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BrotherThe Brother DCP-L2640DW is a monochrome laser printer designed for business or home office users who need fast, reliable black-and-white printing with added scanning and copying functions. It prints quickly at up to 36 pages per minute, which is great if you often have large print jobs. The print quality is sharp with a resolution of 1200 x 1200 dpi, ensuring clear text and detailed documents. It includes automatic duplex printing, so you can easily print on both sides of the paper, saving time and paper costs.
This model offers flexible connectivity options, including fast dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz and 5GHz), Ethernet, and USB, allowing easy connection to multiple devices without needing technical help. The Brother Mobile Connect app lets you print and scan remotely from your smartphone, adding convenience if you work on the go. Paper handling is solid with a 250-sheet main tray and a 50-page automatic document feeder, which is handy for scanning or copying multi-page documents quickly. The manual feed slot supports envelopes and specialty papers, adding more versatility.
One key highlight is the optional Brother Refresh subscription, which helps reduce toner costs by automatically sending replacement cartridges at a discount—useful for avoiding unexpected supply runs. This printer only prints in black and white, so it’s not suitable if you need color prints. While it's compact for a laser model, it is relatively heavy and might take some space in smaller setups. It also doesn’t have fax capabilities, which some multifunction printers include, although fax is less common today. This makes the Brother DCP-L2640DW an excellent choice for users seeking a speedy, reliable monochrome printer with scanning and copying, low operating costs, and flexible connectivity, especially for small to medium offices or anyone who prints mostly text-heavy documents and values convenience and cost savings.
EpsonThe Epson EcoTank ET-4850 is an inkjet all-in-one printer designed especially for office use where printing volume and cost efficiency matter. It uses a cartridge-free ink tank system, allowing you to refill ink bottles instead of replacing cartridges. This leads to big savings on ink—up to 90% less cost—making it ideal if you print frequently. The ink bottles supply enough ink to print thousands of pages, so you won’t need to refill often, which is convenient and reduces waste. Print quality is sharp with a maximum resolution of 1200 dpi, producing clear text and vibrant color photos on various paper types.
The printer offers decent speed, around 15.5 pages per minute for black-and-white and 8.5 ppm for color, which should be fine for small to medium office tasks but may feel slow if you have heavy printing demands. It includes useful all-in-one features like a flatbed scanner, copier, fax, and an automatic document feeder, which helps with scanning or copying multiple pages quickly. You can print double-sided automatically, saving paper, and load up to 250 sheets at once, reducing frequent paper refills. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB, and even voice-activated printing, making it easy to print from smartphones or computers.
The printer uses pigment black ink for sharp text but might not match laser printers in speed or sharpness for high-volume business use. Genuine Epson ink is recommended to maintain quality and avoid warranty issues. If you’re looking for a cost-effective, versatile printer with low running costs and solid print quality for home or office use, the ET-4850 fits well, especially if you prefer convenience and eco-friendly features over ultra-fast printing.
The HP DeskJet 2855e is an inkjet all-in-one printer designed mainly for home use, offering printing, scanning, and copying in a compact package. It prints up to 7.5 pages per minute in black and 5.5 ppm in color, suitable for light everyday tasks like letters, recipes, and homework. Its maximum color resolution is quite good at 4800 x 1200 dpi, meaning photo and color document quality will be decent for casual users.
The printer includes a 60-sheet input tray, which is modest but manageable for occasional printing. Connectivity is wireless via single-band Wi-Fi, allowing easy printing from smartphones and computers using the HP app, a smart feature for convenience. It also supports automatic duplex (double-sided) printing, helping save paper. Print speeds are relatively slow compared to laser printers, so it’s not ideal for high-volume printing.
The printer relies on original HP ink cartridges, which can be pricier and might increase running costs over time despite the initial 3 months of ink included with HP+ subscription. The design is eco-friendly, made from 60% recycled plastic and energy-efficient. A small LED display and straightforward controls make it user-friendly. While it lacks advanced paper handling or multiple trays, it fits well for users needing a compact, basic all-in-one printer primarily for home tasks rather than office-level volume or speed.