The catch
Brother DCP-L2640DW
Fax and automatic two-sided scanning are both missing. Neither function is supplied by a 50-sheet ADF.
Side by side
Brother DCP-L2640DW vs Canon MF289dw: Duplex scanning on Canon comes with 3 inches of added height
Quick verdict
The DCP-L2640DW is for one-sided scanning and everyday printing when you can do without fax. If automatic two-sided scanning or a required fax workflow would save you a separate task, get the MF289dw. The Canon body is 3 inches taller. Since both print trays hold 250 sheets, printing more for the family is a weak reason on its own to upgrade.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
Look at incoming paper as well as printing volume
Hundreds of homework pages may get printed in a household that scans only a few one-sided forms. Brother already handles that job, with the same 250-sheet tray as Canon. The recommendation shifts if the incoming pile holds double-sided statements, insurance forms or contracts, since Canon captures the backs automatically and Brother needs another handling step. Think about outgoing printing and incoming filing separately before paying for an upgrade. The bigger household does not automatically need the more capable scanner.
Where this comes from
Each main tray holds 250 sheets. The ADF is one-sided on Brother and two-sided on Canon. The format of incoming documents, and not household size, determines the additional handling.
The catch
Canon imageCLASS MF289dw
A taller body comes with the extra scanning and fax features, and ordinary print-paper capacity stays the same.
Brother DCP-L2640DW
- Why pick it
- Your printing and scanning is mostly one-sided paperwork, and you never have to send or receive faxes.
- A lower body with the same 250-sheet print tray appeals to you, and you can turn the odd reverse side by hand.
- The catch
- Fax and automatic two-sided scanning are both missing. Neither function is supplied by a 50-sheet ADF.
Canon imageCLASS MF289dw
- Why pick it
- Statements and forms printed on both sides need their reverse captured automatically, and you have room for the taller printer.
- Fax has to be in the same machine, and your telephone service is set up to work with it.
- The catch
- A taller body comes with the extra scanning and fax features, and ordinary print-paper capacity stays the same.
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What this page compares
Should you move up from the DCP-L2640DW to the MF289dw? Look at two-sided family filing, required fax, shared print jobs and the space each printer takes.
Buyers who want one monochrome machine for work documents and household paperwork are the fit. Canon adds fax and automatic two-sided scanning, and Brother already has a flatbed, a large one-sided feeder and the same main print-tray capacity.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
Lots of printing, with only a few one-sided scans
The same main print capacity is already on Brother, without the taller Canon body.
- Brother DCP-L2640DW
- Better fit
- Canon imageCLASS MF289dw
- Good
Double-sided household files that recur
For suitable originals, Canon does away with manual reverse-side capture.
- Brother DCP-L2640DW
- Caution
- Canon imageCLASS MF289dw
- Better fit
Fax is a must and the telephone service is compatible
Canon includes fax and Brother does not.
- Brother DCP-L2640DW
- Not suitable
- Canon imageCLASS MF289dw
- Better fit
School projects in color have to be printed at home
Neither prints beyond monochrome.
- Brother DCP-L2640DW
- Not suitable
- Canon imageCLASS MF289dw
- Not suitable
In practice
Differences you will notice
Look at incoming paper as well as printing volume
Hundreds of homework pages may get printed in a household that scans only a few one-sided forms. Brother already handles that job, with the same 250-sheet tray as Canon. The recommendation shifts if the incoming pile holds double-sided statements, insurance forms or contracts, since Canon captures the backs automatically and Brother needs another handling step. Think about outgoing printing and incoming filing separately before paying for an upgrade. The bigger household does not automatically need the more capable scanner.
How we worked this out
Each main tray holds 250 sheets. The ADF is one-sided on Brother and two-sided on Canon. The format of incoming documents, and not household size, determines the additional handling.
Needing fax can complicate what looked like the simpler setup
When an organization insists on fax and your home already has a compatible line, Canon puts that route in the same machine. Picking Brother and then arranging a separate fax service adds a task the printer cannot perform. If the organization accepts a secure upload or another approved route, fax may add little value. Confirm the actual receiving requirement first. Canon’s fax hardware is useful only when the rest of that communication route works too.
How we worked this out
Fax is excluded from the DCP-L2640DW and included in the MF289dw. Recipient acceptance and telephone compatibility are explicit conditions, and fax and email are not assumed to be equivalent.
A family archive may hold the wrong kind of originals for this upgrade
Two-sided feeding sounds ideal for working through a mixed family archive, yet bound books, delicate originals and unsuitable media still call for an appropriate flatbed workflow. Canon cannot make an unattended stack out of those objects. If keepsakes and workbook pages make up most of your backlog, Brother may already offer the scanning method you need, in a body 3 inches lower. Canon earns its place when a meaningful share of the archive is suitable loose double-sided paper.
How we worked this out
A flatbed comes on each. Canon’s placement instructions separate feeder-compatible loose originals from items that need the glass. The body heights are 12.5 and 15.5 inches. Nothing here gives blanket permission to scan fragile items.
Option A
Brother, DCP-L2640DW
DCP-L2640DW
Your printing and scanning is mostly one-sided paperwork, and you never have to send or receive faxes.
- Best for
- Your printing and scanning is mostly one-sided paperwork, and you never have to send or receive faxes.
Facts we checked
- Capturing both faces of paper: Manual handling of reverse sides
- Print-paper capacity: 250-sheet main tray
- Fax requirement: No fax
- Body height: 12.5 inches
Option B
Canon, MF289dw (US 6354C005)
imageCLASS MF289dw
Statements and forms printed on both sides need their reverse captured automatically, and you have room for the taller printer.
- Best for
- Statements and forms printed on both sides need their reverse captured automatically, and you have room for the taller printer.
Facts we checked
- Capturing both faces of paper: Automatic two-sided feeder scanning
- Print-paper capacity: 250-sheet main tray
- Fax requirement: Fax supported
- Body height: 15.5 inches
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Brother DCP-L2640DW | Canon imageCLASS MF289dw | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capturing both faces of paper | Manual handling of reverse sides | Automatic two-sided feeder scanning | What makes Canon helpful is double-sided incoming paper. Sheer volume is not the deciding factor. |
| Print-paper capacity | 250-sheet main tray | 250-sheet main tray | More blank paper for homework and work print jobs is not held by the upgrade. |
| Fax requirement | No fax | Fax supported | If the telephone service is compatible, Canon can cover a required fax route. |
| Body height | 12.5 inches | 15.5 inches | Before access is accounted for, Canon takes more vertical space. |
| Flatbed and feeder | Flatbed plus one-sided ADF | Flatbed plus two-sided ADF | Whether the automatic feeder helps at all depends on the type of original. |
| Output type | Monochrome print and copy | Monochrome print and copy | Color printing for projects or diagrams comes from neither upgrade path. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Brother DCP-L2640DW
- With regular two-sided filing, you keep returning to handle the backs and verify page order.
With Canon imageCLASS MF289dw
- Appropriate loose originals are still required for an ADF. Bound or delicate keepsakes stay a manual scanning job.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
Your scans are mostly one-sided, and you don’t need fax
Go with Brother DCP-L2640DW. That routine is covered by Brother, which has a lower body and the same print-paper capacity.
The missing task is automatic reverse-side capture or required fax
Go with Canon imageCLASS MF289dw. Both functions come with Canon, subject to media, destination and telephone compatibility.
Color printing is a need for the family
Neither model fits. That requirement is met by neither printer.
Decision guide
Before you buy
You do not want to pay for office features you will not use, yet having to handle the backs of family paperwork over and over can make the simpler printer inconvenient.
What this page can’t tell you
- Canon’s current page and another manufacturer document conflict, so we claim no feeder-capacity advantage for it.
- We infer nothing about scan time, OCR accuracy or any health-related benefit.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the laser printers we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brother DCP-L2640DW |
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| Canon imageCLASS MF289dw |
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Brother DCP-L2640DW
Your printing and scanning is mostly one-sided paperwork, and you never have to send or receive faxes.
A lower body with the same 250-sheet print tray appeals to you, and you can turn the odd reverse side by hand.
See price & reviews on AmazonCanon imageCLASS MF289dw
Statements and forms printed on both sides need their reverse captured automatically, and you have room for the taller printer.
Fax has to be in the same machine, and your telephone service is set up to work with it.
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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