Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Brother - HL-L2460DW | Epson - EcoTank ET-5850 |
|---|---|---|
| Pages/min (mono) | 36 | 25 |
| Color | false | true |
| ADF | false | true |
| Pages/min (color) | 0 | 12 |
Between the HL-L2460DW and EcoTank ET-5850, the HL-L2460DW comes out ahead in pages/min (mono), while the EcoTank ET-5850 wins on color / adf. Overall, the HL-L2460DW scores 80.2 and the EcoTank ET-5850 scores 73.1 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The HL-L2460DW edges ahead on the Mars Score (80.2 vs 73.1), but the 7.1-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the HL-L2460DW if you care most about pages/min (mono). The biggest gaps in its favor are pages/min (mono). The single most decisive one: Pages/min (mono) — 44.00% more. 36 vs 25.
Pick the EcoTank ET-5850 if you care most about color / adf. Its strongest claims are color, adf, pages/min (color). The single most decisive one: Has Color.
Both ship with comparable auto duplex, airprint, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the HL-L2460DW is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Which should you buy: Brother - HL-L2460DW or Epson - EcoTank ET-5850?
Brother - HL-L2460DW leads the current Mars Score by 7.1 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare pages/min (mono), pages/min (color), color against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Brother - HL-L2460DW if…
Brother - HL-L2460DW has the measurable edge on ppm mono.
Choose Epson - EcoTank ET-5850 if…
Epson - EcoTank ET-5850 has the measurable edge on color, has adf, ppm color.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Brother - HL-L2460DW wins
- ▲Pages/min (mono) — 44.00% more. 36 vs 25.
Why Epson - EcoTank ET-5850 wins
- ▲Has Color.
- ▲Has ADF.
- ▲Pages/min (color): 12 vs 0.
Spec comparison
Spec
| Spec | Brother - HL-L2460DW | Epson - EcoTank ET-5850 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Laser | Inkjet AIO |
| Color | false | truelead |
| Pages/min (mono) | 36lead | 25 |
| Pages/min (color) | 0 | 12lead |
| Resolution | 1200x1200 dpi | 4800x1200 dpi |
| Max paper size | Letter | Letter |
Features
| Spec | Brother - HL-L2460DW | Epson - EcoTank ET-5850 |
|---|---|---|
| Auto duplex | true | true |
| ADF | false | truelead |
| Wi-Fiⓘ | true | true |
| AirPrint | true | true |