The 5 Best Laser Printers - Summer 2021 Reviews

The best color laser printer for small or home offices we've tested is the Canon imageCLASS MF743Cdw. This outstandingly well-built printer uses a superb cartridge system that yields a fantastic number of black and color pages. The cost-per-print is remarkably low for black text documents and is good for color prints, which is excellent for keeping long-term costs low.

The printing speed for color documents is incredibly fast, and it reproduces colors with great accuracy. The touchscreen display is large and responsive, with an impressive array of scanning features, including a duplex-scanning automatic document feeder, a flatbed with lid hinges that raise to accommodate items like books, and built-in fax. Connectivity options are superb, including Wi-Fi and Ethernet, and the printer can print directly from USB flash drives.

Unfortunately, it produces photos with only passable quality, although it's good for a laser printer. Also, the printing speed for black text documents is unremarkable, and replacing all three color cartridges at a time can be expensive. The flatbed scanner's resolution isn't as high as other printers, but fortunately, it should be fine for office use. All in all, this is an outstanding choice if you need a laser printer for a small or home office.

The best all-in-one laser printer for monochrome printing that we've tested is the Canon imageCLASS MF445dw. This all-in-one unit prints black text documents amazingly quickly and warms up impressively quickly to print the first page. The cost-per-print is superbly low, and the black page yield is incredible, so you won't have to replace the toner often.

It feels outstandingly well built, gives easy access to toner cartridges, and since the power cord is removable, it's easy to replace. The scanning features are impressive, including a flatbed scanner with lid hinges that lift if you need to scan thicker items, an automatic document feeder with duplex scanning, and built-in fax. It has an excellent, responsive display for easy navigation through printing tasks, and its superb connectivity options include an Ethernet port and Wi-Fi, among others. It can also print directly from USB flash drives.

Sadly, like the Canon imageCLASS MF743Cdw, the flatbed scanner's scan resolution isn't as high as other options, so it might not be enough to capture fine photo details. However, it should still be fine for documents. The back panel for accessing paper jams doesn't open fully, so you might have trouble reaching if you have larger hands. That said, it's a superb printer for monochrome printing and is one of the best office printers we've tested.

The best laser printer in the budget category that we've tested is the Brother HL-L2390DW. It's an all-in-one monochrome model with a high-resolution flatbed scanner, and the scanner lid's hinges can raise a bit to scan thicker items. The build quality is excellent, as it's solid-feeling plastic, and its design lets you easily access paper jams and the toner cartridge.

It yields a large number of pages, so you shouldn't need to replace the cartridge often; this helps keep the cost-per-print incredibly low. While the warm-up time to print out the first page is a bit long, the rest of the pages come out remarkably quickly. There are a few connectivity options, like Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct, and it has support for Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service. There's also a mobile app to print, scan, copy, and check ink levels.

Unfortunately, it doesn't have an automatic document feeder, so scanning long, multi-page documents can take a while since you need to place each sheet on the flatbed scanner yourself. Also, the drum unit is separate from the toner cartridge, so you need to replace it separately, which adds a cost in the long term. However, this results in a lower toner cartridge price, which some people may prefer. All in all, this is an excellent printer for black and white printing, especially if you're on a budget.