Feels more expensive than it is.
Solid Value from a Trusted Brand
Winner
The Brother DCP-L2640DW is a solid choice for small businesses and home offices looking for a reliable black-and-white printer with scanning and copying capabilities. With impressive print speeds of up to 36 pages per minute, it ensures that your printing tasks are completed quickly, which is a significant advantage for busy environments. The 50-page automatic document feeder streamlines multi-page scanning and copying, saving you time and effort.
Print quality is strong, with a maximum resolution of 1200 x 1200 dots per inch, ensuring that your documents appear sharp and professional. The printer supports duplex printing, allowing you to save paper and reduce waste, which is an essential feature for environmentally-conscious users.
Connectivity options are versatile, including wireless, Ethernet, and USB connections, making it easy to integrate with multiple devices. The Brother Mobile Connect app further enhances usability, enabling remote printing and management from your mobile device. The printer's size and weight, at 25 pounds and dimensions of 15.7 x 16.1 x 12.5 inches, mean it requires a decent amount of space, which may not be suitable for those with limited desk area. Additionally, while the printer excels at black-and-white printing, it lacks color printing capabilities, so it's not the best choice if you occasionally need to produce color documents.
The Canon MegaTank G3270 All-in-One Wireless Inkjet Printer offers several advantages for home users. Its standout feature is the MegaTank system, which includes up to two years' worth of ink, allowing you to print up to 6,000 black and white pages and 7,700 color pages from a single set of inks. This translates to significant cost savings on ink. The printer supports wireless printing, scanning, and copying, making it convenient for various tasks around the house. It also includes a 1.35” square LCD display for easier navigation and control. Additionally, it offers borderless printing, increasing its versatility for photo printing and other creative projects.
The connectivity options are robust, featuring Wi-Fi and USB options, and it is compatible with both smartphones and PCs, ensuring easy integration with your devices. However, there are some drawbacks to consider. The print speed is relatively modest, with a maximum of 11 pages per minute for monochrome and 6 for color. Furthermore, it lacks duplex (double-sided) printing and scanning capabilities, which might be a dealbreaker for users who need to print or scan documents on both sides regularly. The paper handling is basic, accommodating a variety of sizes but with a maximum input capacity of 100 sheets, which is fairly standard for home use but might require frequent reloading if you print in large volumes.
Lastly, its design is somewhat bulky, with dimensions of 21.9 x 16.4 x 10.6 inches and a weight of 13.2 pounds, which might take up considerable space in a compact home office. The Canon MegaTank G3270 is a cost-effective printer with excellent ink economy, suitable for general home use, but may not be ideal for users needing high-speed printing, duplex capabilities, or high-resolution scanning.
The Brother MFC-L2820DW is a solid option for small offices or home-users looking for a reliable black-and-white printer with scanning capabilities. One of its standout features is the print speed, reaching up to 36 pages per minute, which can significantly boost productivity for those who need quick document printing. Its automatic document feeder, capable of handling 50 pages, also makes multi-page tasks like scanning and faxing a breeze. The print quality is impressive, with a maximum resolution of 1200 x 1200 DPI, ensuring that documents come out sharp and clear.
On the connectivity front, this printer scores well with wireless options, including dual-band Wi-Fi and Ethernet, along with USB connectivity for direct linking to a computer. The 2.7-inch touchscreen simplifies navigation and allows for easy access to cloud services like Google Drive and Dropbox, which is a great addition for tech-savvy users.
However, the printer does have a few drawbacks. While the print speed is fast, the initial page print time of 8.5 seconds could be a bit slow for those who require immediate output. Additionally, its size, while compact for an all-in-one, may still take up considerable desk space, weighing in at 22.5 pounds. Furthermore, the single paper tray can be limiting if you're printing different media types frequently. The Brother Refresh Subscription Service, which offers savings on toner, is a nice incentive but may require a commitment that some users are not ready for. The Brother MFC-L2820DW is well-suited for individuals or small teams looking for an efficient, multifunction black-and-white printer, provided they can accommodate its physical footprint and are comfortable with its setup and maintenance.