The catch
Canon MF275dw
Backs still have to be handled manually with one-sided scanning, and the 150-sheet tray can interrupt larger single-sided print jobs.
Side by side
Canon MF275dw vs MF289dw: 275 needs less desk depth, while 289 scans both sides
Quick verdict
A shallower desk and the occasional small scan batch call for the MF275dw. Recurring double-sided paperwork, or single-sided print jobs larger than the smaller tray, call for the MF289dw. Fax and automatic two-sided printing come with both. If your big print jobs are already duplexed and most originals are one-sided, the MF289dw may do less for you than its higher model number implies.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
The upgrade counts when the backs of documents keep being put off
Work receipts may be one-sided while family statements and contracts carry important information on the back, and then the second scan pass is the part that gets put off. The MF289dw captures both faces automatically for suitable loose originals, whereas the MF275dw needs manual handling and a page-order check. That makes Canon’s upgrade useful for the format of your backlog, even if you do not print very much. A filing routine that is mostly digital or one-sided has much less to gain.
Where this comes from
The ADF on the MF275dw is simplex, and the MF289dw supports two-sided feeder scanning. What follows is that manual reverse-side handling goes away, with no claimed reduction in errors or measured filing time.
The catch
Canon imageCLASS MF289dw
The body runs 1.1 inches deeper and 1.1 inches taller, so the upgrade may need a different location.
Canon MF275dw
- Why pick it
- You have a shallow desk, and your suitable one-sided scan batches stay within its 35-sheet feeder.
- You can duplex most large print jobs, and you can deal with an occasional reverse-side scan by hand.
- The catch
- Backs still have to be handled manually with one-sided scanning, and the 150-sheet tray can interrupt larger single-sided print jobs.
Canon imageCLASS MF289dw
- Why pick it
- Loose paperwork you scan on both sides comes up again and again, and you want the reverse captured automatically.
- Your single-sided print jobs would use the 250-sheet tray, and there is room for a body that is deeper and taller.
- The catch
- The body runs 1.1 inches deeper and 1.1 inches taller, so the upgrade may need a different location.
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What this page compares
Choosing between the MF275dw and MF289dw for work and family paperwork? See when duplex scanning and a larger tray are worth putting up with the deeper Canon body.
Each is a compact Canon monochrome all-in-one with fax. The MF289dw is a plausible step up for buyers who are outgrowing a small tray or who keep scanning the backs of documents. It also takes more room on the desk.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
Occasional one-sided paperwork on a shallow desk
When the advanced scanner would rarely help, the MF275dw keeps the shallower body.
- Canon MF275dw
- Better fit
- Canon imageCLASS MF289dw
- Good
Two-sided statements and contracts on a regular basis
Both sides of suitable originals are captured automatically by the MF289dw.
- Canon MF275dw
- Caution
- Canon imageCLASS MF289dw
- Better fit
A 200-page job that has to remain single-sided
The full input tray on the MF289dw holds the paper, while the MF275dw needs an input refill.
- Canon MF275dw
- Good
- Canon imageCLASS MF289dw
- Better fit
That same 200-page job, printed duplex
The 100 input sheets needed fit in both. Output collection is still a separate limit.
- Canon MF275dw
- Similar
- Canon imageCLASS MF289dw
- Similar
In practice
Differences you will notice
The upgrade counts when the backs of documents keep being put off
Work receipts may be one-sided while family statements and contracts carry important information on the back, and then the second scan pass is the part that gets put off. The MF289dw captures both faces automatically for suitable loose originals, whereas the MF275dw needs manual handling and a page-order check. That makes Canon’s upgrade useful for the format of your backlog, even if you do not print very much. A filing routine that is mostly digital or one-sided has much less to gain.
How we worked this out
The ADF on the MF275dw is simplex, and the MF289dw supports two-sided feeder scanning. What follows is that manual reverse-side handling goes away, with no claimed reduction in errors or measured filing time.
A 100-sheet tray difference can disappear with two-sided printing
Printed single-sided, a 200-page training packet is more than the full 150-sheet tray of the MF275dw can take, but it fits the 250-sheet tray of the MF289dw. Print that same suitable packet duplex and it uses 100 sheets, which both hold. The MF289dw tray matters when handouts have to stay single-sided or your duplex jobs are larger still. For a family that already duplexes most worksheets, automatic two-sided scanning may be the stronger reason to upgrade. Paper collection can still need attention.
How we worked this out
Input-paper calculation as an example: 200 single-sided pages = 200 sheets. Duplex = ceiling(200 / 2) = 100 sheets. It assumes full trays and suitable paper, and leaves out output-tray handling.
Matching width does not guarantee it fits on the same desk
At 15.4 inches wide for both, a side-by-side photo can make the upgrade look easy to place. The MF289dw is also 1.1 inches deeper and 1.1 inches taller. In a small home office, those extra dimensions can run into a desk edge, cables or overhead storage. Check the complete usable position before you choose the better paper-handling package. If the MF275dw is already close to the space limit, its shallower body can be worth more than saving an occasional input refill.
How we worked this out
Subtract the MF275dw depth/height of 14.6/14.4 inches from the MF289dw 15.7/15.5 inches and you get 1.1 inches in each direction. Required operating clearances are not part of the body measurements.
Option A
Canon, MF275dw
MF275dw
You have a shallow desk, and your suitable one-sided scan batches stay within its 35-sheet feeder.
- Best for
- You have a shallow desk, and your suitable one-sided scan batches stay within its 35-sheet feeder.
Facts we checked
- Reverse sides of scan originals: Manual handling with simplex ADF
- Main print tray: 150 sheets
- Automatic two-sided printing: Yes
- Body depth: 14.6 inches
Option B
Canon, MF289dw (US 6354C005)
imageCLASS MF289dw
Loose paperwork you scan on both sides comes up again and again, and you want the reverse captured automatically.
- Best for
- Loose paperwork you scan on both sides comes up again and again, and you want the reverse captured automatically.
Facts we checked
- Reverse sides of scan originals: Automatic two-sided scanning
- Main print tray: 250 sheets
- Automatic two-sided printing: Yes
- Body depth: 15.7 inches
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Canon MF275dw | Canon imageCLASS MF289dw | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reverse sides of scan originals | Manual handling with simplex ADF | Automatic two-sided scanning | For double-sided filing, this is the clearest upgrade. |
| Main print tray | 150 sheets | 250 sheets | On the MF289dw, larger single-sided output jobs can avoid an input refill. |
| Automatic two-sided printing | Yes | Yes | Either can cut the number of sheets a suitable print job needs. |
| Body depth | 14.6 inches | 15.7 inches | Before cable and access clearance, the MF289dw needs a deeper position. |
| Body width and height | 15.4 inches wide, 14.4 high | 15.4 inches wide, 15.5 high | Width stays put with the upgrade, but height goes up. |
| Fax and output | Fax, monochrome printing | Fax, monochrome printing | Neither fax nor color output counts as an upgrade here, and both remain monochrome. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Canon MF275dw
- Even with automatic duplex printing available, frequent two-sided filing still means repeated handling.
With Canon imageCLASS MF289dw
- For a duplex job that already fits in 150 sheets, a 250-sheet tray adds little refill convenience. The MF275dw already has fax.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
The desk is shallow and fixed, and your scans are mostly one-sided
Go with Canon MF275dw. The MF275dw does without automatic reverse-side capture and keeps a shallower body.
Other work keeps getting interrupted by two-sided filing
Go with Canon imageCLASS MF289dw. For suitable feeder originals, the MF289dw takes manual handling of the reverse side out of the picture.
Adding color printing is the point of the upgrade
Neither model fits. Each printer is monochrome.
Decision guide
Before you buy
Fewer interruptions in paper handling are the goal, yet the printer still has to fit on a shallow shared workstation.
What this page can’t tell you
- Canon’s sources still conflict on feeder capacity. This comparison therefore leans on the two-sided scan function, which was confirmed independently.
- Neither model position nor physical size is taken to mean a running-cost or noise advantage.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canon MF275dw |
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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.
Canon MF275dw
You have a shallow desk, and your suitable one-sided scan batches stay within its 35-sheet feeder.
You can duplex most large print jobs, and you can deal with an occasional reverse-side scan by hand.
See price & reviews on AmazonCanon imageCLASS MF289dw
Loose paperwork you scan on both sides comes up again and again, and you want the reverse captured automatically.
Your single-sided print jobs would use the 250-sheet tray, and there is room for a body that is deeper and taller.
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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