Brother TN3145 & Brother TN3185 Toner Cartridges

Expected page output and replacement cycles

Brother tests Black toner cartridge yields under the ISO/IEC 19752 standard at 5% page coverage. The TN3145 yields up to 3,500 pages, whereas the high-yield TN3185 provides up to 7,000 pages, cutting cartridge changes in half for high-volume document printing.

Choosing between genuine and compatible options

Both genuine Brother toners and third-party options are available for this series. Under Australian Consumer Law, using compatible cartridges does not void your printer warranty. To understand performance, shelf life, and warranty coverage differences, read our guide on genuine and compatible cartridges.

Practical stocking and buying advice

For high-volume text printing, selecting compatible TN3185 cartridges offers the lowest operating expense per page. Compatible toners include a risk-free money back guarantee through our standard returns policy. Free delivery applies on all orders over $99. We ship directly from warehouses in Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide to ensure fast dispatch. View our full range of Brother toner cartridges for other model series.

Pro Tip

Always hold the drum unit assembly level when clicking a new TN3145 or TN3185 cartridge into place. Settling the toner evenly across the internal roller prevents early faint streaks down the left or right margins during initial print runs.

Match Your Printing Habits to the Right Brother TN-3145 or Brother TN-3185 Toner Cartridge Pack

If only one colour has run dry, there's no need to replace the rest - a single Genuine TN-3185 cartridge (from $140.36) is the lowest-cost way to keep printing.

Watching the budget? Compatible cartridges match the fit and yield of genuine ink at a lower price, from $23.88 for a single TN-3185 cartridge or 2-pack TN-3145 for $42.99.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I switch from a TN3145 standard cartridge to a TN3185 high-yield cartridge without extra accessories?

Yes. The TN3145 and TN3185 share identical exterior housing dimensions and lock into the standard Brother drum unit using the exact same lever mechanism. The high-yield TN3185 simply contains double the internal toner capacity.

Why does print density fade before reaching the 7,000-page TN3185 yield rating?

Yield metrics rely on 5% page coverage, typical of basic text documents. Printing bold graphics, barcodes, or dense PDF tables consumes significantly more toner per page, reducing the overall count achieved before exhaustion.

Should I reset the drum counter when replacing a TN3185 cartridge?

No. The drum reset step is reserved specifically for installing a new drum unit assembly. Replacing a TN3145 or TN3185 Black cartridge only requires seating the cartridge into the drum until it clicks.

Is TN-3185 the same as TN3185?

Yes - TN-3185 and TN3185 refer to the exact same high-yield Black toner cartridge. The hyphen is merely a formatting variation used interchangeably across manuals and retail listings.