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 pattern don't produce the best photos), they typically print faster and produce equal or better-looking documents. 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 printer brands, and the best wireless 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 Laser Printer
Build Quality9.0Estimated Black Page Yield2,907 printsEstimated Color Page Yield1,446 printsDocument Quality9.5Scanning9.6Printing Speed8.7Black-Only Printing Cost0.028 US$/printSee all our test resultsColor Printing Cost0.151 US$/printThe best laser printer we've tested is the Brother MFC-L8905CDW, an all-in-one model. It has a sturdy build, many connectivity options, and an ADF-equipped, Legal-size scanner with single-pass duplex scanning, which is everything you'd expect of a high-end model. It produces exceptionally sharp documents, warms up quickly, and can output an impressive 32 pages per minute. The regular toner cartridges are good for around 2,900 black and 1,400 color prints, so you won't have to replace them often unless you print a lot. Higher-yielding cartridges are available, like the TN437 cartridges, which yield up to 9,000 black and 8,000 color prints.
The drum is a separate unit, meaning you'll have to spend extra to replace it. However, it usually lasts a long time, so it isn't something you'll have to do regularly. Cheaper variants exist if you want to save money and don't mind compromising on a few features. For example, the Brother MFC-L8610CDW has a smaller display and lacks duplex scanning; see our full review for more details. With its wide range of features and excellent performance, this is easily the best color laser printer we've tested.
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Best Upper Mid-Range Laser Printer
Build Quality9.0Estimated Black Page Yield2,311 printsEstimated Color Page Yield2,422 printsDocument Quality9.5Scanning9.4Printing Speed8.3Black-Only Printing Cost0.036 US$/printSee all our test resultsColor Printing Cost0.125 US$/printIf you're looking for a feature-packed option without paying a premium, the Canon Color imageCLASS MF665Cdw is an excellent choice. This all-in-one color laser printer almost matches the Brother MFC-L8905CDW we recommended above in both features and print quality, and it ranks among the best color laser printers we've tested. It's also slightly smaller than the Brother, which makes it easier to find space for it. It replaces the Canon Color imageCLASS MF656Cdw, improving on it with slightly faster performance and better print quality while maintaining a very similar overall experience. You still get a duplex-scanning ADF, excellent print quality, and a high page yield. The main drawback is its slower print and scan speeds, topping out at 26 pages per minute for printing and 15 for scanning. This won't matter for most users unless you regularly deal with very large documents, and speed is a top priority.
Unlike the Brother model, this printer uses toner cartridges with an integrated drum. This design simplifies maintenance since there's no separate drum to replace, but it can raise running costs if the drum is damaged, as any remaining toner would be discarded. Fortunately, the toner cartridges themselves are reasonably priced, and the drum usually lasts for the life of the cartridge.
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Best Mid-Range Laser Printer
Build Quality8.5Estimated Black Page Yield1,273 printsEstimated Color Page YieldN/ADocument Quality9.0Scanning7.9Printing Speed8.5Black-Only Printing Cost0.039 US$/printSee all our test resultsColor Printing CostN/AFor our mid-range pick, we chose the Brother MFC-L2820DW. This all-in-one monochrome model has an ADF-equipped scanner with extendable hinges to accommodate thick items like textbooks, but unlike our picks above, it doesn't feature duplex scanning. It produces incredibly sharp documents, doesn't take long to warm up, and prints quickly at 33 pages per minute. It yields about 1,300 prints, and the toner cartridge is cheap, which helps keep maintenance costs low; XL cartridges are also available if you print more, with advertised page yields of 3,000 pages.
You can connect to the printer via Wi-Fi, USB, or Ethernet. Depending on your budget and needs, you can find other variants in this series that have more or fewer features. For example, you can save money with the Brother DCP-L2640DW variant, which loses the touchscreen interface but actually has higher print speeds at 36 pages per minute. You can also get more expensive variants like the MFC-L2880DW with single-pass duplex scanning and higher print speeds at 36 pages per minute. This model is ideal if you need to scan lots of long, multi-sided documents. The print quality remains the same, no matter which model you get.
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Best Budget Laser Printer
Build Quality8.0Estimated Black Page Yield1,273 printsEstimated Color Page YieldN/ADocument Quality8.5Printing Speed8.3Black-Only Printing Cost0.039 US$/printSee all our test resultsColor Printing CostN/AOur best budget pick is the Brother HL-L2460DW. This monochrome print-only model is a great choice for people who just need to print the occasional return label or important documents once in a blue moon. Obviously, the main drawback compared to the models above is the lack of a scanner, so you'll have to be sure you won't need to scan anything. It feels well-built and sports all the common connectivity options like USB, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet.
It prints quickly at up to 34 pages per minute, supports automatic duplex printing, and costs little to maintain, thanks to its high page yield and cheap replacement toner. The printing quality isn't up to par with what you would expect from a Brother laser printer out of the box. However, you can improve the quality by changing a few settings. Also of note, while its usual $169 MSRP takes it beyond the budget price point, you can often find it on sale for less or go with a cheaper variant, like the Brother HL-L2405W. This model loses support for Ethernet, and print speeds drop to 30 pages per minute, but it's less expensive.
Notable Mentions
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Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw:
The Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw/MF751Cdw is a good alternative to the Brother MFC-L8905CDW. It has the same features and print quality as the Brother, but it doesn't print or scan as quickly. Unlike the Brother, its toner cartridges contain the drum unit, meaning you don't need to replace the drum separately; however, the toner cartridges are more expensive.
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 printing speed. However, it may cost more to maintain because it doesn't yield as many prints with its standard cartridges.
See our review
Recent Updates
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.
Apr 07, 2025:
Minor text changes for conciseness and clarity. No change in recommendations.
Jan 14, 2025:
We've edited for concision and verified that our recommendations are available and represent the best choices available.
Oct 18, 2024:
We've verified that our recommendations are available and represent the best choices. We've also made small edits for clarity.
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 black-and-white and best color laser printers for most people. In addition to the test results, we factor in the price, feedback from our visitors, and availability.
If you would 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.