Brother MFC-J4335DW Review (2026): Honest Pros, Cons & Who It's Really For
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How we evaluate printers: This review is based on Castle Ink's printer ranking methodology, which weighs aggregated customer reviews, professional review cross-checks, total cost of ownership, and specs/feature fit. Read our full ranking and recommendation methodology.
Last updated: August 20, 2026.
Quick verdict
The Brother MFC-J4335DW is a full four-in-one (print, copy, scan, fax) built for households and small offices that need real paper-handling muscle: a 150-sheet, two-tray input system, a 20-page automatic document feeder, and automatic duplex printing. Brother's INKvestment tank system loads high-capacity cartridges into an internal reservoir, so you're not swapping ink every few weeks. It's a strong pick if you regularly scan, copy, or fax multi-page documents — less of a fit if you just need occasional single-page printing and don't want to pay for the extra capability.
→ Check the current price of the Brother MFC-J4335DW on Amazon
At a glance
- Price: Around $266.95
- Rating: 4.0/5 from over 4,100 Amazon ratings
- Functions: Print, copy, scan, fax
- Print speed: Up to 20 ppm black and white
- Paper capacity: 150 sheets across 2 trays, plus a 20-page automatic document feeder
- Duplex: Automatic two-sided printing
- Cartridges: Brother INKvestment high-capacity cartridges (front-loading, feed an internal ink reservoir); up to 1 year of ink in the box
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, USB 2.0, cloud printing, Alexa-enabled smart reordering
Who this printer is for
- Home-office users and small businesses who regularly fax or scan multi-page documents and need the automatic document feeder.
- Anyone who wants automatic two-sided printing to save paper on reports, contracts, or school assignments.
- Buyers who print in bursts rather than a slow steady trickle, since the 150-sheet, two-tray capacity means fewer trips to refill paper.
What people love about it
- The automatic document feeder and duplex printing genuinely speed up everyday office tasks like scanning multi-page contracts.
- INKvestment cartridges last noticeably longer between changes than standard ink cartridges, and Alexa smart reordering helps avoid running out unexpectedly.
- Print quality on text documents is sharp, and the 1.8-inch color LCD makes navigating settings straightforward.
- Reliable Wi-Fi and mobile/cloud printing support for multi-device households.
What buyers complain about
- It's priced higher than basic inkjets, and a portion of owners feel the ink, while long-lasting, is still costlier per page than true tank-based printers.
- Some owners report the printer is bulkier than expected given its "compact" branding, at over 17 lbs and a fairly deep footprint.
- As with most Brother inkjets, occasional reports of print head clogs after long idle periods.
- USB-only wired connection (no Ethernet), which can matter for shared office setups.
Cheaper alternative: Canon PIXMA TR8620a
If you want fax and an automatic document feeder without paying quite as much, our Canon PIXMA TR8620a review covers a similarly equipped 4-in-1 that typically runs about $65–70 less, with a smaller paper tray.
Upgrade pick: Epson EcoTank ET-2980
If your priority is eliminating ink costs altogether rather than maximizing paper capacity, take a look at our Epson EcoTank ET-2980 review. It trades the automatic document feeder and fax for a refillable tank system that costs a fraction as much per page over time.
Ink costs: what you're really saving
Brother advertises up to one year of ink included in the box for typical usage, based on INKvestment high-capacity starter cartridges. Replacement high-yield LC406XL-series cartridges typically run $25–$45 for a 4-pack depending on the retailer, which is meaningfully cheaper per page than standard Brother ink cartridges, though it's still a cartridge system rather than a refillable tank — so if your household prints heavily every single day, a true tank printer will beat it on cost per page over several years.
Setup tips that prevent the most common complaints
Register the printer with Brother's online support and enable firmware auto-updates during setup; many of the WiFi drop-out complaints we cross-checked were resolved by earlier firmware fixes. If you plan to fax or scan multi-page documents often, load the automatic document feeder according to the manual's page-count limit (20 sheets) to avoid feed jams. And like any inkjet, run a nozzle check and print something at least weekly if the printer will sit idle, to prevent dried print heads.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Brother MFC-J4335DW use ink tanks or cartridges?
It uses Brother's INKvestment system, which is cartridge-based rather than a refillable bottle tank — the high-capacity cartridges feed an internal ink reservoir, giving you fewer replacements than standard cartridges, but it is not a true supertank printer.
Can it print, scan, and fax multiple pages automatically?
Yes. The 20-page automatic document feeder handles multi-page scans, copies, and faxes without manually reloading each sheet.
Does it support automatic duplex printing?
Yes, automatic two-sided printing is built in, which is one of this model's biggest advantages over cheaper single-sided inkjets.
Is it compatible with Alexa?
Yes, it supports Alexa voice control and can be enrolled in Alexa smart reordering to automatically reorder ink before you run out.
Cartridge options at a glance
The MFC-J4335DW takes Brother LC406 cartridges — four separate colours, so you only replace the one that runs out rather than a whole tri-colour block. That single design decision does more for your running costs than any other feature on the printer.
| Cartridge | Approx. yield | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| LC406BK (standard black) | ~200 pages | The size that ships in the box; rarely worth rebuying |
| LC406XLBK (high-yield black) | ~500 pages | Almost everyone — roughly 2.5× the pages for a small price bump |
| LC406 C / M / Y (standard colour) | ~200 pages each | Light colour use only |
| LC406XL C / M / Y (high-yield colour) | ~500 pages each | Regular colour printing |
You can mix sizes. If you print mostly documents with the occasional colour page, an XL black alongside standard colours is a perfectly sensible combination — the printer does not care.
Full replacement instructions are in our guide to what ink cartridge the Brother MFC-J4335DW uses.
Who should skip this printer
Three groups should look elsewhere. Photo printers — this is a four-colour business inkjet, and it will produce acceptable snapshots but nothing that competes with a six-ink photo model. Very high-volume offices — if you are printing thousands of pages a month, a mono laser or a refillable tank printer will cost less to run even after the higher purchase price. Anyone who prints once a quarter — any cartridge inkjet left idle for long stretches will spend your ink on cleaning cycles.
Living with it: the long-term view
Brother inkjets have a good reputation for the unglamorous things — paper handling that does not jam, drivers that keep working after operating system updates, and a control panel that behaves the same way in year three as it did on day one. That is most of why they show up in home offices.
The two maintenance habits that matter: print something in colour at least once a week so the heads do not dry out, and keep the paper tray closed when the printer is not in use, since dust on the sheets is a common cause of feed problems and streaking. For everything else, our guide to storing printer paper properly prevents more issues than most people expect.
More questions buyers ask
Can I use compatible LC406 cartridges?
Yes. Brother printers will note that a cartridge is not genuine and carry on printing. What matters is buying from a supplier that replaces a failed cartridge without an argument — that is where cheap marketplace cartridges tend to fall down.
Will it print in black if a colour cartridge is empty?
No. Like nearly every colour inkjet, all four cartridges need ink installed before it will print anything at all, including black-and-white documents.
Is the XL cartridge physically bigger?
It holds more ink but fits the same slot. There is no setting to change and no compatibility issue — the printer simply reports a fuller cartridge.
What do I do if it shows as offline?
That is almost always a network address problem rather than a printer fault. Our guide to why printers keep going offline covers the permanent fix.
Bottom line
The Brother MFC-J4335DW earns its higher price with genuine home-office functionality: real paper capacity, an automatic document feeder, fax, and automatic duplex printing. If you need those features regularly, it's a dependable pick backed by thousands of positive Amazon reviews. If you mostly print single pages occasionally, a simpler and cheaper printer will serve you just as well.
→ Check the current price of the Brother MFC-J4335DW on Amazon
Heads up: this post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you buy through them, Castle Ink may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend printers we have personally researched and that have strong, long-running owner feedback on Amazon. Pricing and availability change frequently — always check the current price on Amazon before buying.
This review is part of our Best Printers Buying Guide, covering top picks for every use case and budget.
An independent 0–100 score for every printer, refreshed monthly from thousands of owner reviews and expert tests — plus what the ink or toner actually costs to run. See this month's Top 10 inkjet and laser rankings, or use the PrinterIQ™ finder.
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