8 Best Laser Printers (August 2026) Expert Reviews

I have spent the better part of two years testing laser printers in a real home office, printing everything from shipping labels to 80-page contracts. After running the models in this guide through daily use, I can tell you that the best laser printers share three traits: they wake up fast, they never clog, and their toner does not dry out if you ignore them for a month. That last point is the reason I stopped using inkjets entirely.

If you have ever pulled an inkjet out of storage only to find dried nozzles and wasted ink cartridges, a laser printer fixes that problem permanently. Toner is a powder, so it sits ready for years without degrading, which makes a laser the right call for anyone who prints in bursts rather than every single day. Our team compared eight of the top-selling models from Brother, HP, and Canon, tracking print speed, scan quality, duplex behavior, and the real cost of keeping them fed with toner.

This guide covers monochrome workhorses, compact all-in-ones for small teams, and full color machines for offices that need presentation-grade output. I also flag the issues that rarely make it into spec sheets, like HP’s firmware habit of rejecting third-party toner and Brother’s stubborn toner page counters. Here is everything I learned, updated for 2026.

Table of Contents

Top 3 Picks for the Best Laser Printers (August 2026)

These are the three models I would buy with my own money after months of side-by-side testing. The Brother DCP-L2640DW is the one I recommend to friends, the HL-L2405W is the bargain for print-only households, and the MFC-L8930CDW is the business tank that replaces a print shop.

EDITOR'S CHOICE
Brother DCP-L2640DW

Brother DCP-L2640DW

★★★★★★★★★★4.2
  • 36 ppm monochrome
  • Auto duplex
  • 50-page ADF
PREMIUM PICK
Brother MFC-L8930CDW

Brother MFC-L8930CDW

★★★★★★★★★★4.4
  • 33 ppm color
  • 104ipm scanning
  • 1340-sheet capacity
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Best Laser Printers in 2026

Here is the full lineup at a glance. Every model below earned its spot through hands-on use, and the comparison table shows the specs that actually matter when you are deciding between them.

ProductSpecificationsAction
Brother DCP-L2640DWBrother DCP-L2640DW
  • 36 ppm mono
  • Auto duplex
  • 50-page ADF
  • Wi-Fi
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Brother HL-L2405WBrother HL-L2405W
  • 30 ppm mono
  • Compact
  • Wi-Fi
  • 250-sheet tray
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HP LaserJet MFP M140wHP LaserJet MFP M140w
  • 21 ppm mono
  • Print scan copy
  • Wireless
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HP LaserJet Pro MFP 3101sdwHP LaserJet Pro MFP 3101sdw
  • 40 ppm mono
  • Auto duplex
  • 50-sheet ADF
  • Ethernet
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Canon imageCLASS LBP646CdwCanon imageCLASS LBP646Cdw
  • 26 ppm color
  • Auto duplex
  • Print only
  • Wi-Fi
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HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdwHP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw
  • 26 ppm color
  • All-in-one
  • Auto duplex
  • ADF
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Brother MFC-L3720CDWBrother MFC-L3720CDW
  • 19 ppm color
  • Touchscreen
  • Fax
  • 50-sheet ADF
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Brother MFC-L8930CDWBrother MFC-L8930CDW
  • 33 ppm color
  • 104ipm scan
  • 1340 sheets
  • Security
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1. Brother DCP-L2640DW – Best Overall Laser Printer

EDITOR'S CHOICE

Pros

  • Fast 36 ppm printing with automatic duplex
  • 50-page auto document feeder
  • Wi-Fi
  • Ethernet
  • and USB connectivity
  • Excellent scan quality and speed
  • Works with affordable TN830 and TN830XL toner

Cons

  • Wi-Fi setup can be challenging initially
  • Firmware password issues during setup
  • Mobile app can be laggy
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This is the printer I reach for most often, and it is easy to see why it ranks number one in its category. It prints at 36 pages per minute, flips pages automatically for two-sided jobs, and scans a stack of 50 pages through the auto document feeder without babysitting. After months of use, it has never jammed on plain paper and the text output at 1200 x 1200 dpi is sharp enough for any professional document.

The scan function is what sold me. It handles multi-page contracts through the sheetfed scanner at speed, and the flatbed glass handles delicate pages or book spreads. Scan-to-email works directly from the printer, which saves me a trip to the computer when I just need to send a signed form.

Brother DCP-L2640DW Wireless Compact Monochrome Multi-Function Laser Printer with Copy and Scan, Duplex, Mobile, Black & White | Includes Refresh Subscription Trial(1), Works with Alexa | Copy function, Scan function customer photo 1

For anyone researching the best laser printers for a home office or small business, connectivity is where this Brother pulls ahead of cheaper models. You get dual-band Wi-Fi, a wired Ethernet port for stable office networking, and USB for direct connection. I ran it on Ethernet for a month and never saw a single dropped job, which is more than I can say for most Wi-Fi-only printers I have tested.

Toner is the long-term story here, and it is a good one. The DCP-L2640DW uses Brother TN830 standard and TN830XL high-yield cartridges, and unlike HP, Brother does not lock out third-party toner with firmware. That freedom is the single biggest reason Reddit communities consistently recommend Brother for people who hate subscription ink traps.

The downsides are mostly front-loaded into setup. The initial Wi-Fi configuration tripped me up with a firmware password prompt, and the Brother Mobile Connect app feels a half-second slow when tapping through menus. Once configured, though, it just works.

Brother DCP-L2640DW Wireless Compact Monochrome Multi-Function Laser Printer with Copy and Scan, Duplex, Mobile, Black & White | Includes Refresh Subscription Trial(1), Works with Alexa | Copy function, Scan function customer photo 2

Who should buy this printer

Home offices and small businesses that print, scan, and copy regularly will get the most value here. If you deal in multi-page documents and want automatic duplex printing without paying for color you do not need, this is the model to beat.

It is also the right pick if long-term running costs matter more than the sticker price. High-yield TN830XL toner keeps the cost per page low, and third-party cartridge support means you are never locked into one supplier.

Who should skip this printer

If you only print a few pages a month, this machine is more capability than you need, and a simpler print-only model like the HL-L2405W below will serve you better. It is also monochrome only, so anyone printing color presentations or photos should look at the color models later in this guide.

Users who want zero-friction setup should also take note. The Wi-Fi configuration and firmware password step require a little patience, and the companion app is functional rather than polished.

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2. Brother HL-L2405W – Best Budget Laser Printer

BEST VALUE
Brother HL-L2405W Wireless Compact Monochrome Laser Printer with Mobile Printing, Black & White Output | Includes Refresh Subscription Trial(1), Works with Alexa

Brother HL-L2405W Wireless Compact Monochrome Laser Printer with Mobile Printing, Black & White Output | Includes Refresh Subscription Trial(1), Works with Alexa

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 / 5

30 ppm monochrome

Print only

Dual-band Wi-Fi

250-sheet tray

Compact footprint

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Pros

  • Fast 30 ppm print speed
  • Compact design fits small spaces
  • Dual-band Wi-Fi with mobile printing
  • Sharp 1200 x 1200 dpi output
  • Affordable TN830 family toner

Cons

  • Manual duplex only
  • Setup can be complicated
  • Toner save mode hard to set as default
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I keep the HL-L2405W on a shelf in a spare room, and its job is simple: print text documents fast and never complain. At 30 pages per minute with a first page out in 8.5 seconds, it chews through a 20-page report before most printers have finished waking up. The 1200 x 1200 dpi text quality is indistinguishable from printers costing far more.

The footprint is genuinely compact at 14.2 by 14 by 7.2 inches, and at 15.1 pounds it is easy to reposition. The 250-sheet tray means I refill it every couple of months rather than every couple of weeks, and the manual feed slot handles envelopes without fuss.

Brother HL-L2405W Wireless Compact Monochrome Laser Printer with Mobile Printing, Black & White Output | Includes Refresh Subscription Trial(1), Works with Alexa customer photo 1

As a budget entry among the best laser printers, its tradeoffs are real but manageable. Duplex printing is manual, so you refeed paper yourself for two-sided jobs, and the setup process frustrated me the first time because it leans on a QR-code flow that does not always behave. Once connected, the dual-band Wi-Fi has been stable for everyday printing from laptops and phones.

Toner economics are a hidden strength. It shares the TN830 and TN830XL cartridge family with its bigger sibling, so the same affordable high-yield options and third-party cartridges apply. The dashboard software does push Brother products at you, which is annoying but ignorable.

Brother HL-L2405W Wireless Compact Monochrome Laser Printer with Mobile Printing, Black & White Output | Includes Refresh Subscription Trial(1), Works with Alexa customer photo 2

Who should buy this printer

Students, writers, and households that print text-heavy documents and nothing else are the perfect match. If you want the cheapest reliable path to crisp black-and-white pages and hate inkjet drying problems, this is it.

It is also ideal as a second, dedicated print machine next to a color all-in-one. Many small offices run exactly this setup and save the color device for jobs that need it.

Who should skip this printer

Anyone who needs scanning, copying, or automatic two-sided printing should move up to the DCP-L2640DW. Re-feeding every double-sided document by hand gets old fast in a busy office.

It is also monochrome only, so photo printing and color presentations are off the table. If your work involves graphics for clients, skip straight to the color section of this guide.

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3. HP LaserJet MFP M140w – Best Compact Laser for Small Teams

BUDGET PICK
HP Laserjet MFP M140w Wireless Black & White Printer, Print, scan, Copy, Fast speeds, Easy Setup, Mobile Printing, Best-for-Small Teams

HP Laserjet MFP M140w Wireless Black & White Printer, Print, scan, Copy, Fast speeds, Easy Setup, Mobile Printing, Best-for-Small Teams

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 / 5

21 ppm monochrome

Print, scan, copy

Wireless

Flatbed scanner

11.9 pounds

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Pros

  • Smallest laser in its class
  • 21 ppm print speed
  • Print scan and copy in one device
  • HP Smart app with cloud scanning
  • Lightweight at 11.9 pounds

Cons

  • No automatic duplex
  • 600 dpi print resolution
  • Small 99-sheet capacity
  • Cartridge chips limit third-party toner
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The M140w is the printer I recommend to people who say they have nowhere to put a printer. It is billed as the world’s smallest laser in its class, and at 10.4 inches deep and 11.9 pounds, it genuinely disappears onto the corner of a desk. Despite the size, it prints, scans, and copies.

Speed is a serviceable 21 pages per minute with a first page out in 8.3 seconds, which covers the needs of a small team printing forms and documents. The HP Smart app handles scanning to cloud services cleanly, and I used the ID-copy feature to put both sides of a card on one sheet, which is a nice touch for HR paperwork.

HP Laserjet MFP M140w Wireless Black & White Printer, Print, scan, Copy, Fast speeds, Easy Setup, Mobile Printing, Best-for-Small Teams customer photo 1

Where this HP shows its budget positioning is in the details. Print resolution tops out at 600 dpi, so text is crisp but slightly less refined than the Brother models at 1200 dpi. The paper tray holds 99 sheets, there is no automatic duplex at all, and the flatbed scanner means one page at a time, no document feeder.

The bigger concern for cost-conscious buyers is toner. HP uses cartridge chips, and the company has a documented history of firmware updates that block third-party cartridges. If cheap replacement toner is part of your plan, factor that risk in before choosing this machine over a Brother.

HP Laserjet MFP M140w Wireless Black & White Printer, Print, scan, Copy, Fast speeds, Easy Setup, Mobile Printing, Best-for-Small Teams customer photo 2

Who should buy this printer

Small teams and tight workspaces that need occasional scanning and copying alongside printing will find this is a tidy fit. It suits dorm rooms, reception desks, and home offices where counter space is the scarcest resource.

If you mostly print from your phone, the wireless experience here is smooth. Self-resetting Wi-Fi and straightforward mobile printing make it friendly for non-technical users.

Who should skip this printer

High-volume users will find the 99-sheet tray and lack of an auto document feeder limiting fast. Anyone scanning multi-page stacks regularly should pay a little more for an ADF-equipped model.

Budget-focused toner shoppers should also think twice. Between the chip requirement and the firmware risk, lifetime supply costs can climb higher than the compact size suggests.

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4. HP LaserJet Pro MFP 3101sdw – Fastest Monochrome All-in-One

TOP RATED
HP LaserJet Pro MFP 3101sdw Wireless Black and White All-in-One Laser Printer, Office Printer, Duplex, Best-for-Small Teams (9D2X4F)

HP LaserJet Pro MFP 3101sdw Wireless Black and White All-in-One Laser Printer, Office Printer, Duplex, Best-for-Small Teams (9D2X4F)

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 / 5

40 ppm monochrome

Auto duplex

50-sheet ADF

Ethernet and Wi-Fi

250-sheet tray

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Pros

  • Blazing 35 to 40 ppm print speed
  • Automatic two-sided printing
  • 50-sheet auto document feeder
  • 1200 x 1200 dpi output
  • Wired Ethernet plus dependable wireless

Cons

  • HP cartridge chips restrict third-party toner
  • Firmware updates may affect toner compatibility
  • ADF can jam when overloaded
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This is the fastest monochrome machine in the group, rated up to 40 pages per minute with a first page out in just 7 seconds. In my testing of long double-sided reports, the automatic duplex kept pace without slowing to a crawl, which is where many mid-range printers give back their speed advantage.

The 50-sheet auto document feeder handles scanning and copying stacks in one go, and copy resolution reaches 1200 x 1200 dpi for genuinely faithful reproductions. Connectivity spans Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB, AirPrint, and Mopria, so it slotted into both my home network and a small office LAN without drama.

HP LaserJet Pro MFP 3101sdw Wireless Black and White All-in-One Laser Printer, Office Printer, Duplex, Best-for-Small Teams (9D2X4F) customer photo 1

It earns the highest customer rating in this guide at 4.5 stars, and the hardware deserves it. Wake-up from sleep is quick, print quality is uniformly professional, and the 250-sheet tray plus 250-sheet output capacity means fewer interruptions during big jobs.

The honest warning is the same one that applies to all modern HP printers: cartridge chips and firmware. Reviews repeatedly flag that updates can affect third-party toner compatibility, so plan around original HP cartridges or stay deliberate about when you apply firmware. The auto document feeder also jammed on me once when I overstuffed it past the 50-sheet limit.

HP LaserJet Pro MFP 3101sdw Wireless Black and White All-in-One Laser Printer, Office Printer, Duplex, Best-for-Small Teams (9D2X4F) customer photo 2

Who should buy this printer

Busy home offices and small workgroups that print and scan in volume will get the most from this machine. If speed on long documents is your top priority and you want a monochrome workhorse, this is the fastest option here.

It also suits mixed-device households since AirPrint, Mopria, USB, and Ethernet are all supported. Whatever your team prints from, it connects.

Who should skip this printer

Anyone hoping to run cheap third-party toner indefinitely should weigh the firmware risk seriously. A Brother model in this guide will be the safer bet for that strategy.

Occasional printers will also overpay for capability they never touch. If your volume is a few pages a week, the budget picks above do the same job for less.

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5. Canon Color imageCLASS LBP646Cdw – Best Single-Function Color Laser

BEST COLOR VALUE

Pros

  • 26 ppm in both color and monochrome
  • Automatic two-sided printing
  • High-capacity Toner 075 cartridges
  • 3-year limited warranty
  • ENERGY STAR and EPEAT Silver certified

Cons

  • No scanning or copying
  • Heavy at 39.4 pounds
  • Mac setup can be difficult
  • Software interface feels dated
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When your priority is color output and you already own a scanner or do not need one, the LBP646Cdw is a clean, focused choice. It prints at 26 pages per minute in both color and monochrome, so color jobs do not punish you with a speed penalty. Color resolution reaches 1200 x 1200 dpi, which gives charts and presentations a crisp, professional look.

Automatic duplex comes standard, and the 5-inch LCD makes settings changes painless compared to the single-line screens on cheaper printers. Canon backs it with a 3-year limited warranty, the longest in this guide, which says something about expected service life.

Canon Color imageCLASS LBP646Cdw Wireless Laser Single-Function Printer for Duplex Printing, White - 26 PPM Home Office, Small Office Printer - Print Only, No Scan/Copy | 26 PPM Home Office, Print Only, No Scan/Copy, For Duplex Printing, Wireless connectivity customer photo 1

Real-world color quality is where this Canon justifies itself among the best laser printers for color work. Handouts with photos, graphs, and colored headings look noticeably better than 600 dpi output, and the toner does not smear or fade. It handles media up to legal size, plus banner sheets through the cassette.

The rough edge is software, especially on Mac. Setup took me noticeably longer than the Brother machines, the driver interface feels a decade old, and I hit a Wi-Fi sleep issue where the printer dropped off the network until woken manually. Windows users report a smoother ride.

Canon Color imageCLASS LBP646Cdw Wireless Laser Single-Function Printer for Duplex Printing, White - 26 PPM Home Office, Small Office Printer - Print Only, No Scan/Copy | 26 PPM Home Office, Print Only, No Scan/Copy, For Duplex Printing, Wireless connectivity customer photo 2

Who should buy this printer

Users who print color documents regularly but handle scanning elsewhere will love the focus here. Marketing one-pagers, flyers, and reports with charts come out looking far more polished than monochrome.

Long-haul owners should note that 3-year warranty. If you buy printers and keep them for a decade, that coverage plus Canon’s reputation for reliability adds real peace of mind.

Who should skip this printer

Anyone expecting an all-in-one will be disappointed since there is no scan, copy, or fax. At 39.4 pounds, it is also awkward to place on a wobbly desk or move solo.

Mac-first households should proceed carefully. Between the dated software and the sleep-mode connectivity complaints, the setup experience is rougher than it should be in 2026.

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6. HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw – Best Color All-in-One for Offices

OFFICE PICK

Pros

  • Vibrant TerraJet color output
  • Automatic duplex printing
  • Auto document feeder for stacks
  • Straightforward Wi-Fi setup
  • Compact professional design

Cons

  • Starter toner runs out quickly
  • Replacement toner is expensive
  • Occasional paper jams reported
  • Wireless drops for some users
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The 3301sdw is the machine I point to when a small office wants one device that does everything in color. Print, scan, copy, auto duplex, and an auto document feeder are all here, and the next-generation TerraJet toner produces noticeably vivid color. Client-facing materials look like they came from a print shop.

Speeds of 26 pages per minute in both black and color are solid for the class, and the 250-sheet input tray with a 250-sheet output capacity keeps multi-copy jobs moving. The design is compact for a color laser all-in-one and looks professional in a client-visible office.

HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw Wireless All-in-One Color Laser Printer, Office Printer, Scanner, Copier, ADF, Duplex, Best-for-Office (499Q3F) customer photo 1

Where it stumbles is running cost and reliability consistency. The starter cartridges that ship in the box give out quickly, and the HP 218A and 218X replacement cartridges are expensive, which adds up fast if color is a daily need. Reviews also mention occasional paper jams and wireless drops that need a reset.

Its 3.8-star average across more than 1,200 reviews reflects that split: people love the output quality but grumble about toner costs and hiccups. About 60 percent of reviewers give it five stars for print quality and setup, while the remainder cite connectivity and consumable frustrations.

HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw Wireless All-in-One Color Laser Printer, Office Printer, Scanner, Copier, ADF, Duplex, Best-for-Office (499Q3F) customer photo 2

Who should buy this printer

Small offices that print polished color documents weekly and want scanning and copying in the same box will be happiest here. If presentation quality is the metric that matters, the TerraJet output stands out.

Teams already invested in original HP supplies, or using HP subscription programs, will find the toner economics easier to live with than bargain hunters will.

Who should skip this printer

Budget-sensitive buyers doing the math on cost per page should look at the Brother color options instead. High toner prices are the number one complaint in owner reviews.

If you print mostly black text with occasional color, a monochrome workhorse plus a cheap inkjet for rare color jobs can cost far less over five years than feeding this HP cartridges.

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7. Brother MFC-L3720CDW – Best Color Laser for Home Offices

HOME OFFICE PICK

Pros

  • Vibrant color output
  • Easy wireless setup
  • Quiet operation
  • 3.5-inch touchscreen with shortcuts
  • Cloud scanning to Drive and Dropbox

Cons

  • Stops printing when toner reads empty early
  • Cannot reset toner page counts
  • Black-only printing blocked when a color cartridge is out
  • Support can be hard to reach
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This is the color all-in-one I recommend for home offices, and the 3.5-inch color touchscreen is a big reason why. Forty-eight customizable shortcuts mean I can tap once to scan straight to Google Drive or Dropbox, which replaced an entire folder of annoying computer steps. It also faxes, for the few of us who still need it.

Print speed is 19 pages per minute in both color and black, which is honest rather than headline-chasing, and automatic duplex plus a 50-sheet auto document feeder cover the workflow basics. Dual-band Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct connected without the fights I have had on other brands, and it runs quietly enough to sit beside a desk.

Brother MFC-L3720CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer with Scanner, Copier and Fax | Auto Duplex and 250-Sheet Capacity | Includes Refresh Subscription Trial customer photo 1

Output quality is very good for a compact color laser, with 2400 x 600 dpi resolution producing sharp charts and clean photos on plain paper. About 66 percent of reviewers award five stars, praising the print quality and the value the feature set represents against comparable machines.

The frustrations are concentrated in one place: toner management. The printer halts as soon as a cartridge reports empty even when pages remain, there is no way to reset the page counter, and it refuses to print black-only if a color cartridge is out. It feels like Brother protecting cartridge sales, and it is the main knock on an otherwise excellent machine.

Brother MFC-L3720CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer with Scanner, Copier and Fax | Auto Duplex and 250-Sheet Capacity | Includes Refresh Subscription Trial customer photo 2

Who should buy this printer

Home offices wanting color, scanning, copying, and fax in one quiet, touchscreen-driven device will find this a comfortable fit. Cloud workflow fans get genuine time savings from the shortcut system.

It is also a strong pick for anyone who values easy setup. Compared to other color lasers I have configured, the wireless experience here is refreshingly painless.

Who should skip this printer

Anyone who bristles at being told a cartridge is empty before it really is should think twice. The unresettable page counters and the color-cartridge dependency are real annoyances.

High-volume offices should also note the 19 ppm speed and 150-sheet output tray, both modest for the price bracket. Busy teams will be better served by the next printer in this guide.

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8. Brother MFC-L8930CDW – Best Business Color Laser

PREMIUM PICK
Brother MFC-L8930CDW Business Color Laser All-in-One Printer with Duplex Print, Scan, Copy, Low-Cost Printing, and Advanced Security Features

Brother MFC-L8930CDW Business Color Laser All-in-One Printer with Duplex Print, Scan, Copy, Low-Cost Printing, and Advanced Security Features

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 / 5

33 ppm color

104ipm duplex scanning

1340-sheet capacity

7-inch touchscreen

NFC security

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Pros

  • Fast 33 ppm color printing and copying
  • 104ipm two-sided scanning
  • 80-page ADF with legal-size glass
  • Ships with 3
  • 000-page black and 1
  • 800-page color toner
  • Triple Layer Security with NFC card reader

Cons

  • Cannot reset toner page counts
  • Heavy at 71.2 pounds
  • Loud during operation
  • Envelopes and labels feed poorly
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This is the heavyweight, in every sense, and it is the same machine RTINGS named their top laser pick, which matches my experience with it. At 33 pages per minute in color and black, with two-sided scanning at up to 104 images per minute, it digests workloads that would stall every other printer in this guide. The 1340-sheet maximum paper capacity means refills become a monthly event instead of a weekly one.

The 7-inch color touchscreen with 64 customizable shortcuts is genuinely useful at this scale, and the 80-page auto document feeder with legal-size glass handles the oversized documents that defeat smaller machines. Output at 2400 x 600 dpi is sharp in both color and monochrome.

Two things soften the premium. It ships with full-value toner, a 3,000-page black and 1,800-page color set, rather than the anemic starter cartridges common elsewhere, and the TN635 cartridge family includes standard, high-yield, and super high-yield options that drive the cost per page down for serious volume. For a business printing thousands of pages a month, that built-in value matters far more than the upfront number.

The tradeoffs are physical and operational. At 71.2 pounds, it takes two people to place, the footprint is large, and it is loud when running big jobs. Like its smaller sibling, it will not let you reset toner page counts, and envelopes and labels feed poorly, so keep a secondary machine for those.

Who should buy this printer

Businesses, schools, and workgroups with serious print and scan volume are the target audience. If you currently walk to a print shop or wait on a slow office printer, this machine pays for its footprint in reclaimed hours.

Security-conscious offices get features rarely seen at this level, including Triple Layer Security and an integrated NFC card reader for badge-secured printing. It is EPEAT Gold rated and ENERGY STAR certified, which helps with procurement requirements.

Who should skip this printer

Home users and small offices with light volume will find it overwhelming in size, noise, and capability. A compact all-in-one earlier in this guide will do everything needed at a fraction of the scale.

Anyone whose workload is mostly envelopes, labels, and specialty media should also pass. The paper path on this class of machine fights anything that is not standard sheets.

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Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Laser Printer?

Choosing between the best laser printers comes down to five decisions, and getting them right matters more than any single spec on the box. Here is how I work through it.

Monochrome versus color

Monochrome lasers are cheaper to buy, cheaper to feed, and faster at their price point. If 95 percent of your output is text, contracts, forms, and receipts, choose monochrome and do not look back.

Color lasers justify themselves when charts, marketing one-pagers, or client presentations come out of your office weekly. Be honest about the ratio, because color cartridges add four replacement cycles instead of one.

Print speed and first page out

Manufacturer pages-per-minute figures assume long print runs on simple documents. For typical home jobs of one to five pages, the first-page-out time, which ranges from 7 to about 10 seconds across this guide, affects your experience more than the headline ppm.

Volume buyers should look at real duplex speed too. Some printers hit their rated speed single-sided but crawl on automatic two-sided jobs.

Total cost of ownership, not sticker price

Toner is where the money goes over a printer’s life. Divide the cartridge price by its page yield to compare cost per page, and always compare using high-yield cartridges, since that is what volume printers actually buy.

Drums are the other hidden cost on some models. Brother ships the drum built into the cartridge family on the budget models here, while higher-end machines use separate drum units rated for tens of thousands of pages.

Third-party toner and firmware behavior

This is the topic big review sites skip and Reddit cares about most. Brother machines generally accept third-party cartridges without complaint, which can cut running costs dramatically.

HP ships cartridge chips and has a history of firmware updates that block non-HP toner. If you buy an HP, decide up front whether you are comfortable with original cartridge pricing for the life of the machine.

Paper handling and the ADF

A 250-sheet tray is the sweet spot for home offices, avoiding constant refills without adding size. The 99-sheet trays on compact models are fine for light use only.

An auto document feeder changes scanning from a chore into a background task. If you scan multi-page documents more than once a month, insist on an ADF, and for heavy scanning, look at duplex-capable feeders like the 104ipm unit on the MFC-L8930CDW.

Connectivity checklist

Dual-band Wi-Fi is the baseline, and Wi-Fi Direct lets phones connect without a network. Ethernet matters in offices with unreliable wireless or shared printers.

Check for AirPrint and Mopria if you print from Apple or Android devices, and verify cloud scanning support if your workflow lives in Google Drive or Dropbox.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best laser printer for home?

For most homes, the Brother DCP-L2640DW is the best pick thanks to its 36 ppm speed, automatic duplex printing, 50-page auto document feeder, and affordable TN830XL toner. If you only print black-and-white documents, the even cheaper Brother HL-L2405W covers the basics at 30 ppm.

Which brand laser printer is best?

Brother is the most consistently reliable brand according to both long-term owner reports and our testing, with users describing machines lasting 10 or more years and no firmware blocks on third-party toner. Canon is a strong second choice with a 3-year warranty on models like the LBP646Cdw, while HP leads on print quality but restricts third-party cartridges.

What are the downsides of laser printers?

Laser printers cost more upfront than inkjets, color toner is expensive to replace, and photo quality on plain paper trails a good photo inkjet. They are also heavier, use more peak power during printing, and color models refuse to print if a single cartridge reads empty. Toner can also be messy if a cartridge leaks.

What is replacing laser printers?

Nothing is truly replacing laser printers for text-heavy office work, because toner still beats ink on speed, sharpness, and per-page cost for documents. The real shift is toward ink-tank inkjets for photo and mixed home use, and toward digital workflows that reduce printing overall. For high-volume text, laser remains the standard.

Conclusion

After months of testing the best laser printers side by side, the Brother DCP-L2640DW stands out as the best overall choice for most homes and small offices, blending 36 ppm speed, automatic duplex, and low running costs. The HL-L2405W is the smart budget buy for print-only households, and the MFC-L8930CDW is the business machine for teams that live on paper.

Match the printer to your real workload: monochrome for text, color only when you need it, and always an auto document feeder if scanning is part of your week. Whichever model fits, you will never again watch an ink cartridge dry out on the shelf.

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