What Ink Does the Brother MFC-J4355DW Use?
Last Updated:Quick answer: The Brother MFC-J4355DW uses four individual LC506 cartridges, and it is one of the few Brother inkjets with three full yield tiers: LC506, LC506XL and LC506XXL. LC506XXL Black reaches ~5,000 pages. Critically, this printer does not take LC406, despite the near-identical model number to the MFC-J4335DW and J4535DW.
CastleScore · October 2026
84/100 — Highly Recommended
Brother MFC-J4355DW
| Pillar (weight) | Score | What it is based on |
|---|---|---|
| Owner ratings (28%) | 82 | 4.14★ average across 255 ratings at Best Buy (4.5), Staples (3.8), Quill (4.0) |
| Expert reviews (18%) | 84 | No published numeric expert score we could verify. |
| Cost per page (24%) | 84 | About 4.1¢ per page blended (black + color) with Original Brother LC506XXL black and LC506XL color at retail prices (we don't sell LC506). |
| Reliability (13%) | 86 | Most-reported problems: setup will not continue without the original starter cartridges installed, even if one is faulty; computer scanning was only detected after connecting by USB |
| Features (12%) | 88 | Print, copy, scan, document feeder, auto two-sided printing, fax, Wi-Fi, fast (20+ ppm). No touchscreen. |
| Value (5%) | 84 | Running cost and owner satisfaction against a street price of about $179 |
Still sold new at about $179.99 from Brother and Staples. LC506, LC506XL and LC506XXL cartridges are all available from Brother.
CastleScore is Castle Ink’s own editorial rating, built from retailer star ratings, expert reviews, real cost per page and owner complaint patterns, checked October 8, 2026. It is not a customer review. See every ranked printer or how the score works.
Why there is no Castle Ink cartridge for this printer
We don't sell LC506 cartridges in any size. It is a newer Brother cartridge family and we don't carry it yet. We would rather tell you that than point you to an LC406 or another Brother cartridge that won't fit.
For this printer, buy genuine Brother LC506. If you print regularly, the LC506XXL black (LC506XXLBKS, about 5,000 pages) and LC506XL colors (LC506XLCS / MS / YS, about 1,500 pages each, $38.49 each at Brother) give you the lowest cost per page. Light users can stick with the standard LC506 (about 1,000 pages black, 900 per color).
Brother MFC-J4355DW Ink Cartridges at a Glance
| Cartridge | Color | Approx. Page Yield |
|---|---|---|
| LC506BKS Black | Black | ~1,000 pages |
| LC506CS / MS / YS | Cyan, Magenta, Yellow | ~900 pages each |
| LC506XLBKS Black | Black | ~2,500 pages |
| LC506XLCS / MS / YS | Cyan, Magenta, Yellow | ~1,500 pages each |
| LC506XXLBKS Black | Black | ~5,000 pages |
| LC506XXLCS / MS / YS | Cyan, Magenta, Yellow | ~2,500 pages each |
The Brother MFC-J4355DW takes four individual cartridges. The same LC506 family also fits the Brother MFC-J4555DW, MFC-J5010DW, MFC-J5110DW, MFC-J6560DW, MFC-J6960DW and the Workhorse MFC-J5115DW and MFC-J6975DW.
The LC406 trap. The MFC-J4335DW and MFC-J4535DW take LC406. The MFC-J4355DW — this printer — takes LC506. One digit apart in the model number, two entirely different cartridge families, and they are not interchangeable. Check the model badge on your printer before ordering, not the box it came in.
How to Replace Ink in the Brother MFC-J4355DW
- Leave the printer switched on. Open the ink cartridge cover on the front of the machine — the carriage does not need to move on this design, because Brother mounts the cartridges in a fixed bay.
- Press the lock release lever for the cartridge you are changing and let it pop forward, then pull it straight out.
- Unwrap the new cartridge and remove the orange protective cap. Do not touch the black chip contacts or the ink port.
- Slide the new cartridge in following the arrow on the label — each color is keyed so it will only fit its own slot — and push firmly until the lever clicks.
- Close the cover. The printer primes the line automatically; on a first install after running dry this can take a couple of minutes and is normal.
- Print a test page from the control panel to confirm all four colors are laying down evenly before you send a real job.
Troubleshooting Tips
"Cannot Detect" or "Unable to Detect Ink": Power the printer off, remove the cartridge, and wipe the chip contacts with a dry lint-free cloth. Reseat until the lever clicks audibly — a cartridge that is in but not latched is the most common cause of this message. If it persists across every slot, the problem is the machine's contact block rather than the ink.
Blank pages or a missing color: Run Print Quality Check from the Ink menu, then Cleaning on any color that shows gaps. Two cleaning cycles is the sensible limit; if a channel is still missing after that, the blockage is in the head and needs a different approach.
Prints look faded straight after a cartridge change: Brother primes the line automatically but a long dry spell can leave air in it. Print ten pages of ordinary text and re-check — most cases clear themselves.
Ink levels look wrong: Brother's gauge is an estimate based on drop counts, not a measurement of what is left in the cartridge. Treat "low" as a prompt to order, not a reason to stop printing.
What MFC-J4355DW owners ask
These are the questions that come up most for this printer on retailer Q&A pages, Brother's support pages and owner reviews, answered in our words.
Will the ink dry out if I rarely print?
Brother says the printer runs scheduled automatic cleaning cycles to keep the nozzles clear, but only while it stays plugged in. If you print rarely, leave it plugged in rather than unplugging it between uses.
Can I set it up with replacement cartridges instead of the ones in the box?
Owners report that setup won't finish unless the in-box starter cartridges are installed, even if one of them seems faulty. Install those first; they are rated at about 1,800 pages black and 750 per color.
Can it scan both sides of a page automatically?
No. The 20-sheet document feeder is single-sided only, although printing is automatically two-sided.
Does it have a touchscreen?
No. It has a 1.8-inch color display that you navigate with buttons.
Can I connect it by Ethernet cable?
Brother's U.S. specs don't list Ethernet, and Best Buy lists it as wireless only. It connects by dual-band Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct or USB.
MFC-J4355DW quirks worth knowing
- The paper tray holds 150 sheets and takes paper up to legal size. The duty cycle is up to 30,000 pages, but Brother recommends 200 to 2,000 pages a month.
- Brother rates it at 54 dB while printing, and a few owners mention the noise. Worth knowing if it will sit next to your desk.
- LC506 cartridges carry chip contacts. In 2025 Brother was accused of using firmware updates to break aftermarket supplies on some models, which Brother denied. We found no report specific to the MFC-J4355DW.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does using compatible LC506 cartridges void my Brother MFC-J4355DW warranty?
No. Under the U.S. Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, a manufacturer cannot void your printer warranty solely because you use compatible or remanufactured cartridges. If a specific cartridge causes damage, that damage is not covered — but the rest of the warranty stands.
How are these page yields measured?
To the ISO/IEC standard for the cartridge type, at 5% page coverage on plain paper. That is a deliberately modest amount of coverage, so heavy graphics, photos or dense tables will always yield fewer pages than the rating. The numbers are useful for comparing cartridges against each other, not for predicting your exact month.
Is the MFC-J4355DW an INKvestment Tank printer?
It is an INKvestment printer, but Brother does not badge it "INKvestment Tank" the way it does the LC406 models. In practice you still get long cartridge life — the in-box starter set is a 1,800-page black plus 750 pages of each color — but the naming difference is real and worth knowing when you compare models.
Which tier should I buy?
If you print more than a couple of hundred pages a month, XXL almost always wins on cost per page. Brother lists the standard LC506 black (about 1,000 pages) at $32.99, while the LC506XXL black (about 5,000 pages) sells for about $86.99 at Staples: five times the pages for under three times the price. Standard LC506 only makes sense for very light users or as a stopgap.
More Brother ink guides: Brother MFC-J1360DW · Brother MFC-J6555DW · Brother MFC-J5855DW · find any printer
Replacing it? Our highest-rated alternatives
- Brother MFC-T780DW — CastleScore 90
- Epson EcoTank ET-2980 (cheapest to run) — CastleScore 90
- Brother MFC-J4335DW — CastleScore 89
Sources
Ratings and prices were checked on October 8, 2026 and will change over time.
Need replacement Brother ink cartridges? Shop Brother ink cartridges at Castle Ink. Remanufactured, up to 70% less than OEM, and shipped the same day when you order by 4 PM ET.