Last September, our team set out to find the best laser printers for 2026. We ran seven contenders through three months of mixed workloads – tax forms, school reports, shipping labels, and 80-page client decks – at a home office and a four-person small business. What we found surprised us: the gap between the cheapest and the most expensive laser on this list was less about print quality and more about how each one handles the dull middle of the day, the dozens of pages you do not even notice printing.
Laser printers are not being phased out, and the AI Overview on Google still surfaces them as the default for anyone who prints more than a handful of pages per week. They sit idle for months without drying out, they cost roughly 2 to 4 cents per page in toner, and they handle duplex without a stutter. After living with these seven models, here is our short answer for the most common scenarios: the Brother DCP-L2640DW is the best overall for small businesses, the Canon imageCLASS LBP6030w is the best budget pick for casual home use, and the Brother HL-L2480DW is the best-rated all-rounder if you want a touchscreen and quiet operation.
The rest of this guide breaks down every pick in detail, compares laser against inkjet, and walks you through the buying factors that actually matter – cost per page, duty cycle, ADF vs flatbed, and whether you truly need color.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Picks for Best Laser Printers (September 2026)
Brother DCP-L2640DW
- 36 ppm monochrome
- 50-page ADF
- Automatic duplex printing
- Dual-band Wi-Fi plus Ethernet
Best Laser Printers in 2026: Quick Overview
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Brother DCP-L2640DW |
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| Canon imageCLASS LBP6030w |
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 Brother HL-L2460DW |
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 HP Laserjet MFP M140w |
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 HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw |
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 HP Laserjet Pro 3001dw |
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| Brother HL-L2480DW |
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1. Brother DCP-L2640DW – Best Laser Printer for Small Businesses
Brother DCP-L2640DW Wireless Compact Monochrome Multi-Function Printer, Copy, Scan, Duplex, Mobile Printing
36 ppm monochrome
50-page ADF
Automatic duplex
Dual-band Wi-Fi plus Ethernet
Pros
- 36 ppm print speed is among the fastest in its class
- 50-page auto document feeder handles multi-page scans and copies
- Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5GHz) and Ethernet for stable office networks
- Automatic duplex printing saves paper on long jobs
- Brother Mobile Connect app for remote management
- 3-in-1 print/scan/copy in a 25 pound compact footprint
Cons
- Monochrome only with no color option
- Single 250-sheet paper tray limits high-volume jobs
We installed the Brother DCP-L2640DW in our four-person test office and immediately noticed the print speed. At 36 pages per minute, a 30-page contract finished before the coffee was ready, with the first page out in 8.5 seconds. The dual-band wireless held up across a 1,500 square foot space without a single drop, and the Ethernet port gave us a wired fallback for the day the office Wi-Fi acted up.
The 50-page automatic document feeder was the surprise feature. We scanned a 40-page contract in one pass, and the auto duplex printed both sides without a single jam across 600 test pages. Reviewers on forums like r/printers mention the same thing – this is the printer people replace aging HP monochrome models with when they are tired of paper misfeeds.
The 250-sheet main tray handled our normal weekly load without a refill, though high-volume offices pushing past 1,000 pages a week will want the optional second tray. At 25 pounds and a footprint under 16 inches wide, it slipped into the spot our old inkjet had occupied. The TN830 and TN830XL toner cartridges are widely available and reasonably priced, which keeps long-term cost per page in the 2 to 3 cent range that laser buyers expect.
Setup and Connectivity
Out of the box, setup took about 8 minutes on our Mac and roughly 10 on Windows 11. The Brother Mobile Connect app found the printer on the network without us typing an IP address, and AirPrint worked the moment we tapped Print on an iPhone. Brother’s macOS drivers have been flaky on Sonoma in the past, but our Sequoia test install was clean.
Who Should Buy It and Who Should Skip
Buy it if you run a small business, a busy home office, or a hybrid work setup that needs fast monochrome printing with reliable scanning and copying. Skip it if you print photos, marketing materials, or anything that needs color – this is strictly black and white, and color laser shoppers should look at pick #5 below.
2. Canon imageCLASS LBP6030w – Best Budget Laser Printer for Home Use
Canon imageCLASS LBP6030w – Monochrome Single-Function Wireless Compact Wireless Laser Printer, 1 Year Limited Warranty, 19 PPM, White – Print Only
19 ppm monochrome
Wi-Fi
150-sheet tray
Under 2W sleep power
Pros
- Lowest priced laser printer on this list
- Very compact 11 pound footprint fits on a shelf
- Under 2 watts in Energy Saver mode
- Wireless printing from phones and tablets
- 150-sheet tray is enough for casual home use
- Canon Genuine Toner 125 yields 1600 pages
Cons
- No automatic duplex printing
- Print-only with no scanning or copying
- Slower 19 ppm print speed
The Canon imageCLASS LBP6030w is the printer we recommend when someone says they only print a few pages a week and want a real laser instead of an inkjet. At 11 pounds and a footprint under 15 inches wide, it tucked into a closet shelf in our test apartment without complaint. We printed tax returns, school permission slips, and shipping labels over six weeks, and it woke from sleep in about 2 seconds.
Print speed is the obvious tradeoff. At 19 ppm, this is the slowest model on our list, but for someone printing 10 to 20 pages a week, that gap does not matter. The 150-sheet tray held about three weeks of typical home paper without a refill.
The Energy Saver mode drew under 2 watts in our wall-meter test, the lowest of any printer we measured. For an energy-conscious buyer, that adds up over years of idle time. The Canon Genuine Toner 125 cartridge yields 1,600 pages, which gives you roughly 4 cents per page at retail toner prices.
What You Give Up at This Price
There is no duplex, no scanner, no copier, and no Ethernet port. Wireless setup is straightforward but the older Wi-Fi chipset does not support 5GHz bands. If you need to scan documents for your accountant or print double-sided handouts, you will outgrow this model within a year.
Who Should Buy It and Who Should Skip
Buy it if you are a student, a retiree, or anyone printing under 100 pages a month who wants a no-fuss laser for under a hundred dollars. Skip it if you need duplex, scan-to-email, or faster speeds – move up to the Brother HL-L2460DW or HL-L2480DW instead.
3. Brother HL-L2460DW – Best for Home Offices That Print a Lot
Brother HL-L2460DW Wireless Compact Monochrome Laser Printer with Duplex, Mobile Printing, Black & White Output | Includes Refresh Subscription Trial(1), Works with Alexa
36 ppm monochrome
Automatic duplex
250-sheet tray
Works with Alexa
Pros
- 36 ppm matches far more expensive office models
- Automatic duplex printing saves paper
- Dual-band Wi-Fi plus Ethernet and USB
- 250-sheet paper tray for longer runs
- Manual feed slot for envelopes and specialty paper
- Includes Refresh Subscription trial
Cons
- Print-only with no scan or copy
- Single paper tray
The Brother HL-L2460DW is the printer we kept coming back to during testing for pure print duties. At 36 pages per minute with auto duplex, it ate through a 200-page client report in under six minutes. The 250-sheet main tray plus a single-sheet manual feed slot meant we did not have to babysit paper refills during long print runs.
Setup was the easiest of any printer on this list. We had it on Wi-Fi through the Brother Mobile Connect app in about 4 minutes, and the Alexa integration let us say “Alexa, print my shopping list” without ever opening a laptop. The dual-band wireless stayed connected across three floors of test space.
Toner cost is where this printer shines for home users. The TN830 standard cartridge yields about 1,200 pages, and the TN830XL high-yield pushes that to 3,000 pages. At typical retail prices, that works out to roughly 2.5 cents per page, which beats inkjet costs once you cross about 50 pages per month.
Print Quality and Noise
Text output at 1,200 by 1,200 dpi is sharp enough for legal documents, resumes, and client letters. Graphics look clean but are not photo-quality – that is normal for a monochrome laser. Noise during printing hovered around 50 decibels at one meter, quieter than most inkjets we have tested.
Who Should Buy It and Who Should Skip
Buy it if your home office prints 200 to 1,500 pages per month and you do not need to scan or copy. Skip it if you want a touchscreen or need to digitize paper – the Brother HL-L2480DW (pick #7) adds both for a similar footprint.
4. HP Laserjet MFP M140w – Best Compact All-in-One for Tight Spaces
HP Laserjet MFP M140w Wireless Black & White Printer, Print, scan, Copy, Fast speeds, Easy Setup, Mobile Printing, Best-for-Small Teams
21 ppm monochrome
Compact AIO
ID card copy
Wi-Fi with self-reset
Pros
- World's smallest laser in its class at 11.9 pounds
- 21 ppm print speed for everyday documents
- Wireless with self-reset for reliable connections
- ID card copy duplicates both sides on one sheet
- HP Smart app for mobile scanning and printing
- scan
- and copy in one compact unit
Cons
- No automatic duplex printing
- Only uses original HP toner cartridges
- Small included starter toner (~50 pages)
The HP Laserjet MFP M140w lives up to its “world’s smallest” claim. At 11.9 pounds and a 10.4 inch depth, we set it on a kitchen counter next to a coffee maker and still had room for a toaster. It is the only printer on this list that genuinely fits in an apartment kitchen without dominating the counter.
The 21 ppm speed is slower than the 36 ppm Brother models but faster than the Canon LBP6030w, and for under 200 pages a week it never felt sluggish. First page out took about 8.3 seconds from sleep. The HP Smart app paired with our iPhone in under a minute, and we were scanning directly to cloud storage within three minutes of unboxing.
The 99-sheet input tray is small for an office but fine for a single user or a couple. The ID card copy feature surprised us – it walked us through placing the front, then the back, and printed both sides on a single sheet. Useful for insurance cards, library cards, and the occasional driver’s license renewal.
The Toner Catch
HP’s firmware blocks third-party toner cartridges, so you are locked into HP original supplies. The starter cartridge ships with roughly 50 pages of toner, which feels stingy compared to Brother’s 1,200-page starter. Plan on buying a replacement toner within the first week if you print more than occasional pages.
Who Should Buy It and Who Should Skip
Buy it if you have less than two square feet of counter space and need a print/scan/copy in one box. Skip it if you print more than 200 pages a month or want automatic duplex – the Brother DCP-L2640DW is the better workhorse for busy users.
5. HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw – Best Color Laser Printer for Offices
HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw Wireless All-in-One Color Laser Printer, Office Printer, Scanner, Copier, ADF, Duplex, Best-for-Office (499Q3F)
26 ppm color
ADF
2 paper trays
Automatic duplex
Pros
- Full-color laser output with vivid TerraJet toner
- Auto 2-sided printing plus auto document feeder
- Two 250-sheet paper trays handle office workloads
- All-in-one print
- scan
- copy in one unit
- Print speeds up to 26 ppm in black and color
- Ethernet
- Wi-Fi
- and USB connectivity
Cons
- Heavier at 37.7 pounds
- Higher upfront price
- Only uses original HP toner cartridges
- Some users report Wi-Fi setup issues
The HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw is the only true color laser on this list, and it earned its spot by actually producing color that does not look like a 1990s inkjet. The TerraJet toner is noticeably brighter than older HP color formulas – brochures, charts, and client presentations looked sharp at 600 by 600 dpi, and the 26 ppm speed held up even on mixed color and monochrome jobs.
The auto duplex and the ADF worked together cleanly during our 400-page test scan. We fed a stack of mixed invoices and color handouts through the ADF and got clean, double-sided PDFs in a single pass. Reviewers who switched from older HP color lasers praised the quieter operation and the redesigned control panel.
Two paper trays, each holding 250 sheets, let us load plain paper in one and letterhead in the other. The 37.7 pound weight makes this a “place it once” printer rather than something you move around, but it slid under a standard office desk without trouble.
Total Cost of Ownership Caveat
Color toner is more expensive than monochrome, and HP’s cartridge lock-in applies here too. We measured roughly 5 to 7 cents per color page with HP 218X high-yield cartridges, which is competitive for a color laser but still higher than inkjet photo printers at low volumes. For under 100 color pages per month, a dedicated photo printer like the portable photo printers for travel we reviewed elsewhere may be a better fit.
Who Should Buy It and Who Should Skip
Buy it if your office prints color reports, marketing materials, or client presentations at 200+ pages per month and you need scan and copy built in. Skip it if you only need monochrome, or if you print under 50 color pages per month – the Brother monochrome lasers on this list are cheaper to run.
6. HP Laserjet Pro 3001dw – Best for Small Teams Needing Speed
HP Laserjet Pro 3001dw Wireless Black & White Printer, Best-for-Office (3G65OF)
35 ppm monochrome
HP Wolf Pro Security
Auto duplex
Ethernet
Pros
- Super-fast 35 ppm print speed
- Automatic 2-sided printing
- HP Wolf Pro Security for sensitive data
- Intelligent Wi-Fi for stable mesh network connections
- Works with Alexa
- AirPrint
- Android
- Chromebook
- Ethernet and Bluetooth included
Cons
- Print-only with no scan or copy
- Some users report Wi-Fi disconnects on certain mesh routers
- No support for A5 duplex
The HP Laserjet Pro 3001dw printed at 35 pages per minute with the first page out in roughly 6.6 seconds from ready, the fastest cold start of any printer we measured. Over a week of mixed print jobs at our test office, it averaged right at its rated speed even on duplex runs.
The 3001dw is the only printer on this list with HP Wolf Pro Security built in. For teams handling client financials or medical records, that is meaningful – the security settings let you lock down Wi-Fi Direct, require PIN release for jobs, and disable older connection protocols.
At 16.1 pounds and a 14.4 inch width, it is small enough for a personal desk but built to handle team workloads. The 250-sheet main tray held up during a 1,200-page weekly burst without refilling. Intelligent Wi-Fi actively scans for the best connection, which solved the random dropouts we have seen on cheaper HP models.
Compatibility and Limitations
AirPrint, Mopria, Chromebook, and Alexa all worked without extra drivers in our tests. Some owners on forums report Wi-Fi instability on certain mesh networks, where connecting via Ethernet fixed the problem. There is also no support for A5 duplex, which matters if you print international A5 stationery.
Who Should Buy It and Who Should Skip
Buy it if your team prints 500 to 2,000 monochrome pages per month and you need print-only reliability with strong security. Skip it if you need scanning or copying, or if your network is a stubborn mesh system – the Brother HL-L2460DW or DCP-L2640DW are safer picks for problem Wi-Fi.
7. Brother HL-L2480DW – Most Versatile Quiet All-Rounder
Brother HL-L2480DW Wireless Compact Monochrome Multi-Function Laser Printer with Copy and Scan, Duplex, Mobile, Black & White | Includes Refresh Subscription Trial(1), Works with Alexa
36 ppm monochrome
2.7 inch touchscreen
250-sheet tray
Quiet operation
Pros
- Highest rated printer on this list at 4.5 stars
- Fast 36 ppm monochrome printing
- 2.7 inch color touchscreen with cloud app integration
- 3-in-1 print
- scan
- and copy in compact 22 pound body
- Dual-band Wi-Fi plus Ethernet and USB
- Quiet operation compared to inkjet and competing lasers
Cons
- Setup can be tricky for first-time laser buyers
- Some users report rare firmware quirks requiring support
The Brother HL-L2480DW earned the highest average rating of any printer on this list, and after three weeks with it we understand why. The 2.7 inch color touchscreen is the first thing you notice – it lets you scan directly to Google Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, or OneNote without opening a computer. For anyone running a paperless office workflow, that alone justifies the upgrade over the HL-L2460DW.
Print speed matches the DCP-L2640DW at 36 ppm, and noise during printing was the lowest we measured across all seven models. Our sound meter registered around 48 decibels at one meter, quiet enough to keep on a desk during phone calls without raising voices.
The 3-in-1 design packs print, scan, and copy into a 22 pound body that is only marginally bigger than the print-only HL-L2460DW. Several owners who switched from HP cited wireless reliability as the reason – the dual-band Wi-Fi plus Ethernet port is more forgiving than older HP chipsets.
Cloud Workflow and App Integration
The Brother Mobile Connect app and the on-printer touchscreen both push scanned PDFs straight to your cloud drives. We scanned a 10-page contract to OneDrive in about 45 seconds without ever touching a laptop. Touchscreen responsiveness was snappy – no lag between tap and action.
Who Should Buy It and Who Should Skip
Buy it if you want a quiet, full-featured monochrome all-in-one with a modern touchscreen and the lowest noise level in this lineup. Skip it if you only need bare-bones printing – the HL-L2460DW is the same engine for less money, and the Canon LBP6030w is the cheapest option for true light use.
How We Tested and What We Looked For?
Our team spent three months with these seven laser printers across two locations – a four-person small business and a busy home office. We printed at minimum 600 pages on each model, ran mixed monochrome and color jobs where applicable, and measured first-page-out time from both sleep and ready states.
We tracked real numbers, not just spec sheets. Cost per page was calculated using current retail toner prices and ISO/IEC 19752 page yields where available. Noise levels were measured at one meter with a calibrated sound meter during active printing. Wi-Fi stability was tested across dual-band routers and a mesh network.
We leaned on forum reports from r/printers, r/macbookpro, and r/homelab to flag long-term reliability issues that do not show up in a 90-day test. The complaint we heard most often was about starter toner cartridges shipping nearly empty – that affected every brand on this list, and we factored it into our TCO discussion below.
Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Laser Printer
Picking the right laser printer comes down to six decisions. Get these right and the rest of the spec sheet takes care of itself.
Monochrome vs Color Laser
If you print text, invoices, contracts, school reports, or shipping labels more than 90% of the time, monochrome is the right call. Toner cost per page is lower, the printers themselves are cheaper, and you avoid paying for color toner cartridges you rarely use. Color laser is worth the extra spend only if you print client presentations, brochures, or color charts regularly.
All-in-One vs Single-Function
All-in-one (AIO) printers add scanning and copying, and some add fax. They cost more upfront but replace three or four devices. Single-function printers win on size, price, and reliability if you never need to scan. For home offices, an AIO is almost always the better buy – the Brother DCP-L2640DW and HL-L2480DW both add scanning without much size penalty.
Pages Per Minute (ppm)
Manufacturer ppm ratings are measured under ideal conditions using basic text documents. Real-world speeds are usually 60 to 80% of the rated number. For most home and small office users, anything over 25 ppm feels fast. Above 35 ppm is a workgroup-class speed you only notice when printing 50+ page documents.
Cost Per Page and Toner Strategy
Toner cost per page is the number that matters over three to five years. A cheap printer with expensive toner can cost more than an expensive printer with high-yield toner. Look for high-yield cartridge options (Brother TN830XL, HP 218X) and compare page yields, not cartridge prices. Subscription programs like HP Instant Ink and Brother Refresh can save money at predictable monthly volumes but cost more if your usage drops.
Paper Handling and Duty Cycle
Paper tray capacity matters more than people expect. A 150-sheet tray needs weekly refills; a 250-sheet tray goes a month between fills. The recommended monthly print volume tells you how hard you can push the printer without shortening its life. For under 1,000 pages per month, any printer on this list is fine. Above 5,000 pages per month, look for workgroup-class models outside this lineup.
Connectivity and Mobile Printing
Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Ethernet, AirPrint, Mopria, and cloud printing are all standard on the models above. Mac users should look for native AirPrint support without proprietary driver installs. Offices with mesh Wi-Fi sometimes struggle with HP printers – Brother models generally handle mesh networks more reliably based on our testing.
Laser vs Inkjet: Which Printer Should You Buy?
The laser vs inkjet question depends on how much you print and what you print. Laser printers win on cost per page, speed, sharpness of text, and idle reliability – they can sit for months without drying out. Inkjet printers win on photo quality, lower upfront cost, and the ability to print on specialty media like glossy photo paper.
For anyone printing over 100 pages per month of mostly text, a laser printer saves money within the first year. For under 30 pages per month of mixed text and photos, an inkjet or ink tank printer is usually cheaper. The crossover point where laser beats inkjet on total cost is roughly 50 pages per month for monochrome and 100 pages per month for color.
If you need both sharp text and occasional photo prints, consider a laser printer for documents plus a dedicated portable photo printer for photos – we have a separate guide to portable photo printers for travel that covers the best options for that use case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which brand of laser printer is the most reliable?
Brother consistently ranks as the most reliable laser printer brand in long-term owner surveys and forum reports, with monochrome models like the HL-L2460DW and DCP-L2640DW running for years without service. HP and Canon also produce dependable printers, but HP firmware blocks third-party toner cartridges, which limits long-term flexibility.
Are laser printers being phased out?
No, laser printers are not being phased out. Manufacturers continue releasing new models in 2026, and laser remains the dominant technology for high-volume, text-heavy printing in offices and home offices. The growth of ink tank printers has cut into low-volume home use, but lasers still win on speed, cost per page, and idle reliability.
What are the downsides of laser printers?
The main downsides of laser printers are higher upfront cost, larger physical size compared to inkjets, and higher color toner prices that make them expensive for low-volume color printing. They also cannot print on glossy photo paper without specialty media, and toner cartridges ship with low starter yields that catch first-time buyers off guard.
How long do laser printers last?
A well-maintained laser printer typically lasts 5 to 10 years, with workgroup-class models reaching the longer end of that range. The drum unit is the main wear item and usually lasts 30,000 to 100,000 pages depending on the model. Home users printing under 1,000 pages per month often keep the same laser printer for a decade.
Which laser printer has the cheapest toner?
Brother laser printers generally have the lowest toner cost per page, especially when using TN830XL or TN830XL2PK high-yield cartridges, which drop mono cost per page to roughly 2 to 2.5 cents. HP printers cost more per page because their firmware blocks third-party toner. Canon sits in the middle with reasonable Genuine Toner 125 yields.
Final Verdict: Which Laser Printer Should You Buy in 2026?
After three months of testing seven models, our picks for the best laser printers in 2026 come down to use case. For most small businesses and busy home offices, the Brother DCP-L2640DW is the clear winner – 36 ppm print speed, 50-page ADF, automatic duplex, and the most reliable wireless of any model we tested. The 4.1 star rating across thousands of reviews confirms what we saw on our test bench.
If you only print occasional pages and want the cheapest entry into laser, the Canon imageCLASS LBP6030w is the right call. For home offices printing 200 to 1,500 pages per month, the Brother HL-L2460DW delivers 36 ppm and duplex without the AIO premium. Color printing at office volumes points to the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw. And if you want the quietest, highest-rated all-rounder with a touchscreen, the Brother HL-L2480DW is hard to beat.
Whichever you choose, you will spend less per page, print faster, and never deal with a clogged inkjet head again. That is the laser advantage, and it has held up well into 2026.