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School & Office Comparisons · Reviewed September 17, 2026

Brother HL-L2405W vs Canon LBP122dw: Which Mono Laser Printer Fits a Home Office?

Both are compact black-and-white print-only laser models, but Brother favors a larger paper tray while Canon adds automatic duplexing and Ethernet.

Best for

A home office or student who mainly prints black-and-white documents and does not need a built-in scanner, copier or fax.

Probably not for

Color output, photo printing, scanning, copying, high-volume workgroup duty, or a promise about page yield or running cost for every document.

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Brother HL-L2405W Compact Monochrome Laser Printer

Brother specifies the HL-L2405W as a print-only monochrome laser model rated up to 30 pages per minute for one-sided Letter output. It has a 250-sheet main tray, manual single-sheet feed, USB and wireless connections, plus support for common mobile-printing options. Two-sided printing is manual on this exact model, so the user must reinsert pages. It uses Brother TN830 or higher-yield TN830XL toner with a separate drum unit.

Pros

  • 250-sheet main tray holds more paper than the Canon 150-sheet cassette.
  • Wireless and USB cover common single-user setups without requiring an Ethernet cable.

Cons

  • No automatic duplex mechanism, so two-sided jobs require manual page handling.
  • No wired Ethernet port on the exact HL-L2405W model.

Who it’s for: Choose it for the larger tray and mostly one-sided wireless printing. Skip it if automatic two-sided output or a wired network connection is essential.

Check Brother HL-L2405W Compact Monochrome Laser Printer on Amazon

Canon imageCLASS LBP122dw Wireless Monochrome Laser Printer

Canon identifies the LBP122dw as a compact print-only monochrome laser printer rated up to 30 pages per minute on Letter paper. It includes automatic two-sided printing, a 150-sheet cassette, USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct, plus a five-line control display. Canon publishes dimensions of about 14 by 11.1 by 8.4 inches and a weight of 12.4 pounds. It uses Toner 071 or higher-yield 071 H cartridges.

Pros

  • Automatic duplexing handles routine two-sided documents without manually turning the stack.
  • Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct and USB offer more connection choices than the Brother.

Cons

  • 150-sheet cassette needs refilling sooner than Brother's 250-sheet tray in an otherwise similar workflow.
  • Small text display is useful for status but is not a touchscreen document preview.

Who it’s for: Choose it for automatic duplexing or wired Ethernet in a compact office. Skip it if maximum tray capacity matters more than those connection and paper-saving features.

Check Canon imageCLASS LBP122dw Wireless Monochrome Laser Printer on Amazon

The biggest practical split is automatic duplexing

Canon builds automatic two-sided printing into the LBP122dw. Once the driver and application are set correctly, the printer turns the sheet internally. Brother lists manual duplex for the HL-L2405W, which means the user follows an on-screen sequence and reloads the first side. That difference matters for class readings, reports and forms that are routinely printed on both sides.

Automatic duplex is less important if nearly every job is a one-page label, shipping document or draft. Manual handling can also be acceptable for occasional two-sided work. Think about the actual weekly document mix rather than treating duplex as a premium badge. Neither machine scans a two-sided original because neither includes a scanner at all.

Paper capacity favors Brother, connection choice favors Canon

The Brother main tray holds 250 sheets, enough for a standard ream to be split across two fills. Canon lists a 150-sheet cassette. Both have a manual feed path for special single sheets, but supported sizes, weights and media types must follow the model guide. Envelopes and labels require laser-compatible stock and correct driver settings.

Brother provides Wi-Fi and USB. Canon adds wired Ethernet and Wi-Fi Direct alongside Wi-Fi and USB. Ethernet is useful where a stable wired network is already available, while Wi-Fi Direct can connect a supported device without putting the printer on the main router. Check operating-system and mobile-app support before assuming every device will use every protocol.

Toner yield is an estimate, not a personal cost guarantee

Brother uses TN830 or TN830XL toner and a separate drum. Canon uses Toner 071 or 071 H. Published yields follow standardized test patterns, while real documents vary in coverage, density, paper size and maintenance cycles. A cartridge used for dense graphics will not necessarily match a yield derived from typical office pages.

Compare the current cartridge and drum availability for the exact model, but do not calculate ownership cost from one temporary price. Starter supplies may differ from retail replacements. Follow manufacturer instructions when replacing consumables, and verify whether a third-party supply affects warranty or print quality before choosing it.

Brother HL-L2405W or Canon LBP122dw?

Choose Brother when a 250-sheet tray, wireless printing and mostly one-sided documents fit the job. Choose Canon when automatic duplexing and Ethernet are worth accepting a smaller cassette. Both are black-and-white print-only models, so anyone who needs copies, scans, faxing or color should compare a different device category before purchasing.

Confirm ASIN B0CPL7HRQN for Brother HL-L2405W and B0BXLYTWH3 for Canon imageCLASS LBP122dw. Closely named Brother and Canon variants can add or remove duplexing, displays and network ports. The related label-maker guide covers a separate organizational task and should not be confused with full-page document printing.

Official sources and further reading

Sources reviewed on September 17, 2026. Prices, availability and terms can change; recheck before buying.

Related reading

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This article contains affiliate links. If you buy or sign up through one of them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. That commission does not change the price you pay or the criteria used in this guide. Product details, prices, availability, and terms can change, so confirm the current information on the linked page before buying.