Canon imageCLASS MF445dw vs Brother MFC-L2750DW: Mono Laser MFP Head to Head

A mono laser multifunction is the practical answer for most small offices, and the Canon imageCLASS MF445dw and Brother MFC-L2750DW are the two that dominate the shortlist. The Brother is the value pick with an enormous installed base. The Canon is faster, better at scanning and better equipped, at a higher price. Here is how they actually compare.

Specifications side by side

Three differences matter in daily use: the Canon's single-pass duplex ADF, its 100-sheet multipurpose tray, and its 5-inch touchscreen. All three are the kind of thing you stop noticing after a week and would resent losing.

Running costs: all-in-one cartridge vs separate drum

Canon and Brother take opposite approaches to consumables, which affects both the per-page figure and how you budget.

The Canon 057H is the standout number here. At roughly 1.7 cents per page with the drum included, it beats the Brother's combined 3.3 cents comfortably, and there is no drum counter to manage or reset. The catch is the up-front cost of a 057H, which is a larger single outlay than a Brother cartridge.

At low volumes the picture reverses. If you print 200 pages a month, a standard Cartridge 057 at 3.5 cents is worse than a TN760 at 3.0, and Brother's cheaper individual purchases are easier on cash flow. The Canon becomes clearly cheaper somewhere above roughly 800 pages a month.

Our reduce printing costs guide covers the duplex and toner-save settings that reduce both figures.

Speed, scanning and everyday feel

The Canon is faster on paper and feels faster in use, helped by a quick wake-from-sleep and a first page in under six seconds. Its 100-sheet multipurpose tray is genuinely useful for letterhead and envelopes; Brother offers only a single-sheet slot for the same job.

Scanning is where the gap is widest. Canon's single-pass duplex ADF captures both sides in one movement, and its scan-to-email, scan-to-folder and scan-to-USB workflows are laid out clearly on the 5-inch touchscreen. Brother's reverse-pass ADF is roughly three times slower on two-sided originals and its smaller screen makes destination selection fiddlier.

Print quality is close. Brother's output is slightly heavier and Canon's a touch finer on small type, but neither is a differentiator at this level.

Who each printer suits

Choose the Canon imageCLASS MF445dw if

• You scan or copy double-sided documents regularly.
• You print more than roughly 800 pages a month, where Cartridge 057H pays back.
• You want a large touchscreen and straightforward on-device workflows.
• You need a multipurpose tray for letterhead, envelopes or heavier stock.
• You prefer a single consumable with no separate drum to track.

Choose the Brother MFC-L2750DW if

• You want the lower purchase price and cheaper individual toner purchases.
• Your volume is modest, between about 200 and 1,000 pages a month.
• Two-sided scanning is occasional rather than routine.
• You want the widest and cheapest compatible toner market.
• You are in the UK or Australia, where Brother's toner pricing is strong.

Setup, apps and drivers

Canon's mobile setup uses Canon PRINT, with Canon IJ Setup or the UFR II driver package on desktop. For an office deployment, configure the MF445dw through its embedded web interface, which is one of the better ones in this class, with department ID management and address book import.

Brother uses Brother Mobile Connect, which replaced Brother iPrint and Scan. The full driver package on Windows and macOS is straightforward, and Brother's web interface is functional if plainer than Canon's.

Both are fully supported by AirPrint and Mopria Print Service, and both work driverless through Windows printer settings using IPP, which is the simplest route for a mixed-device office.

Known weaknesses and common errors

Canon imageCLASS MF445dw

Canon's laser MFPs are generally robust. The most common complaints are the cost of the all-in-one cartridge and Canon's firmware becoming stricter about non-genuine cartridges over time. Compatibles exist but quality varies, and because the drum is inside the cartridge a poor batch affects image quality immediately.

Network setup problems are the usual support ticket, particularly on hidden SSIDs or 5 GHz-only networks; see Canon printer will not connect. The ADF separation pad wears at high sheet counts and causes double-feeds; it is a cheap, user-replaceable part.

Brother MFC-L2750DW

Brother's characteristic behaviours all apply. The toner sensor produces a replace toner message before the cartridge is genuinely empty, and the drum end of life counter fires at 12,000 pages regardless of condition. Both have documented resets.

The Unable to Print 46 waste toner counter appears on high-mileage units and halts the printer. ADF pickup rollers glaze after a few thousand sheets and cause skewed scans; cleaning or replacing them is straightforward.

Regional availability and model names

• United States and Canada: Canon imageCLASS MF445dw with Cartridge 057 and 057H; Brother MFC-L2750DW with TN730/TN760/TN770 toner and a DR730 drum.
• United Kingdom and Ireland: Canon sells the same machine as the i-SENSYS MF445dw, also using Cartridge 057 and 057H. Brother's model keeps its name but uses TN-2410/TN-2420 toner with a DR-2400 drum.
• Australia and New Zealand: Canon lists the i-SENSYS MF445dw; Brother Australia sells the MFC-L2750DW with TN-2430/TN-2450 toner and a DR-2325 drum.

Canon's imageCLASS and i-SENSYS ranges are the same hardware under different regional branding. Brother toner, by contrast, is region-coded and does not cross markets.

Break-even: when the Canon starts paying for itself

The Canon costs more up front and less per page, so there is a crossover point worth calculating before you buy.

Take the difference in purchase price and divide it by the difference in cost per page. Using genuine consumables at roughly 1.7 cents for the Canon with Cartridge 057H and 3.3 cents for the Brother with TN770 plus drum, each page saves about 1.6 cents. A price gap of $150 therefore repays itself after roughly 9,400 pages, which is about ten months at 1,000 pages a month and just under four years at 200.

That calculation changes completely if you use compatible toner. Brother's aftermarket can take its effective cost below 2 cents, at which point the Canon never catches up. Decide which supply route you intend to use before you compare the machines, because it is the single biggest variable in the sum.

Verdict

Choose the Canon imageCLASS MF445dw if you print at volume and scan two-sided paperwork. The Cartridge 057H makes it genuinely cheaper to run above about 800 pages a month, the single-pass duplex ADF saves real time, and the multipurpose tray and touchscreen make it the more pleasant office machine.

Choose the Brother MFC-L2750DW if your volume is moderate, you want the lower purchase price, and you value the vast and inexpensive aftermarket for TN730-family toner. It is the better value machine for a home office and it is very hard to fault at its price.

For alternatives and background, see inkjet vs laser printers and how to choose a home office printer, or the Canon and Brother support hubs.