Best color laser printers for 2024: tested and reviewed
HP Colour LaserJet Professional 4301fdw
Finest all-in-one colour laser printer
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HP LaserJet Professional MFP M182nw
Finest deal on a colour laser printer
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Canon Colour imageClass MF656Cdw
Finest colour laser printer for small enterprise
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Brother MFC‐L8905CDW
Finest all-in-one scalable laser printer for workplaces
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HP Colour LaserJet Enterprise MFP M480f
Finest colour laser printer for medium-sized companies
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The most effective colour laser printers could be a nice funding, saving you fairly a little bit of money and time. For consumers frightened in regards to the long-term ink prices, you may discover colour laser printers surprisingly inexpensive. Laser printers use toner, which lasts a really very long time, delivering a low value per web page for monochrome paperwork and quick colour prints. The most effective colour laser printers supply fast efficiency and reliability to assist hold your house workplace or small enterprise productive.
If it’s good to scan paperwork for record-keeping and picture seize or need the comfort of a colour copier, an all-in-one colour laser printer is a vital device on your small enterprise or private use. For a small added value, you get expanded capabilities. That is why each mannequin on this checklist is an all-in-one from the perfect printer manufacturers.
Fast Overview
- HP Colour LaserJet Professional 4301fdw: Finest all-in-one colour laser printer
- HP LaserJet Professional MFP M182nw: Finest deal on colour laser printer
- Canon imageClass MF656Cdw: Finest colour laser printer for small enterprise
- Brother MFC-L3720CDW: Finest Brother laser printer for pictures
- Brother HL-L3280CDW: Finest finances colour laser printer
- Brother MFC‐L8905CDW: Finest all-in-one scalable laser printer for workplaces
- HP Colour LaserJet Enterprise MFP M480f: Finest colour laser printer for medium-sized companies
Why it is best to belief us
Digital Traits has been reviewing printers for 20 years and testing them to find out which provide the highest quality and quickest speeds. We test the long-term worth of every printer, so you may know prematurely if a low-cost printer is really inexpensive or if it has outrageous toner prices.
Printers are complicated machines that require understanding of the expertise to make a strong suggestion. Critiques additionally spotlight issues with compatibility and different particulars that may turn out to be deal breakers while you rely upon explicit options.
Key concerns whereas selecting the right colour laser printer for you
There are a number of key elements to contemplate when selecting a colour laser printer. Buy worth issues, however long-term prices can add up shortly. Evaluate your entire checklist to search out the right printer.
Print high quality and colour constancy
For those who’re selecting colour, you want greater than a tough copy — you need your doc to look nice. You continue to want razor-sharp textual content, nevertheless it’s important for colours to match what you see on-screen and in pictures with out banding or streaks.
Velocity and economic system
A laser printer ought to be quick and environment friendly with low working prices. In any other case, it is best to select a extra versatile and lower-cost inkjet printer.
Particular options
All-in-one printers embody scan, copy, and typically fax capabilities, filling a number of roles in your workplace. Many printers supply duplex printing (double-sided), an automated doc feeder (ADF), a number of paper trays, Wi-Fi connectivity, and walk-up printing. These particulars may very well be critically necessary when making a purchase order choice.
Alan Really / Digital Traits
HP Colour LaserJet Professional 4301fdw
Finest all-in-one colour laser printer
Professionals
- Lightning quick print and scan speeds
- Good print high quality
- Two paper trays
- Simple setup and use
- Dependable operation
Cons
- Colour value per web page is simply OK
- No borderless printing
Why you should purchase this: It is a fashionable, eco-friendly colour laser printer with nice velocity and high quality.
Who’s it for: Dwelling workplaces and small companies that want paperwork printed shortly.
Why we picked the HP Colour LaserJet Professional 4301fdw:
With blistering quick print and scan speeds, the HP Colour LaserJet Professional 4301fdw makes quick work of difficult jobs. It prints 35 pages per minute (ppm) for monochrome and colour paperwork and scans with its ADF at 31 ppm.
Colour paperwork look nice and pictures come out good even on plain paper. A USB port permits walk-up printing by way of a thumb drive, making the LaserJet Professional 4301fdw a superb all-in-one printer for house and workplace.
HP Colour LaserJet Professional 4301fdw
Finest all-in-one colour laser printer
HP
HP LaserJet Professional MFP M182nw
Finest deal on a colour laser printer
Professionals
- Low worth makes this colour laser printer an important worth
- Twin-band Wi-Fi supplies fast connection and good velocity
- Giant, easy-access management panel
Cons
- Lack an automated doc feeder
- Small, two-line show
Why you should purchase this: It is an important cut price on an HP colour laser printer.
Who it’s for: Anybody upgrading from an inkjet printer for extra velocity and sturdiness.
Why we picked the HP LaserJet Professional MFP M182nw:
An HP colour laser printer normally prices much more than this. HP is acknowledged as some of the common manufacturers for rugged and sturdy laser printers, so you already know a LaserJet may have good high quality and long-lasting worth.
The HP LaserJet Professional MFP M182nw outputs the primary web page in 11.6 seconds and has sustained print speeds of as much as 17 ppm. That is not superfast for a laser printer, however doubles or triples the colour doc velocity of most inkjets. Mixed with finances pricing, it is a good introduction to laser printers for anybody who has used solely inkjet printers up to now.
Setup ought to be fast and simple with the HP Good cellular app, or you possibly can join the LaserJet Professional MFP M182nw on to a Home windows PC or Mac. HP high quality is never this low cost.
With built-in scanning and copying, this may work properly for a house workplace to take the burden off your inkjet printer.
HP LaserJet Professional MFP M182nw
Finest deal on a colour laser printer
Canon
Canon Colour imageClass MF656Cdw
Finest colour laser printer for small enterprise
Professionals
- Strong picture and textual content printing high quality
- Giant touchscreen management panel
- Glorious UI and navigation
Cons
- Costly cost-per-page for colour
- No expandable paper enter capabilities for bigger workplaces
Why you should purchase this: Nice colour print high quality in a multifunctional printer.
Who it’s for: Anybody who must print or copy paperwork and graphics shortly.
Why we picked the Canon Colour imageClass MF656Cdw:
Laser printers are identified to be quick and rugged, and the Canon Colour imageClass MF656Cdw suits this description nicely. Whereas we would not suggest it for photographers, the MF656Cdw is difficult to beat for an workplace that should make or reproduce colour paperwork that include graphics and pictures.
Whereas the 22-ppm print velocity of the Canon Colour imageClass MF656Cdw does not match the quickest colour lasers, it does supply duplex printing, copying, and scanning from its 50-sheet doc feeder. With a month-to-month responsibility cycle of two,500 pages, it could additionally maintain as much as the usual printing calls for of small to medium-sized workplaces.
Along with USB, print jobs could be despatched wirelessly by way of Apple AirPrint, Mopria, Wi-Fi direct, and Canon’s Print Enterprise app.
Canon Colour imageClass MF656Cdw
Finest colour laser printer for small enterprise
Brother
Brother MFC-L3720CDW
Finest Brother laser printer for pictures
Professionals
- Strong print high quality for textual content and pictures
- Cell and wi-fi printing assist
- Nice alternative for house workplaces
Cons
- No auto-duplexing capabilities
- Toner could be costly
Why you should purchase this: You will get full-color laser prints shortly at an inexpensive worth.
Who’s it for: Dwelling and small workplace prospects with average print quantity wants.
Why we picked the Brother MFC-L3720CDW:
Colour laser printers aren’t low cost. This inexpensive Brother makes an important addition to a house workplace or small enterprise. It has most of the identical options as dearer fashions, like its 3.7-inch touchscreen for straightforward entry to capabilities and a 250-sheet tray that allows you to print extra with out changing paper.
With a numeric pad for faxing, quick single-sided scanning, and fast copying, this printer is able to assist make your workday simpler. It is a big, heavy printer that is designed to final a very long time.
For those who just like the look of this printer, however want duplex scanning and copying, Brother’s MFC-L3780CDW affords super-fast single-pass scanning of a number of double-sided paperwork in its automated doc feeder for about $100 extra.
Brother MFC-L3720CDW
Finest Brother laser printer for pictures
Brother
Brother MFC‐L8905CDW
Finest all-in-one scalable laser printer for workplaces
Professionals
- Quick print speeds
- Duplexing supported
- Economical working prices
Cons
- Giant dimension takes up area
Why you should purchase this: Brother’s MFC‐L8905CDW delivers quick printing speeds and long-lasting provides at inexpensive working prices.
Who it’s for: Small and medium-sized companies.
Why we picked the Brother MFC‐L8905CDW :
The Brother MFC‐L8905CDW options ultra-high yield toner cartridges that offer as much as 9,000 monochrome pages and eight,000 colour pages, so that you hardly ever must interrupt a busy workday. An optionally available 500 sheet paper tray expands the onboard capability of 250 sheets in the primary tray and 50 sheets within the multi-purpose tray.
Print speeds of as much as 33 ppm make quick work of lengthy paperwork and further copies. This sturdy enterprise printer affords duplex for fax, scan, copy, and print capabilities and may hook up with any machine with Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or USB. A USB port permits walk-up operation with a thumb drive, whereas an NFC reader limits entry to approved personnel.
The Brother MFC‐L8905CDW has a advisable responsibility cycle of 4,000 pages per 30 days however it could deal with printing as much as 60,000 pages in a month. For such a rugged printer, Brother did not skimp on comfort options. The seven-inch colour touchscreen could be personalized with as much as 64 shortcuts to hurry up frequent operations.
Brother MFC‐L8905CDW
Finest all-in-one scalable laser printer for workplaces
Brother
Brother HL-L3280CDW
Finest finances colour laser printer
Professionals
- A low-cost colour laser
- Compact dimension
- Quick for a finances printer
Cons
- No scanning or faxing options
Why you should purchase this: It is the perfect budget-friendly choice for workplaces with restricted area.
Who it’s for: Small and residential workplaces.
Why we picked the Brother HL-L3280CDW
If all you want is a printer that prints shortly, suits completely in your small house workplace, and does not break the financial institution, then that is the printer for you. With the Brother HL-L3280CDW you possibly can count on print speeds of as much as 27 ppm for each black and colour pages, all kinds of connectivity choices together with wi-fi and Ethernet, and a 250-sheet max paper tray that may assist totally different paper sizes and kinds like envelopes or card inventory. It is an important, inexpensive choice for easy, easy print jobs.
Brother HL-L3280CDW
Finest finances colour laser printer
HP
HP Colour LaserJet Enterprise MFP M480f
Finest colour laser printer for medium-sized companies
Professionals
- Compact dimension with loaded options
- Strong security measures
- Smartphone app assist
Cons
- Increased than common cost-per-page print prices
Why you should purchase this: HP’s Colour LaserJet Professional MFP M480f is a speedy all-in-one printer that is designed for printing and digital doc archiving with intuitive assist for cloud storage.
Who it’s for: Small companies that want a speedy colour laser printer.
Why we picked the HP Colour LaserJet Professional MFP M480f:
Workgroups and companies that do not have a lot workplace area to spare to deal with a big printer will respect HP’s Colour LaserJet Professional MFP M480f. The MFP M480f provides multifunctional options that may assist along with your workplace’s doc wants, together with a built-in flatbed scanner, automated doc feeder, and duplexing capabilities. The M480f is a well-rounded multifunction printer that may nonetheless output as much as 29 ppm in black and white or colour.
This speedy however compact quantity has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low-Power, and cellular printing is supported throughout numerous units and platforms. The large limiting issue on this printer is its small 250-sheet paper enter tray, although bigger workplaces with larger print jobs can improve to the optionally available 550-sheet tray. Duplexing is supported to assist save paper and the setting. A front-facing USB port makes it straightforward to print from a storage drive. The printer can print from or scan to quite a lot of cloud suppliers, making it straightforward for digital doc archiving. Companies on a restricted print finances can spend money on high-yield toner cartridges for a decrease per-page print value.
HP Colour LaserJet Enterprise MFP M480f
Finest colour laser printer for medium-sized companies
Continuously Requested Questions
Colour laser printers versus inkjet printers: what’s greatest?
Laser printers are higher for textual content paperwork, as they produce crisp textual content even at small font sizes. Over time, they’re additionally cheaper to run than cartridge-based inkjets. Nonetheless, laser printers require a bigger preliminary funding. For those who don’t print fairly often, an inexpensive inkjet printer may make extra sense and it could take a very long time earlier than its larger operational prices catch as much as the upper preliminary value of a laser printer. For smaller print jobs, the quicker pages-per-minute charge of a laser printer additionally received’t be a lot of a bonus.
For those who’re wanting to save cash in the long run and must print photos, try inkjet options that depend on tanks for ink somewhat than cartridges. Because the tanks are refillable with bottled ink, tank printers value a lot lower than colour toner for laser printers. Not solely will tanks be higher for the setting by much less waste, however they’ll prevent cash for bigger print jobs. That is why tank printers rank extremely on our checklist of the perfect inkjet printers.
Laser printers are nonetheless extra sturdy, lowering upkeep prices when you print at excessive quantity. Lasers typically supply quicker printing speeds, saving time on giant print jobs. That is why companies usually select laser printers. Some inkjet printers, just like the Epson EcoTank Professional ET-5850 are almost as quick as lasers.
Past print high quality, inkjet picture printers also can deal with a greater variety of paper sorts and sizes in comparison with laser printers. Some very giant inkjets can be found that may print posters and banners. A colour laser printer will deal with inline pictures and graphics in paperwork simply effective. Most fashionable colour laser printers, particularly these made for small workplaces, will have the ability to deal with commonplace sizes and sorts of print jobs, from commonplace paperwork to labels and card inventory.
Whereas colour laser printers have gotten a lot better at dealing with pictures, when you’re seeking to make detailed, color-accurate photographic prints to hold in your wall, show in a gallery, or promote to prospects, a high-end inkjet picture printers continues to be the best way to go (or just outsource the work to a photograph lab).
Do colour laser printers include Wi-Fi or AirPrint assist?
Sure. As with inkjet printers, wi-fi connectivity has turn out to be commonplace on colour laser printers. Which means you should use Apple AirPrint on your iPhone and iPad with almost any printer, and Android’s print service is equally adept at connecting. There are extra particulars about cellular use beneath.
It’s also possible to use Wi-Fi to print and scan with Home windows and macOS. Nonetheless, when you use a Linux pc or need to print from a Chromebook, test the producer’s web page to verify the printer is appropriate along with your system.
How can I print from my iPad, iPhone, or Android machine?
Colour laser printers assist Apple AirPrint, making it straightforward to print from an iPad or iPhone to a printer in your Wi-Fi community. Android telephones and tablets also can hook up with Wi-Fi printers shortly and simply.
For scanning, upkeep, and different particular options, you will have to put in the producer’s cellular app from Apple’s App Retailer or Google Play. The cellular app will usually present extra choices for high quality, enter tray, and paper dimension and sort.
How usually will I’ve to purchase toner?
This relies on how a lot you print. Toner cartridges usually have yields of two,000 pages or extra (test the specs of your printer on your mannequin’s particular yield). For gentle house use, which means many individuals may simply go a yr or extra with out changing toner. For workplace use, the substitute interval might be shorter, however toner may nonetheless final a number of months.
How can I lower your expenses on toner?
Step one is to print effectively; that’s, double-check your web page structure settings and ensure every little thing is right earlier than you hit that print button. It’s also possible to lower your expenses by stopping wasted colour toner by setting a black and white printer because the default.
When it’s time to reorder, it can save you cash by shopping for third-party toner cartridges. Nonetheless, shopping for third-party toner doubtless isn’t advisable by your printer’s producer, however as long as you be certain it’s appropriate along with your printer, it ought to work simply effective. Nonetheless, some printers, just like the HP mannequin above, search for a toner that makes use of a particular chip figuring out it as unique tools. HP warns that whereas another cartridges may match as we speak, they could not sooner or later.
Can I purchase a colour laser printer with built-in fax?
Sure. Many all-in-one laser printers can scan, copy, and fax paperwork. For those who’re doing plenty of faxing, copying, or scanning, you’ll want to select a printer with an automated doc feeder (ADF), and if you wish to do double-sided scans and double-sided prints, a mannequin that has a duplex ADF and duplex printing might be greatest. Double-sided prints also can assist lower your expenses if value is a priority. Word that not all all-in-ones — additionally known as multifunction printers — have fax modems, so you’ll want to test the specs before you purchase. For those who want a multifunction printer, you’ll want to try our greatest picks for all-in-one printers.
How do you take a look at colour printers?
To seek out the perfect colour laser printers, we think about standards resembling velocity, worth, upkeep prices, and any distinctive options that assist them one-up the competitors.
Our alternatives are based mostly on our long- and short-term testing; expertise with earlier fashions; familiarity with the corporate’s applied sciences; session with business consultants, fellow journalists, and customers; on-line boards; lab outcomes; and different third-party critiques. We glance throughout the board — not simply at our personal experiences — to search out consensus on what we expect are the best-performing printers you possibly can presently purchase. We additionally take a look at checklist pricing to find out if a product is price the price. We are going to even suggest printers that aren’t new, offered the options are nonetheless best-in-class.
The printer market evolves consistently, with producers both introducing higher fashions with new options or fundamental upgrades. So, you possibly can count on our picks to vary as nicely. However don’t fear — the fashions you see right here might be with you for a while, and if we anticipate higher fashions on the horizon, we’ll state that upfront that will help you resolve whether or not you should purchase now or wait.
Which is the perfect colour laser printer for house use?
When looking for a colour laser printer for house use, you in all probability do not need a 100-pound beast meant to outlive the trials of a shared work setting.
A compact, budget-friendly colour laser is likely to be perfect. Printing pictures is a typical use for house printers and a few fashions have respectable high quality even on plain paper.
Is a laser printer good for colour?
The primary laser printers have been monochrome, however most producers supply a number of colour laser printers that present nice high quality for colour paperwork.
Nonetheless, some deal with pictures higher than others. For photographic-quality colour photos, it is onerous to beat an inkjet printer that is optimized for pictures.
Are laser printers being phased out?
Laser printers will proceed to be manufactured for the foreseeable future. Nonetheless, there are some issues about their environmental influence.
Epson, for instance, is phasing out laser printers worldwide by 2026, citing the numerous power required to generate sufficient warmth to fuse toner onto paper.
In the meantime, HP has discovered methods to make laser printers extra eco-friendly by altering toner formulations and bettering effectivity.
What sort of paper can colour laser printers use?
You need to use paper labeled as appropriate with laser printers, however colour laser printers work nicely with multipurpose and even cheap recycled paper. Commonplace sizes and weights are effective and a few laser printers can deal with heavy card inventory and strange paper sizes. Verify the producer specs if it’s good to print on paper that’s thicker or bigger than regular.
Since laser toner fuses to the paper, the one different restriction is that the paper can stand up to excessive warmth. Which means inkjet paper may not be appropriate with a laser printer. Whereas most inkjet printers require costly coated paper to get the perfect outcomes, even a low-cost colour laser can print good colour graphics and acceptable pictures.
Since colour laser printers work with extraordinary paper, that lowers the price per web page a bit. That stated, you could find shiny paper for laser printers, nevertheless it’s not as frequent.
For those who discover our prime picks aren’t the correct match on your particular wants, there are different colour laser and different printer sorts which can be price testing. If you would like a top-rated printer that may match the standard of the perfect scanners, otherwise you merely simply want a extra inexpensive mannequin, make certain to check out among the all-around greatest printers available on the market.
For those who’re in search of extra financial savings, try our guides to the perfect low cost printer offers and greatest laser printer offers accessible now.
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