Best laser printer 2023

The best laser printer can help you do your work and fulfil your hobbies at home with ease and efficiency.

The truth is, 'best' is a very subjective term, and different people will have different printing needs and requirements. One of the first things to note is whether you'd like an inkjet or laser printer.

Inkjets are traditionally more affordable, as is evident with our best budget inkjet printers list, while lasers tend to be a little pricier but offer quicker printing speeds. So, if your priority is finding something that operates efficiently, you're looking at the right article. The first thing you should figure out is if you want colour or not, but that's down to your needs.

Size is also going to be important, or more integrally, how much space you have available on your desk to put your printer. It's no use picking up a business-class printer when your desk only has a tiny space for it.

With this in mind, we’ve listed what we think are some of the best laser printers based on specs, general reviews, and features they offer that we think make them stand out from the crowd, plus answered some of your most frequently asked questions too.

Best laser printers

1. Brother MFC-L2750DW
2. Xerox Versalink B600DN
3. HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw
4. Kyocera Ecosys P3155dn
5. Canon imageCLASS MF242dw
6. HP LaserJet Pro M15w

Credit: Brother

1. Brother MFC-L2750DW

Best laser printer overall

If you're just looking for a great all-round laser printer, the Brother MFC-L2750DW looks like a solid option.

First things first, you'll find it's a handy multifunctional printer that can scan, fax, copy, and, of course, print. This means it's an especially useful candidate if you're working from home and you need to do more than just print pages off.

Its printing speed is also pretty good with the Brother MFC-L2750DW able to put out 34 monochrome pages a minute and at a resolution of up to 2400x600, too.

There's also the ability to utilise duplex printing, which will be especially helpful for those who need to print double-sided resources in a jiffy. It also has potential benefits like lowering printing costs.

Its capacity of 300 sheets also means you won't need to refill the Brother MFC-L2750DW all too often.

• Read More: How to fix laser printer smudges

Credit: Xerox

2. Xerox Versalink B600DN

Best large laser printer

If space isn't an issue and you're hunting for a large, powerful laser printer, then the Xerox Versalink B600DN should be a great option.

You'll find it's speedy, boasting a print speed of 55 pages per minute, meaning it should be able to handle large print loads with ease.

On the point of large print loads, the Xerox Versalink B600DN can fit an entire ream of paper, or 550 pages inside, which gives you plenty of capacity before you need to swap to a new ream of paper.

There's also a five-inch touchscreen that's used to conveniently control the printer, and gives it a sheen of modernism.

• Read More: Do laser printers use ink

Credit: HP

3. HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw

Best colour laser printer

If you're after a convenient colour laser printer, then look no further than the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw.

Its printing speed of 22 pages a minute is quick enough for most and will be good enough for general home office use. And, if you're working remotely too, a capacity of 250 sheets is also pretty useful, plus there's an extra 100 sheets stored with the output tray.

The HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw also features a convenient setup with just a power button and a small 2.7-inch colour touchscreen round front that takes care of all the useful functions.

This HP printer also works via Alexa so you can print with your voice if you fancy, or from the HP Smart app for your phone, which should be available on every smartphone from the best flagships through the best mid-range phones or any other types of devices.

Expect to also find a sleek, modern design that will look fantastic in your home office alongside your PC and the point that the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw is also a less bulky printer too.

• Read More: How to clean a laser printer drum

Credit: Kyocera

4. Kyocera Ecosys P3155dn

Best monochrome laser printer

For those wanting strictly black-and-white output, the Kyocera Ecosys P3155dn should serve you well.

This is one of the most efficient printers out there with it being able to output pages at a rate of 57 mono pages per minute, meaning you'll be able to print everything you need to in a matter of moments.

This is backed up by its capacity of 500 sheets which means that whilst you can print quickly, it can also last for a good while without needing to be refilled.

Speaking of efficiency, the hard-wearing drum inside this Kyocera printer should also last you a very long time with enough toner in the box for 10,000 pages with a low running cost in the fractions of pennies per page.

It may not have WiFi connectivity built-in, but for pure business use where you just need to power through printing, the Kyocera Ecosys P3155dn looks fantastic.

• Read more: How to clean an inkjet printer

Credit: Canon

5. Canon imageCLASS MF242dw

Best budget laser printer

The Canon imageCLASS MF242dw looks like a marvellous option if you're wanting to experience the power of laser printing whilst sticking to a budget.

It may not be able to print in colour, but for monochrome printing at a cut-price, the 28 mono pages it can print per minute isn't too shabby at all.

In addition, there's support for both wired and wireless printing options such as Apple AirPrint, the official Canon printing app and over WiFi which makes this quite a versatile printer indeed.

Moreover, the Canon imageCLASS MF242dw can also scan documents too for added convenience, and the Canon app can also allow you to scan documents as well.

A capacity of 250 sheets is also pretty decent, and the toner should be able to print 4,000 pages before needing to be replaced, giving you plenty of time to print any documents you need to.

• Read more: Best 3D printers for miniatures

Credit: HP

6. HP LaserJet Pro M15w

Best compact laser printer

The HP LaserJet Pro M15w also looks like a great choice if you want to experience the power of a laser printer in more of a compact chassis.

At just 13.6 inches wide, this is one of the smaller laser printers available, and it means you can place it just about anywhere. It's probably best used as a personal laser printer, just given that small size, though.

It prints in monochrome and features a capacity of 100 sheets of paper which is good enough for personal use and a speed of 19 mono pages per minute should be speedy enough for most people.

In addition, the HP LaserJet Pro M15w can also work via wired or wireless methods, being able to connect to a PC via USB 2.0 and you can also use Apple AirPrint, Google Cloud Print and the HP Smart app, amongst other methods to print wirelessly.

For those wanting a small laser printer with a good feature set, you won't go far wrong with the HP LaserJet Pro M15w.

• Read more: Best budget short throw projectors

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Laser printers can seem like relatively complex appliances, so let’s take a look at some of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to making your decision.

Is it worth getting a laser printer?

We'd say that getting a laser printer is worth it.

Even though they are immediately more expensive, their toner doesn't dry out and per print, they should actually be more economical and cheaper to run than their inkjet counterparts. If you're planning to use your printer for a while, the savings really add up.

How much should I spend on a laser printer?

This all depends on what you're going to be using the printer for, and how much you want to print, for instance.

As. a general rule, a smaller laser printer for personal use will run you upwards of $150, depending on the model. For bigger printers designed more for remote working, you're looking between $300-$500, and for full-blown professional ones, above $600 or so.

What should I look for in a laser printer?

In our humble opinion, things such as paper capacity, print speed and connectivity are rather key when choosing to buy a laser printer.

Paper capacity will dictate how many sheets the printer can store, and for larger print loads, bigger is better.

As for print speeds, this depends on if you require pages to print quickly, and luckily some laser printers can be quite snappy.

In addition, you may want a printer that can print wirelessly, which makes it more versatile, and there are some laser options that can.

Wireless connectivity for printers can come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from Wi-Fi-based printers to manufacturer-specific apps, such as Canon PRINT, and services, such as Apple AirPrint or Google Cloud Print.

Do laser printers print good-quality photos?

In short, yes. Laser printers are traditionally associated with high-quality printouts with vivid colours and a high level of contrast, given the fact they are used in professional applications for printing posters, flyers and the like.

Do you need special paper for a laser printer?

You don't need to use special paper for a laser printer, the same as an inkjet printer.

Any ream of office paper should work well, although if you want, there is specific laser printer paper that is heat-treated to withstand the high heat levels needed to print toner onto the paper, which may be better for specialist applications.

Can I use glossy paper in a laser printer?

In short, yes. There should be nothing stopping you from using glossy paper in a laser printer, although you may wish to get a specific type of glossy paper that can deal with the high heat levels needed to transfer toner to the paper.

How often do you replace laser toner?

This usually depends on the printer you have, how long it says the toner will last, and of course, how often you're printing.

On the whole, a good laser printer will allow you to print between 4,000 and 15,000 pages before you need to replace the toner.

If you're printing 1000 pages a month for instance, then you may only need to replace it once a year, whilst if you're printing a lot more, it may be a case of replacing them every few months.

What is a monochrome printer?

A monochrome printer, in essence, is a printer that can only print in black and white, as opposed to colour.

They can be more affordable than their colour counterparts, and if you don't require colour printing, can be a handy choice for your home office.

Is toner the same as ink?

In short, no. Whilst both link and toner do the same jobs in different printers, their composition is different. Ink cartridges contain liquid, whilst toner contains powder.

Ink cartridges work by having the ink fired onto the page, combined with solvents, binders, pigments and other additives, whereas toner powders must be heated up so that they can be fused to the page.