Brother MFC-J5110DW: Specs, Features, Pros & Cons
This review measures the Brother MFC-J5110DW against the full 24-spec sheet we track for printers, comparing it like for like with the 50 other models in our database. It earns a VS Score of 73 out of 100 — the weighted result of every verified specification measured against the class average.
On the spec sheet it is strongest in paper handling and weakest in connectivity. Its clearest single advantage over the class average: a much higher input tray capacity — 500 sheets vs 182.02 sheets (avg). None of our retail partners currently lists the Brother MFC-J5110DW, so availability may be limited; a missing price never affects the VS Score.
Category strengths
Where the Brother MFC-J5110DW beats the average
- A much higher input tray capacity ?500 sheets vs 182.02 sheets (avg)
- A much higher print speed (black) ?28 ppm vs 17.21 ppm (avg)
- A much higher print speed (color) ?26 ppm vs 12.51 ppm (avg)
- Has automatic document feeder ?
- Has duplex scanning ?
- A much higher output tray capacity ?150 sheets vs 68.95 sheets (avg)
- Has automatic duplex printing ?
- Has touchscreen display ?
- Has ethernet ?
- A much higher monthly duty cycle ?35,000 pages vs 19,346.15 pages (avg)
Where the Brother MFC-J5110DW trails the average
- A much heavier build ?17.1 kg vs 9.07 kg (avg)
- No supertank / refillable ink ?
Editor’s note
Brother's J5 inkjets have always aimed at the small office that wants laser-like paper handling without laser running costs, and the MFC-J5110DW is the two-tray version of that idea. It holds 500 sheets across two 250-sheet trays plus a 100-sheet multi-purpose tray at the back — genuinely unusual at this price — and feeds 50 sheets into a document feeder that scans both sides.
Speeds are quoted at 28 ppm black and 26 ppm colour under ISO/IEC 24734, quick for an inkjet, and Brother rates the machine at up to 35,000 pages a month with a recommended volume of 250 to 2,500 pages. Print resolution tops out at 4800 x 1200 dpi. Automatic two-sided printing, fax with a 33.6k modem, Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi Direct, AirPrint and Brother's Mobile Connect app are all present, driven from a 4.3-inch colour touchscreen.
One expectation is worth correcting. Despite the J5 badge, this is not a tabloid printer: Brother's specification lists Letter, Legal, Executive, Folio and A4, and 11 x 17 inch printing belongs to other models in the family. If you came looking for Ledger output, look further along Brother's range.
Ink is the INKvestment system — high-capacity LC506 cartridges rather than refillable tanks. That trades the very lowest per-page cost for cheaper hardware and a simpler refill routine, which is the same bargain the rest of the machine makes. At 17.1 kg it is heavy for an inkjet, most of that being the second tray in the base; treat it as office furniture rather than a desk accessory.
Specifications
Quality bars are generated automatically against 50 other printers.
Printing
Laser prints crisp text fast; inkjet handles photos and colour better.
Prints in colour, not just black and white.
Black-and-white pages per minute; higher is faster.
Colour pages per minute; higher is faster.
A higher dot density produces sharper prints.
Prints both sides of the page without manual flipping.
Refillable ink tanks cut the cost per page dramatically.
The maximum recommended pages per month.
Scanning & copying
Scans and copies as well as prints.
Feeds multi-page documents through the scanner unattended.
How many pages the document feeder holds at once.
Scans both sides of a page automatically.
Sends and receives faxes.
Paper handling
A larger tray needs refilling less often.
How many printed pages the output tray holds.
The largest paper format supported (e.g. Letter, Legal, A3).
Connectivity
Print wirelessly over the home network.
Connect devices directly without a router.
A wired network port for reliable office use.
A direct USB connection to a computer.
Print from iPhone, iPad and Mac without extra drivers.
Print and manage the printer from a phone app.
Design
An onboard touchscreen makes standalone tasks easier.
A lighter printer is easier to place and move.
How the VS Score works — and what it can’t tell you
Every measurable spec is scored against the average of all the printers we track: matching the class average scores 50, clearly beating it climbs towards 100, and each spec counts according to an editorial weight that reflects real-world impact — a battery-capacity gap moves the score far more than a colour-options list. The quality bars on the spec cards above show where this model sits inside the full range for its class, and the overall VS Score rolls every weighted result into one number.
Unknown values are never estimated. A spec this product doesn’t report simply drops out of its scoring — it isn’t penalised with a guess — but a thinner spec sheet does mean a score built on fewer data points, which is why completeness is disclosed under About this data.
Most importantly: a spec-sheet lead is not the same as a better product. Megapixels, gigahertz and benchmark points describe capacity, not experience — image processing, software optimisation, thermals, haptics and ergonomics decide how a device actually feels, and no table captures reliability or long-term support quality. Treat the VS Score as a structured summary of what can be measured, not a substitute for your own priorities.
About this data
- Specifications are compiled from each manufacturer’s official spec sheet, cross-checked against trusted specification databases, and normalised into one schema so identical things are compared identically.
- Specifications last verified August 21, 2026.
- Data completeness: 24 of the 24 specs in this category are verified (100%). Anything we could not verify is shown as Unknown — never estimated — and is excluded from the score.
- Prices and availability come from live retailer feeds via our shopping partners and refresh throughout the day; a missing price means no partner currently lists the product, not that it is discontinued.
- Want the full picture? Our editorial guidelines explain how we research products, weight the scores and stay independent.
- Spotted an error in a spec? Tell us and we will correct the sheet.
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The bottom line
The Brother MFC-J5110DW earns a VS Score of 73, putting it among the very best of the 51 printers we compare here.
- Who it’s for
- Small offices that get through paper: 500 sheets across two trays plus a 100-sheet bypass, a 50-sheet duplex ADF and fax, all at inkjet running costs.
- Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who needs 11 x 17 output — Brother lists this model as Letter and Legal only — or anyone who specifically wants refillable tanks instead of cartridges.
- The trade-off that matters
- Laser-grade paper handling in an inkjet, paid for with INKvestment cartridges rather than tanks and a 17.1 kg footprint to house the second tray.
- The main alternative
- Brother MFC-J5010DW — the same 28/26 ppm engine and 50-sheet ADF in a single-tray body, if 500 sheets of input is more than you need.
The VS Score is generated automatically from the weighted specifications above, measured against all other printers in our database. Treat it as a shortlisting guide — not a substitute for your own priorities.
