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What Drum Unit Does the Brother HL-2270DW Use?

The Brother HL-2270DW is a monochrome laser printer that uses the Brother DR-420 drum unit alongside the TN-420 (standard yield) and TN-450 (high yield) toner cartridges. The drum is separate from the toner and lasts much longer.

DR-420 Drum and TN-420 / TN-450 Toner at a Glance

Consumable Part Number Page Yield Type
Drum Unit DR-420 ~12,000 pages Drum
Standard Toner TN-420 ~1,200 pages Black
High Yield Toner TN-450 ~2,600 pages Black

The DR-420 drum and TN-420/TN-450 toner family are shared across the Brother HL-2220, HL-2230, HL-2240, HL-2240D, HL-2270DW, HL-2275DW, HL-2280DW, DCP-7060D, DCP-7065DN, MFC-7240, MFC-7360N, MFC-7460DN, MFC-7860DW, and IntelliFAX-2840/2940, making it a high-volume drum and cartridge family that is widely stocked in genuine, remanufactured, and compatible versions.

Save on the DR-420 Drum and TN-420 / TN-450 Toner

Shop our discounted DR-420 drum unit, plus TN-420 and TN-450 cartridges, for the Brother HL-2270DW.

How to Replace the Drum Unit

  1. Open the front cover of the HL-2270DW and remove the drum and toner assembly together.
  2. Press down the green lock lever and remove the toner cartridge from the old drum.
  3. Unpack the new DR-420 drum unit and install your existing toner cartridge into it until it locks in place.
  4. Place the new drum and toner assembly back into the printer and close the front cover.
  5. Reset the drum counter from the printer menu so future drum alerts are accurate.

Troubleshooting Tips

  • Replace Drum warning: The HL-2270DW will display a Replace Drum message when the DR-420 nears the end of its life.
  • Repeating marks on the page: Spots that recur every ~3.7 inches typically indicate a drum that needs replacement.
  • Faded or streaky prints: Try swapping in a fresh TN-450 toner first; if quality does not improve, replace the DR-420 drum.
  • Drum reset: Always reset the drum counter after installing a new DR-420 to keep the page yield estimate accurate.
Written and reviewed by — Founder of Castle Ink, 20+ years in the printer & imaging supplies industry.