The Brother HL-4040CN is a color laser printer with the small office or home user in mind. It includes features that are becoming standard in modern laser printers, such as an ethernet port for connecting directly to the network. It also includes some features that are less common, but useful, such as secure print, which delays your print job until you enter a code into the panel on the printer, useful for sensitive documents. Another less common feature is the inclusion of a front USB port and a PictBridge port, allowing users to connect USB flash drives and cameras directly to the printer for quick and easy printing without the need for a PC.

The LCD panel flips up for easier viewing, and displays all the necessary information in its menus. Users can also log into the printer software over the network to check ink levels, change settings, and view the status of the printer and any pending jobs. This is especially useful in environments where some users may not be located close to the printer.

Brother HL-4040 toner cartridges have a capacity of 2,500 prints for black and 1,500 for each of the 3 color cartridges. High-capacity cartridges are available, at 5,000 pages for black and 4,000 for each color cartridge. Though the high-capacity cartridges are more expensive upfront, they will save money in the long run by reducing the cost per page.

Print quality is excellent, with only very minor artifacts showing up in color prints. Black prints, especially text, are sharp and dark, with virtually no artifacts. Print speed is only average for a color laser printer, at about 15 pages per minute in black, and 13 pages per minute in color, which is a tradeoff worth considering. While other printers may offer more speed, they may lack in print quality by comparison. Printers that have both the speed and the quality are likely to be much more expensive. The Brother HL-4040CN strikes a good balance of print quality, speed, and price that will satisfy most buyers.