Which ink does the Brother MFC-J1170DW use?
The Brother MFC-J1170DW (inkjet, 2021) uses LC401BK, LC401C, LC401M, LC401Y.
Third-party cartridge risk: Low no firmware lockout is on record for this printer, so compatible and remanufactured cartridges should work.
The Brother MFC-J1170DW uses standard ink cartridges for black LC401BK and cyan LC401C magenta LC401M yellow LC401Y printing. When buying replacement ink you have a choice between genuine or third-party cartridges as there is no firmware DRM on record to prevent their use. Standard yield cartridges are available for all colours which print about 200 pages each.
Compatible cartridges
| Cartridge | Color | Yield | Pages | OEM price | Cost/page | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LC401BK | black | standard | 200 | $13.00 | 6.5¢ | OEM · AmazonCompatible |
| LC401C | cyan | standard | 200 | $11.00 | 5.5¢ | OEM · AmazonCompatible |
| LC401M | magenta | standard | 200 | $11.00 | 5.5¢ | OEM · AmazonCompatible |
| LC401Y | yellow | standard | 200 | $11.00 | 5.5¢ | OEM · AmazonCompatible |
XL (high-yield) cartridges cost more upfront but lower the cost per page, which is better if you print a lot.
The Brother MFC-J1170DW is not on our firmware-lockout list, so a well-reviewed compatible or remanufactured cartridge should work and costs well below OEM. By list price the lowest cost per page here is the LC401C at about 5.5 cents per page, and a reliable compatible typically undercuts that. Buy from a seller with strong reviews and a compatibility guarantee.
Frequently asked questions
Which ink does the Brother MFC-J1170DW use?
The Brother MFC-J1170DW uses LC401BK, LC401C, LC401M and LC401Y.
Will third-party ink work in the Brother MFC-J1170DW, or will firmware block it?
The Brother MFC-J1170DW 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 MFC-J1170DW cartridges print?
Rated yields run from about 200 pages (LC401C) to about 200 pages (LC401Y), depending on the cartridge. Real-world yield depends on how much you print and how much ink each page uses.
What is the cheapest ink for the Brother MFC-J1170DW?
By list price the lowest cost per page here is the LC401C at about 5.5 cents per page. A reliable compatible or remanufactured cartridge can lower that further.
Related Brother LC401 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.