Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Brother - MFC-J5855DW | Epson - EcoTank ET-5850 |
|---|---|---|
| Pages/min (color) | 30 | 12 |
| Pages/min (mono) | 30 | 25 |
Between the MFC-J5855DW and EcoTank ET-5850, the MFC-J5855DW comes out ahead in pages/min (color) / pages/min (mono), while the EcoTank ET-5850 wins on several specs. Overall, the MFC-J5855DW scores 76.3 and the EcoTank ET-5850 scores 73.1 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The MFC-J5855DW edges ahead on the Mars Score (76.3 vs 73.1), but the 3.2-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the MFC-J5855DW if you care most about pages/min (color) / pages/min (mono). The biggest gaps in its favor are pages/min (color), pages/min (mono). The single most decisive one: Pages/min (color) — 150.00% more. 30 vs 12.
The EcoTank ET-5850 similarly does not carry a headline advantage on the popular specs — look at the full table for category-specific deltas.
Both ship with comparable type, color, auto duplex, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Brother - MFC-J5855DW or Epson - EcoTank ET-5850?
Brother - MFC-J5855DW leads the current Mars Score by 3.2 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare pages/min (mono), pages/min (color) against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Brother - MFC-J5855DW if…
Brother - MFC-J5855DW has the measurable edge on ppm color, ppm mono.
Choose Epson - EcoTank ET-5850 if…
Epson - EcoTank ET-5850 does not lead a decisive measured field here, so choose it for price, ecosystem, design, or availability when those matter more to you.
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 - MFC-J5855DW wins
- ▲Pages/min (color) — 150.00% more. 30 vs 12.
- ▲Pages/min (mono) — 20.00% more. 30 vs 25.
Why Epson - EcoTank ET-5850 wins
- No decisive advantages.
Spec comparison
Spec
| Spec | Brother - MFC-J5855DW | Epson - EcoTank ET-5850 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Inkjet AIO | Inkjet AIO |
| Color | true | true |
| Pages/min (mono) | 30lead | 25 |
| Pages/min (color) | 30lead | 12 |
| Resolution | 4800x1200 dpi | 4800x1200 dpi |
| Max paper size | Tabloidlead | Letter |
Features
| Spec | Brother - MFC-J5855DW | Epson - EcoTank ET-5850 |
|---|---|---|
| Auto duplex | true | true |
| ADF | true | true |
| Wi-Fiⓘ | true | true |
| AirPrint | true | true |