Canon imageCLASS MF284dw Review — Fast Monochrome MFP
In-depth review of Canon imageCLASS MF284dw: 35ppm monochrome laser MFP with duplex, ADF, mobile printing, and cost-efficient high-yield toner.
Introduction
The Canon imageCLASS MF284dw arrives as a focused, no-nonsense monochrome multifunction laser built to solve the most common pain points in small offices and home workspaces: slow throughput, high running costs, and clumsy mobile printing. With a rated 35 pages-per-minute output and a sub-5-second first-page-out time, this MFP is aimed squarely at users who need reliable, fast black-and-white printing combined with capable scanning and copying.
Beyond raw speed, the MF284dw’s strengths lie in practical cost control and everyday convenience. Canon supplies a starter toner and offers high-capacity toner options to reduce interruptions and lower cost-per-page. Add automatic duplexing, a single-pass document feeder for higher scanning throughput, and mobile connectivity via Canon’s apps, AirPrint and Mopria, and you have a machine that enhances productivity without overwhelming you with features you don’t need.
Overview
Visually, the imageCLASS MF284dw is a compact, white-finish monochrome laser designed to fit on a small office countertop or a dedicated home-office shelf. It balances a modest footprint (22.5 x 22.8 x 22.1 inches) with a sturdy feel; at 27.6 pounds it’s easy to place but solid enough to communicate durability. The front control and display are minimal and task-focused rather than flashy — a design choice aimed at business users who prioritize performance over consumer-style touchscreens.
Under the hood, this is a single-functioning monochrome laser engine paired with full multifunction capabilities: print, copy, scan (with high-speed scanning), and an automatic document feeder (ADF) to streamline batch scanning and copying. Connectivity is broad for its category: Wi‑Fi, Ethernet, USB, Canon Print and Canon PRINT Business apps, Apple AirPrint, and Mopria support on Android. This mix makes it an ideal choice for home offices, micro businesses, and small teams that want dependable text output, fast scan workflows, and mobile printing compatibility.
Features
High-Speed 35 PPM Printing: 35 pages per minute with a first print out time under 4.9 seconds (letter). That speed keeps short deadlines from becoming bottlenecks — you can churn through reports, invoices and student assignments without waiting.
Automatic Duplex Printing & Paper Savings: Built-in two-sided printing reduces paper usage and operating costs. Duplex is automatic and reliable for standard office papers, helping teams reduce waste and present professional, double-sided documents.
Auto Document Feeder & Fast Scanning: The ADF and high-speed scanning (single-sided up to 15/21 ipm BW/Color) enable quick digitization of multi-page documents. This feature accelerates workflows like archiving, invoicing, and client intake forms.
Robust Mobile & Network Connectivity: Support for Canon PRINT, Canon PRINT Business, Apple AirPrint, and Mopria ensures printing from phones, tablets, and laptops. Ethernet and Wi‑Fi keep the device accessible to multiple users across a small network.
High-Capacity Toner Options & Starter Toner Included: The starter toner gets you going out of the box, and high-capacity toner options extend run lengths between replacements. This reduces the frequency of service interruptions and lowers the overall cost per page.
Benefits
Faster Turnaround for Busy Days
35 ppm and fast first-page-out time reduce wait time, letting small teams and home users complete large print jobs quickly and move on to other tasks.
Lower Operating Costs
High-capacity toner options and efficient monochrome printing translate into a lower cost-per-page compared with many color inkjet alternatives, making it ideal for heavy text workloads.
Streamlined Document Workflows
The ADF and fast scanning capabilities cut manual handling time for multi-page documents, improving productivity for bookkeeping, HR, or schoolwork scanning needs.
Flexible Mobile Printing
With AirPrint, Mopria, and Canon’s apps, users can print directly from smartphones and tablets without awkward file transfers, which is convenient for remote workers and mobile-first teams.
Compact Reliability
A compact footprint and solid build make this unit easy to integrate into a home office or small business setting where space is at a premium but reliability matters.
Usages
Perfect for Home Offices
Fast monochrome printing for invoices, lesson plans, reports, and contracts. Duplexing saves paper and makes professional double-sided documents simple to produce.
Small Business Back Office
Reliable text printing, network connectivity, and high-yield toner options make this a strong fit for bookkeeping, legal paperwork, and administrative printing.
Efficient Document Scanning and Archiving
The ADF and high-speed scanning are well-suited to digitizing receipts, client intake forms, and multipage documents for cloud storage or archive systems.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Very fast monochrome printing (35 ppm) with quick first-page-out.
- Automatic duplexing and ADF for efficient two-sided printing and batch scanning.
- Mobile printing options (Canon apps, AirPrint, Mopria) for flexible workflows.
- High-capacity toner options reduce running costs and downtime.
- Compact footprint and solid build suitable for small offices and home workspaces.
Cons
- Monochrome only — not suitable if you require color or photo printing.
- Some users report intermittent wireless connectivity and a less intuitive control interface.
- Occasional mixed reports about duplex print alignment on heavier tasks.
- No advanced touchscreen UI — controls are utilitarian compared with some competitors.
FAQs
Does the MF284dw print in color?
No. This model is a monochrome (black & white) laser multifunction printer optimized for text and grayscale documents.
Can I print from my phone or tablet?
Yes. The MF284dw supports Canon PRINT, Canon PRINT Business, Apple AirPrint for iOS devices, and Mopria for Android, enabling direct mobile printing.
Is duplexing automatic?
Yes. Automatic two-sided (duplex) printing is built in, reducing paper use and allowing for easy printing of booklets and double-sided reports.
How long do the toners last and is there a high-yield option?
Canon supplies a starter toner with the printer and offers high-capacity toner cartridges that significantly increase pages per cartridge, lowering the cost-per-page and replacement frequency.
Product Specifications
| Printer Type | Monochrome Laser Multifunction (Print/Copy/Scan) |
| Print Speed (PPM) | Up to 35 pages per minute (letter) |
| Resolution (DPI) | Up to 600 x 600 dpi (equivalent monochrome laser quality) |
| Connectivity | Wi‑Fi, Ethernet, USB, Canon PRINT, Canon PRINT Business, Apple AirPrint, Mopria |
| Duplex | Automatic two-sided (duplex) printing |
| Supported Media Sizes | Up to Legal (8.5″ x 14″) and standard Letter/Legal/Envelope sizes |
| Ink/Toner Type | Black toner cartridge; starter toner included; high-capacity toner options available |
| ADF (Auto Document Feeder) | Yes — single-pass ADF for multi-page scanning/copying |
| Dimensions | 22.5 x 22.8 x 22.1 inches |
| Item Weight | 27.6 pounds |
| Warranty | 1-year limited warranty (manufacturer) |
Ratings
| Print-Scan-Copy Performance | 4.6 |
| Document Feeder Reliability | 4.0 |
| Connectivity & Smart Features | 3.8 |
| Print Speed & Output Quality | 4.4 |
| Ink / Toner Efficiency | 4.7 |
| Value for Money | 4.3 |
Recommendation
The Canon imageCLASS MF284dw is recommended for home offices, freelancers, and small businesses that prioritize fast, reliable black-and-white printing, lower operating costs, and easy document scanning. It’s an excellent choice if the bulk of your work is text-based — reports, invoices, contracts — and you value duplexing and batch scanning.
If your workflows require color graphics, photo printing, or a touchscreen-heavy control panel, consider a color MFP or inkjet photo printer instead. For purely text-focused environments where speed, reliability, and toner efficiency matter, the MF284dw offers compelling long-term value.
Conclusion
The Canon imageCLASS MF284dw delivers a focused set of strengths: high monochrome throughput, automatic duplexing, quick scans via the ADF, and cost-efficient toner options. For users who print lots of text and need dependable scanning and copying, it removes common bottlenecks and improves daily productivity.
There are trade-offs — it’s monochrome only and some buyers report mixed experiences with wireless connectivity and the control interface — but for its target audience the MF284dw’s fast output, low operating cost, and compact, sturdy design make it a strong contender in the small-office MFP space. Over time, the ability to choose high-capacity toner and rely on rapid scanning workflows will translate into real efficiency gains and lower total cost of ownership.
