Main trade-off
Brother MFC-L2820DW
Its document feeder scans only one side. Double-sided filing still needs manual handling and a page-order check.
Head-to-head
Brother MFC-L2820DW vs Canon MF289dw: Canon scans both sides, paper capacity stays equal
The short answer
Choose MF289dw for regular two-sided paperwork. Its automatic duplex scanning removes the manual reverse-side pass that MFC-L2820DW still requires. Choose Brother when originals are mainly one-sided and its lower body or 5 GHz Wi-Fi solves an actual placement problem. Both hold 250 print sheets, so Canon is a scanning upgrade rather than an input-paper-capacity upgrade.
Before you choose
The reasoning and the trade-offs
Two-sided forms create a second visit to the printer
For a parent also running a small business, the awkward part of filing may be returning to flip insurance forms and contracts after the first sides have scanned. Canon automates that reverse-side capture. Brother still needs manual handling, even though it has fax, a touchscreen and a 50-sheet feeder. Canon is worth considering when those interruptions are common. If nearly everything arrives digitally or on one-sided paper, you lose much of that reason to upgrade. Check the finished file on either printer.
What this is based on
Brother specifies no duplex scanning. Canon’s model matrix confirms two-sided feeder scanning. The inference concerns a required handling step, not a measured time saving, error rate or single-pass mechanism.
Main trade-off
Canon imageCLASS MF289dw
The body is 3 inches taller than Brother. Do not assume it can work in the same shelf opening.
Brother MFC-L2820DW
- Choose it for
- Mostly one-sided scans, with a lower body or 5 GHz Wi-Fi making installation easier.
- You need fax and a 250-sheet print tray but can handle reverse sides yourself when they appear.
- Main trade-off
- Its document feeder scans only one side. Double-sided filing still needs manual handling and a page-order check.
Canon imageCLASS MF289dw
- Choose it for
- Recurring double-sided forms make automatic capture of both sides worth the taller body.
- You need a configured email or network-folder scan destination as part of that two-sided filing routine.
- Main trade-off
- The body is 3 inches taller than Brother. Do not assume it can work in the same shelf opening.
About this comparison
MFC-L2820DW or MF289dw for two-sided paperwork? Compare manual refeeding, shelf access and network setup before choosing a home-office all-in-one.
Both combine monochrome printing, scanning, copying and fax with a 250-sheet print tray. The important upgrade is on the incoming-paper side. Canon can scan both sides automatically, while Brother keeps a lower body and dual-band Wi-Fi.
Winner by situation
Start with what you need it to do
Double-sided paperwork and frequent interruptions
Canon removes the manual reverse-side pass. Verify the resulting file and supported originals.
- Brother MFC-L2820DW
- Caution
- Canon imageCLASS MF289dw
- Better fit
Mostly one-sided originals below low shelving
Brother has a body 3 inches lower. Both need usable overhead access.
- Brother MFC-L2820DW
- Better fit
- Canon imageCLASS MF289dw
- Caution
A shared 250-sheet print-paper requirement
The main tray rating is the same. Scanner capability is the important difference.
- Brother MFC-L2820DW
- Similar
- Canon imageCLASS MF289dw
- Similar
A 5 GHz-only wireless network
Brother explicitly supports 5 GHz. Confirm a compatible network or wired route for Canon.
- Brother MFC-L2820DW
- Better fit
- Canon imageCLASS MF289dw
- Caution
What matters in practice
The differences that matter
Two-sided forms create a second visit to the printer
For a parent also running a small business, the awkward part of filing may be returning to flip insurance forms and contracts after the first sides have scanned. Canon automates that reverse-side capture. Brother still needs manual handling, even though it has fax, a touchscreen and a 50-sheet feeder. Canon is worth considering when those interruptions are common. If nearly everything arrives digitally or on one-sided paper, you lose much of that reason to upgrade. Check the finished file on either printer.
How we reached this conclusion
Brother specifies no duplex scanning. Canon’s model matrix confirms two-sided feeder scanning. The inference concerns a required handling step, not a measured time saving, error rate or single-pass mechanism.
A scanning upgrade can force you to move the whole workstation
Canon is 0.7 inch narrower, which looks helpful beside a monitor, but it is also 3 inches taller and exactly as deep. In an office where shelving already limits access above the printer, the upgrade may require a new location before it makes paperwork easier. Brother is the better fit when its lower body keeps the scanner usable and you can accept manual backs. Neither closed-body dimension includes the room needed to load paper, open the lid and ventilate the unit.
How we reached this conclusion
Width difference 16.1 minus 15.4 = 0.7 inch. Height difference 15.5 minus 12.5 = 3 inches. Both bodies are 15.7 inches deep. Installation clearance is additional.
Solve the destination and the paper path together
Automatic two-sided scanning helps less if every finished file lands somewhere the rest of the household cannot use. Canon documents email and SMB folder sending, so a shared filing folder can be part of the purchase plan after configuration. Brother also has documented email and cloud routes, so it should not be dismissed as computer-only. Decide who must receive the file and whether that destination works with your network. The Canon advantage is combining a suitable destination with automatic reverse-side capture.
How we reached this conclusion
Canon’s model matrix confirms email/SMB sending. Brother lists scan to email server as a download and cloud functions. Destination setup, credentials and network compatibility remain required. No security certification or universal service compatibility inferred.
Choice A
Brother, MFC-L2820DW
MFC-L2820DW
Mostly one-sided scans, with a lower body or 5 GHz Wi-Fi making installation easier.
- Best matched use
- Mostly one-sided scans, with a lower body or 5 GHz Wi-Fi making installation easier.
Checked facts
- Two-sided scan originals: One-sided feeder, manual reverse-side handling
- Main print tray: 250 sheets
- Body height: 12.5 inches
- Body width and depth: 16.1 by 15.7 inches
Choice B
Canon, MF289dw (US 6354C005)
imageCLASS MF289dw
Recurring double-sided forms make automatic capture of both sides worth the taller body.
- Best matched use
- Recurring double-sided forms make automatic capture of both sides worth the taller body.
Checked facts
- Two-sided scan originals: Automatic two-sided feeder scanning
- Main print tray: 250 sheets
- Body height: 15.5 inches
- Body width and depth: 15.4 by 15.7 inches
Meaningful differences
What changes the fit
| What changes | Brother MFC-L2820DW | Canon imageCLASS MF289dw | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two-sided scan originals | One-sided feeder, manual reverse-side handling | Automatic two-sided feeder scanning | Canon removes a repeated handling step when both faces contain information. |
| Main print tray | 250 sheets | 250 sheets | The scan upgrade does not add more blank paper for printing. |
| Body height | 12.5 inches | 15.5 inches | Allow another 3 inches for Canon’s body before lid and paper access. |
| Body width and depth | 16.1 by 15.7 inches | 15.4 by 15.7 inches | Canon is narrower, but not shallower. Check height independently. |
| Wireless and wired network | 2.4/5 GHz Wi-Fi and Ethernet | Wi-Fi b/g/n and Ethernet | Brother explicitly supports 5 GHz. Either can use a suitable wired connection. |
| Fax and scan destinations | Fax, cloud apps and documented email-server support | Fax and documented scan to email/SMB | Choose a supported destination and configure access. These are different routes, not proof one is inherently more private. |
What you give up
Every choice has a cost
If you choose Brother MFC-L2820DW
- A touchscreen and fax do not make its scanner duplex. Refeeding remains part of a two-sided archive.
If you choose Canon imageCLASS MF289dw
- Its 250-sheet print tray offers no refill advantage over Brother. Network destinations also need configuration and permission.
Recommendation switch
The decision flips if...
Most incoming paper has information on both sides
Choose Canon imageCLASS MF289dw. MF289dw removes manual reverse-side feeding, subject to original and destination compatibility.
The low shelf or 5 GHz-only Wi-Fi is the harder constraint
Choose Brother MFC-L2820DW. MFC-L2820DW has the lower body and documented dual-band connection, with one-sided scanning.
The upgrade is only meant to hold more print paper
Choose neither. Both main trays hold 250 sheets. This pair offers no capacity upgrade.
What matters in practice
Before you choose
You want a short printer below office shelving, but you also want to finish two-sided filing without returning to flip the originals.
What this comparison cannot tell you
- Canon’s current page and a manufacturer manual disagree on feeder capacity. No capacity winner, single-pass claim or scan-speed estimate is used.
- Conflicting MFC-L2820DW speed figures are excluded from the verdict and calculations.
What the facts say
What the comparison shows
Useful conclusions from the current laser printers comparison, followed by the checked facts used to reach them.
See the checked facts and calculation notes
| Product | Needs matched | Checked facts | Source records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brother MFC-L2820DW |
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| Canon imageCLASS MF289dw |
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Ready to choose?
Check the price. Read the owner reviews.
Open either model on Amazon to check the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Brother MFC-L2820DW
Mostly one-sided scans, with a lower body or 5 GHz Wi-Fi making installation easier.
You need fax and a 250-sheet print tray but can handle reverse sides yourself when they appear.
See price & reviews on AmazonCanon imageCLASS MF289dw
Recurring double-sided forms make automatic capture of both sides worth the taller body.
You need a configured email or network-folder scan destination as part of that two-sided filing routine.
See price & reviews on AmazonLinks open in a new tab.