Best Overall
Brother MFC-L2820DW
Key details
- Functions
- Print, copy, scan, fax
- Print Speed
- 34 ppm
- Connectivity
- Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB
- Paper Capacity
- 250 sheets
A full ream can come out of this printer without the output tray overflowing, which tells you what Brother built here: a small-office machine that keeps up with a stack of documents. The MFC-L2820DW prints at 34 ppm and pairs that with a 250-sheet input tray and a 250-sheet output tray, so long jobs do not need babysitting. We recommend it as the default all-in-one for a home office that prints contracts, invoices, and school packets rather than photos. The 2.7-inch touchscreen is not a tablet, but the menus are clear and the cloud shortcuts are genuinely useful.
The 50-sheet automatic document feeder and automatic two-sided printing do the work that makes an all-in-one worth owning. We liked being able to load a multipage PDF, let it duplex, and come back to a finished stack. Fax is included, which matters if you deal with a clinic, a legal office, or a landlord who still asks for one. Ethernet is there alongside dual-band Wi-Fi, and we appreciate that hardwire option when a router is stuck in another room.
The 22.5-pound body is steady on a desk, though it takes more room than a compact inkjet. We did not mind the smaller touchscreen once the shortcuts were set, and the 8.5-second first page means there is little waiting around. For black-and-white volume, the combination of speed, ADF, duplex, and a full-ream output tray is the most complete package in this group.
Pros
- Fast 34 ppm mono printing
- 50-sheet ADF and automatic duplex
- 250-sheet input and output trays
- Ethernet plus dual-band Wi-Fi
Cons
- Monochrome output only
We recommend the Brother MFC-L2820DW as the default home-office all-in-one: fast mono printing, a 50-sheet ADF, duplex, and a 250-sheet output tray make long document jobs feel routine.