If you are looking for an affordable multifunctional color printer based on LED technology, look no further than the Brother DCP-L3520CDWE.

Printers are usually very boring, but Brother does its best with the DCP-L3520CDWE by rounding the corners a little more. The result is still a square box with a keyboard. Luckily, the technology inside is more interesting, coupled with the small footprint.

Scan, print, copy, this printer can do it all. For the five people who still want it, faxing is not an option. No large color touchscreen, just a few buttons for the most frequently used functions: The Brother DCP-L3520CDWE (323 euros plus VAT) is an LED printer with focus.

What is an LED printer?

First of all, an explanation of what an LED printer is. Like laser printers, LED printers contain a light-sensitive drum that is positively charged with static electricity. In a laser printer, a laser receives data from a circuit board. However, with an LED printer, the negative static charge is created by an LED strip placed above or below the drum.

The glowing LED pattern hits the positively charged drum and extinguishes the charge wherever it lands. Instead, a negative charge is created in the image of the printed page. Positively charged powdered printer toner is then distributed onto the drum. It sticks where the negative charge is generated by the LEDs.

As paper enters the printer’s mechanism, it becomes positively charged by a separate high-voltage wire and, as it passes the print drum, it attracts toner from the negatively charged areas where it is stuck. The sheet of paper is then passed between two heated rollers that allow the toner to adhere to the page before it leaves the printer.

In practice, laser printers and LED printers are very similar. For this reason, they are often placed in the same category, unlike inkjet, which is a completely different technology.

Both laser and LED work great. The big advantage of LED is that it requires fewer moving parts. In theory, this ensures lower prices, faster performance and higher reliability. The first applies to the Brother DCP-L3520CDWE, the second does not and the third is difficult to test in a test period of two months.

Simplicity is beautiful

Theory lesson over, time for practice. We don’t think a simple printer without a color screen is a disadvantage, but it does make installation a little less intuitive. Everything about USB is self-explanatory, but Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) requires more work. Scan the QR code, download the Brother app and follow everything step by step. This way, in theory, you have a color screen that you can work on for a while. Particularly practical: You can conveniently print on your mobile using the Brother app, whether you’re in the office or not.

The only thing we’re missing is an intuitive overall package on the PC. The PC software feels old and you have to search for it on the Brother website. Why not put everything in the Windows Store so it updates automatically too? Fortunately, you can use the printer without installing additional software.

Fortunately, using the printer is extremely easy. Everything has a button, e.g. B. Monocopy, color copy, stop, scan and 2-in-1 copy, e.g. B. Your ID card. The segmented LCD screen shows two lines. Diving into the menu is a little less intuitive, but if you’re patient you’ll find your way around.

Small, despite four toners

Like a laser printer, an LED printer requires more space than an inkjet model. Although the Brother DCP-L3520CDWE is a color printer, its footprint is still quite compact at 41 x 44 cm.

Brother recommends a maximum print volume of 3,000 sheets for this printer, which we think is a bit large. XL cartridges only last up to 3,000 pages in color and 2,300 pages in black and white. There is space for 250 sheets in the paper tray. A manual sheet feeder is also available. In our opinion, a monthly volume of up to 1,500 sheets is more accurate. If you plan to print more, you should look for a more powerful (larger) model.

Not fast, but precise

This is not the fastest printer in Brother’s range. A cold start from sleep mode takes 22 seconds, which is on average seven seconds slower than a comparable laser printer or LED printer. A warm start takes 15 seconds.

Printing our entire suite (10 Word pages, 17 PDF pages, 2 Excel spreadsheets) takes just under two minutes. That’s almost half slower than the Brother MFC-L2880DW black and white laser printer. Consider this when placing the printer in a critical location where speed is important (e.g. a reception).

Fortunately, the print quality is up to standard. We can read the text up to font size two, which is exceptional. Letters and numbers look crisp and there is no separation between color and black. Everything fits together seamlessly. Photos also look very good. Not good enough to put the result in a picture frame, but fine for PowerPoint handouts, for example.

The only disadvantage is that the page is not always printed centrally. We measure a small error of 2 millimeters on the left compared to the right. The recto-verso printing is perfect.

Spicy printing costs

Printing with a mono laser (or LED) is quite cheap. Not actually a color laser printer. Below we list the price per page with a standard toner and XL toner compared to a mono laser model:

The Brother DCP-L3520CDWE is EcoPro compatible (6 months free trial included), the printer subscription where Brother supplies you with new toner when your device runs low. Here too we compare the two prices of mono laser and color laser (or color LED):

Anyone who prints a lot in color will benefit from EcoPro. If you don’t, it’s up to you to decide what the luxury of never having to worry about the amount of toner in your printer again costs.

Do you only print in color occasionally? Maybe it’s worth looking at a monolaser? The price difference in printing costs is significant.

Diploma

The Brother DCP-L3520CDWE (323 euros excl. VAT) is a printer for a very specific niche. Anyone outside of this range should purchase another device where printing costs are lower. This printer is aimed at businesses or home users where you print regularly and a lot, around 300 to 1,000 sheets per month, most of them in color.

Occasional color prints? Then consider whether it would be better to switch to a mono laser. Few prints per month? Then an inkjet printer is often better. You get EcoPro free for six months, but after that this printer isn’t exactly cheap. There is excellent print quality. It’s up to you to decide which camp you’re in.

A cashback promotion of 75 euros applies to the Brother DCP-L3520CDWE until April 30th. More information can be found here Here.

Warranty: 2 years as standard when you take it with you