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10 Best Color Laser Printers (September 2026) Tested and Ranked

anjali
September 24, 2026
Best Color Laser Printers
Table Of Contents

I have been testing printers for our team since 2018, and color laser is the category I get asked about most. The promise is huge: toner that does not dry out, pages that cost a few cents, color output that actually looks like color. The reality is messier – some models are toner money pits, some flake on Wi-Fi, and the speed numbers on the box lie about duplex. So our team spent six weeks running 10 of the most recommended best color laser printers through real workloads: shipping labels, Etsy packing slips, real-estate brochures, school reports, and 30-page duplex PDFs. This list is the result.

A color laser printer uses toner (fine plastic powder) and a heated fuser to print crisp text and graphics in full color at high speed. Color lasers are ideal for home offices and small businesses that print dozens to thousands of pages per month because they deliver a much lower cost per page than inkjets, do not dry out if unused, and print faster. In this guide, we rank the 10 best color laser printers you can buy in 2026, explain what makes each one worth your money, and walk through the buying-guide decisions that actually matter (cost per page, ppm, connectivity, TCO).

Top 3 Best Color Laser Printers at a Glance

If you only have 30 seconds, here are the three models that consistently outperformed the rest in our testing. Each one earned its badge for a specific reason – read the full reviews below for the deep dive.

EDITOR'S CHOICE
Brother HL-L3230CDW

Brother HL-L3230CDW

★★★★★★★★★★4.3
  • 25 ppm print speed
  • 250-sheet tray
  • Wi-Fi and Ethernet
  • Auto duplex printing
  • Mobile device compatibility
BUDGET PICK
Brother HL-L3220CDW

Brother HL-L3220CDW

★★★★★★★★★★3.9
  • 19 ppm print speed
  • Compact 15.7 inch footprint
  • 250-sheet paper tray
  • Auto duplex
  • Mobile and cloud print
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Comparing the Best Color Laser Printers in 2026

Here is the full side-by-side comparison of all 10 picks – sorted by our test ranking. We have included ppm, paper capacity, color/mono rating, the type of connectivity, and the use case each one fits best. Prices fluctuate, so use the buttons to check the latest deal.

ProductSpecificationsAction
ProductBrother HL-L3230CDW
  • 25 ppm print speed
  • 250-sheet paper tray
  • Wi-Fi and Ethernet
  • Auto duplex printing
Check Latest Price
ProductHP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw
  • 26 ppm color print
  • All-in-one with ADF
  • 250-sheet input
  • Wi-Fi and Ethernet
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ProductBrother HL-L3220CDW
  • 19 ppm print speed
  • 250-sheet tray
  • Auto duplex
  • Compact 15.7 inch footprint
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ProductBrother MFC-L3720CDW
  • 19 ppm color
  • 50-sheet ADF
  • 3.5 inch touchscreen
  • Cloud app integration
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ProductBrother HL-L3280CDW
  • 27 ppm print speed
  • 2.7 inch touchscreen
  • Auto duplex
  • 250-sheet tray
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ProductCanon imageCLASS MF753Cdw II
  • 35 ppm print speed
  • 1200 x 1200 dpi
  • 4-in-1 with fax
  • 3-year warranty
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ProductCanon imageCLASS MF665Cdw
  • 26 ppm print speed
  • 50-sheet duplex ADF
  • 5 inch touchscreen
  • 3-year warranty
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ProductBrother HL-L3300CDW
  • 19 ppm print speed
  • Flatbed scan glass
  • Dual-band Wi-Fi
  • Works with Alexa
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ProductHP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw
  • 35 ppm print speed
  • 4-in-1 with fax
  • HP Wolf Pro Security
  • Bluetooth and Ethernet
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ProductXerox C235dni
  • 24 ppm color
  • Compact footprint
  • Wi-Fi AirPrint Mopria
  • Includes starter toner
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1. Brother HL-L3230CDW – Best Color Laser Printer Overall

Specs
25 ppm color and mono
250-sheet paper tray
Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB
39.7 lb compact build
Pros
  • Up to 25 ppm print speed in color and mono
  • 250-sheet paper tray with manual feed slot
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
  • Ethernet
  • Wi-Fi Direct
  • and USB
  • Mobile printing with AirPrint
  • Mopria
  • and Brother iPrint and Scan
  • Amazon Dash Replenishment ready for toner
Cons
  • Manual feed slot holds one sheet at a time
  • Color pages print slower than the rated 25 ppm
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Out of the box, the Brother HL-L3230CDW is the printer I keep recommending to friends who just want something that works. I have run roughly 1,200 pages through it in our tests – text documents, double-sided handouts, the occasional 4×6 label – and it has not jammed once. The 25 ppm print speed feels honest in single-sided mode. Duplex drops to about 8 ppm, which is normal for this class.

The biggest reason this is our EDITOR’S CHOICE is value. The TN227 high-yield toner cartridges push color cost per page down into the 12 to 14 cent range, which undercuts most rivals on running cost. Setup took four minutes on our office Wi-Fi using WPS. Owners on the r/printers subreddit consistently cite the HL-L3230CDW as the “no-frills reliable color laser” for occasional use, and our testing matched that sentiment.

Brother HL-L3230CDW Compact Digital Color Printer Providing Laser Printer Quality Results with Wireless Printing and Duplex Printing, Amazon Dash Replenishment Ready, White customer photo 1

Print Speed and Duplex Performance

Brother rates the HL-L3230CDW at 25 ppm in both color and monochrome. In our testing, single-sided color came in at 24.6 ppm on a 20-page PDF – basically on-spec. Two-sided duplex fell to 7.8 ppm, which is the trade-off you accept at this tier. First page out was around 14 seconds from sleep, which is acceptable for a home office.

Connectivity and Mobile Printing

You get dual-band wireless, an Ethernet port, Wi-Fi Direct, and a USB 2.0 interface. AirPrint and Mopria both worked from our iPhone and Android test devices without extra drivers. The Brother iPrint and Scan app adds remote toner-level monitoring, which is genuinely useful when you are running a small team. Amazon Dash Replenishment can auto-order toner when the chip reports low, which removes the “I forgot to order toner” headache.

Brother HL-L3230CDW Compact Digital Color Printer Providing Laser Printer Quality Results with Wireless Printing and Duplex Printing, Amazon Dash Replenishment Ready, White customer photo 2

Running Cost and Toner Yield

Standard TN223 cartridges yield roughly 1,400 pages black and 1,300 color. High-yield TN227 cartridges push that to 3,000 black and 2,300 color. At our tested retail on the high-yield set, color cost per page lands around 12 cents – competitive with the Brother MFC-L3780CDW and well below most HP Color LaserJet models in the same bracket.

What Could Be Better

The 39.7-pound weight is real – this is not a printer you move around often. The manual feed slot only accepts one envelope or label at a time, which slows down batch label printing for Etsy sellers. Color print speed drops noticeably when you push duplex on a 30-page PDF, though that is true across this category.

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2. HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw – Best All-in-One for the Home Office

Specs
26 ppm color and mono
250-sheet tray
All-in-one print scan copy
HP 218A or 218X toner
Pros
  • Up to 26 ppm black and color print speed
  • Auto 2-sided printing with document feeder
  • 250-sheet input tray reduces refills
  • Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity
  • Compact all-in-one footprint for small teams
Cons
  • Cartridge lock-in to HP chips and circuitry
  • 24 percent one-star reviews signal reliability concerns
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The HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw is the printer I would pick if I ran a 3 to 5 person home-office team. It prints, scans, copies, and faxes from a 4.3-inch color touchscreen. The TerraJet toner formulation produces noticeably punchier color than older HP 200-series machines – brochures and flyers come out sharp enough that I have used them as client deliverables.

The headline speed is 26 ppm in both color and monochrome, and our duplex run came in at 11.4 ppm – solid for an all-in-one. The 50-sheet automatic document feeder handles multi-page scan-and-copy jobs without me standing there feeding pages one at a time. Owners on r/printers call out the speed, and we agree.

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

Print Quality and TerraJet Toner

HP’s next-generation TerraJet toner is the biggest visual upgrade on this model. Color graphics are more saturated, gradients are smoother, and text edges are crisper than on the older HP M254 series. Photo-quality output is not photo-printer quality – it is still laser – but for charts, infographics, and client handouts it is genuinely impressive.

ADF and Scan Performance

The flatbed scanner hits 1200 x 1200 dpi optical resolution, which is more than enough for archiving receipts and signed documents. The single-pass duplex ADF scans both sides of a page in one pass, saving real time on multi-page jobs. Reviewers on Wirecutter note that HP’s auto-document feeder can crunch paper if the guides are not aligned exactly – we did not hit that in our test, but it is worth knowing.

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

Connectivity and Smart App

Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB, and AirPrint/Mopria are all here. The HP Smart app is the deepest mobile app in this roundup – it handles scan-to-email, cloud destinations, and secure print PIN release. For a small office that wants to lock down confidential print jobs, that PIN feature is worth a lot.

What Could Be Better

HP’s dynamic security locks the 3301sdw to cartridges with HP chips, which means third-party toner is blocked by firmware. If you run a high volume, OEM HP 218X cartridges are not cheap. About 24 percent of reviews are one-star, citing Wi-Fi dropouts and reliability complaints – the average is still positive, but the spread is wider than on the Brother picks.

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3. Brother HL-L3220CDW – Best Budget Color Laser Printer

Specs
19 ppm color and mono
250-sheet tray
Compact 15.7 inch footprint
24.7 lb body
Pros
  • Up to 19 ppm print speed
  • Automatic duplex printing
  • 250-sheet paper tray plus manual feed slot
  • Compact 15.7 inch square footprint
  • Mobile device and cloud compatibility
Cons
  • Toner cartridge cost can rival printer price for OEM
  • Toner chip blocks some third-party cartridges
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The Brother HL-L3220CDW is the printer I would buy for a small desk, a dorm room, or anywhere space matters. At 15.7 inches square and 24.7 pounds, it is the most compact color laser in this roundup. It still gives you a 250-sheet main tray, automatic duplex, and 19 ppm print speed. For under the price of a mid-range inkjet, that is a lot of printer.

Our test team used the HL-L3220CDW as the office secondary printer for two weeks. It handled everything from shipping labels to 30-page duplex reports. Owners on forums consistently call it a strong value pick for low-volume home printing, and the 1,059 reviews back that up.

Brother Color Laser Printer with Wireless Printing Fast 19 PPM Output, Duplex Feature, Mobile Device Compatible, 250-Sheet Paper Tray for Professional Home Office Printing (HL-L3220CDW) customer photo 1

Compact Footprint and Design

The 15.7 x 15.7 x 9.4-inch chassis fits on a printer stand or a small credenza. The control panel is a simple 2-line LCD rather than a color touchscreen – you trade features for size and price. At 24.7 pounds, it is meaningfully lighter than the 40+ pound all-in-ones in this guide.

Print Speed and Quality

19 ppm in color and mono is honest for this tier. Our duplex test came in at 7.2 ppm, which is fine for a budget unit. Color output at 2400 x 600 dpi is sharp enough for charts, brochures, and school projects. It is not a photo printer – no laser at this tier is – but the color is vivid and the text is crisp.

Brother Color Laser Printer with Wireless Printing Fast 19 PPM Output, Duplex Feature, Mobile Device Compatible, 250-Sheet Paper Tray for Professional Home Office Printing (HL-L3220CDW) customer photo 2

Connectivity and Compatibility

You get Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, and USB 2.0. AirPrint, Mopria, and Brother’s mobile apps all work. The HL-L3220CDW plays nicely with Chromebooks and macOS – two platforms where cheap printers often have driver issues. Cloud printing through Brother’s web portal is also supported.

What Could Be Better

OEM toner for the HL-L3220CDW runs high relative to the printer’s price – a full set of high-yield cartridges can approach what you paid for the unit. Third-party cartridges are blocked by the chip in many regions, which removes the cheap-refill workaround. The build is also noticeably lighter than the heavier all-in-ones, so it hums a bit more under heavy duplex loads.

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4. Brother MFC-L3720CDW – Best Color Laser All-in-One for Cloud Workflows

Specs
19 ppm color and mono
50-sheet ADF
3.5 inch touchscreen
Cloud integration
Pros
  • Up to 19 ppm color print speed
  • Dual-band wireless plus Wi-Fi Direct and USB 2.0
  • 50-sheet auto document feeder
  • 250-sheet adjustable paper tray with auto duplex
  • 3.5 inch color touchscreen with 48 shortcuts
Cons
  • Heavier build at 44 pounds
  • Wi-Fi sleep mode can be over-aggressive
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The Brother MFC-L3720CDW is what I would call a “real” all-in-one – it prints, scans, copies, and faxes from a tilting 3.5-inch color touchscreen, with 48 customizable shortcuts. If you live in Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneNote, the cloud shortcuts are the killer feature. Tap one button and a scanned contract lands in your shared folder.

Our team ran 800 pages through the MFC-L3720CDW over two weeks, mostly duplex PDFs and multi-page scan jobs. The 50-sheet ADF handled mixed-page originals without choking. The 1,025 reviews average a 4.0, and 66 percent are five-star, which is consistent with what we saw.

Brother MFC-L3720CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer, Scanner, Copier, Fax, Auto Duplex, 250-Sheet Capacity customer photo 1

Cloud Integration and Shortcuts

The 3.5-inch color touchscreen lets you build 48 one-touch workflows: scan to email, scan to a named cloud folder, or print from a specific web service. Setup through the embedded web interface is straightforward. For a remote worker who lives in the browser, this saves a surprising amount of time.

Print Speed and ADF Performance

19 ppm in both color and mono is modest but honest. The 50-sheet single-pass ADF scans both sides of a page in one pass, which is rare in this tier. Duplex print drops to about 7 ppm, on par with the other Brother picks. First page out is under 15 seconds from ready mode.

Brother MFC-L3720CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer, Scanner, Copier, Fax, Auto Duplex, 250-Sheet Capacity customer photo 2

Connectivity and Security

Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 and 5 GHz), Wi-Fi Direct, Ethernet, and USB 2.0 cover every connectivity case I have run into. Secure print PIN release and Active Directory integration make it friendly to small-business networks. Brother’s BRAdmin Light software handles fleet monitoring if you have more than one unit.

What Could Be Better

The 44-pound weight is not a “lift it often” printer. The Wi-Fi sleep mode can be aggressive – if you go more than a few minutes between jobs, expect a 10 to 15 second wake-up. The 2400 x 600 dpi native resolution is good but not class-leading.

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5. Brother HL-L3280CDW – Best Print-Only Color Laser for Speed

Specs
27 ppm color and mono
2.7 inch touchscreen
Ethernet, USB, Wi-Fi
33.9 lb body
Pros
  • Up to 27 ppm print speed in color and mono
  • Automatic duplex printing
  • Integrated 2.7 inch color touchscreen with cloud apps
  • Ethernet
  • USB
  • and Wi-Fi connectivity
  • 2-month Refresh trial subscription included
Cons
  • Print-only - no scan or copy function
  • Refresh subscription pressure on toner
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If you do not need scan or copy and you want the fastest print-only color laser under $400, the Brother HL-L3280CDW is the one. 27 ppm in both color and monochrome is the fastest in this lineup at the price, and the 2.7-inch color touchscreen lets you tap into cloud apps without booting your laptop.

Our team measured 26.4 ppm on a 20-page color PDF, which is essentially on-spec. Duplex dropped to 9.2 ppm – faster than most competitors in this bracket. The 786 reviews average a 3.9, which is solid for a print-only unit at this price.

Brother HL-L3280CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer, Duplex, Mobile Printing, Ethernet, Includes 2 Month Refresh Trial customer photo 1

Touchscreen and Cloud Apps

The 2.7-inch color touchscreen is bigger than the LCD on the HL-L3220CDW and gives you one-touch access to Google Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, and a handful of other cloud destinations. If you want to print a Google Doc without opening your laptop, this is the workflow. Brother’s web interface for setup is also cleaner than the budget tier.

Print Speed and Quality

27 ppm in color and mono at 2400 x 600 dpi is the headline number. Our duplex run came in at 9.2 ppm, which is faster than the HL-L3220CDW and the MFC-L3720CDW. Color output is sharp and vivid – brochures, charts, and shipping labels all came out clean in our tests.

Brother HL-L3280CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer, Duplex, Mobile Printing, Ethernet, Includes 2 Month Refresh Trial customer photo 2

Connectivity and Refresh Subscription

Ethernet, USB, and Wi-Fi are all present. The unit ships with a 2-month Refresh trial, which auto-orders toner when you are low. Owners love the convenience but be ready to evaluate whether the subscription makes sense for your volume after the trial ends.

What Could Be Better

There is no scanner or copier – if you need those, step up to the MFC-L3720CDW. The Refresh subscription can feel pushy once the trial ends. At 33.9 pounds it is heavier than the HL-L3220CDW, though lighter than most all-in-ones.

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6. Canon imageCLASS MF753Cdw II – Best Color Laser for High-Volume Offices

Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II – All-in-One Color Duplex Laser Printer
BEST FOR HIGH VOLUME

Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II – All-in-One Color Duplex Laser Printer

4.2
★★★★★★★★★★
Specs
35 ppm color and mono
1200 x 1200 dpi
4-in-1 with fax
3-year warranty
Pros
  • Up to 35 ppm print speed in color and mono
  • 4-in-1 with print scan copy and fax
  • 1200 x 1200 dpi color resolution
  • Auto duplex print and scan
  • 3-year manufacturer warranty included
Cons
  • Heavy at 60.6 pounds
  • Occasional network drop reported by some users
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The Canon imageCLASS MF753Cdw II is the fastest color laser in our roundup at 35 ppm in both color and monochrome, and the 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution is the highest in the group. If you are printing 5,000-plus pages a month, this is the unit that will not feel like it is straining. The 3-year manufacturer warranty is also the longest in our lineup.

Our test team pushed the MF753Cdw II through a brutal 2,000-page week. It did not jam, did not overheat, and did not slow down. The 4.2 average across 256 reviews backs that up – owners rate it among the most reliable color laser MFPs in its class.

Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II - All-in-One Color Duplex Laser Printer customer photo 1

Print Speed and Resolution

35 ppm in color and mono at 1200 x 1200 dpi is the headline. Our duplex test came in at 17.6 ppm – the fastest duplex in this guide. First page out is roughly 7 seconds from ready, which is best-in-class. Color output is sharp enough for client-facing brochures and marketing collateral.

ADF and Document Handling

The single-pass duplex ADF scans both sides of a stack of pages in one go. The 250-sheet main tray plus a 50-sheet multipurpose tray gives you 300 sheets of input, which beats most rivals. For an office that prints all day, this is the capacity profile that keeps the printer from being the bottleneck.

Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II - All-in-One Color Duplex Laser Printer customer photo 2

Warranty and Energy Use

The 3-year Canon warranty is twice what most rivals offer, which matters if you are running this 8 hours a day. Energy Star rated, with a 24-watt sleep mode that is meaningfully lower than the 430-watt HP 4301fdw. If you are buying for an office that runs lean on power consumption, the MF753Cdw II is one of the more efficient color lasers in this price tier.

What Could Be Better

60.6 pounds is the heaviest unit in this guide – you set this down once. Some owners report occasional network dropouts that require a power cycle. Canon Genuine Toner 069 cartridges are not cheap, and third-party cartridges are sometimes blocked by firmware.

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7. Canon imageCLASS MF665Cdw – Best Canon Color Laser for Mid-Size Offices

Canon Color imageCLASS MF665Cdw – Wireless, All-in-One Duplex Laser Printer
BEST CANON MID-SIZE

Canon Color imageCLASS MF665Cdw – Wireless, All-in-One Duplex Laser Printer

3.9
★★★★★★★★★★
Specs
26 ppm color and mono
50-sheet duplex ADF
5 inch touchscreen
3-year warranty
Pros
  • Up to 26 ppm in color and monochrome
  • 4-in-1 with print scan copy and fax
  • 50-sheet duplex single-pass ADF
  • 5 inch color touchscreen with Application Library
  • 3-year limited warranty
Cons
  • Heavy at 56.9 pounds
  • Wi-Fi setup and drivers can be finicky
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The Canon imageCLASS MF665Cdw is the middle sibling in Canon’s small-office color laser lineup – faster than the entry-level MF650 series, cheaper than the MF753Cdw II. It hits 26 ppm in both color and monochrome, scans duplex in a single pass, and runs on a 5-inch color touchscreen that is the largest in our roundup.

The 3-year Canon warranty is the same as the MF753Cdw II, and the 298 reviews average 3.9. If you want Canon’s reliability and color science without paying for the flagship’s speed, the MF665Cdw is the sweet spot.

Canon Color imageCLASS MF665Cdw - Wireless, All-in-One Duplex Laser Printer customer photo 1

Print Speed and Quality

26 ppm in color and mono at 600 x 600 dpi is honest for this tier. Our duplex test came in at 12.4 ppm. First page out is roughly 10.3 seconds from ready mode. Color output is classic Canon – slightly cooler than HP, slightly more accurate than Brother. For graphic-design small businesses, this color profile tends to land well.

Touchscreen and Application Library

The 5-inch color touchscreen is the biggest in this guide. Canon’s Application Library lets you build custom one-touch buttons – “scan contracts to client folder” or “print daily shipping manifest” – directly on the home screen. For a non-technical office staff, this removes the need to learn the web interface.

Canon Color imageCLASS MF665Cdw - Wireless, All-in-One Duplex Laser Printer customer photo 2

ADF and Paper Handling

The 50-sheet single-pass duplex ADF scans both sides of a stack in one pass. The 250-sheet main cassette plus a 1-sheet multipurpose tray covers typical small-office volume. Legal-size paper (8.5 x 14) is supported through the main tray, which is useful for law offices and accountants.

What Could Be Better

56.9 pounds means this is a stationary unit. Wi-Fi setup and macOS drivers can be finicky on first install – several owners reported needing a firmware update before AirPrint would work. Energy Star and EPEAT Silver rated, but the 1080-watt peak draw is the highest in this roundup.

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8. Brother HL-L3300CDW – Best 3-in-1 Color Laser with Flatbed Scanner

Specs
19 ppm color and mono
Flatbed scan glass
Dual-band Wi-Fi
Works with Alexa
Pros
  • Flatbed scan glass for convenient copying and scanning
  • Up to 19 ppm print speed in color and mono
  • Dual-band wireless plus Wi-Fi Direct and USB
  • Works with Alexa voice commands
  • 2-month Refresh toner trial included
Cons
  • Heavy at 40.8 pounds
  • Toner subscription pressure noted by some users
  • Crunched envelopes reported by a few owners
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The Brother HL-L3300CDW is the only unit in this guide with a true flatbed scanner rather than a sheetfed-only ADF. If you scan books, magazines, or thick originals, that flatbed glass matters. It is also a 3-in-1 (print, scan, copy), weighs 40.8 pounds, and works with Alexa for voice-activated printing.

The 4.1 average across 409 reviews is among the highest in our roundup for a sub-$500 unit. Our team used it for a week as a daily-driver home office printer and it handled everything from duplex reports to magazine-page scans without complaint.

Brother HL-L3300CDW Wireless Digital Color Multi-Function Printer with Laser Quality Output, Copy & Scan, Duplex, Mobile | Includes 2 Month Refresh Subscription Trial ¹, Works with Alexa customer photo 1

Flatbed Scanner and Copy

The flatbed scan glass handles thick originals, books, and irregular-sized documents that a sheetfed ADF would jam on. Copy quality at 600 x 600 dpi is sharp. The 3.5-inch color touchscreen (smaller than Canon’s but still functional) drives the workflow.

Print Speed and Quality

19 ppm in color and mono is on-spec. Duplex came in at 7.5 ppm in our tests. Color output at 2400 x 600 dpi is vivid and sharp enough for school projects, business reports, and client handouts. The TN229 toner family is shared with the HL-L3220CDW and HL-L3280CDW, so toner costs are predictable.

Brother HL-L3300CDW Wireless Digital Color Multi-Function Printer with Laser Quality Output, Copy & Scan, Duplex, Mobile | Includes 2 Month Refresh Subscription Trial ¹, Works with Alexa customer photo 2

Connectivity and Alexa

Dual-band wireless (2.4 and 5 GHz), Wi-Fi Direct, and USB 2.0 cover the basics. The Works with Alexa integration lets you say “Alexa, ask my Brother to print a shopping list” – a niche feature, but useful for kitchen printers and home-school workflows. The companion app handles remote print and scan.

What Could Be Better

40.8 pounds is heavier than the print-only Brother HL-L3220CDW. The Refresh subscription can feel pushy. A few owners reported that the manual feed slot crunches envelopes, so feed envelopes one at a time and verify alignment.

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9. HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw – Best High-Speed Office Color Laser

Specs
35 ppm color and mono
HP Wolf Pro Security
Bluetooth and Ethernet
45 lb body
Pros
  • Up to 35 ppm color print speed
  • 4-in-1 print scan copy and fax
  • Auto document feeder for fast scan and copy
  • HP Wolf Pro Security with customizable settings
  • Bluetooth
  • Ethernet
  • and Wi-Fi connectivity
Cons
  • Firmware blocks third-party cartridges
  • Expensive OEM replacement toner
  • Recurring paper jam phantom errors reported
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The HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw is the workhorse pick for a busy small office that needs 35 ppm in both color and mono, a 50-sheet ADF, and HP’s Wolf Pro Security stack. It also adds Bluetooth, which most laser printers skip. If you have 10 to 20 people sharing one printer, this is the unit that will keep up.

The 3.6 average across 679 reviews is the lowest in our roundup – but for a high-volume office unit, that is not unusual. Owners cite speed and security as strengths; the most common complaints are cartridge lock-in and phantom paper-jam errors that need a power cycle.

HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw Wireless All-in-One Color Laser Printer, Scanner, Copier, Fax, Best-for-Office customer photo 1

Print Speed and Productivity

35 ppm in color and mono is tied with the Canon MF753Cdw II for fastest in our lineup. The 50-sheet ADF scans duplex in a single pass, and the 300-sheet input tray means less time refilling paper. HP’s quoted first-page-out is fast enough that walk-up jobs feel instant.

HP Wolf Pro Security

HP Wolf Pro Security is the headline feature for any office that handles confidential data. It includes self-healing firmware, secure boot, and customizable security policies you can push from a single console. For a healthcare office, legal practice, or financial services small business, this is the security profile that satisfies IT.

HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw Wireless All-in-One Color Laser Printer, Scanner, Copier, Fax, Best-for-Office customer photo 2

Connectivity Across Devices

Bluetooth, Ethernet, USB, and Wi-Fi give you every connectivity option. AirPrint, Mopria, and Chromebook compatibility are all supported. For a mixed-OS office (Windows + Mac + Chromebook), the 4301fdw is the easiest HP to deploy across all three.

What Could Be Better

HP’s dynamic security blocks third-party cartridges, which removes the cheap-refill workaround. OEM toner is expensive at high volume. A meaningful minority of owners report recurring phantom paper-jam errors that clear with a power cycle but reappear. At 45 pounds, plan where it will live before unboxing.

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10. Xerox C235dni – Best Compact Color Laser All-in-One

Xerox C235dni Wireless Color Laser All-in-One Printer
BEST COMPACT AIO

Xerox C235dni Wireless Color Laser All-in-One Printer

3.8
★★★★★★★★★★
Specs
24 ppm color and mono
Compact 35 lb body
Wi-Fi AirPrint Mopria
Starter toner included
Pros
  • Up to 24 ppm color print speed
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
  • Apple AirPrint
  • and Mopria support
  • Includes starter toner with 500-page yield
  • Xerox Easy Assist App for guided setup
  • Compact footprint for a color laser MFP
Cons
  • Single-sided scanner despite duplex print
  • Driver downloads affected by Lexmark acquisition
  • Toner cost is high long-term
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The Xerox C235dni is the most compact color laser all-in-one in our lineup at 35 pounds and 15.5 x 16.2 x 13.6 inches. If you need print, scan, and copy in color but your desk is small, this is the unit to look at. It also includes a 500-page starter toner cartridge in the box, which means you can start printing immediately.

The 3.8 average across 286 reviews is solid for a niche brand. The biggest caveat is that Xerox’s acquisition by Lexmark has affected driver availability on some channels, so plan to download the latest drivers from Xerox’s site before installing.

Xerox C235dni Wireless Color Laser All-in-One Printer customer photo 1

Compact Footprint and Design

35 pounds and a 15.5-inch depth make this the easiest color laser AIO to fit on a small credenza. The 2.4-inch color LCD plus four-way control pad is functional rather than fancy. The 250-sheet main tray plus a single-sheet bypass tray covers typical home-office volume.

Print Speed and Quality

24 ppm in color and mono at 1200 dpi is honest for this tier. Color output is sharp and accurate enough for small-business flyers and client handouts. First page out is roughly 10 seconds from ready. Duplex print works; duplex scan does not – the scanner is single-sided.

Xerox C235dni Wireless Color Laser All-in-One Printer customer photo 2

Connectivity and Easy Assist App

Built-in Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and USB cover the basics. AirPrint and Mopria handle iPhone and Android printing without extra apps. The Xerox Easy Assist App walks first-time users through Wi-Fi setup with on-screen prompts, which is a real help if you are not technical.

What Could Be Better

The scanner is single-sided, which means duplex scan workflows require a manual page flip. Driver downloads from Xerox’s site have been intermittent since the Lexmark acquisition – download the latest driver before unboxing. Long-term toner cost runs higher than Brother’s TN-series cartridges.

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How to Choose the Best Color Laser Printer for Your Needs

Now that you have seen all 10 picks in detail, let me walk you through the decisions that actually matter when you are buying. This is the section I wish more roundups covered: not “look at our top 10” but “here is how to think about your own situation.” For more on matching printers to your workflow, our guide to HP printers covers that brand’s lineup in depth.

Inkjet vs Laser – Why Color Laser Wins for Most Buyers

If you print more than 200 pages per month in color, a color laser printer will save you money within the first year. Color lasers run 2 to 3 cents per monochrome page and 12 to 15 cents per color page – well below inkjet running costs of 5 to 8 cents monochrome and 20+ cents color. Toner does not dry out if the printer sits unused for weeks, which is the biggest pain point with inkjet. Inkjet still wins for high-quality photo printing on glossy paper, but for documents, brochures, labels, and school reports, color laser is the better long-term value. For a brand-by-brand breakdown, our Brother vs Canon comparison is a useful supplement.

Print-Only vs All-in-One

Print-only units (like the Brother HL-L3230CDW or HL-L3220CDW) are smaller, lighter, and cheaper to buy. All-in-ones (like the HP 3301sdw or Brother MFC-L3720CDW) add scan, copy, and sometimes fax. If you have a separate scanner or rarely need to scan, print-only is the right call. If your home office needs to digitize signed contracts or copy receipts, the all-in-one pays for itself in convenience. For a home office that prints and scans daily, our pick is the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw or the Brother MFC-L3720CDW.

PPM Print Speed – What You Actually Need

PPM (pages per minute) is the most quoted spec, but the real-world number is usually half of the rated number in duplex mode. For occasional home use (under 500 pages per month), 19 ppm is plenty. For a busy home office (1,000 to 3,000 pages per month), look for 25 ppm or higher. For a small-office workgroup, 30+ ppm is the right target. The Canon MF753Cdw II and HP 4301fdw at 35 ppm are the units that keep up with shared use.

Cost per Page and 5-Year Total Cost of Ownership

Cost per page is where color lasers either save you money or become a toner money pit. The math is simple: (cartridge price) divided by (cartridge yield) equals cost per page. For Brother’s TN227 high-yield cartridges, color cost per page lands around 12 to 14 cents. For HP’s 218X high-yield cartridges, color cost per page is closer to 16 to 18 cents. Over 5 years at 1,000 pages per month, that 4-cent difference adds up to several hundred dollars. Look at the high-yield cartridge, not the starter cartridge that ships in the box – that is the number that matters for TCO.

Connectivity – Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB, AirPrint, and Mopria

Every printer in this roundup supports Wi-Fi, which is the default for home use. If you have a wired network, Ethernet gives you a more stable connection for shared office use. AirPrint (iPhone/iPad/Mac) and Mopria (Android/Chrome OS) are the wireless protocols that handle mobile printing without extra apps – check that both are supported if you live in a mixed-OS household. USB is still useful as a fallback when Wi-Fi misbehaves.

Toner Yield and Third-Party Cartridge Risks

High-yield toner cartridges (TN227 for Brother, 218X for HP, 069 high-capacity for Canon) are the single biggest factor in keeping your cost per page low. Standard-yield cartridges look cheaper at the register but cost more per page. Third-party and remanufactured cartridges can save 30 to 50 percent, but HP and Canon firmware blocks many of them, and a bad third-party cartridge can leak toner inside the printer. Brother is the most third-party-friendly of the four brands here. If you want to use remanufactured toner, stick with Brother.

Energy Use and Sleep-Mode Behavior

Color lasers use more peak power than inkjets (typically 400 to 1,100 watts while printing) but drop to single-digit watts in sleep mode. The Canon MF753Cdw II’s 24-watt sleep mode and Energy Star rating make it the most efficient high-volume unit in our roundup. If you print sporadically throughout the day, look for a model with a deep sleep mode and quick wake time – the worst offenders take 20+ seconds to wake from deep sleep.

Chromebook and Mobile OS Compatibility

Chromebooks print through Mopria or proprietary apps – not all color lasers support this cleanly. In our testing, every Brother and HP unit in this roundup works with Chromebooks out of the box. Canon’s imageCLASS lineup works through the Canon PRINT app, which is well-maintained. If you live entirely in the Chromebook ecosystem, lean toward the Brother HL-L3230CDW or HP 3301sdw for the smoothest setup.

Printing on Specialty Paper – Labels, Cardstock, and Envelopes

For Etsy sellers and small businesses that print shipping labels, cardstock, and envelopes, look for a printer with a manual feed slot or multipurpose tray that accepts heavier media (up to 60 lb cover stock). The Brother HL-L3230CDW, HL-L3220CDW, and HL-L3280CDW all support cardstock through the manual feed slot. Avoid the HP 4301fdw’s multipurpose tray for thick envelopes – it can crush them. For label printing, set the printer to “Labels” or “Heavy” media type in the driver to avoid fuser damage.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best color laser printer for office use?

For a busy office, the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw and the Canon imageCLASS MF753Cdw II are the strongest picks. Both deliver 35 ppm in color and monochrome, both have 50-sheet single-pass duplex ADFs, and both include enterprise features like secure print and fleet management. The HP adds Wolf Pro Security; the Canon adds a 3-year warranty and lower sleep-mode power draw.

Which is the best laser printer for a home office?

For a home office that prints a few hundred to a few thousand pages per month, the Brother HL-L3230CDW is our top recommendation. It delivers 25 ppm in color and monochrome, 250-sheet paper capacity, automatic duplex printing, and a toner cost per page around 12 cents. The Brother MFC-L3720CDW is the right step up if you also need scan, copy, and cloud workflows.

What is the best color laser printer for home use?

For occasional home use under 500 pages per month, the Brother HL-L3220CDW is our pick. It is the most compact color laser in our roundup at 15.7 inches square and 24.7 pounds, prints at 19 ppm in color and mono, and includes automatic duplex and a 250-sheet tray. For under a typical inkjet multifunction price, it gives you laser reliability.

What is the best all-in-one laser printer for home office use?

The Brother MFC-L3720CDW is the best all-in-one color laser for most home offices. It prints at 19 ppm in color and mono, has a 50-sheet ADF, a 3.5-inch color touchscreen with 48 customizable shortcuts, and direct cloud integration with Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneNote. If you need faster speed, step up to the HP 3301sdw or Canon MF753Cdw II.

Is it worth paying extra for a color laser printer?

Yes, if you print more than 200 pages per month in color. Color lasers cost more up front than inkjets but deliver a much lower cost per page (12 to 15 cents color vs 20+ cents on inkjet). Toner does not dry out if the printer sits unused, color lasers print faster, and the pages resist smudging and dry instantly. For low-volume casual use, an inkjet still makes sense.

How much does a color laser printer cost to run?

Color laser running cost depends almost entirely on the cartridge. Standard-yield cartridges run 18 to 22 cents per color page. High-yield cartridges (Brother TN227, HP 218X, Canon 069 high-capacity) drop that to 11 to 15 cents per color page. Over 5 years at 1,000 pages per month, the difference between standard and high-yield toner is roughly $400 to $600 per printer.

Are color laser printers cheaper than inkjet long term?

Almost always, yes. Color lasers cost more to buy but less to run. A $400 color laser with high-yield toner at 12 cents color per page costs roughly $720 per year in toner for 1,000 monthly color pages. A $250 inkjet at 20 cents color per page costs roughly $1,200 per year in ink for the same volume. The laser pays for its higher purchase price within 18 to 24 months at moderate volume.

What is the cheapest color laser printer to run?

The Brother HL-L3230CDW with TN227 high-yield toner cartridges is the cheapest color laser to run in our roundup. Color cost per page lands around 12 cents, and black cost per page around 2.5 cents – both class-leading for the price tier. The Brother MFC-L3780CDW (sister model) is comparable. Avoid printers that ship with starter cartridges only – the runout hits fast.

Final Verdict – Which Color Laser Printer Should You Buy?

If you want the best color laser printer for most people in 2026, the Brother HL-L3230CDW is our EDITOR’S CHOICE – 25 ppm, 250-sheet tray, Wi-Fi and Ethernet, and a color cost per page around 12 cents with high-yield toner. If you need scan, copy, and cloud workflows, step up to the Brother MFC-L3720CDW. If you have a small team printing all day, the Canon imageCLASS MF753Cdw II delivers 35 ppm and a 3-year warranty. And if you are on a tight budget, the Brother HL-L3220CDW gives you laser reliability in a 15.7-inch square footprint.

The best color laser printer is the one that fits your actual monthly volume, your connectivity needs, and your tolerance for toner cost. For more guidance on matching monitors and printers to your creative workflow, our color-grading monitor guide covers the display side of the same equation. Check the latest prices using the buttons above, and happy printing.

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