In August 1999 Brother International Corp. announced the successors to their successful HL-1040 and HL-1050 personal laser printers, the multi-platform HL-1240, HL-1250 and HL-1270N. With print speeds of up to 12 pages per minute, first-page out speeds of less than 15 seconds, true 600x600 dpi output, and ports for both Macintosh and PC connectivity, these printers appealed to a wide range of both home and small corporate users.

The HL-1200 series printers included Brother engines, offering no new technology, but sporting a new "commercial" design. The overall footprint had been reduced, with the 250 sheet paper tray feeding from the bottom of the printer and the output located on the top, making them ideal for the desktop environment. Improvements over the HL-1000 series included expanded paper handling capabilities, increased duty cycle, and higher-capacity toner cartridges.

Brother HL-1250