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We're big fans of Brother printers here at PC Guide: with a great range of products for an array of situations, and with prices of some printers under $100, there is sure to be a model for you – but what's the best Brother printer? We've compiled our favorites into a simple list – so that if you need a new printer and love the Brother brand, you have an easy one-stop shop for all the best options. Whether you need a printer for the home, the office, or a hybrid of both; check out our picks for the best printer available now.
How We Picked the Best Brother Printers
We've extensively explored Brother's lineup of printers and handpicked five different models based on their functionality, print quality, and speed. We've made sure to pick the best Brother printer for each use case: covering budget, large format, and office printers.
Depending on your priorities, you may decide to opt for one model over the other. If all of our choices were outside your price range, Brother also made up just under half of our best printers under $200, so be sure to peruse them for a more budget-friendly model!
Best Brother Printers
Brother MFC-L8905CDW
Specifications
Printer Output: Color
Printer Type: Laser
Connectivity Technology: USB, WiFi Direct
Duplex Printing: Yes
What We Think
For a top color laser printer, the MFC-L8905CDW is a highly productive pick, ideal for businesses and offices.
Reasons to Buy
High-yield – Brother's optional high-yield toner makes for great print results at a low cost-per-print.
Versatile connectivity options – with wired and wireless connections as standard, you'll never struggle to print with this Brother printer.
Reasons to Avoid
Large and heavy – the MFC-L8905CDW is a cumbersome model: hard to move and harder to store.
The Brother MFC-J4535DW is a versatile machine that can handle all your printing, scanning, and copying needs. Ideal for offices, this is our pick for a highly affordable all-in-one print solution for those who need quality printing for general purposes.
With a print speed of 20 pages per minute, the MFC-J4535 isn't as fast as our top pick – but it can still put out prints at a very respectable speed. The dual 400-sheet paper trays mean that this printer can go a while without needing to be restocked. Coupled with high-yield cartridges, it'll be some time before you need to change anything under the hood.
For everything document-related, the MFC-J4535 works well. However, for any photo scanning or color-intensive work, you may be disappointed in the results. We'd also recommend investing in some of the high-yield ink cartridges, as the ones that come as standard with the printer don't last long at all.
But for an effective all-rounder that comes with Brother's best features, this is a great choice. The MFC-J4535 is our favorite all-in-one printer from Brother!
Best Budget Brother Printers
Brother MFC-J1010DW
Specifications
Printer Output:: Color
Printer Type: : InkJet
Connectivity Technology: : USB, Ethernet, WiFi Direct
Duplex Printing?: Yes
What We Think
Consider the MFC-J1010DW if you want a versatile print solution under $100.
Reasons to Buy
Great value – with fast printing speeds and a range of configuration options, this printer's sub-$100 price point is pushed to the limit.
Multimedia printing – the MFC-J1010DW offers the option to print with a wide range of specialist media.
Reasons to Avoid
Poor ink economy – inefficient cartridges lead to the MFC-J1010DW being less economical in the long-term.
For a fraction of the price of traditional printers, Brother offers reliable and efficient printing of both documents and photos with the MFC-J1010DW. For a reliable print solution at a reliable price, this is our top pick for a budget Brother printer!
The MFC-J1010DW supports USB, wireless, and Bluetooth printing as standard; along with easy-to-use printing from the cloud. For standard documents, the print speed averages 17 pages per minute – slower than some, but commendable at this price point. It also does a better job with photos than some of our other picks: producing high-quality borderless photos with a great color gamut.
So why isn't this the best Brother printer overall? Unfortunately, what you may save on the upfront cost may be funneled right back into the cost of ink. With a lower-than-average yield, the cost-per-page is higher-than-average, which can be frustrating for those who value efficiency. Those who value build quality may also be disappointed, as this model is a little flimsier than some of its older Brothers – not noticeably so for a layman, however.
That said, we still highly recommend the MFC-J1010DW as a money-saving printer that manages to pack a lot of value into a small price tag
Best Brother Ink Tank Printers
Brother MFC-J4335DW
Specifications
Printer Output: Color
Printer Type: InkJet
Connectivity Technology: USB, Bluetooth, WiFi Direct
Duplex Printing: Yes
What We Think
For nearly unrivaled page yield, this Brother ink tank printer is a productivity powerhouse.
Reasons to Buy
Median price – though not as low as the MFC-J1010DW, the MFC-J4335DW still retails under $200.
Efficient – with accommodating paper trays and efficient ink cartridges, you can go for long periods without needing to resupply this printer.
Reasons to Avoid
Built-in power cord – being unable to move the printer and cord separately doesn’t sound problematic, but it is.
If you're looking for a reliable home printer that can manage all your document-printing needs, then the MFC-J4335DW is your best bet. At an affordable price point and great ink economy, this Brother printer is a great addition to any household!
Employing a super-tank model for ink storage, this printer is very ink-efficient – perfect for families not wanting to add “ink” to the weekly shopping list. At 20 pages per minute, this printer may be a bit too slow for a busy office but should be more than manageable for most homes. This printer can be connected to wirelessly or via USB, and documents come out with great quality.
We do have some issues with the MFC-J4335DW, however. The power cord is built into the model, and is difficult to replace should it break. And whilst the printer is ink-efficient, the paper tray has a mere 150-sheet capacity, so make sure that you have spare paper nearby.
For an affordable home printer, however, there are far worse options than this entry from Brother. For day-to-day easy printing, this is a top choice!
Best Large-Format Brother Printers
Brother MFC-J5330DW
Specifications
Printer Output: Color
Printer Type: InkJet
Connectivity Technology: USB, WiFi Direct
Duplex Printing: Yes
What We Think
Our final pick, the MFC-J5330DW is an underrated printer for larger 11″ x 17″ prints.
Reasons to Buy
Fast print speed – at 22 prints per minute, this is ideal for heavy-duty offices.
Specialist media support – alongside a highly productive print speed, the MFC-J3330DW boasts all the media support of a full-fledged InkJet printer, too.
Reasons to Avoid
High cost-per-print – along with the initial upfront cost, the ink economy on this printer is notably poor, making for long-term investments in ink replacements.
For a larger-format printer for documents up to 11″ x 17″, the Brother MFC-J5330DW is likely your best bet. Though it is significantly more expensive than many of the consumer-grade printers we've suggested, the value is on display with this compactly-designed print solution!
In terms of speed, the MFC-J5330DW has a print speed of 22 prints per minute – above-average for a printer of this type. We appreciated that this printer also prints double-sided by default, too. Alongside the 250-page input tray, there's also a 50-page rear input for specialist media such as cardstock or envelopes. With a built-in scanner and automated document feeder, the MFC-J5330 can turn your office or household into a productivity powerhouse.
There is a catch, however. Aside from the rather upsetting price tag, the MFC-J5330DW also has a higher cost-per-page than average. The poor ink economy means this printer's efficiency scales down in indirect proportion to its use. We wouldn't recommend this printer for printing off any novels! Similarly, for anything larger than tabloid-size prints, we'd recommend a large-format printer.
Despite this flat, the MFC-J5330DW is still one of the best Brother printers available for consumers. With a versatile array of print sizes and media options, this printer is great for the occasional multimedia deliverable, alongside average document-printing desires!
Features and Considerations
There are a few points to consider when shopping for a Brother printer:
Print Quality
The primary variable to consider for print quality is the printing technology used. LaserJet printers are superior when it comes to text quality, while InkJet printers produce better-looking photos and graphics. Keep in mind that some toners produce even better-looking text documents. The same goes for the best Brother InkJet printers — sophisticated ink systems with 5+ cartridges tend to yield more color-accurate photos with better contrast.
Printer Size
Some Brother printers are large industrial-grade units, but most consumer-grade printers have quite a small footprint. Before choosing a printer, make sure to check the dimensions against the space you hope to store it!
Cost-Per-Page
If you are looking to run a cost-effective printer, the best way to measure that is via the cost-per-page statistics – the average cost of ink and paper for every sheet printed – listed with the product. This is measured in cents rather than dollars, thankfully, but make sure that you aren't having to print constantly on an inefficient printer.
Where to Buy Brother Printers
Brother Printers can be purchased through the brand’s website, brother-usa.com. You can also order on Amazon for international deliveries.
FAQs
Are Brother printers better than HP?
Broadly speaking, the best Brother printers offer the best print quality and ink economy. On the other hand, HP printers are known for their reliability and generous warranties.
How do I connect my Brother printer to my PC?
Depending on your model, there are numerous options for connecting your printer to a PC. The best Brother printers come with WiFi connectivity, meaning that your printer will be discoverable on your home network and you can easily send documents to print wirelessly. Otherwise, a wired USB connection is generally the next-best option, though it means your PC needs to be in close proximity to your printer.
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