News

Aug 21, 2023

6 Best Color Laser Printers

Laser printers often offer unbeatable speed, crisper text, and more economical

Laser printers often offer unbeatable speed, crisper text, and more economical printing than their inkjet peers. Though they are usually more expensive upfront, laser printers handle a much larger monthly volume of prints, run quieter, and their toner cartridges don't need to be changed often—making them super low maintenance. They may struggle when it comes to photo prints or more specialty media formats, but for any other printing needs, you can't go wrong. That makes laser printers one of the best home printer options.

The market is saturated with printers, and most appear insanely similar, so we’re here to help you determine which color laser printer works best for you. We’ve included all-in-one options that can scan, copy, and fax, along with speed demons ready to spit out color pages like it's no one's business. There are some budget-friendly options or even printers ready to take on heavy workloads. Check out our favorites below.

Max printing speed: 35 ppm (black), 35 ppm (color) | Max printing resolution: 1200 x 1200 dpi | Max paper size: 8.5" x 14" | Max copying resolution: 1200 x 1200 dpi | Max scanning resolution: 600 x 600 dpi | Recommended monthly volume: 4,000 pages | Printer size: 16.8" x 18.2" x 17" | Connectivity: USB 2.0, ethernet, Wi‐Fi

For a laser printer that does it all without breaking a sweat, grab the Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw. You won't be waiting long for even your largest files to print, as it delivers black and white along with color copies at a rate of 35 pages per minute. Automatic duplex printing also helps save on paper. It's a high-yield option, so you can print thousands of pages before worrying about replacing the toner cartridge. That makes the high upfront cost more manageable.

Of course, the Canon MF753Cdw does more than print: it copies, scans, and faxes, which can all be handled using the five-inch LCD touchscreen. You’ll especially appreciate the one-pass two-sided scanning and auto document feeder, making it much easier to deal with big documents. It's possible to save those scans directly to a USB, or the printer connects via Wi-Fi and Ethernet, making it easy to do jobs from just about any device.

Brother - HL-L3270CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer from Best Buy

Max printing speed: 25 ppm (black), 25 ppm (color) | Max printing resolution: 2400 x 600 dpi | Max paper size: 8.5" x 14" | Recommended monthly volume: 1,500 pages | Printer size: 9.9" x 17.3" x 18.1" | Connectivity: USB 2.0, ethernet, Wi‐Fi, NFC

Laser printers get expensive quickly, and adding color to the mix makes them even pricier. Brother's HL L3270CDW delivers those speedy laser prints you love but for a more digestible $300 price tag. It's no slacker, pumping out 25 pages per minute with crisp text and graphic output. Auto duplex printing and a 250-sheet paper tray mean you can be hands-off during the entire process too.

Though you save a good chunk of change with the Brother HL L3270CDW over other printers on this list, you do lose scanning, copying, and faxing capabilities. Its running costs are also a bit higher than more expensive offerings, so this printer is better for lower volume workloads. But we can't complain about its ample connectivity, including Apple AirPrint, Alexa Print, Ethernet, and Wi-Fi. A 2.7-inch LCD screen even takes on print jobs from the cloud and social media sites.

Max printing speed: 35 ppm (black), 35 ppm (color) | Max printing resolution: 600 x 600 dpi | Max paper size: 8.5" x 14" | Recommended monthly volume: 4,000 pages | Printer size: 16.6" x 16.8" x 11.3" | Connectivity: USB 2.0, ethernet, Wi‐Fi

Do you want a laser printer that spits out pages like it's no one's business? The HP LaserJet Pro 4201dn delivers prints at 35 pages per minute in both mono and color, with the first page coming out in under 10 seconds. Even if you’re getting these documents quickly, they still have sharp details and accurate colors for a professional look that you can distribute at business meetings or post as flyers.

The HP LaserJet Pro 4201dn has a recommended monthly page volume of up to 4,000, ensuring you can print all your long documents without the worry of a drop in performance from the printer. A 250-sheet paper tray also makes for a set-it-and-forget-it option. You even get all the latest connectivity, including easy printing from mobile devices, thanks to the HP Smart App, Apple AirPrint, and Mopria certification. However, it's important to note there are no scanning or copying abilities.

Max printing speed: 33 ppm (black), 33 ppm (color) | Max printing resolution: 2400 x 600 dpi | Max paper size: 8.5" x 14" | Max copying resolution: 1200 x 600 dpi | Max scanning resolution: 1200 x 2400 dpi (flatbed), 1200 x 600 dpi (ADF) | Recommended monthly volume: 4,000 pages | Printer size: 19.5" x 20.7" x 21.6" | Connectivity: USB 2.0, ethernet, Wi‐Fi

Laser printers may cost a good chunk of change up front, but in the long run, they may actually save you money, especially when you compare them to inkjet printers. Brother's MFC‐L8905CDW is one of the best values available, thanks to its high-yield toner. About 8,000 pages can be printed from Brother's high-capacity replacement cartridge, making your cost per page significantly lower than other printers. Even their regular cartridges should deliver almost 2,000 color prints before needing replacement.

The Brother MFC‐L8905CDW isn't exclusively a printer either. It shines in both scanning and copying. When scanning, you won't have to do much thanks to both an auto document feeder and single-pass duplex scanning. No matter what you use this device for, the resulting documents should be sharp and detailed. And perhaps best of all, there's limited upkeep involved: just occasionally changing the toner cartridges and refilling the paper trays. But it's bulky, so be sure you’ve got the space.

Max printing speed: 22 ppm (black), 22 ppm (color) | Max printing resolution: 600 x 600 dpi | Max paper size: 8.5" x 14" | Recommended monthly volume: 2,500 pages | Printer size: 16.5" x 16.6" x 13.2" | Connectivity: USB 2.0, ethernet, Wi‐Fi

If you work from home and need to do a good amount of printing, the HP LaserJet Pro M283fdw will be your new best friend. This all-in-one option prints, scans, copies, and faxes, producing crisp, clear documents every time. If you’ve got multiple people using it at home, there's a variety of connectivity options, including mobile printing, USB, and ethernet.

When it comes to actual printing, the HP LaserJet Pro M283fdw manages 22 pages per minute and has an auto document feeder and duplex printing to make your life easier. It also supports a variety of media sizes up to 8.5 by 14 inches, so you’ll have no issue printing out everything from envelopes to postcards and legal documents, helping to give your at-home business a more professional flare.

Max printing speed: 36 ppm (black), 36 ppm (color) | Max printing resolution: 600 x 600 dpi | Max paper size: 8.5" x 14" | Recommended monthly volume: 5,000 pages | Printer size: 19.3" x 19.2" x 15.7" | Connectivity: USB 2.0, ethernet, Wi‐Fi, NFC

Those with demanding printing need a printer ready to take on even the biggest jobs. Xerox's VersaLink C400/DN is up to the challenge. Its main paper tray is ready to house up to 550 sheets, and the printer can spit out 35 pages in under a minute. Auto duplex printing also lets you save on paper. With a maximum monthly duty cycle of 85,000 pages and toner cartridges that should last for 2,000 color and 3,000 monoprints, it's ideal for smaller offices.

Managing all your print jobs is simple thanks to the 5-inch color touch screen, and you can even use the display to print from a USB drive or the cloud when using Wi-Fi. If you’re not using the handy touchscreen, the printer connects to your phone or computer wirelessly, while a wired ethernet option is also available. However, you won't be able to do anything other than print on this machine.

There are a few key features to pay attention to when purchasing a color laser printer. We discuss them below.

Speed: Laser printers are known for their fast prints, thanks to the way toner cartridges work by applying toner to the entire page at once. However, each laser printer varies in speed. Some deliver mono pages more quickly than color, while others print both at blazing-fast speeds. If you’re printing a good amount of longer documents, you want an option that hits 30-35 pages per minute or more. There are even printers ready to handle over 100 pages per minute, but they’re extremely expensive. For those doing smaller print jobs, there's no need to splurge on the fastest laser printer. Instead, go for something more budget-friendly, as even they can usually spit out at least 20 pages per minute.

Monthly Volume: If you’re getting a printer for a smaller office, you need something that can take on a high volume of prints. Luckily, most printers list how many pages they can handle per month, letting you know how reliable the device will be before you start running into technical issues. This spec is often listed as a monthly duty cycle, and you can also pay attention to the recommended monthly print volume to keep the printer in tip-top shape. Our favorite high-volume printer, Xerox's VersaLink C400/DN, can handle over 85,000 pages per month, so unless you’re printing off thousands of pages per day, you should be covered by one of our options.

Connectivity: In this day and age, if your printer can only print via an ethernet or USB hooked up to your computer, there's a problem. Wireless printing makes life much easier, letting you print from a variety of devices using Wi-Fi and apps like AirPrint and Mopria. Some printers even allow you to use their small LCD screen like a smartphone, printing from various cloud services or social media sites. It's also possible to slot a USB drive directly into many printers.

Print Resolution: For the best-looking, sharpest prints, you want an option that delivers higher dots per inch, or dpi. As a general rule of thumb, 300 dpi is ideal for most documents. All the printers we’ve selected exceed that amount, so everything should look crisp and clear, even when viewed close up. But, it's important to note that the higher the dpi, the higher the cost per print, as it consumes more toner.

Toner Cartridges: All our printers include four separate toner cartridges: black, cyan, magenta, and yellow. Different from ink, toner is actually a powder mixture, so drying out isn't an issue, meaning less waste. You can also usually print out thousands of pages before they need to be replaced, keeping maintenance to a minimum. Some of our picks even have the option to use a high-capacity toner cartridge, delivering an insane amount of prints before needing replacement. Yes, toner cartridges are expensive, but they’re still more economical than ink. Just ensure your replacement cartridges are compatible with the printer, as many have special chips allowing the cartridge to work with specific printers.

Special Features: If you’re printing off longer documents, you’ll probably benefit from automatic duplex printing, which prints on the front and back of a page without you needing to lift a finger. You might also want a larger paper tray to ensure you rarely need to intervene when printing. A tray that holds different media formats can come in handy for odd-sized paper. Other features like scanning, copying, and faxing are great for using the printer in an office setting.

Danielle Abraham is a freelance writer and unpaid music historian.