Which ink/toner does the Brother DCP-L8400CDN use?

The Brother DCP-L8400CDN (laser, 2014) uses TN-336BK, TN-336C, TN-336M, TN-336Y, DR-331CL, TN-331BK, TN-331C, TN-331M, TN-331Y.

Third-party cartridge risk: Low no firmware lockout is on record for this printer, so compatible and remanufactured cartridges should work.

The Brother DCP-L8400CDN uses toner cartridges for its printing needs. The printer takes black XL and standard toners as well as cyan magenta and yellow XL and standard toners. When choosing which type of toner to buy consider that the XL versions have higher page yields but may cost slightly more per page than their standard counterparts.

Compatible cartridges

CartridgeColorYieldPagesOEM priceCost/page
TN-336BK black XL4000 $90.00 2.2¢ OEM · AmazonCompatible
TN-336C cyan XL3500 $86.00 2.5¢ OEM · AmazonCompatible
TN-336M magenta XL3500 $86.00 2.5¢ OEM · AmazonCompatible
TN-336Y yellow XL3500 $86.00 2.5¢ OEM · AmazonCompatible
DR-331CL drum drum- - - OEM · AmazonCompatible
TN-331BK black standard2500 $70.00 2.8¢ OEM · AmazonCompatible
TN-331C cyan standard1500 $67.00 4.5¢ OEM · AmazonCompatible
TN-331M magenta standard1500 $67.00 4.5¢ OEM · AmazonCompatible
TN-331Y yellow standard1500 $67.00 4.5¢ OEM · AmazonCompatible

XL (high-yield) cartridges cost more upfront but lower the cost per page, which is better if you print a lot.

Our pick: the high-yield TN-336BK is the best value

The Brother DCP-L8400CDN is not on our firmware-lockout list, so third-party toner should work. By list price its high-yield TN-336BK works out to about 2.2 cents per page, roughly 20% less than the 2.8 cents of the standard TN-331BK. If you print often the high-yield cartridge is the better value, and a well-reviewed compatible version lowers the cost further.

Frequently asked questions

Which toner does the Brother DCP-L8400CDN use?

The Brother DCP-L8400CDN uses DR-331CL, TN-331BK, TN-331C, TN-331M, TN-331Y, TN-336BK, TN-336C, TN-336M and TN-336Y.

Does the Brother DCP-L8400CDN take XL cartridges?

Yes. Besides the standard cartridges it accepts TN-336BK, TN-336C, TN-336M and TN-336Y. A high-yield XL holds more toner and costs less per page, which is worth it if you print often.

Will third-party toner work in the Brother DCP-L8400CDN, or will firmware block it?

The Brother DCP-L8400CDN is not on our firmware-lockout list, so compatible and remanufactured cartridges should work. Firmware can change with an update, so it is worth checking before buying a large supply.

How many pages do the Brother DCP-L8400CDN cartridges print?

Rated yields run from about 1500 pages (TN-331Y) to about 4000 pages (TN-336BK), depending on the cartridge. Real-world yield depends on how much you print and how much toner each page uses.

What is the cheapest toner for the Brother DCP-L8400CDN?

By list price the lowest cost per page here is the TN-336BK at about 2.2 cents per page. A reliable compatible or remanufactured cartridge can lower that further.

Related Brother TN-331/TN-336 printers

Last reviewed . Compiled by MyCartridgeFinder from manufacturer cartridge finders and retailer cross reference tables, then checked against this printer's database record. Cartridge numbers and yields come from that record, never from guesswork. See our methodology and data sources.