Brother photocopiers

Brother is one of the most well-known producers of photocopiers globally. While photocopiers are not Brother’s original business, the Japanese company has been producing them for over twenty years. It now offers many inkjet and laser photocopiers, mostly as multi-function printers for small business use.

About Brother photocopiers

Brother was founded in Japan over a hundred years ago and started producing… sewing machines. The shift to copiers came quickly after the company started producing typewriters and then fax machines.

About Brother

In Nagoya, 1908, Kanekichi Yasui started a small sewing machine repairs shop in Japan. The company quickly became the first manufacturer of sewing machines in Japan and was originally known as “sister” as a homage to all the sewing ladies using its products, before switching to Brother in the late 20s. Brother has been represented in the UK since 1968, after the acquisition of Jones Sewing Machines, Manchester. Brother started producing typewriters in the 1950s, and became the official supplier of these products to the journalists covering the Tokyo Olympics. Product range therefore naturally expanded to printers in the 1970s, faxes in the 1980s and multi-function printers in the 1990s.

Target businesses

Brother mostly produces small multi-function printers for office or small business use, with low-volume needs up to 50ppm, but with advanced technology. Brother actually invented the market segment for small multi-function printers so Brother photocopiers are almost always Brother multi-function printers. One of the reasons why Brother manages to keep the price of its copiers low, is because drum units and toners are separated on laser Brother photocopiers.

Selection of notable models

Brother produces a great number of multi-function printers, both colour and monochrome, and using both inkjet and laser technologies, and even the new LED technology.

Inkjet Brother photocopiers

Inkjet Brother photocopiers are mostly designed for home/office use. Notable products include:

- The MFC-J526DW is a compact A4 multifunction printer with USB 2.0, Wifi b/g/n ad Wifi direct interfaces using a 100-sheet paper tray;

- The MFC-J680DW adds a 14.4 kpbs fax functionality;

- The MFC-J440DW adds an A3 bypass, Ethernet connection and internet fax capability.

Laser Brother photocopiers

Brother is chiefly known for its very comprehensive range of laser multi-function printers. Notable models include:

- The DCP-1510 all-in-one printer is the entry-level model, and can print, copy and scan;

- The MFC-L2700DN adds fax support, a 250-page paper tray, 24ppm printing, and is recommended for a monthly printing volume of 250 to 2,000 pages;

- The MFC-L8400CDN can copy, fax, scan and print in colour at up to 28ppm.

LED photocopiers

All LED multi-function printers by Brother are colour photocopiers. The DCP-9015CDW is the entry-level product for this technology; it can scan a copy, supporting printing speeds of up to 18ppm at up to 600 x 600 dpi or 2,400 dpi (600 x 2,400) resolution.