The TN850 is Brother's high-yield toner (about 8,000 pages) for the HL-L5000/L6000 laser printers, DCP-L5000 copiers and MFC-L5000/L6000 all-in-ones. Every model in the series also takes the 3,000-page TN820. Higher-volume HL-L6000 and MFC-L6000 models add the TN880 (12,000 pages), and the HL-L6400DW and MFC-L6900DW add the TN890 (20,000 pages).
All four cartridges use the same drum family, but not every printer uses the same drum, and the largest cartridges fit only some models. The tables below show exactly what your printer accepts.
TN820, TN850, TN880, TN890 and DR820 at a glance
| Part | Type | Rated life | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brother TN820 | Standard-yield toner | ~3,000 pages | All 22 models in the series |
| Brother TN850 | High-yield toner | ~8,000 pages | All 22 models in the series |
| Brother TN850 2-Pack (TN8502PK) | Two TN850 cartridges | ~16,000 pages total | All 22 models in the series |
| Brother TN880 | Super high-yield toner | ~12,000 pages | 10 HL-L6000 / MFC-L6000 models |
| Brother TN890 | Ultra high-yield toner | ~20,000 pages | HL-L6400DW, HL-L6400DWT, MFC-L6900DW |
| Brother DR820 | Drum unit | ~30,000 pages (1 page/job) | 17 models (5 high-volume models use the DR890) |
Toner yields are ISO/IEC 19752 figures at about 5% coverage. Toner and drum are always sold separately.
Which printers use TN850 toner?
Every printer in the series takes the TN820 and TN850. Use your exact model number (on the front panel or rating label) to check the larger cartridges and the drum:
| Printer | TN820 / TN850 | TN880 | TN890 | Drum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HL-L5000D, HL-L5100DN, HL-L5200DW, HL-L5200DWT | Yes | No | No | DR820 |
| HL-L6200DW, HL-L6200DWT, HL-L6300DW | Yes | Yes | No | DR820 |
| HL-L6250DW | Yes | Yes | No | DR890 |
| HL-L6400DW, HL-L6400DWT | Yes | Yes | Yes | DR890 |
| DCP-L5500DN, DCP-L5600DN, DCP-L5650DN | Yes | No | No | DR820 |
| MFC-L5700DW, MFC-L5705DW, MFC-L5800DW, MFC-L5850DW, MFC-L5900DW | Yes | No | No | DR820 |
| MFC-L6700DW, MFC-L6800DW | Yes | Yes | No | DR820 |
| MFC-L6750DW | Yes | Yes | No | DR890 |
| MFC-L6900DW | Yes | Yes | Yes | DR890 |
Printer pages: HL-L5200DW, HL-L6200DW, MFC-L5800DW, MFC-L5900DW, HL-L6400DW and MFC-L6900DW.
Brother HL-L6200DW toner: what fits
The HL-L6200DW, one of the most common printers in this series, takes the TN820, TN850 and TN880, but not the TN890. Its drum is the DR820. For a busy HL-L6200DW the TN880 is the best buy.
DR820 or DR890?
Brother lists the DR820 for 17 of the 22 models. The five highest-volume machines, the HL-L6250DW, HL-L6400DW, HL-L6400DWT, MFC-L6750DW and MFC-L6900DW, are listed for the DR890 instead, with the same rated life. If you own one of those five, check that the drum box says DR890 before ordering.
Brother's newer HL-L5210, HL-L6210 and MFC-L5710 printers look similar but use different supplies; see our TN920 and DR920 guide for those.
TN820 vs TN850 vs TN880 vs TN890: cost per page
All four contain the same Brother toner; the cartridge size is the only difference. Based on current GS TONER prices:
| Cartridge | Pages | Pages vs TN820 | Toner cost per page vs TN820 |
|---|---|---|---|
| TN820 | 3,000 | 1.0× | baseline |
| TN850 | 8,000 | 2.7× | about 37% less |
| TN850 2-Pack | 16,000 | 5.3× | about 42% less |
| TN880 | 12,000 | 4.0× | about 51% less |
| TN890 | 20,000 | 6.7× | about 77% less |
The TN850 costs about 1.7 times as much as the TN820 but prints 2.7 times the pages. The 2-pack lowers the TN850's per-page cost by about 7% more, which suits offices that go through a cartridge every month or two; our guide to multipacks vs singles explains when packs pay off. Where the TN880 fits, it costs about 22% less per page than a single TN850.
Decision rule
- HL-L5000D/L5100DN/L5200DW, DCP-L5000 and MFC-L5700 to L5900 models: TN850 is the largest cartridge they accept. Buy the 2-pack if you print several thousand pages a month.
- HL-L6200DW/DWT, HL-L6250DW, HL-L6300DW, MFC-L6700DW, MFC-L6750DW, MFC-L6800DW: TN880.
- HL-L6400DW/DWT and MFC-L6900DW: TN890, the lowest toner cost per page in the series.
- TN820: only for very light use or a printer you plan to replace soon.
For how Brother's standard, high, super and ultra yield tiers are defined across families, see Brother toner yields explained.
The DR820 drum: life and replacement
The drum is the light-sensitive cylinder that carries the toner image to the paper. Brother rates the DR820 at approximately 30,000 pages based on 1 page per job and 50,000 pages based on 3 pages per job, because the drum wears with every start and stop as well as every page. One DR820 typically outlasts about 10 TN820s, 3 to 4 TN850s, 2 to 3 TN880s or 1 to 2 TN890s at the 1-page-per-job rating. Per page, the drum adds roughly a quarter to the toner cost of a TN850.
Replace the drum when the printer reports Drum End Soon (order one now; you can keep printing) and then Replace Drum, or earlier if prints show marks repeating at the same spacing down the page, a gray background or streaks that a new toner cartridge does not fix.
How to replace TN850 toner or the DR820 drum
- Let the printer cool for a few minutes after printing, then open the front cover.
- Pull out the toner and drum assembly and set it on scrap paper.
- Push down the green lock lever and lift the toner cartridge out of the drum.
- Unpack the new cartridge, remove the protective cover and rock it gently side to side a few times.
- Push the cartridge firmly into the drum until it locks and the green lever lifts.
- Slide the green corona-wire tab gently end to end a few times and return it to its home position; a tab left out of place causes a vertical stripe.
- Slide the assembly back into the printer and close the front cover.
To replace the drum, move the toner cartridge from the old DR820 into the new one the same way. Then reset the drum counter from the control panel, and only for a new drum. The menu path or key sequence differs between the two-line display and touchscreen models, so follow your model's online user's guide or our Brother drum reset guide.
Genuine vs compatible TN850
Compatible TN850-type cartridges are widely sold, and many claim to replace both the TN820 and TN850. They cost less upfront, but quality and real yield vary between makers, and Brother states that its warranty may not cover damage caused by non-Brother supplies. Genuine cartridges deliver the rated ISO yield and can be returned free through Brother's recycling program. Compare cost per page at realistic yields rather than box price.
To recognize the genuine part, check the Brother branding, the exact part number on the box and cartridge label, the factory seal and the barcode. The UPCs on our product pages are TN820 012502642480, TN850 012502642497, TN880 012502642503, TN890 012502642510, DR820 012502642527 and TN850 2-pack 012502656708. Everything we ship at GS TONER is genuine Brother OEM, brand new and factory sealed, with free US shipping.
Bottom line
Buy the biggest cartridge your printer takes: TN850 (or its 2-pack) for the HL-L5000, DCP-L5000 and MFC-L5000 models, TN880 for the HL-L6200/L6250/L6300 and MFC-L6700/L6750/L6800, and TN890 for the HL-L6400DW and MFC-L6900DW. Keep one drum in reserve, DR820 or DR890 depending on the model.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between TN820 and TN850?
Only the yield. The TN820 is the standard cartridge at about 3,000 pages and the TN850 is the high-yield version at about 8,000 pages. Both fit all 22 printers in the series, and the TN850 costs about 37% less per page.
Will TN880 toner fit my HL-L5200DW?
No. Brother lists the TN880 only for the HL-L6200DW, HL-L6200DWT, HL-L6250DW, HL-L6300DW, HL-L6400DW, HL-L6400DWT, MFC-L6700DW, MFC-L6750DW, MFC-L6800DW and MFC-L6900DW. The HL-L5200DW takes the TN820 or TN850.
Which printers use the TN890?
Only three: the HL-L6400DW, HL-L6400DWT and MFC-L6900DW. At about 20,000 pages it is the highest-yield cartridge in the series.
How long does the DR820 drum last?
Brother rates the DR820 at approximately 30,000 pages based on 1 page per job and 50,000 pages based on 3 pages per job. That usually covers several toner cartridges, so you replace the drum far less often than the toner.
Does the TN850 come with a drum?
No. The TN820, TN850, TN880 and TN890 are toner-only cartridges. The drum (DR820, or DR890 on five high-volume models) is a separate part.
