Brother Color Laser Printer, Scanner and Copier: Which All-in-One Fits?
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Brother has a long reputation for reliable, no-fuss office printers, and its color laser all-in-ones are a favorite for home offices and small businesses. An all-in-one (also called a multi-function printer) combines a printer, scanner and copier in one box, and some add a fax. Brother’s color laser models are known for crisp, smudge-free text, sturdy paper handling and wireless setup through the Brother Mobile Connect app.
The six models below differ in function and scale: three MFC all-in-ones range from a home-office model to a large business machine, the HL-L3300CDW is a renewed 3-in-1 without a document feeder, the HL-L3280CDW is a print-only color laser, and the Work Smart 1360 is an inkjet all-in-one for lighter home use.
Brother Color Laser All-in-One Printers Compared
| Model | Functions | Print Speed (up to) | Document Feeder | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brother MFC-L3720CDW | Print, scan, copy, fax (laser) | 19 ppm | 50 sheets | 44 lb |
| Brother MFC-L8930CDW | Print, scan, copy (laser) | 33 ppm | 80 pages | 71.2 lb |
| Brother MFC-L3780CDW | Print, scan, copy, fax (laser) | 31 ppm | Not listed (single-pass duplex scan) | 47.8 lb |
| Brother HL-L3300CDW (Renewed Premium) | Print, scan, copy (laser) | 19 ppm | None, flatbed only | 40.8 lb |
| Brother HL-L3280CDW | Print only (laser) | 27 ppm | None | 33.9 lb |
| Brother Work Smart 1360 | Print, scan, copy (inkjet) | 16 ppm black, 9 ppm color | 20 sheets | 16.8 lb |
All-in-One vs Print-Only and Laser vs Inkjet
An all-in-one can scan a document to your computer or email and make copies, which is handy for tax forms, school permission slips and contracts. A print-only printer is smaller and simpler, but you would need a phone app or separate scanner for scanning. A document feeder (ADF) pulls a stack of pages through the scanner automatically, so you do not have to lift the lid for every page.
A laser printer fuses powdered toner onto paper with heat. Toner does not dry out, so laser printers suit people who print in bursts, and text comes out sharp and smudge-free. An inkjet sprays liquid ink; it is usually smaller and lighter and handles photos well, but cartridges can dry out if unused for long. ppm means pages per minute and duplex means printing on both sides automatically.
Brother MFC-L3720CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer for Home Offices
Brother
Brother MFC-L3720CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer, Scanner, Copier, Fax, Auto Duplex, 250-Sheet Capacity
Price and specifications are read from the Amazon product page and can change.
Brother MFC-L3720CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer
Best for: Home offices needing fax and scanning
Pros
- Print, scan, copy and fax
- 50-sheet document feeder
- Dual-band Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct
Cons
- 19 ppm is modest
- 44 pounds
The Brother MFC-L3720CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer is a full four-function machine: print, scan, copy and fax. It prints up to 19 pages per minute and scans at up to 29 images per minute in black and 22 in color. A 50-sheet document feeder handles multi-page scans, and a 250-sheet adjustable tray holds half a ream of paper. Automatic duplex printing saves paper.
Connections include dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz and 5GHz), Wi-Fi Direct for printing from a phone without a router, and USB 2.0. A 3.5-inch color touchscreen offers up to 48 custom shortcuts and direct access to cloud services such as Google Drive, Dropbox and OneNote. The companion app lets you print remotely and check toner levels. It weighs 44 pounds and measures 16.1 by 17.5 by 15.8 inches.
This suits a home office that still needs fax, or anyone who scans documents regularly. If speed matters, the MFC-L3780CDW prints up to 31 ppm in a similar body.
Brother MFC-L8930CDW Business Color Laser All-in-One for Busy Teams
Brother
Brother MFC-L8930CDW Business Color Laser All-in-One Printer with Duplex Print, Scan, Copy, Low-Cost Printing, and Advanced Security Features
Price and specifications are read from the Amazon product page and can change.
Brother MFC-L8930CDW Business Color Laser All-in-One
Best for: Busy business teams
Pros
- Up to 33 ppm
- 104 ipm two-sided scanning
- 7-inch touchscreen, NFC badge reader
Cons
- Heavy at 71.2 pounds
- No fax mentioned in listing
The Brother MFC-L8930CDW Business Color Laser All-in-One is the office workhorse. It prints and copies at up to 33 ppm (the spec sheet says “33 pages per second”, clearly a typo for per minute). Scanning is two-sided at up to 104 images per minute through an 80-page document feeder, with a legal-size glass and the ability to scan to cloud, email or SharePoint and create editable Office documents.
It comes with 3,000-page black and 1,800-page color starter toners; Brother says TN635XXL super high yield cartridges (7,500 black, 6,500 color) lower running costs. A 7-inch touchscreen supports up to 64 shortcuts. Connectivity includes dual-band Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet. Triple Layer Security protects devices, documents and networks, and an NFC card reader supports badge sign-in. It is EPEAT Gold rated and ENERGY STAR certified, and Brother says it is 25% smaller than the previous model. It still weighs 71.2 pounds. The listing does not mention fax.
This suits a team that prints and scans all day. For a single home user, it is more machine than needed.
Brother MFC-L3780CDW Wireless Digital Color All-in-One for Small Businesses
Brother
Brother MFC-L3780CDW Wireless Digital Color All-in-One Printer
Price and specifications are read from the Amazon product page and can change.
Brother MFC-L3780CDW Wireless Digital Color All-in-One
Best for: Small businesses printing in volume
Pros
- Up to 31 ppm
- Single-pass duplex copy and scan
- Gigabit Ethernet plus dual-band Wi-Fi
Cons
- 8 pounds
- Larger footprint than print-only
The Brother MFC-L3780CDW Wireless Digital Color All-in-One steps up from the MFC-L3720CDW with print speeds up to 31 ppm. It also prints, scans, copies and faxes, with scan speeds up to 29/22 ipm (black/color) and single-pass duplex copying and scanning, meaning it reads both sides of a page in one pass.
It adds Gigabit Ethernet on top of dual-band Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct and USB, and uses a 3.5-inch touchscreen. It takes Brother Genuine TN229 toner in standard, high and super high yields, and supports Brother’s Refresh EZ Print subscription for automatic toner delivery. It weighs 47.8 pounds.
This suits a small business or busy home office that wants faster output and wired networking. For light use, the MFC-L3720CDW is enough. Our Brother color all-in-one printer guide covers more of the range.
Brother HL-L3300CDW Wireless Digital Color Multi-Function for Freelancers
Brother
Brother HL-L3300CDW Wireless Digital Color Multi-Function Laser Printer, Copy & Scan, Duplex, Mobile | Includes 2 Month Refresh Subscription Trial ¹ Amazon Dash Replenishment Ready (Renewed Premium)
Price and specifications are read from the Amazon product page and can change.
Brother HL-L3300CDW Wireless Digital Color Multi-Function
Best for: Freelancers on a tighter budget
Pros
- Print, copy and scan
- 250-sheet tray plus manual slot
- EPEAT Silver, Eco Mode
Cons
- Renewed, not new
- No document feeder or fax
The Brother HL-L3300CDW Wireless Digital Color Multi-Function printer in this listing is a Renewed Premium unit, meaning it is refurbished rather than brand new. It is a 3-in-1 (print, copy and scan) with a flatbed scanner glass, but no document feeder and no fax. It prints up to 19 ppm and has a 250-sheet tray plus a manual feed slot for envelopes and specialty paper.
It supports dual-band Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct and USB, and the Brother Mobile Connect app handles remote printing, scanning to your phone and toner monitoring. It is ENERGY STAR compliant and EPEAT Silver rated with Eco Mode, Toner Save Mode and automatic duplex printing. It includes a 2-month Refresh subscription trial and weighs 40.8 pounds.
This suits freelancers and hybrid workers who scan occasionally. If you scan multi-page documents often, the MFC models with feeders save time.
Brother HL-L3280CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer for Print-Only Needs
Best for: Print-only color for small desks
Pros
- Up to 27 ppm
- Compact 10.8-inch width
- Cloud printing from 2.7-inch screen
Cons
- Print only, no scan or copy
- Listing spec mentions a scanner in error
The Brother HL-L3280CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer is a print-only model, not an all-in-one. It prints up to 27 ppm with automatic duplex, and its 2.7-inch touchscreen lets you print from cloud apps such as Google Drive, Dropbox and EverNote. It offers dual-band wireless, Ethernet and mobile printing, plus a 2-month Refresh trial.
The spec block lists a flatbed scanner type, but the title, features and description describe only printing, so do not count on scanning or copying. At 10.8 inches wide and 33.9 pounds, it is the most compact laser here.
This suits someone who only needs fast, crisp color printing on a small desk. For scanning, pick one of the all-in-ones.
Brother Work Smart 1360 Wireless Color Inkjet for Light Home Use
Best for: Students and light home printing
Pros
- Light at 16.8 pounds
- 20-sheet document feeder
- Auto duplex, cloud apps
Cons
- Inkjet, not laser
- 9 ppm color
The Brother Work Smart 1360 Wireless Color Inkjet All-in-One is the one inkjet in this list. It prints, scans and copies, with automatic duplex printing, a 20-sheet document feeder and a 150-sheet tray. It prints up to 16 ppm in black and 9 ppm in color, and has a 1.8-inch color display with cloud apps like Google Drive, Dropbox, Box and OneDrive.
It connects over wireless, Wi-Fi Direct or USB, supports AirPrint and Mopria, and the Page Gauge feature in the app helps track ink. It weighs just 16.8 pounds.
This suits students and families printing homework and occasional reports. For heavier printing, a laser model is sturdier. For more ideas, see our list of compact wireless all-in-one printers.
How to Choose the Right Brother Color Laser All-in-One
Functions. Need fax? Choose the MFC-L3720CDW or MFC-L3780CDW. Print only? The HL-L3280CDW.
Volume. Light home use: the MFC-L3720CDW or HL-L3300CDW. Small business: the MFC-L3780CDW. Teams: the MFC-L8930CDW.
Scanning. Document feeders on the MFC models and the Work Smart 1360 speed up multi-page scans.
Space. The HL-L3280CDW and the Work Smart 1360 are the most compact.
FAQ
Which Brother all-in-one has fax?
The MFC-L3720CDW and MFC-L3780CDW list fax.
Is the HL-L3280CDW an all-in-one?
No. Its features describe a print-only color laser printer.
What does renewed mean?
The HL-L3300CDW listing is Renewed Premium, meaning it is a refurbished unit rather than new.
Is laser better than inkjet?
Laser suits sharp text and people who print occasionally, since toner does not dry out. Inkjet is lighter and handles photos well.
Which Brother printer is fastest?
The MFC-L8930CDW at up to 33 ppm.
Which Brother printer should I buy?
Home office: MFC-L3720CDW. Small business: MFC-L3780CDW. Teams: MFC-L8930CDW.
