Brother MFC-L3740CDW Wireless LED Printer Review: The Small Office Workhorse We’ve Been Waiting For?

There’s a familiar chaos in the modern home office. It starts with a simple document printer. Soon, you need a scanner for invoices. Then a separate copier for quick duplicates. Before you know it, your desk is a tangled mess of cables and devices, each with its own quirks and software demands. I’ve been there. Juggling a print job from my laptop, scanning a signed contract with my phone, and then trying to email it, all while a deadline looms, is a recipe for frustration. This fragmented workflow doesn’t just waste space; it wastes your most valuable asset: time. The search for a single, reliable hub—a machine that can print crisply, scan multi-page documents effortlessly, copy cleanly, and connect to every device without a fuss—isn’t about luxury; it’s about reclaiming productivity and sanity. That’s the promise of a true all-in-one, and it’s the problem the Brother MFC-L3740CDW Wireless LED Printer aims to solve head-on.

What to Consider Before Buying an All-In-One Printer

An All-In-One Printer is more than just an item; it’s a key solution for streamlining office tasks and centralising your document management. For a small business or a demanding home office, it consolidates the functions of four separate machines—printer, scanner, copier, and fax—into a single, efficient footprint. This not only saves precious desk space but also simplifies your workflow, reduces energy consumption, and standardises your supply needs. The primary benefit is efficiency: the ability to scan a 20-page document directly to an email, print a double-sided report, and copy an ID onto a single page, all from one control panel, is transformative for productivity.

The ideal customer for this type of product is someone facing a consistent, moderate-to-high volume of mixed document tasks. Think small business owners, freelancers handling contracts and invoices, remote workers who need to replicate an office environment, or even busy households that manage schoolwork, administrative paperwork, and personal projects. It’s for those who value speed, reliability, and professional-quality text and graphics. Conversely, it might not be suitable for those who primarily print high-resolution photographs, as office-oriented laser/LED technology is optimised for sharpness and speed over the subtle colour gradients of photo printing. A dedicated photo inkjet printer would be a better alternative for photographers or graphic artists. Likewise, the very casual user who prints a few pages a month might find a smaller, less expensive inkjet model more appropriate.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Dimensions & Space: This isn’t a compact, occasional-use device. The Brother MFC-L3740CDW weighs 20 kilograms and has a considerable footprint (41cm wide by 44.4cm deep). Before you even think about buying, measure your intended space carefully, ensuring there’s enough room for ventilation and for accessing the paper trays and scanner lid. It needs a sturdy desk or stand to support its weight.
• Capacity/Performance: Look beyond just the print speed. A 18 pages per minute (ppm) rate is excellent, but features like a 250-sheet paper tray mean you’re not refilling paper constantly. Crucially, the presence of an Auto Document Feeder (ADF) and automatic duplex (two-sided) printing are non-negotiable for any serious office work, saving immense amounts of time and paper.
• Technology & Durability: This model uses LED technology, which is a variant of laser printing. It has fewer moving parts than a traditional laser printer, potentially leading to greater long-term reliability. The build quality, typical of Brother machines, uses robust plastics designed to withstand the daily grind of an office environment, a stark contrast to the often flimsier construction of budget home printers.
• Ease of Use & Maintenance: A large colour touchscreen, like the 8.8cm one on this model, makes navigating complex functions intuitive without needing a PC. Consider the connectivity options—5GHz Wi-Fi is essential for stable performance in crowded wireless environments. For maintenance, think about the long-term cost of consumables; toner cartridges, while more expensive upfront than ink, typically offer a much lower cost-per-page and don’t dry out, making them ideal for both frequent and infrequent printing.

Keeping these factors in mind, the Brother MFC-L3740CDW Wireless LED Printer stands out in several areas. You can explore its detailed specifications here.

While the Brother MFC-L3740CDW Wireless LED Printer is an excellent choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:

Unboxing the Brother MFC-L3740CDW: First Impressions and Key Features

The arrival of the Brother MFC-L3740CDW Wireless LED Printer is an event. The box is substantial, and at 20kg, it’s definitely a two-person lift to get it situated. Unboxing reveals a machine that means business. Encased in protective foam and plastic, the printer itself feels dense and incredibly solid. The grey finish is professional and unassuming, designed to blend into an office rather than stand out in a living room. Assembly is minimal and straightforward: remove all the transit tapes, load the four individual toner cartridges (which come pre-installed but need prepping), load paper into the generous 250-sheet cassette tray, and plug it in. The entire process, guided by a clear setup sheet, took us less than 15 minutes. Powering it on, the 8.8cm colour touchscreen comes to life, providing a bright, clear, and responsive interface that immediately feels more premium than the button-heavy control panels of older office machines. It feels like a serious piece of equipment built for longevity, a welcome departure from the often lightweight feel of consumer-grade printers.

A Deep Dive into the Brother MFC-L3740CDW’s Day-to-Day Performance

A printer’s true worth is revealed not in its spec sheet, but in how it performs under the pressures of a busy workday. We put the Brother MFC-L3740CDW Wireless LED Printer through its paces for several weeks, treating it as the central hub for a small, multi-person office. We tested everything from single-page prints to complex, double-sided scanning jobs, and we’ve come away thoroughly impressed by its consistency, speed, and intelligence.

Setup and Connectivity: A Genuinely Seamless Experience

Our positive first impression was solidified during the setup process. In an era where “wireless” can often mean “wireless headaches,” the Brother was a breath of fresh air. Using the touchscreen wizard, we connected it to our office’s 5GHz Wi-Fi network in under two minutes. This is a critical feature that shouldn’t be overlooked. While many printers still use the crowded 2.4GHz band, 5GHz support provides a faster, more stable connection, which is vital for sending large print or scan files without dropouts. Once on the network, our Windows and Mac computers detected it instantly. Installing the full Brother iPrint&Scan software suite was simple and unlocked the full potential of the machine, allowing for advanced scanning configurations and status monitoring directly from our desktops.

Where it truly excelled was mobile connectivity. We downloaded the Brother Mobile Connect app on both Android and iOS devices. The app is polished and powerful, allowing us to print documents directly from cloud services like Google Drive and Dropbox, scan documents directly to our phones, and even check toner levels remotely. This seamless integration across all platforms is what modern offices need. One user perfectly captured this experience, stating they were “Satisfied, easy to use and quick,” and had it printing from “all devices wired or wireless” within two hours. This aligns perfectly with our findings; it’s a machine that respects your time and integrates into your existing tech ecosystem without a fight.

Print Quality and Speed: The Uncompromising Heart of the Machine

The core function of any printer is, of course, printing. The Brother MFC-L3740CDW Wireless LED Printer executes this with professional-grade competence. The advertised speed of 18 ppm for both colour and monochrome documents is accurate in our real-world testing. The first page out time is swift, meaning you’re not left waiting for short, single-page jobs. When we sent a 20-page, text-heavy report, the machine churned through it at a relentless pace, with the finished, collated stack ready in just over a minute. The automatic duplexing feature is a standout, seamlessly printing on both sides of the paper without any noticeable slowdown, effectively halving paper consumption for large documents.

The print quality, rated at 600 x 2400 dpi, is exceptionally sharp. Black text is crisp, dark, and laser-perfect, even at small font sizes, making it ideal for professional correspondence and contracts. Colour performance is equally impressive for its intended purpose. Business graphics—charts, logos, and presentations—are rendered with vibrant, accurate colours and sharp lines. This is where the LED technology shines, delivering the precision of a laser without the complexity. While it won’t produce the gallery-quality finish of a high-end photo inkjet, it was never designed to. For the reports, flyers, and internal documents that power a business, the quality is exactly what you need. To see how this professional output can elevate your business documents, you can find out more about its advanced printing capabilities here.

Scanning and Copying: The “All-in-One” Promise Delivered

Many all-in-one printers treat their scanning and copying functions as an afterthought. That is not the case here. The inclusion of a 50-sheet Auto Document Feeder (ADF) transforms the Brother MFC-L3740CDW Wireless LED Printer from a simple printer into a true document management powerhouse. We tested this by feeding it a 30-page, double-sided contract. The ADF handled the stack flawlessly, scanning both sides of each page in a single pass (duplex scanning) and saving it as a single PDF to a network folder. This feature alone is a monumental time-saver compared to manually scanning each page on a flatbed.

The flatbed scanner itself is excellent for handling irregular items like book pages, receipts, or IDs. The scanning software is versatile, offering options to scan to email, OCR (to create editable text), image, file, or directly to a USB stick plugged into the front of the machine. Copying is just as efficient. It mirrors the 18 ppm print speed, and the touchscreen provides easy access to options like resizing, collation, and the useful ID Copy function, which scans both sides of a card and prints them onto a single page. Whether you’re digitising old records or making quick copies for a meeting, the machine performs these tasks with speed and reliability.

Usability and Cost of Ownership: Living with the L3740CDW

Beyond raw performance, a machine’s long-term value is determined by how easy it is to live with. The 8.8cm colour touchscreen is the command centre, and it’s a pleasure to use. The menus are logically laid out with clear icons, and creating custom shortcuts for frequent jobs (like “Scan to Finance Folder”) is simple. The 250-sheet paper tray means less frequent refills, and a single-sheet manual feed slot is conveniently available for printing on envelopes or thicker card stock without having to empty the main tray.

Perhaps the most important long-term consideration is the cost of consumables. The printer ships with starter toner cartridges rated for 1,000 pages each. While this is generous, the real value lies in the high-yield TN248 replacement cartridges, which offer up to 3,000 pages for black and 2,300 for colour. While the upfront cost of a set of toners is higher than ink cartridges, the cost-per-page is significantly lower, especially for text documents. Furthermore, toner doesn’t dry out or clog print heads like liquid ink, making the Brother MFC-L3740CDW Wireless LED Printer an excellent choice for offices that might have fluctuating print volumes—it’s ready to go whether you last printed five minutes or five weeks ago.

What Other Users Are Saying

Our extensive testing revealed a highly capable and reliable machine, and it appears our findings are widely shared by other users. The feedback we’ve seen is overwhelmingly positive, often focusing on the same core strengths we identified. For instance, one satisfied user summed up their experience succinctly, describing the printer as, “Satisfied, easy to use and quick.” They specifically highlighted a key selling point we also valued, noting they were able to “Adjust all the settings in 2hrs and started printing out with all devices wired or wireless.” This confirms our own positive experience with the intuitive and efficient setup process, whether connecting via Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or mobile app.

This sentiment of quick, hassle-free integration is a common theme. While praise for the speed, connectivity, and office-centric features is nearly universal, the most consistent point of constructive feedback revolves around its physical presence. Based on its specifications, a few users might find the 20kg weight and substantial footprint to be a challenge for smaller, more cramped home office setups. This doesn’t detract from its performance but serves as a practical reminder to measure your space before committing, reinforcing our earlier advice.

How Does the Brother MFC-L3740CDW Compare to the Competition?

The Brother MFC-L3740CDW Wireless LED Printer is a formidable contender in the small office category, but it exists in a crowded market. It’s crucial to understand how it stacks up against alternatives, particularly the more common inkjet models that often target a similar audience.

1. Canon PIXMA TS3750i Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer

The Canon PIXMA TS3750i represents the budget-friendly end of the all-in-one spectrum. It’s an inkjet printer designed for very light home use, such as printing homework or the occasional photo. Compared to the Brother, the differences are stark. The PIXMA lacks an automatic document feeder, automatic duplex printing, and has a much smaller paper capacity and significantly slower print speeds. While its initial purchase price is very low, its ink-based system will result in a much higher cost-per-page. This printer is best for someone who prints very infrequently and values a small footprint and photo capability over office productivity and speed. The Brother is in a completely different league, built for volume, efficiency, and business needs.

2. HP OfficeJet Pro 8122e All-in-One Printer

The HP OfficeJet Pro 8122e is a more direct competitor, as it’s an inkjet printer specifically designed for office environments. It matches the Brother on many features, including an ADF, colour touchscreen, and wireless connectivity. However, the core technology difference is key. The HP’s inkjet system can produce excellent photo quality but may be more susceptible to clogged nozzles if used infrequently. The Brother’s LED (toner) system offers greater reliability and often sharper text. The decision here often comes down to printing habits and subscription preferences. HP heavily promotes its Instant Ink subscription service, which can be cost-effective for consistent monthly print volumes. Buyers who prefer to purchase supplies as needed and demand the utmost in text crispness and reliability will likely lean towards the Brother.

3. Canon PIXMA MG3650 Multifunction Inkjet Printer

Similar to the other PIXMA, the MG3650 is another popular budget inkjet aimed squarely at the home user, not the home office. It offers basic print, copy, and scan functions and even includes automatic duplex printing, which is a nice feature at its price point. However, it lacks an ADF, a touchscreen interface, and the robust build quality and speed of the Brother. Its small ink cartridges and slower performance make it unsuitable for any environment with regular printing needs. It serves well as a simple, compact printer for a student or a family, but anyone running a business from home would find its limitations frustrating. The Brother MFC-L3740CDW is an investment in productivity that the MG3650 simply cannot match.

Our Final Verdict: Is the Brother MFC-L3740CDW the Right Printer for You?

After weeks of rigorous testing, our conclusion is clear: the Brother MFC-L3740CDW Wireless LED Printer is an outstanding all-in-one solution for its target audience. If you run a small business, manage a demanding home office, or are a remote worker who needs a reliable, no-fuss document workhorse, this machine is a top-tier choice. Its combination of rapid print speeds, robust connectivity options (especially 5GHz Wi-Fi), and essential office features like a single-pass duplex ADF sets it apart from consumer-grade competitors.

Its strengths lie in its efficiency and reliability. The setup is painless, the touchscreen is intuitive, and the long-term running costs with high-yield toner are very reasonable. It’s built to handle a steady workload without complaint. The only significant caveats are its size and weight—it demands a dedicated space—and the fact that it is not a photo printer. For business documents, reports, and graphics, it’s superb; for glossy holiday snaps, look elsewhere. For the user who values time, professionalism, and seamless workflow above all else, the Brother MFC-L3740CDW is a truly sound investment that pays dividends in productivity every single day.

If you’ve decided the Brother MFC-L3740CDW Wireless LED Printer is the right fit, you can check its current price and purchase it here.