The 5 Best Laser Printers of 2026  

Updated Oct 15, 2026 at 02:53 pm
Best Laser Printers
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While laser printers are synonymous with offices, they're also a great option for households that only print the occasional document or return label. Though not as versatile as inkjet printers (their limited color range and printing patterns don't produce the best photos), they typically print faster and produce documents that look as good as or better than those from inkjet printers. Laser printers require very little maintenance, as they don't suffer from printhead clogging when sitting for extended periods. Page yield is usually pretty good, as most models can print at least 1,000 to 1,500 pages from a single set of toner cartridges (or a cartridge with monochrome models). You can even find models with a refillable toner tank, similar to supertank inkjet models. Despite often being more expensive upfront than their inkjet counterparts, laser printers' low recurring costs and maintenance requirements make them a great choice regardless of your print load.

Below are our recommendations for the best laser printers you can buy. Check out our other picks for the best black-and-white printers, the best home printers, and the best wireless printers if you're looking for models beyond those in this article.

How We Test Printers
How We Test 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.

  1. Best Laser Printer

    The best laser printer we've tested is the Brother MFC-L8930CDW. This color all-in-one model is a great option for heavy print loads as it warms up quickly, delivers outstandingly sharp documents, and prints up to 34 pages per minute. It has a flatbed scanner that supports up to Legal-size sheets (8.5" x 14"), and the 80-sheet automatic feeder supports single-pass duplex scanning. The toner cartridges last a long time, and you can even get Super High-Yield ones that can print up to 7,500 black and 6,500 color pages (according to Brother), but they don't cost much more than standard-sized cartridges. While you'll need to replace the drums separately, they last around 30,000 pages, so unless you print a ton, you'll likely rarely have to worry about that.

    Unsurprisingly, the biggest downside of this printer is photo printing, which is common with all laser printers, as the results are dull and lack detail. It's also definitely on the larger side, so it's likely better suited to home offices rather than to someone looking for something for occasional printing.

  2. Best Upper Mid-Range Laser Printer

    If you want a color laser all-in-one for less than the Brother MFC-L8930CDW above, consider the Canon Color imageCLASS MF665Cdw. It delivers outstanding document quality in a smaller package, though printing and scanning are slower than on the Brother. Still, it prints up to 26 pages per minute and scans at around 14 pages per minute, which is still comfortably fast for everyday office work. Its automatic document feeder supports single-pass duplex scanning and can print double-sided documents.

    You get USB, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet connectivity, making it easy to share across an office. Its high page yields and available high-yield cartridges reduce the frequency with which you'll need to replace toner. Unlike the Brother, its toner cartridges include the drum, simplifying maintenance since there's no separate drum to replace. It's a capable choice for reports, forms, and color graphics, although its limited color range and photo detail make it less suitable for printing photographs.

  3. Best Mid-Range Laser Printer

    If you don't need color printing, the Brother MFC-L2820DW offers a less expensive alternative to the Canon Color imageCLASS MF665Cdw above. You lose automatic duplex scanning, too, but retain an automatic document feeder for multi-page paperwork and automatic double-sided printing. Its documents look exceptionally sharp, and its tested printing speed of 33 pages per minute makes it a strong choice for longer print jobs. USB, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet connectivity let you connect directly to a computer or share it across a network.

    A standard replacement toner cartridge yields around 1,300 pages in our testing, and Brother advertises 3,000 pages for the high-yield option. Inexpensive toner helps keep running costs low, though the separate drum eventually needs to be replaced. If you want to save more, the Brother DCP-L2640DW variant retains the flatbed scanner and ADF but replaces the touchscreen with a basic two-line display. Brother advertises printing speeds of up to 36 pages per minute for that variant; we tested the MFC-L2820DW.

  4. Best Budget Laser Printer

    If you only need to print, the budget Brother HL-L2460DW lets you save money compared with the Brother MFC-L2820DW above by giving up scanning, copying, and faxing. This monochrome model still produces sharp text and well-defined graphs, prints quickly at up to 34 pages per minute in our testing, and supports automatic double-sided printing. Its USB, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet connections suit a variety of setups, and its print-only design takes up less space than an all-in-one.

    Its high page yield and inexpensive replacement toner keep running costs low. Since it uses toner, it can also sit unused for extended periods without clogging, making it useful for occasional return labels and regular document printing. For a cheaper alternative, consider the Brother HL-L2405W variant of this printer. It keeps USB and wireless connectivity but loses Ethernet and automatic duplex printing, and Brother rates its printing speed at a lower 30 pages per minute.

  5. Best Cheap Laser Printer

    The best cheap laser printer we've tested is the Canon imageCLASS LBP6030w. It often sells for less than $100, making it a pretty inexpensive way to get a monochrome laser printer. Its included starter toner is rated for 700 pages, which could still last an occasional user for years, while a full replacement cartridge yielded nearly 3,000 pages in our testing. Since toner can't clog, you can also leave it unused for months without worrying about dried-out ink.

    Still, there's no hiding that this isn't a particularly good printer. Documents look faint, graphs lose much of their fine detail, and it takes a while to get the first page out. It also lacks automatic duplex printing and a scanner. The Brother HL-L2460DW above is a much better buy if you can stretch your budget, as it prints faster, produces sharper documents, feels sturdier, and offers more connectivity options. Still, the Canon is an extremely good value if all you need is a cheap laser printer for basic black-and-white pages, as very few models cost so little to both buy and run.

Notable Mentions

  • Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw/MF751Cdw: 

    The Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw/MF751Cdw is a good alternative to the Brother MFC-L8930CDW if you're looking for the best color laser printer. It's slightly smaller, and documents look equally fantastic, but it's slower for B&W prints and has a lower page yield, with a higher cost per print.

     See our review
  • Brother MFC-L3780CDW/MFC-L3720CDW: 

    The Brother MFC-L3780CDW/MFC-L3720CDW is a good alternative to the Canon Color imageCLASS MF665Cdw if you want slightly faster B&W printing speed. However, it may cost more to maintain because it doesn't yield as many prints per standard cartridge, and its color printing is slower.

     See our review
  • Brother HL-L3280CDW: 

    The Brother HL-L3280CDW is a less expensive, print-only alternative to the Canon Color imageCLASS MF665Cdw. It produces sharp color documents and supports automatic duplex printing, but you give up scanning, copying, and faxing, so the Canon is a better value if you need those features.

     See our review

Recent Updates

  1.  Oct 15, 2026: 

    We clarified the trade-offs between picks. We also added the Brother HL-L3280CDW to the Notable Mentions as a less expensive option for users who want color printing without a scanner.

  2.  Aug 11, 2026: 

    We added the Canon imageCLASS LBP6030w as the 'Best Cheap Laser Printer' for those simply looking for the best-value laser printer, regardless of print quality. Also confirmed that all picks are still relevant and available.

  3.  Jun 04, 2026: 

    We added the Brother MFC-L8930CDW as the 'Best Laser Printer.' We adjusted the rest of the picks to fall below it, as they're still great options that cost less, but don't perform quite as well overall.

  4.  Mar 25, 2026: 

    Now that the Brother MFC-L8905CDW has been discontinued, the Canon Color imageCLASS MF665Cdw is our new top pick for a laser printer. No other changes were made to the picks.

  5.  Jan 21, 2026: 

    Replaced the now-discontinued Canon Color imageCLASS MF656Cdw with its successor, the Canon Color imageCLASS MF665Cdw. It delivers the same excellent overall package while slightly improving print quality and speed. Removed the HP LaserJet Tank MFP 2604sdw, which was our pick for the 'Best High-Yield Monochrome Laser Printer,' because it no longer seems to be available for purchase.

All Reviews

Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best laser printers for most people. In addition to the test results, we also factor in price, visitor feedback, and availability.

If you'd like to do the work of choosing yourself, here's the list of all our laser 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.