Description
What The Brother MFC-L8900CDW Is
The Brother MFC-L8900CDW is a color laser all in one aimed at offices and small workgroups with higher print volumes. Brother rates it at up to 33 pages per minute in both black and color, fits a 70 page automatic document feeder with two sided scanning, and puts a 5.0 inch color touchscreen on the front with customizable shortcuts. Networking covers both Gigabit Ethernet and wireless.
It sits in the business machine bracket rather than the home office one, and the physical specification confirms it: 63.1 pounds and 19.5 by 20.7 by 21.6 inches. This site also carries a second listing for the same MFC-L8900CDW, so anyone comparing the two pages is looking at one product under two product pages rather than two models.
The Consumables, Separated From The Printer
This is where a laser printer purchase is actually decided, and this listing gives enough detail to do it properly. Two separate consumable systems are involved and they should not be confused with each other.
The first is toner. Brother advertises super high yield replacement cartridges rated at approximately 6,500 pages, measured to the ISO/IEC 19798 standard, and presents that as the low cost output argument. What ships in the box is different: the included components list gives standard yield toner cartridges at approximately 3,000 pages for black and 1,800 pages for color. Those are the starter supplies, and they are less than half the yield of the cartridges Brother quotes in its sales text. The first replacement is where the advertised economics begin.
The second is the drum. A DR431CL drum unit is included, rated at approximately 30,000 pages. On a color laser the drum is a separate wearing part from the toner, replaced on its own schedule, and it is a significant cost when it comes due. Buyers pricing this machine over a few years need the toner cost and the drum cost, not just the toner. Brother’s own toner range across other machines includes options such as the TN830XL high yield and the TN660, and the toner cartridges category shows how yields compare across brands.
Speed, Scanning And Paper Handling
The 33 pages per minute figure carries a footnote worth reading. Brother states it is based on one sided printing and that a change from the default setting is required, which means the machine ships set to duplex and the rated speed applies with duplex turned off. That is an honest disclosure and it is the kind of detail that separates a claimed speed from a working one.
Scanning is the strongest part of the machine. A 70 page automatic document feeder with two sided scanning at up to 58 images per minute is well beyond what most office multifunction printers offer, and the legal size scan glass handles oversized originals. Scan destinations are described as varied, and mobile printing and scanning are supported over a wireless network. Paper handling is 500 sheets input and 150 sheets output, with media support covering plain paper, card stock, envelopes and labels up to 8.5 by 14 inches. First page out is listed at 8.5 seconds and print resolution at up to 2400 by 600 dpi class.
Security
Brother lists advanced security features covering network user authentication and device access restriction. On a shared office printer that matters more than it sounds, because it controls who can print what and from where, and it is one of the features that separates a business machine from a consumer one.
Connectivity beyond the network is worth noting too. The specification lists a single USB port and Gigabit Ethernet as the hardware interface, and Brother describes printing from and scanning to mobile devices over a wireless network. The listing also notes that some of those functions require an internet connection and an account with the relevant service, which is the usual arrangement for cloud scan destinations.
Highlights
- Color laser printing, copying, scanning and faxing.
- Up to 33 pages per minute in black and color.
- 70 page automatic document feeder.
- Two sided scanning at up to 58 images per minute.
- Legal size scan glass.
- Automatic duplex printing.
- Gigabit Ethernet and wireless networking.
- 5.0 inch color touchscreen with customizable shortcuts.
- 500 sheet input capacity.
- Network user authentication and device access restriction.
Things To Consider
The specification table carries the usual scattering of wrong entries. Controller Type lists two smart home platforms and Control Method is listed as Voice, neither of which describes an office laser printer. Sheet Size is listed as 8.5 by 11 while the maximum media size field correctly says 8.5 by 14. Scanner Type reads Document, Ink Color reads color on a toner based machine, and Department reads 5 inch Touchscreen. Memory is listed at 64 MB, which is low for a color laser handling graphics heavy jobs and is worth verifying against Brother documentation.
- The toner in the box is standard yield, not the 6,500 page high yield Brother advertises.
- The drum unit is a separate consumable with its own replacement cost.
- The 33 page per minute rating requires turning off the default duplex setting.
- At 63.1 pounds this is a two person lift and needs a dedicated surface.
- Listed power draw is 600 watts.
- 64 MB of memory is small for a color laser.
- Color laser running costs are higher than monochrome, and this only pays off if color is genuinely used.
- The model was first listed in 2016, so check current driver and firmware support.
Who Should Buy It And Who Should Not
The MFC-L8900CDW suits an office or workgroup that prints and scans in volume and needs color, duplex, fax and network security in one machine. The 70 page duplex document feeder is the standout feature and the reason to choose this over a printer focused model, because it turns paper handling into a background task rather than a manual one. The security features and Gigabit Ethernet make it a reasonable fit for a managed network.
It is the wrong machine for a home office, where the size, weight and consumable costs are disproportionate, and the wrong machine for an office printing almost entirely in black and white, where a monochrome laser is cheaper on every axis. Buyers comparing color laser multifunction machines should look at the HP LaserJet Pro M477fnw and the Xerox C325 across the laser printers category.
