Get insider access
Preferred store
Your browser is not supported or outdated so some features of the site might not be available.

The 6 Best Laser Printers - Winter 2024 Reviews

Updated
Best Laser Printers

A laser printer is worth considering if you work in a small office or only need to print documents at home. Though not as versatile, laser models typically print faster than inkjets and produce documents that are equal in quality, if not better. They also require very little maintenance, as they don’t suffer from issues like printhead clogging on inkjet models. Page yield is usually pretty good on laser printers, as most models can print at least 1,000 to 1,500 prints 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. That said, laser printers are more expensive than their inkjet counterparts in most instances, and as you may already know, they aren't ideal for photo printing due to their limited color range and printing pattern. Still, they're a great option if you only need to print documents and don't want to deal with old, dry ink or clogged printheads.

We've tested over 135 printers, and below are our recommendations for the best laser printers you can buy. Check our picks for the best wireless printers, the best all-in-one printers, and the best home printers.


  1. Best Laser Printer

    The best color laser printer we've tested is the Brother MFC-L8905CDW, an all-in-one model. It has a sturdy build, wide connectivity options, and an ADF-equipped, Legal-size scanner with single-pass duplex scanning; 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.

    Regarding the drum, it is a separate unit on this model, which means 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 some money and don't mind compromising on a few features, like the Brother MFC-L8610CDW, which 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 one of the best color laser printers we've tested.

    See our review

  2. Best Upper Mid-Range Laser Printer

    If you want something a little cheaper, the Canon Color imageCLASS MF656Cdw is a great choice. It's also a color laser all-in-one with the same features and print quality as the Brother we recommend above. You still get an ADF-equipped scanner with duplex scanning, outstanding print quality, and a high page yield. However, it prints slower at 22 pages per minute, and it can only reach that speed over a USB or Ethernet connection, which is inconvenient if you don't have space near the computer or router to place the printer.

    Unlike the Brother, the drum is built into the toner cartridges. This integrated design makes maintenance easier because you don't need to replace the drum separately, but it can also increase running costs if the drum gets damaged, as you would have to discard any remaining toner to replace the drum. Thankfully, the toner cartridges aren't overly expensive. If you want to spend even less, you can get the Canon Color imageCLASS MF654Cdw variant, which lacks duplex scanning and fax functionality. See our full review for more details.

    See our review

  3. Best Mid-Range Laser Printer

    For our mid-range pick, we chose the Brother MFC-L2750DW. This all-in-one monochrome model has an ADF-equipped scanner with extendable hinges to accommodate thick items like textbooks and has single-pass duplex scanning. It produces incredibly sharp documents, doesn't take long to warm up, and prints quickly at 36 pages per minute. It yields about 2,000 prints, and the toner cartridge is cheap, which helps keep maintenance costs low. In addition to Wi-Fi, USB, and Ethernet connectivity, there's support for easy, one-touch connection.

    Like most printers, this model is only one of many variants in the lineup. If you don't need features like duplex scanning and don't mind slightly slower printing speed, you can save money with the Brother MFC-L2710DW variant. Again, you aren't compromising on print quality. You can also get bundles with a longer-lasting XL toner cartridge, like the Brother MFC-L2690DW XL, which might be cheaper than buying the cartridge separately. Check out the full review for more details.

    See our review

  4. Best Budget Laser Printer

    Our best budget pick is yet another Brother model, the Brother HL-L2350DW. This print-only monochrome model is a variant of the Brother HL-L2325DW we tested, which is also a great choice that costs even less but is a little harder to find. The HL-L2350DW produces incredibly sharp and detailed documents and prints up to 32 pages per minute. It also feels very well-built and doesn't cost much to maintain, as the toner cartridge lasts a long time and is fairly cheap. The main tradeoff is the lack of a scanner, so be sure you won't need to scan anything.

    Other variants are available, like the higher-end Brother HL-L2370DW, which has an Ethernet port and slightly faster printing speed. You can also find bundles with a high-yield and super high-yield toner cartridge in the box, like the Brother HL-L2370DW XL. The cheaper Brother HL-L2325DW is almost identical to the HL-L2350DW; it just prints slightly slower.

    See our review

  5. Best Cheap Laser Printer

    If you're shopping on a very tight budget and want something for those occasional print jobs, we recommend the Pantum P2502W. Like our budget pick, it's also a monochrome print-only unit, meaning it doesn't have a scanner. It produces high-quality black-and-white documents and doesn't cost much to maintain, as it yields over 2,000 prints, and replacement toner is cheap. The drum is built into the cartridge, so you won't need to replace it separately. It takes a while to warm up, but it prints quickly at 25 pages per minute once it gets going.

    Unfortunately, this model doesn't support automatic duplex printing, so you'll have to flip the pages manually when printing double-sided. It also tends to push printed pages off the output tray, resulting in out-of-order sheets. It only happens sometimes but is inconvenient, especially during large print jobs. Lastly, while the mobile app is feature-rich, it has many software quirks that make it hard to use. Overall, there are many compromises, which is normal for such an inexpensive model, but it's still a good option if you only print once in a while.

    See our review

  6. Best High-Yield Black-And-White Laser Printer

    If you have a large print load, the HP LaserJet Tank MFP 2604sdw is the one to get. It's a monochrome laser all-in-one with a refillable toner tank, similar to supertank inkjet models. A full tank gets you about 4,500 prints, and you can refill the tank as you go, even during print jobs. Plus, the toner is cheap. Print quality is outstanding; documents look sharp with little to no artifacts. As for printing speed, it prints up to 22 pages per minute but only over a wired USB connection, which is inconvenient if you share the printer with other people or don't have room to keep it close to your computer. Its printing speed drops to nine pages per minute over Wi-Fi.

    There's a scanner with an automatic feeder, but it doesn't support duplex scanning, so you'll have to scan double-sided documents manually. The main downside with this printer, which could be a dealbreaker for some, is that although the drum lasts a long time—with an estimated lifespan of 50,000 prints—it isn't user-replaceable. It's hard to access, as it requires disassembling the printer, and the drum isn't available for purchase to the general public. As such, you can only replace it through an authorized service provider. Due to this hassle, you need to be careful not to damage the drum while it still has a lot of life left, as it can get very expensive to maintain.

    See our review

Notable Mentions

  • Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw: The Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw is a good alternative to the Brother MFC-L8905CDW. It has the same features and print quality as the Brother but 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 MF656Cdw if you want faster printing speed. However, it's more expensive and will cost more to maintain because it doesn't yield as many prints. See our review

Recent Updates

  1. Feb 21, 2024: Minor text edits for clarity. No changes in product picks.

  2. Jan 23, 2024: Verified that all picks are valid and available. No change in recommendations.

  3. Dec 18, 2023: Added the Brother MFC-L3780CDW/MFC-L3720CDW as a Notable Mention. No change in recommendations.

  4. Nov 17, 2023: Minor text changes to improve clarity. There are no changes to the recommendations as they're still valid and available.

  5. Oct 20, 2023: We've verified that all picks are valid and available. There are no changes to the recommendations.

All Reviews

Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best B&W and color laser printers for most people. 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.