Although color printers are relatively affordable, many people only print in black and white. So why pay more for color if you work in an office that only prints invoices or if your household prints the occasional return label? Laser printers are the technology of choice for monochrome printing, as they tend to print faster and often have a higher page yield. Laser printers also have lower maintenance requirements; you don't need to worry about clogging when they sit between uses, as you do with inkjets. Finally, purchasing only one cartridge significantly reduces your running costs. Whether you're looking for the best black-and-white laser printer for home use or for your office, you'll find a good option here that fits your printing needs.
Below are our recommendations for the best monochrome printers. You can also check out our picks for the best laser printers, the best printers for small businesses, and the best all-in-one printers.
We've tested over 170 printers since 2020 with one goal in mind: to give you reliable, unbiased reviews that help you choose the right printer for your needs. To keep things fair, we purchase every product ourselves from major retailers, just like you would. Each printer then goes through a thorough, standardized testing process that evaluates all the key factors you should consider when buying a new model. From build quality and cost per print to color accuracy and overall performance, we provide as much detail as possible to guide your decision.
Want to learn more about our methods? Look at our How We Test Printers article for a deep dive into our testing procedures.
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Best Black-And-White Printer
Build Quality8.5Estimated Black Page Yield1,273 printsBlack Only Text Document33 PPMBlack-Only Printing Cost0.039 US$/printColor Printing CostN/ADocument Quality9.0Printing Speed8.5See all our test resultsSmall Office8.7The best black-and-white printer we've tested is the Brother MFC-L2820DW. This all-in-one monochrome laser model is the ideal choice for a small office. It's great for printing large documents quickly, as it pushes up to 33 pages per minute, and its print quality is excellent; documents look sharp with easy-to-read text and great detail in fine elements like lines on a graph. It also has an ADF-equipped scanner that scans up to seven pages per minute. The printer is easily accessible from a wide variety of devices, as you can connect to it via Wi-Fi, USB, or Ethernet and use the Brother companion app for additional functionality.
Its page yield is good at around 1,300 prints, and you can get a high-yield XL cartridge that'll last even longer. The drum is a separate unit you'll have to replace at extra cost, though it's usually good for about 15,000 prints, so you won't need to change it too often. It's also very easy to install, so the process should be smooth. There are other variants with more features. For example, the Brother MFC-L2880DW has duplex scanning, single-tap NFC support, and prints a little faster at 36 pages per minute; print quality remains the same, so you'll get sharp-looking documents. The issue is that this model can be hard to find in North America. See our review for more details about variants.
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Best Budget Black-And-White Printer
Build Quality8.0Estimated Black Page Yield1,273 printsBlack Only Text Document34 PPMBlack-Only Printing Cost0.039 US$/printColor Printing CostN/ADocument Quality8.5Printing Speed8.3See all our test resultsSmall Office7.4If you only need to print and want to keep your budget in check, we recommend the Brother HL-L2460DW or one of its variants. This monochrome laser print-only model gets the job done quickly, pushing out 34 pages per minute, and it also supports automatic duplex printing. The build quality is impressive, and the power cord is removable, making it easy to replace if damaged. Another positive feature is its small footprint, which makes it a great option for anyone with space constraints. You get the usual Wi-Fi and USB connectivity, plus support for Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service.
As for its page yield, you can expect about 1,300 prints from a standard toner cartridge. If you think you need more than this, high-yield cartridges are available that'll yield around 3,300 pages. Like the other Brother printers we recommend above, you'll have to replace the drum on this model separately. Again, you won't need to do it all that often, and it's a simple process. If you have a very tight budget, the full review also has information about cheaper variants with more limited connectivity options or slightly slower print speeds.
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Best High-Yield Black-And-White Printer
Build Quality7.5Estimated Black Page Yield4,560 printsBlack Only Text Document9 PPMBlack-Only Printing Cost0.006 US$/printColor Printing CostN/ADocument Quality9.0Printing Speed6.0See all our test resultsSmall Office8.2If you have a large print load, get the HP LaserJet Tank MFP 2604sdw. As the name suggests, it's a laser printer with a refillable toner tank instead of a cartridge, similar to supertank inkjet models. A full tank gets you about 4,500 prints, and you can refill the tank as you go. The print quality is outstanding for black-and-white documents. As for printing speed, you can print up to 22 pages per minute, but only over a wired USB connection, which is inconvenient if it's a shared office printer or you don't have room to keep it close to your computer. In our testing, its printing speed dropped to just nine pages per minute over Wi-Fi, but your mileage may vary, as it could have been patched with a firmware update since then.
Printing speed aside, this printer has great connectivity options. You get USB, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet, as well as Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service support. There's a scanner with an automatic feeder but no duplex scanning, so you'll have to scan double-sided documents manually. This printer has one glaring issue that you'll have to keep in mind. While the drum lasts an estimated 50,000 pages, replacing it is a hassle. This is because the drum is difficult to access and isn't available for purchase by the general public, so you can only replace it through an authorized service provider. As such, you'll have to be very careful not to damage the drum, like avoiding paper with imperfections or attached staples.
Notable Mentions
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Canon imageCLASS LBP122dw:
For anyone looking to spend as little as possible, consider the Canon imageClass LBP122dw. While generally more expensive than the Brother HL-L2460DW, this no-frills model occasionally goes on sale for less. When it does, it's not a bad choice; the print quality isn't as good as Brother's, and our unit produced crooked prints.
See our review
Recent Updates
Feb 16, 2026:
We removed the Pantum P3012DW from the Notable Mentions as it's become very hard to find since our last update. Our other picks are still valid, and we haven't tested any new monochrome printers.
Apr 14, 2025:
Small text changes for conciseness and clarity. No change in recommendations.
Jan 20, 2025:
Added the Canon imageClassLBP122dw to the Notable Mentions for anyone looking to spend as little as possible. We also made small edits for clarity.
Oct 24, 2024:
We've removed the 'Best Mid-Range Black and White Printer' category to represent the best products currently available and made small edits for clarity throughout.
Aug 08, 2024: We've completely revamped this article, introducing a new format, new performance usages, and changes in recommendations to better represent the best choices available.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best monochrome laser printers for most people. In addition to testing results, we factor in price, visitor feedback, and availability.
If you'd like to do the work of choosing yourself, here's the list of our printer reviews. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While no printer is perfect for every use, most are good enough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.