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The Brother MFC-L5915DW leads the five monochrome laser all-in-ones in Consumer Reports’ 2026 buying guide, with an overall score of 76. That does not make it the best fit for every home office: check whether you need fax, how you handle two-sided scans, and what the model costs now before choosing.
How the five models compare
Consumer Reports’ 2026 buying guide lists these five black-and-white laser all-in-ones. Scores and prices below are the guide’s figures, not current retail quotes or results from testing for this article. The guide also reports standard paper capacity and an annual toner-cost estimate; those estimates may not match your usage.
| Model | Overall score | Guide-listed price | What to note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brother MFC-L5915DW | 76 | $530 | Highest score in this five-model comparison; consider if document workflow matters more than entry price. |
| Brother HL-L2480DW | 72 | $220 | Tied for second by score. Verify the exact functions and current availability for the model you find. |
| Canon imageClass MF465dw | 72 | $300 | Tied for second by score and the Canon option in this shortlist. |
| Brother DCP-L2640DW | 71 | $200 | Lowest guide-listed price among these five; confirm that its configuration covers your copy, scan, and fax needs. |
| Brother MFC-L2820DW | 70 | $250 | Distinguish the standard model from the MFC-L2820DW XL bundle when comparing listings. |
Consumer Reports evaluates factors including text quality and speed, scan quality, versatility, and ease of use. Its overall score is one comparison point, not a guarantee that a printer will suit your workload. See Consumer Reports’ 2026 printer buying guide.
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Which model fits your home office?
Choose the MFC-L5915DW if score leads your shortlist
It has the highest overall score in this group, at 76. Its guide-listed price is also the highest of the five, at $530. Whether that premium is worthwhile depends on the features and document workflow you need; the score alone does not establish that it is the best value for you.
#1 Best Overall
- BEST FOR SMALL BUSINESSES – Engineered for extraordinary productivity, the Brother DCP-L2640DW Monochrome (Black & White) 3-in-1 combines laser printer, scanner, copier in one compact footprint and delivers high-quality black & white prints
- FAST PRINTER WITH EFFICIENT SCANNING – Produces documents quickly with print speeds up to 36 ppm(2) and scan speeds up to 23.6/7.9 ipm(3) (black/color). A 50-page auto document feeder(4) allows for convenient, time saving multi-page scanning and copying
- FLEXIBLE CONNECTION OPTIONS – Easily navigate the changing demands of your business with secure multi-device connectivity via built-in dual-band wireless (2.4GHz / 5GHz) and Ethernet. Or connect locally to a single computer via USB interface
- BROTHER MOBILE CONNECT APP – Print, scan, and manage your wireless printer anytime, from almost anywhere from your mobile device. Order Brother Genuine Supplies, track toner usage, and complete more work on-the-go(5)
- CHOOSE BROTHER GENUINE TONER – When it’s time to replace your toner, be sure to choose Brother Genuine TN830 or TN830XL replacement toner. And with Refresh EZ Print Subscription Service, you’ll never worry about running out of toner again and you’ll enjoy savings of up to 50%(6) on Brother Genuine Toner. Get started with Refresh today with a Free Trial(1)
Consider the HL-L2480DW or MF465dw for a second-place score
Both score 72 in the guide. The Brother’s listed price is $220, compared with $300 for the Canon. Treat those as guide figures rather than today’s prices, and compare the exact feature set and toner options before buying.
Look at the DCP-L2640DW if the listed price matters
At $200 in the guide, it is the least expensive of these five by listed price. Check its exact configuration against your needs, especially if fax is essential; “all-in-one” does not guarantee that every model includes fax.
Rank #2
- FROM AMERICA'S MOST TRUSTED PRINTER BRAND – Perfect for offices printing, scanning and copying black & white brochures, business documents and presentations. Perfect for 1-5 people
- FASTEST TWO-SIDED PRINTING IN ITS CLASS – Up to 28 black-and-white pages per minute single-sided. Quickly finish multipage print projects with the fastest in-class two-sided printing speed
- DUAL-BAND WI-FI WITH SELF-RESET – Automatically detects and resolves connectivity issues
- STRONG SECURITY – Built-in security features help protect your printer from potential attacks
- PRINT FROM ANY DEVICE – Wireless printing from any mobile device, PC or tablet. Ethernet included. Works with Microsoft, Mac, AirPrint, Android, Chromebook and more.
Consider the MFC-L2820DW when its workflow matches yours
The standard MFC-L2820DW scores 70 in the guide. Brother also sells an XL package variant, but the standard and XL listings are not interchangeable: compare the exact SKU and included supplies. Independent review information about the standard model’s scanning should not automatically be applied to a different package or regional variant.
Check scanning separately from printing
Three features are easy to confuse: an automatic document feeder (ADF), automatic duplex printing, and duplex scanning. An ADF feeds multiple pages for scanning or copying; duplex printing handles both sides of a printed sheet; duplex scanning captures both sides of a two-sided original. Having one does not establish that the printer has the others.
Rank #3
- Monochrome, Wireless, Duplex 4-in-1: Print, scan, copy, fax.
- Fast Print Speeds: Print up to 37 pages per minute and spend less time waiting with a quick first print time of approximately 5 seconds.
- Easy Wireless Setup: Setup your wireless connection and get up and running in just a few steps2
- 5-inch Color Touchscreen: Get the job done quickly with Application Library - an intuitive and easy to use customizable access to the features you use most.
- Mobile Device Printing: Print from your compatible mobile devices using the free Canon PRINT app, Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service.
RTINGS says the standard Brother MFC-L2820DW has an ADF but lacks duplex scanning, and describes its ADF scanner as relatively slow for processing documents. RTINGS also notes that a variant with duplex scanning is available. Confirm the exact SKU before purchase, particularly if you routinely scan two-sided paperwork. Read RTINGS’ MFC-L2820DW review.
What to verify before buying
- Functions: Confirm that the particular model prints, copies, scans, and faxes as required. Do not infer fax support from the all-in-one label.
- Document handling: Check for an ADF and, separately, duplex scanning if you digitize two-sided originals.
- Paper capacity: Compare the stated standard capacity with how often you print and reload paper. Consumer Reports lists standard capacities in its guide.
- Running cost: Check the compatible toner and yield for the exact model. The guide’s annual toner-cost estimates are estimates, not a prediction of your personal spend.
- Current listing: Confirm the retailer’s price, stock, region-specific model name, and what is included in the box. The guide-listed prices are dated comparison figures.
Brother MFC-L2820DW XL: the documented bundle details
Brother’s USA product page describes the MFC-L2820DW XL as a wireless monochrome laser all-in-one for printing, copying, scanning, and faxing. Brother lists automatic duplex printing, a standard 250-sheet paper capacity, a maximum monthly duty cycle of 35,000 pages, and a recommended monthly print volume of 2,500 pages. Those are manufacturer specifications, not independent workload recommendations.
Rank #4
- BEST FOR SMALL OFFICES – Combining space-saving efficiency and premium monochrome (black & white) print quality with affordability, the Brother MFC-L2820DW delivers dynamic laser print, copy, scan, and fax multi-functionality in a compact footprint
- EFFICIENT PRINTING & SCANNING – Produces black & white documents quickly with print speeds up to 36 ppm(2) and scan speeds up to 23.6/7.9 ipm(3) (bk/cl). A 50-page auto document feeder(4) allows for convenient, time saving multi-page copy, scan, and fax
- FLEXIBLE CONNECTION OPTIONS – Securely connect to multiple devices with built-in dual-band wireless (2.4GHz / 5GHz), Ethernet, or connect locally to a single computer via USB interface
- 2.7" TOUCHSCREEN – The intuitive 2.7” touchscreen enables effortless navigation with the added ability to print-from and scan-to popular Cloud-based apps such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, OneNote, and more(5)
- BROTHER MOBILE CONNECT APP – Print, scan, and manage your wireless printer anytime, from almost anywhere from your mobile device. Order Brother Genuine Supplies, track toner usage, and complete more work on-the-go(6)
Brother claims print speeds of up to 34 pages per minute and up to 4,200 pages of included toner for the XL bundle. The speed and toner yield are manufacturer-stated maximums; actual results depend on use and conditions. Brother says the XL package includes six times more in-box toner than the standard MFC-L2820DW. Check Brother USA’s MFC-L2820DW XL specifications.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- EVERYTHING SMALL TEAMS NEED – Print, scan and copy professional-quality black & white documents and reports plus fax. Auto 2-sided printing and auto document feeder for fast scan/copy. Perfect for up to 7 people.
- SUPER-FAST PRINT SPEEDS – Up to 35 black-and-white pages per minute single-sided
- STAYS CONNECTED – Intelligent Wi-Fi looks for the best connection to stay online and ready to print
- PROTECTS YOUR DATA – Includes HP Wolf Pro Security with customizable settings so your printer and information are always secure
- PRINT FROM ANY DEVICE – Wireless printing from any mobile device, PC or tablet. Ethernet and Bluetooth included. Works with Microsoft, Mac, AirPrint, Android, Chromebook and more.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
