What Toner Does the Brother MFC-L5915DW Use?

by Lauren Elward Last Updated: October 26, 2026

Quick answer: The Brother MFC-L5915DW uses TN920 series black toner and a separate DR920 drum unit. There are four sizes you can buy separately: TN920 (about 3,000 pages), high-yield TN920XL (about 6,000), super-high-yield TN920XXL (about 11,000) and ultra-high-yield TN920UXXL (about 18,000). The DR920 drum is rated at about 45,000 pages.

Unlike the smaller MFC-L5710DW and HL-L5210DW, the MFC-L5915DW accepts the 18,000-page TN920UXXL, which is the cheapest way to run it. Castle Ink sells compatible versions of all four toners and the DR920 drum.

CastleScore · October 2026

90/100 — Castle Elite

Brother MFC-L5915DW (Scored on Brother MFC-L5915DW ratings)

Pillar (weight)	Score	What it is based on
Owner ratings (28%)	86	4.40★ average across 240 ratings at Staples (4.63, 83 ratings) and Brother Canada (4.28, 157 ratings)
Expert reviews (20%)	—	PCMag named it an Editors' Choice, but we couldn't verify a numeric score, so this pillar isn't scored.
Cost per page (18%)	97	About 0.7¢ per page all-in with our compatible TN920UXXL toner (18,000 pages) and DR920 drum (45,000 pages).
Reliability (18%)	86	No recurring fault pattern turned up in the owner feedback we found; PCMag's main criticism was slower two-sided printing
Features (11%)	95	Print, copy, scan, fax, 50 ppm, 70-sheet single-pass two-sided document feeder, auto two-sided printing, 5-inch touchscreen, Gigabit Ethernet and dual-band Wi-Fi, expandable to 1,390 sheets.
Value (5%)	92	Running cost and owner satisfaction against a street price of about $590

Limited data: We could not find a published numeric expert score for this printer, so that weight is spread across the other pillars.

Still sold new. Staples lists the MFC-L5915DW at $589.99.

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 26, 2026. It is not a customer review. See every ranked printer or how the score works.

The toner, pictured

Our own compatible toner, photographed in-house.

What Toner Does the Brother MFC-L5915DW Take?

Cartridge	Brother part no.	Approx. yield	Castle Ink option
Brother TN920 (standard)	TN920	~3,000 pages	Castle Ink TN920, $49.95
Brother TN920XL (high yield)	TN920XL	~6,000 pages	Castle Ink TN920XL, $69.95
Brother TN920XXL (super high yield)	TN920XXL	~11,000 pages	Castle Ink TN920XXL, $89.95
Brother TN920UXXL (ultra high yield)	TN920UXXL	~18,000 pages	Castle Ink TN920UXXL, $109.95
Brother DR920 drum unit	DR920	~45,000 pages	Castle Ink DR920, $59.95

Yields are Brother's figures, as listed by Brother, Staples and LD Products. Brother's MFC-L5915DW bundle (MFC-L5915DW920VBD) ships with a TN920V "value high yield" cartridge rated at about 6,600 pages; we don't sell the TN920V.

Which Toner Size Is the Best Buy?

The TN920UXXL. On October 26, 2026, Staples listed Brother's own TN920XL at $132.99, TN920XXL at $208.99 and TN920UXXL at $246.99: about 2.2¢, 1.9¢ and 1.4¢ a page. Brother's DR920 drum was $278.99, which adds about 0.6¢ a page. Our compatible TN920UXXL is $109.95 (about 0.6¢ a page), and with our $59.95 DR920 drum the all-in cost is about 0.7¢ a page.

Will Compatible Toner Work?

Yes. Brother printers don't use HP-style dynamic security, and in 2025 Brother publicly denied that its firmware blocks third-party supplies. Brother's warranty doesn't cover damage caused by non-Brother supplies.

How Do I Replace the Toner in the MFC-L5915DW?

With the printer on, open the front cover.
Lift out the toner cartridge and drum unit together.
Push down the green lock lever and take the toner cartridge out of the drum unit.
Unpack the new cartridge, remove its protective cover and shake it gently side to side.
Push it firmly into the drum unit until it locks.
Clean the corona wire by sliding the green tab left and right a few times, then return it to its home position.
Put the assembly back and close the front cover.

Which Other Printers Use TN920 Toner?

TN920, TN920XL and TN920XXL also fit the DCP-L5510DN, HL-L5210DN, HL-L5210DW, MFC-L5710DN and MFC-L5710DW, along with the HL-L6210DW, HL-L6310DW, HL-L6415DW, MFC-L5715DW, MFC-L6810DW and MFC-L6915DW. The 18,000-page TN920UXXL is limited to the bigger models: the MFC-L5915DW, MFC-L5715DW, MFC-L6810DW, MFC-L6915DW, HL-L5215DW, HL-L6210DW, HL-L6310DW and HL-L6415DW.

What MFC-L5915DW owners ask

These are the questions that come up most for this printer on retailer Q&A pages, manufacturer support communities and owner reviews, answered in our words.

Does the TN920UXXL fit the MFC-L5915DW?

Yes. Brother lists the TN920UXXL (about 18,000 pages) as a supply for the MFC-L5915DW, and Staples and LD Products list it for this printer too.

Do I replace the drum every time I change the toner?

No. The DR920 drum is a separate part rated at about 45,000 pages, so it lasts through several toner cartridges.

Can it scan both sides of a page at once?

Yes. Its 70-sheet document feeder scans both sides in a single pass, at up to 56 images a minute according to Brother.

How much paper does it hold?

A 250-sheet tray plus a 100-sheet multipurpose tray, expandable to 1,390 sheets with optional lower trays.

MFC-L5915DW quirks worth knowing

It prints up to 50 pages a minute and has a 5-inch color touchscreen.
Brother rates it for up to 8,000 pages a month, with a 125,000-page monthly maximum.
PCMag named it an Editors' Choice, but found its two-sided printing noticeably slower than one-sided.
At about 38 pounds, it's a two-person lift out of the box.

Frequently Asked Questions