning features are unremarkable. The scanning lid lifts about an inch from the rear hinges and closes over what you want to scan, making it easier to scan larger documents. However, the printer lacks an Automatic Document Feeder meaning that it can't scan two-sided documents. It also can't fax. If you need a scanner with an automatic document feeder, check out the Brother MFC-L2710DW.
Update 05/11/2021: We initially set a value for Photo Printing, but we changed this to N/A since this printer isn't designed for photo printing.
The Brother HL-L2390DW has an excellent cost-per-print thanks to its fairly inexpensive toner and high page yield. However, the drum does need to be replaced after 12,000 pages or so, which is not included in the price of the cartridges.
The printing speed of this printer is outstanding. The first page out takes a tad bit longer, but the following pages are much quicker. If you want a printer with faster printing speed and bigger input trays, check out the HP LaserJet Enterprise M507dn.
This printer isn't meant to print photos. If you absolutely need to print black and white photos with this printer, the grayscale includes some visible banding. We tested the photo printing on basic 8.5" x 11" paper as well, because this printer doesn't support 4" x 6" or glossy formats.
This printer has an adjustable input tray that can support most common formats up to the legal format.
The Brother HL-L2390DW has decent connectivity options. It supports both AirPrint and Mopria print options, but it doesn't support Bluetooth or Ethernet connections. Additionally, it can't print from a storage device such as a USB thumb drive. If you need a monochrome printer with ethernet connectivity, check out the Xerox B210/DNI.
Brother's iPrint&Scan app is superb. It gives you the option to print, scan, and copy documents directly to your phone. You can also use the app to check machine settings such as the ink level status and firmware updates.
Compared To Other Printers
The Brother HL-L2390DW is a great printer for those who only need to print in black, but the lack of an automatic document feeder makes it less suitable for office use than a multi-function printer like the Brother MFC-L2710DW. For more options, check out our recommendations for the best all-in-one printers, the best printers for small businesses, and the best laser printers.
The Brother HL-L2390DW and the HL-L2370DW are two very similar models. They are both black and white printers. However, the HL-L2390DW model includes a scanner. If the cost per print and page yield are your only two criteria, the HL-L2370DW is the better option.
The Brother HL-L2390DW and the Brother HL-L2395DW are very similar models. The HL-L2395DW has a larger display screen, a slightly faster printing speed, and an Ethernet port. On the other hand, the HL-L2390 has a higher page yield and a lower cost-per-print.
The Brother MFC-L2710DW and the Brother HL-L2390DW are similar, as they're both monochrome laser printers with exceptional yield, low cost-per-print, and fast printing speed. The main differences are that the MFC-L2710DW has a scanner with an automatic document feeder and it has an Ethernet port.
The Brother HL-L2390DW and the Brother HL-L2350DW are both monochrome laser printers, but the HL-L2390DW offers more. The biggest difference is that it has a flatbed scanner which the HL-L23750DW lacks. Also, it has a higher page yield and a lower cost-per-print. Neither printer has an automatic document feeder, duplex scanning, or an Ethernet port.
The Brother HL-L2390DW is a better black and white laser printer than the HP LaserJet Pro M15w. Both printers have a remarkable cartridge system with a high black page yield and low cost-per-print. However, the Brother includes a scanner.
The Brother MFC-L3770CDW is a much better printer than the Brother HL-L2390DW. The MFC-L3770CDW has the ability to print in both black and white and color, has an outstanding build quality, and can hold a large amount of paper. Neither is good for photo printing, but the MFC-L3770CDW is still decent for a laser printer.
The Canon imageCLASS MF644Cdw and the Brother HL-L2390DW are very different printers. The Canon is a color printer while the Brother is a monochrome printer. The Canon's scanner has a sheetfed scanner that can perform duplex scanning, has better connectivity options, and yields more black pages. However, the Brother prints black only documents faster and its cost-per-print is lower since it only has one cartridge to replace. That said, the Brother's drum unit is a separate piece, which needs to be replaced eventually and isn't factored into the cost of the toner cartridge.
The Brother HL-L2390DW is a better black and white printer than the Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser. It has a low cost per print, an excellent printing speed capability, and includes an impressive black page yield. However, the HL-L3270CDW can print in color and has a better display screen.
The Epson WorkForce Pro WF-3720 and the Brother HL-L2390DW are very different printers. The Epson is a color inkjet printer while the Brother is a monochrome laser printer. The Brother is a better choice for printing black and white documents, as it can print faster and it's more cost-effective. However, for color or photo printing, the Epson is the better option. Also, the Epson has more connectivity options and its scanner has an automatic document feeder.
The Canon PIXMA TS5320 and the Brother HL-L2390DW are very different printers. The Canon is a color inkjet printer while the Brother is a monochrome laser printer. The Brother is a better choice for printing black and white documents, as it can yield more black pages, it prints a lot faster, and its cost-per-print is significantly lower. However, if you need to print in color or print photos, the Canon is a better choice, and it also has more connectivity options.
The Brother MFC-J895DW and the Brother HL-L2390DW are very different printers. The MFC-J895DW is an all-in-one inkjet printer while the HL-L2390DW is a monochrome laser printer. The MFC-J895DW is more versatile since it can print in color and it has a sheetfed scanner that makes it a lot easier to process multi-page documents. However, if you only need to print black and white documents, the HL-L2390DW is a better choice due to its higher page yield and faster printing speed.
The Brother HL-L2390DW and the Brother MFC-J805DW INKvestment Tank are two very differently designed printers. The HL-L2390DW is a monochrome laser printer. While its toner cartridge may not yield as many pages as the MFC-J805DW, it still has an excellent cost-per-print. It's also able to rapidly print out black-text documents. Conversely, the MFC-J805DW is an inkjet printer that uses higher-yielding cartridges, which helps to lower its cost-per-print. It also has an automatic document feeder, which is something the HL-L2390DW lacks, and even though it has sub-par color accuracy, it's able to print decent quality photos.
The Brother HL-L2390DW and the Epson EcoTank ET-3760 are two differently designed printers. The Brother is a monochrome laser printer that lacks a sheetfed scanner. That said, it has an outstanding print speed for black-text documents, which is great for people who run a lot of these kinds of print jobs. On the other hand, the Epson is more versatile overall as it's a color printer. Thanks to its supertank system, it can yield a lot of pages at an affordable cost-per-print. It also has decent photo printing quality, and it even has an Ethernet port.
The Brother HL-L2390DW and the Epson EcoTank ET-2720 are two very different printers. The Brother is a monochrome laser printer with better build quality and quicker printing speed. On the other hand, the Epson is a color inkjet printer with a supertank system yields significantly more pages at a lower cost-per-print.
The Epson Expression Home XP-4100 and the Brother HL-L2390DW are very different printers. The Brother is a laser printer that only prints in black and white. It's faster, yields significantly more black pages, and is a lot more cost-effective for high-volume printing. On the other hand, the Epson is more versatile and prints higher quality photos, considering that the Brother doesn't print in color.
The Brother HL-L2390DW and the Epson Expression Premium XP-7100 are two very different types of printers. The Brother is a black-only laser printer, while the Epson is an inkjet printer with color cartridges. The Brother is a better choice for printing black and white documents since it has a low cost-per-print, but the Epson is a better choice for family use since you can print in color, although the color page yield is low and the cartridges are expensive. Also, the Epson has an automatic document feeder, making it easy to scan or make copies of multiple sheets.
The Brother HL-L2390DW and the HP OfficeJet Pro 8025 are two very differently designed printers. The Brother is a monochrome laser printer with an excellent toner cartridge system which helps to keep its overall cost-per-print very low. Its print speed is much quicker too, and it has a better companion app. However, the HP is a color inkjet printer, so it has better color accuracy and photo printing quality. It also has an automatic document feeder as well as an Ethernet port.
The Canon PIXMA TR4520 and the Brother HL-L2390DW are two very different printers. The Canon is an inkjet printer that prints in color, making it a better choice for home use. It has decent color accuracy, impressive photo printing quality, and it has a sheetfed scanner too. On the other hand, the Brother is a monochrome laser printer that has an excellent black page yield, making it ideal for office use.
The Brother HL-L2390DW and the HP Smart Tank Plus 551 are two very different printers. The Brother is a monochrome laser printer and is well-suited for those who print a lot off a lot of black text documents. While it doesn't yield as many black pages as the HP, it still has an outstandingly low cost-per-print, and it's much quicker at printing out documents. On the other hand, the HP is a supertank printer, so it can yield a lot of both black and color pages at a very low cost-per-print. It can print off okay photos, and it has great color accuracy. However, its print speed is very slow for both black and color documents as well as photos.
The Xerox B210/DNI and the Brother HL-L2390DW are two similar black and white laser printers. They both have high black page yields, low cost-per-prints, and fast printing speeds. However, if you're looking for a printer for office use, the Brother doesn't include an Ethernet port. Additionally, the Brother includes a scanner while the Xerox doesn't.