10 Best Color Laser Printers for Small Offices (October 2026) Honest Reviews
If you want one clear answer, the Brother MFC-L3720CDW is the best color laser printer for a small office right now. It prints, scans, copies and faxes, runs at 19 ppm in color, and it is the machine most teams of two to five people should actually buy. Every pick below is color-verified, so you will not find a monochrome unit smuggled into this list the way several competing roundups do.
I have spent the last several weeks reading owner reports, spec sheets and complaint threads on all ten of the machines in this guide, then cross-checking the numbers against the manufacturer specifications. That process surfaced one consistent pattern: the buying decision for a small office comes down to three things, and none of them are the sticker on the box. Those three things are monthly page volume, whether you genuinely need a scanner, and what the printer will let you do the first time a cartridge runs low.
The best color laser printers for small offices fall into very different price bands, so the right pick for a two-person accounting practice is not the right pick for a ten-person design studio. This guide covers print-only units and all-in-one multifunction machines, quiet home offices and busy shared workrooms, and it flags the models whose owners report lockouts, jams and network dropouts so you can decide before you buy rather than after.
Our Top 3 Color Laser Printers for Small Offices (October 2026)
Three machines stand out above the rest. The Brother MFC-L3720CDW takes the top slot for most small teams, the Canon imageCLASS LBP632Cdw wins on value and print quality per dollar, and the Brother MFC-L3780CDW handles burst work better than anything else in this group.
Brother MFC-L3720CDW
- 19 ppm color and black
- Print scan copy and fax
- 50-sheet ADF
- 250-sheet tray
- 3.5-inch color touchscreen
Canon imageCLASS LBP632Cdw
- 22 ppm color and black
- Print-only design
- Automatic duplex
- 1200 x 1200 dpi
- ENERGY STAR and EPEAT Silver
Brother MFC-L3780CDW
- 31 ppm color and black
- Single-pass duplex scan
- 29 and 22 ipm scanning
- Dual-band Wi-Fi and NFC
- 250-sheet tray
Comparing the Best Color Laser Printers for Small Offices in 2026
Here is the full lineup side by side. Speed, function type, tray capacity and paper handling are the four numbers that actually change day-to-day experience in a small office.
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Brother MFC-L3720CDW |
|
Check Latest Price |
| Canon imageCLASS LBP632Cdw |
|
Check Latest Price |
| Brother MFC-L3780CDW |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Brother HL-L3280CDW |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Xerox C235dni |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Canon imageCLASS MF652Cw |
|
Check Latest Price |
 HP LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw |
|
Check Latest Price |
 HP Color LaserJet Pro 3201dw |
|
Check Latest Price |
 HP LaserJet Pro MFP 3301fdw |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Canon imageCLASS MF662Cdw |
|
Check Latest Price |
1. Brother MFC-L3720CDW – Best All-in-One for 2 to 5 Person Teams
Brother MFC-L3720CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer, Scanner, Copier, Fax, Auto Duplex, 250-Sheet Capacity
- Print scan copy and fax in one 44-pound unit
- Automatic duplex with a 50-sheet document feeder
- Dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi plus Wi-Fi Direct
- 3.5-inch color touchscreen with 48 customizable shortcuts
- Sharp text and no inkjet clogs reported by owners
- Laser color is not aimed at photo-quality output
- 250-sheet tray is modest for busy teams
- Toner cost climbs sharply above roughly 1000 pages a month
This is the machine I keep coming back to for the classic small office scenario. Owners describe exactly what you would hope for: sharp output, quick startup, painless wireless setup, and a single box that replaces a separate printer, scanner, copier and fax machine on the desk. Reviewers consistently note that the machine simply works for documents, PDFs and spreadsheets day after day.
The 19 ppm figure is genuinely adequate for a team printing invoices, proposals and internal reports. It is not adequate if three people all hit print at once after a client meeting, and I want to be upfront about that. If your volume is closer to a few thousand pages a month, step up to the Brother MFC-L3780CDW further down this list.
Print, Scan, Copy and Fax in a 44-Pound Desktop Box
The scanner is a flatbed paired with a 50-sheet sheetfed feeder, which covers the two jobs small offices actually need: signing a document at the desk, and batching a stack of invoices into a single multi-page file. The feeder is single-sided in use, so two-sided originals have to be flipped or scanned twice.
At 44 pounds and 16.1 by 17.5 by 15.8 inches, this is a real piece of office furniture rather than a desktop accessory. Plan counter space before the box arrives, and get a second person for the lift out of the carton.
19 ppm Speed and a 3.5-Inch Touchscreen With 48 Shortcuts
First page out in under 15 seconds, which matters more than raw speed for the person standing at the machine waiting for a single contract. The 3.5-inch color touchscreen is one of the better panels at this level, and the 48 customizable shortcuts let you pin scan-to-email, scan-to-folder and cloud destinations to one tap.
Output resolution is 2400 x 600 dpi, and copy resolution is 600 x 600 dpi. That is plenty for text-heavy work and simple graphics, which is where a color laser earns its keep in an office. It will not produce the kind of output a dedicated photo inkjet makes.
TN229 Toner Economics and the 250-Sheet Tray
Toner runs on the TN229 family, with TN229XL high-yield options and a DR229CL drum unit, and the Brother mobile app tracks levels from your phone. The 250-sheet tray is standard for this class, and it is the first thing that becomes annoying once you pass roughly 500 pages a month.
Paper handling covers letter, legal at 8.5 x 14 inches, envelopes, labels, card stock and plain stock, so the machine handles the media mix most offices throw at it. A single 250-sheet tray is the limit, and busy teams should budget for regular refills rather than pretending otherwise.
Who This Machine Suits and Who Should Skip It
Buy it if you have two to five people, you need fax or a document feeder, and your monthly volume sits under about 600 pages. It is the most complete path to a full office print station, and the touchscreen shortcuts genuinely reduce daily friction for a receptionist.
Skip it if you routinely print more than a few thousand pages a month, or if color photos are part of your work. Those buyers should look at the faster Brother MFC-L3780CDW or the Canon imageCLASS MF662Cdw with its larger touchscreen.
2. Canon imageCLASS LBP632Cdw – Best Print-Only Value With a 1200 x 1200 dpi Engine
- 22 ppm with a 10.3 second first page
- Automatic two-sided printing as standard
- Sharp 1200 x 1200 dpi print and copy resolution
- 250-sheet cassette plus multipurpose tray
- ENERGY STAR and EPEAT Silver certified
- Print-only with no scanner copier or fax
- Dated low-quality LCD panel
- Noticeably louder than an inkjet
- Heavy and bulky for a home office
This Canon is the value pick in the truest sense. Reviewers consistently praise print speed, sharp color and text output, reliable automatic duplexing and simple physical setup. It is also one of only three machines here carrying both ENERGY STAR and EPEAT Silver certification, which matters if your company reports on energy use.
Choosing a print-only unit is a deliberate bet. It means giving up scanning, copying and faxing, and in exchange you get more speed, a higher print resolution and a smaller financial commitment over three years. For an office that prints a lot and scans almost nothing, the arithmetic works.
Why a Print-Only Canon Still Wins on Paper Handling
Two trays, a 250-sheet standard cassette and a multipurpose feed slot, plus automatic duplex as standard rather than an upgrade. Maximum media size is 8.5 x 14 inches, so legal-size documents print without a manual workaround.
At 35.3 pounds and 17 inches wide, it is not a small machine. Print-only does not mean lightweight, and the physical footprint is comparable to the multifunction units on this list.
22 ppm, a 10.3-Second First Page and Automatic Duplex
That 10.3-second first page is the fastest figure in the roundup, matched by the Canon MF652Cw and the Canon MF662Cdw. In an office where someone walks up and prints a single page several times a day, that saved half minute adds up faster than the 19 ppm on our top pick does.
Print and copy resolution both reach 1200 x 1200 dpi, the highest figure in this guide, matched only by the Canon imageCLASS MF652Cw. Owners and reviewers alike describe the color as sharp and professional, and the resolution ceiling is the main reason this machine edges out cheaper rivals on graphics-heavy documents.
Canon 067 Toner, ENERGY STAR and EPEAT Silver
The machine runs on Canon Toner 067 and the 067 high-capacity cartridge. The high-capacity option is the one to specify if your volume runs past a few hundred pages a month, because the standard cartridge runs out faster than you expect in a shared machine.
Connectivity covers Wi-Fi, Ethernet and app control, with a plain LCD rather than a touchscreen. Some users report difficulty connecting to certain Wi-Fi networks, and Chromebook compatibility does not always work natively without a cloud-print workaround. Canon mobile apps also draw broad permissions and are widely considered clunky.
Who This Machine Suits and Who Should Skip It
Buy it if your office prints a great deal and scans very little, and you want sharper color than the entry-level machines deliver. It is also a reasonable solo-practitioner pick where fax is a thing of the past.
Skip it if anyone in the building needs to scan a document or send a fax at the front desk. There is no workaround for a missing scanner, and the LCD panel and loud mechanical operation both make it a less pleasant desk companion than the Brother alternatives.
3. Brother MFC-L3780CDW – Best for Teams That Print in Bursts
- Fastest throughput in the guide at 31 ppm
- Single-pass duplex copy and scan saves time on two-sided work
- Scan speeds up to 29 and 22 ipm
- Crisp text output with no inkjet clogs
- Dual-band Wi-Fi Gigabit Ethernet NFC and Wi-Fi Direct
- Some owners report DRUM errors and locked toner after a jam
- Color drums can warn empty on monochrome-only machines
- Brother Refresh subscription support frustrates some users
- Mac software still relies on Rosetta translation
- Duplex jams on heavier paper stock
This is the fastest machine in the group, and for a team that prints in bursts after client meetings it is the right tool. Most buyers rate it as a dependable, quick all-in-one that simply works for documents, PDFs and spreadsheets, with a marked improvement over the inkjet they replaced.
It also carries the most complete network hardware here: dual-band wireless on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz, Gigabit Ethernet, NFC, USB 2.0 and Wi-Fi Direct. That matters more in 2026 than it used to, because offices are full of 5GHz-only access points and crowded 2.4GHz bands.
31 ppm Throughput and 29/22 ipm Scanning
That 31 ppm figure is roughly 60 percent more throughput than the machine most small offices buy first, and it is the difference between finishing a 200-page proposal on time and watching the queue grow. First page out takes under 12.5 seconds.
Scanning runs up to 29 images per minute in black and 22 in color. Print resolution is 2400 x 600 dpi, and the maximum copy run is 250 copies, which covers long-run document reproduction without splitting the job.
Single-Pass Duplex Scan: The Feature That Saves Real Hours
Single-pass duplex copy and scan means a double-sided original goes through the feeder once, not twice. On a stack of signed contracts or a set of two-sided invoices, that halves the handling time and removes the most common source of feeder errors.
This is the most valuable spec on the machine for a document-heavy office, and it is the reason a law office or a real-estate team would choose it over the alternatives here. Automatic duplex printing is standard, and the flatbed plus 50-sheet sheetfed scanner covers both desk jobs and batch jobs.
Networking Depth: Dual-Band Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet and NFC
The connection list is the deepest in this guide. You get wireless, Gigabit Ethernet, USB 2.0, NFC for badge tap-to-print, and Wi-Fi Direct for guests who should not be on the office network.
Maximum media size is 8.5 x 14 inches, and supported media includes card stock, envelopes, glossy photo paper, labels and plain paper. Two trays give you 250 sheets of main stock plus a secondary source for envelopes and heavier media.
The DRUM and Toner-Lockout Complaints Owners Report
No list at this level is clean, and this machine has a specific complaint worth naming. A minority of owners report persistent DRUM errors and locked toner cartridges after a paper jam, and some report color drum warnings appearing on machines that only ever print black and white.
That behavior is the loudest thread across Brother owner reports in this category. It does not affect most machines, but if you have ever had a printer stop with pages still in the tray, understand that the fix is usually a cartridge change rather than a service call. Control on this machine runs through the app, touch panel and voice.
Two more practical notes. Mac software still runs through Rosetta translation on Apple silicon, which is a mild annoyance rather than a blocker. And the machine can jam when duplexing heavier paper stock, so if your office regularly runs heavier card, test a small job first.
Who This Machine Suits and Who Should Skip It
Buy it if your team is five to ten people, your volume runs into the low thousands of pages a month, and you handle two-sided documents regularly. The single-pass duplex scanner alone justifies the step up for a legal, medical or real-estate office.
Skip it if you are a two-person shop that mostly prints invoices. You will pay for speed and scanning capability you never use, and the toner drum complaints are more likely to surface the harder you print.
4. Brother HL-L3280CDW – Best Compact Print-Only Unit
Brother HL-L3280CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer, Duplex, Mobile Printing, Ethernet, Includes 2 Month Refresh Trial
- Compact footprint for a full color laser
- 27 ppm with a first page in under 13.5 seconds
- 250-sheet tray handles legal-size paper
- 2.7-inch touchscreen with cloud printing shortcuts
- Wi-Fi Ethernet and USB in one box
- Print-only with no scan copy or fax
- Single input tray limits paper flexibility
- Not intended for photo-quality color output
Counter space is the binding constraint in many small offices, and this is the machine to buy when that is the case. It measures 15.7 by 10.8 by 15.7 inches and weighs 33.9 pounds, making it the narrowest unit in this guide, and it still delivers 27 ppm with automatic duplexing.
Buyers highlight consistent laser-quality color and text, straightforward wireless setup and useful automatic duplexing at a compact size. Limitations commonly noted are the lack of scanning or copying and the single-tray paper handling, and both are real.
The Narrowest Footprint That Still Does 27 ppm and Duplex
Twenty-seven pages per minute in color and black and white, with a first page in under 13.5 seconds. Maximum print resolution is 2400 x 600 dpi, which is the same engine family as our top pick, just in a smaller chassis.
The 250-sheet tray handles letter, legal at 8.5 x 14 inches, envelopes, labels, card stock and glossy photo paper. That is a broad media range for a single-tray machine, and it is a genuine advantage over units that only take plain paper.
2.7-Inch Touchscreen and Cloud Print Shortcuts
The 2.7-inch touchscreen is smaller than the panel on the MFC models, but it does the important things: status, settings, and one-tap cloud printing from Google Drive, Dropbox and EverNote. A two-month Brother Refresh toner trial is included with the machine.
Connectivity covers Wi-Fi, Ethernet and USB 2.0, and the machine is controlled through the Brother mobile app, touch and voice. Power consumption is listed at 70 watts, the lowest power draw published for the machines in this guide, which matters if the machine sits in a small closed room.
TN229 Running Costs and the Single-Tray Limit
Toner uses the same TN229BK, TN229M, TN229C and TN229Y cartridges as the larger Brother machines, with TN229XL high-yield options and a DR229CL drum. If you already run Brother equipment, this machine shares your existing cartridge stock, which is a quiet operational win.
The one-tray layout is the tradeoff. You get no second paper source, so envelopes and card stock have to go through the same 250-sheet tray or a manual feed slot. For a small office that prints almost exclusively on plain letter paper, that is a non-issue.
Who This Machine Suits and Who Should Skip It
Buy it if your office is tight on space, you need color and duplex printing, and nobody in the building needs to scan or fax. It is also a sensible second machine in a back office where footprint beats features.
Skip it if a receptionist needs to copy a document. There is no scanner, no copier and no fax, and adding a separate scanning device later erases the space savings that made this machine attractive.
5. Xerox C235dni – Best Low-Running-Cost All-in-One for Under 1,500 Pages a Month
- Print scan and copy with automatic duplex in one unit
- 24 ppm suits small workgroup volumes
- 500-yield starter toner plus high-yield cartridge options
- Built-in Wi-Fi with Apple AirPrint and Mopria
- Xerox Easy Assist app guides multi-device setup
- Sheetfed-only scanner with no flatbed and no fax
- Modest 600 dpi black and white resolution
- Guided app setup expects a 2.4 GHz network
This Xerox is unusual in publishing a ceiling on how much you should print from it: up to 1,500 pages a month. Owners cite sharp text and vibrant color graphics, straightforward guided setup, and low ongoing toner cost for a small office working inside that range.
Knowing the ceiling before you buy is valuable. Very few manufacturers state a recommended monthly volume on the spec sheet, and when they do, it makes it far easier to judge whether a machine will last you three years or eighteen months.
A Stated 1,500-Page-Month Ceiling and What It Means
Below 1,500 pages a month, the running cost picture is genuinely favorable. The box includes starter toners rated at 500-page yield, and high-yield cartridges are supported, so you are not forced into standard-yield replacements if your volume climbs.
Above that ceiling, you are pushing the machine past its design point and the economics stop flattering. The two Brother MFC models and the Canon imageCLASS MF662Cdw are the ones to move up to when volume rises.
24 ppm With a 250-Sheet Tray on Both Sides
Twenty-four pages per minute in color and black, automatic duplex, a 250-sheet input tray and a 250-sheet output tray. Maximum media size is 8.5 x 14 inches, and the color LCD panel is a step up from the bare LCD on the Canon LBP632Cdw.
Resolution is 600 dpi for black and white and 1200 dpi for color. That split is unusual, and it means text documents look fine while color graphics get more detail than the HP machines in this roundup manage.
The Sheetfed-Only Scanner Is the Big Compromise
There is no flatbed. The scanner is sheetfed only, which means you cannot copy a single sheet, a page from a book, an ID card or anything else that has to lie flat. That limitation rules out several common office tasks outright.
There is also no fax. The guided app setup flow expects a 2.4 GHz network, and the Xerox Easy Assist app is genuinely helpful for getting several devices printing once the machine is on the network. Apple AirPrint and Mopria are supported, so phone printing is straightforward.
Who This Machine Suits and Who Should Skip It
Buy it if your office runs under 1,500 pages a month, prints and copies from a document feeder, and nobody sends or receives faxes. At 35 pounds it is one of the more manageable units in this group to install on a counter.
Skip it if you need flatbed copying for passports, receipts or single sheets, or if a walk-up user might walk away empty-handed when a copy fails. Both are common enough in a front office that the sheetfed-only design becomes a daily irritation.
6. Canon Color imageCLASS MF652Cw – Highest-Rated Pick With a 3-Year Warranty
Canon Color imageCLASS MF652Cw – Wireless Laser Printer, Multifunction with Scanner, Copier, Mobile Ready, 3 Year Limited Warranty, 22 PPM Color, White
- Sharp vibrant color and excellent black output
- Reliable scanner and copier with an easy touchscreen
- Long-lasting Canon 067 toner cartridges
- Three-year limited warranty with ENERGY STAR and EPEAT Silver
- Manual two-sided printing only
- Online-only web admin console requires internet access
- Sleep and wake issues with some mesh Wi-Fi systems
- Only a 251-sheet tray with no second paper source
This Canon carries the highest average rating of the ten machines here, and the reason is straightforward: it does the basics well and comes with a three-year limited warranty. Owners describe it as a dependable, no-fuss color laser with great print and scan quality, easy wireless setup and long-lasting toner.
There is one specification that has to be read carefully before you buy, and I want to lead with it rather than bury it in the pros.
The Manual Duplex Decision: Read This Before Buying
Duplex is listed as simplex, meaning manual two-sided printing. You flip the stack and reinsert it by hand for every double-sided document. In an office that prints two-sided contracts routinely, that is a real workflow cost that the star rating does not capture.
Several competing roundups list this machine without flagging the manual duplex limitation. If your documents are single-sided, the rating makes sense. If they are not, choose one of the Brother or HP machines with automatic duplex instead.
1200 x 1200 dpi Color and a 10.3-Second First Page
Print and copy resolution both reach 1200 x 1200 dpi, matching the highest in this guide. First page out in 10.3 seconds is among the fastest figures here, and owners and reviewers alike describe the color as vibrant with sharp black-and-white output.
Print speed is 22 pages per minute in both color and black. Maximum media size is 8.5 x 14 inches, and glossy photo paper is listed as supported media, though color laser output is still not photo-printer quality.
Three-Year Warranty, ENERGY STAR and EPEAT Silver
The three-year limited manufacturer warranty is the longest in this roundup, matched only by the Canon imageCLASS MF662Cdw. Every Brother and HP machine listed here carries a one-year limited warranty, so on a three-year ownership horizon this Canon has the strongest coverage of the group.
It also carries ENERGY STAR certification and EPEAT Silver, and the package includes Canon Genuine Toner 067 and the 067 high-capacity cartridge. Max copies per run is 10, the lowest figure in the guide, so large copy jobs need splitting.
Online-Only Administration and Sleep-Mode Quirks
The web admin console is online-only, so changing network or security settings requires an internet connection. Owners also report AirPrint stopping while the printer is asleep, and problems pairing the machine with some mesh Wi-Fi systems.
Those sleep and mesh issues are the most common Canons complaint in owner reports. The usual fix is a static IP address and adjusting or disabling deep sleep, but it is an extra setup step you should plan for rather than discover later. No USB cable is included for direct connection.
Who This Machine Suits and Who Should Skip It
Buy it if you print mostly single-sided color, you value sharp output and the longest warranty in the guide, and your documents are proposals, brochures and marketing pieces rather than long duplex contracts. The 22 ppm speed is comfortable for a small team.
Skip it if two-sided printing is a daily requirement. Manual flipping is a step backward that no other pick in this roundup asks you to make, and the copy limit of 10 is another irritation for a busy front desk.
7. HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw – Best HP All-in-One for Small Teams
- 26 ppm color and black output for a small team
- Automatic duplex with document feeder and 250-sheet tray
- HP TerraJet toner delivers more vivid color
- Standard and high-yield HP 218A and 218X cartridges
- Flatbed scanner plus auto document feeder
- Printer blocks third-party cartridges without HP chips
- Needs periodic firmware updates to enforce cartridge policy
- 600 x 600 dpi maximum resolution
- No fax function
HP has the deepest review volume in this category, and the 3301sdw is one of its most heavily reviewed small-office all-in-ones for good reason. With more than 1,200 reviews, buyers appreciate the speed, the automatic duplexing, the document feeder, and the improved color from HP TerraJet toner on reports and presentations.
It is also among the most expensive machines here to run, and the reason is not the hardware. It is the cartridge policy, which I will cover plainly.
26 ppm, Automatic Duplex and a 250-Sheet Tray
Up to 26 pages per minute in both black and color, with automatic two-sided printing as standard. Two trays give you 250 sheets of input and 250 sheets of output, and the scanner combines a flatbed with an auto document feeder.
Maximum media size is 8.5 x 14 inches. The listed print media is plain paper only, which is narrower than the Brother and Canon machines here that explicitly support envelopes, labels and card stock through the main path.
TerraJet Color Against a 600 x 600 dpi Ceiling
HP TerraJet toner produces noticeably more vivid output than the previous generation of HP color laser cartridges, and that improvement is consistently mentioned in reviews. If your office prints charts, colored tables or client-facing handouts, the color is a genuine upgrade.
The ceiling is 600 x 600 dpi for both color and black. That sits at the bottom of the resolution range in this guide and is the reason reviewers list it as a drawback, particularly when comparing output side by side with the Canon engines.
The HP-Chipped Cartridge Policy and What It Does to Running Cost
This machine is designed to block cartridges without HP chips or circuitry, and the restriction is enforced through periodic firmware updates. That means your toner choices are limited to Original HP 218A standard-yield and 218X high-yield cartridges, and the high-yield option becomes mandatory at any real volume.
Owner communities in this category rank cartridge lock as the number one recurring complaint about HP, and the practical effect is that your three-year running cost is set by HP rather than by the toner market. Budget for that before you commit, especially if you expect to print more than 1,000 color pages a month.
One more limitation worth naming: there is no fax on this model. If you need fax, the machine in section nine is the HP option that includes it.
Who This Machine Suits and Who Should Skip It
Buy it if your company already standardizes on HP, you need vivid color more than you need fine resolution, and you are comfortable with Original HP toner for the life of the machine. The flatbed plus feeder combination is well balanced for a small team.
Skip it if running cost matters more than color vibrancy, or if your documents contain fine graphics that need more than 600 dpi. In either case a Canon or Brother machine will cost less per page over three years.
8. HP Color LaserJet Pro 3201dw – Budget Pick for Print-Only Teams
HP Color Laserjet Pro 3201dw Wireless Color Laser Printer, Office Printer, Duplex, Best for Office (499Q9F)
- Light-duty color duplex printing at 26 ppm
- Dual-band Wi-Fi with self-reset connection recovery
- HP TerraJet toner for more vivid business color
- 250-sheet input tray
- Lightest HP machine at 33 pounds
- Lowest average rating in the guide at 3.4 stars
- Blocks non-HP chips and circuitry in cartridges
- 600 x 600 dpi maximum resolution
- No scanner copier or fax
- Needs periodic firmware updates to enforce cartridge policy
This is the entry point into HP color laser printing, and it does the fundamentals correctly: 26 ppm, automatic duplex, a 250-sheet tray, and dual-band Wi-Fi with a self-reset feature that detects and resolves connection issues on its own. That self-reset behavior is genuinely useful in a small office.
It also has the lowest average rating in this guide at 3.4 stars, with roughly 29 percent of reviews at one star. I would rather tell you that now than let you find out in month two.
26 ppm Duplex Printing With No Scanner at All
This is a print-only machine. There is no scanner, no copier and no fax, and the product listing states plainly that the flatbed panel has no functional scanner on this model. Anyone who walks up expecting to copy a document will be disappointed.
What you get for that simplicity is 26 pages per minute in both black and color, automatic two-sided printing, and a 250-sheet input tray. Maximum media size is 8.5 x 14 inches, and supported media includes envelopes, glossy photo paper, high-resolution paper and plain paper.
Dual-Band Wi-Fi With Self-Reset and Its Limits
The self-reset connection feature watches for Wi-Fi problems and resolves them without a power cycle, which addresses the most common small-office frustration with network printers. Connectivity covers Wi-Fi, Ethernet and USB, and the machine is controlled through the app.
At 33 pounds it is the lightest HP unit in this guide, but at 20.08 inches wide it is also the widest machine here. Check the desk before you assume it will fit, because the width exceeds two of the multifunction models in this list.
Why the 3.4-Star Average Is the Weakest Here
Users frequently cite cartridge-chip lockouts as the main source of dissatisfaction, and this machine blocks non-HP chips and circuitry in cartridges, enforced by periodic firmware updates. In practice that means Original HP toner for the life of the printer.
The 600 x 600 dpi maximum resolution is among the lowest in the guide, and reviewers describe color depth as mediocre. Add the absence of any scan or copy function, and you can see where the rating comes from: the machine is competent, not capable.
Who This Machine Suits and Who Should Skip It
Buy it if you need dependable color duplex printing for light volumes, and you have no need to scan, copy or fax. The self-resetting network is a genuine benefit for a small office that has fought flaky Wi-Fi before.
Skip it if you print more than about 500 color pages a month, because the cartridge restriction makes high volume expensive. For a similar spend the Brother HL-L3280CDW gives you a touch panel, broader media support and a better owner rating.
9. HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301fdw – the Only Fax Machine in the Lineup
- Only machine in this guide with a fax function
- Two-sided single-pass scanning for faster document handling
- 26 ppm with an auto document feeder
- Dual-band Wi-Fi with self-reset recovery
- 250-sheet input tray
- Blocks non-HP chipped cartridges
- 600 x 600 dpi maximum print resolution
- Small 100-sheet output tray
- One-year limited warranty
- No flatbed scanner
Fax is the reason this machine appears on this list, and it is the only one of the ten that includes it. That single fact puts it in a category of one, which matters for legal, medical, real-estate and property-management offices where a signed fax is still a routine document.
Underneath the fax, it is a competent 26 ppm all-in-one with a document feeder and two-sided single-pass scanning. Buyers value that rare combination, even as ratings stay mixed at 3.6 stars.
Fax Plus Two-Sided Single-Pass Scanning
Two-sided single-pass scanning means double-sided originals go through the feeder once. It is the same feature that makes the Brother MFC-L3780CDW the pick for burst teams, and here it is paired with automatic two-sided printing.
The scanner is sheetfed with an auto document feeder, so this machine has no flatbed. For a front desk that mainly batch-processes signed documents, that is workable. For anyone who needs to copy a single loose sheet face down, it is a limitation you will hit.
The 100-Sheet Output Tray Is the Trade-Off
The output tray holds 100 sheets, against 150 or 250 on the machines it competes with here. For an office printing multi-page duplex runs, that means you will be pulling finished pages before the job completes.
Input is 250 sheets across a single tray, and supported media includes envelopes, labels and plain paper up to 8.5 x 14 inches. Copy speed is 25 pages per minute in black and white, with a rated power draw of 416 watts.
Cartridge Policy, 600 dpi and a 41.4-Pound Frame
The cartridge restriction applies here too. The machine blocks non-HP chipped cartridges and depends on periodic firmware updates to keep the policy effective, so you are buying Original HP TerraJet toner for the life of the unit.
Maximum print resolution is 600 x 600 dpi, and the warranty is one year limited, which is the same cover every Brother machine in this guide carries. At 41.4 pounds it needs a two-person install, and source dimensions are not published for this model, so measure your intended space before ordering.
Who This Machine Suits and Who Should Skip It
Buy it if fax is a genuine requirement rather than a nice-to-have, and your volume is moderate. The single-pass duplex scanning plus fax combination is not offered by any other machine here, so the choice is often made for you. Keep it if you will also print on heavier card stock, since the paper path takes envelopes and labels without difficulty.
Skip it if you have no genuine fax requirement. Paying more for a feature you will never dial into is poor value when the Brother MFC-L3720CDW also faxes at a lower commitment, or when the Canon imageCLASS MF662Cdw delivers a larger touchscreen and a three-year warranty.
10. Canon Color imageCLASS MF662Cdw – Best 5-Inch Touchscreen Workhorse
Canon Color imageCLASS MF662Cdw – Wireless Duplex Laser Printer with Copier, Scanner, 3 Year Limited Warranty, 26 PPM
- Color wireless duplex print scan and copy in one machine
- 26 ppm with a 10.3 second first page
- Crisp bright color output
- 5-inch color touchscreen with customizable Application Library
- Canon PRINT app with Apple AirPrint and Mopria
- Three-year warranty with ENERGY STAR and EPEAT Silver
- Heavy at 55.1 pounds and needs dedicated counter space
- Drops off Wi-Fi after sleep and often needs a full reboot
- Canon PRINT app lacks some document and image functions
- 075 high-capacity toner is expensive
- 600 x 600 dpi maximum print resolution
This is the most complete interface in the guide. The 5-inch color touchscreen is larger than the 2.7-inch panel on the Brother HL-L3280CDW and the 3.5-inch panel on our top pick, and the Application Library lets you pin recurring jobs to the home screen.
Owners consistently report fast, crisp, bright color output, simple setup, and a printer that feels more durable than the inkjet it replaced. The three-year warranty matches the Canon imageCLASS MF652Cw and beats the one-year cover on every Brother and HP machine here.
26 ppm, Automatic Duplex and Legal-Size Media
Twenty-six pages per minute in color and monochrome, with a first page in approximately 10.3 seconds and automatic two-sided printing. Maximum media size is legal at 8.5 x 14 inches, with paper supported from 3 by 5 inches up to full legal.
The scanner is a flatbed, which is more flexible than the sheetfed-only scanner in the Xerox C235dni and the HP 3301fdw. Two trays give you a 250-sheet standard cassette plus a one-sheet manual feed slot for envelopes and media that should not sit in a tray.
The Application Library and the 5-Inch Color Panel
The Application Library is a genuine workflow feature rather than decoration. You can place scan-to-email, scan-to-folder, secure print and copy presets directly on the home screen, which turns a walk-up user into a one-touch user without training.
For offices handling client documents, that matters. It reduces the chance someone scans a contract to the wrong destination, and it keeps a walk-up user from opening menus they do not understand.
075 Toner Yields, 55.1 Pounds and the Sleep-Mode Wi-Fi Issue
The machine uses Canon Genuine Toner 075 and the 075 high-capacity cartridge, and the package includes Canon Genuine Toner 075 and the 075 high-capacity cartridge with starter toner rated at 500 pages for the color cartridges and 700 pages for black. Owners report the high-capacity cartridges are expensive to replace, so factor that into any multi-year cost estimate.
At 55.1 pounds and 18.2 by 16.8 by 15.7 inches, this is the heaviest machine in the guide, and it needs dedicated counter space and a two-person install. It also carries the sleep-mode issue that appears repeatedly in Canon owner reports, where the printer drops off the Wi-Fi network and often requires a full reboot to reconnect. Some owners end up connecting by cable. If your network is mesh-based, test this before committing.
The Canon PRINT app is functional but owners report it lacks some basic document and image functions, and image resizing is awkward. Apple AirPrint and Mopria are supported, so phone printing works without the app.
Who This Machine Suits and Who Should Skip It
Buy it if you want the easiest walk-up workflow in this group, your volume is moderate, and you have a three-year warranty as a priority. The touchscreen and Application Library are the best reason to choose this machine over its cheaper Canon sibling.
Skip it if counter space is tight or the machine will be installed by one person. At 55.1 pounds, budget a second pair of hands, and if your office prints on a mesh Wi-Fi network, confirm the sleep-mode behavior with a test run first.
How to Choose a Color Laser Printer for a Small Office
The specifications matter less than the fit between the machine and your actual workload. Six questions decide the purchase, and all six can be answered before you spend anything.
Match Monthly Volume to a Tier Before You Look at Features
Under roughly 500 pages a month, almost anything in this guide works. Speed barely matters, tray size is a minor annoyance, and the entry-level machines are the right call. Your real question is whether you need a scanner at all.
Between 500 and 2,500 pages a month, automatic duplex becomes close to mandatory, and you should target at least 250 input sheets so nobody refills the tray mid-week. Print resolution starts to matter if your documents contain graphics or branded material. This is the band where the Canon MF662Cdw and the Brother MFC-L3780CDW separate from the pack.
Above 2,500 pages a month, you need the fastest unit you can justify, a high-yield toner strategy, and a machine that states its duty cycle honestly. The Xerox in this guide publishes a 1,500-page monthly ceiling, which tells you plainly that it is not the right machine for that band. Read the published volume figure on any shortlist, because it is the number that determines whether a machine suits you three years from now.
Print-Only or All-in-One: Count the Scans, Not the Features
Judging by owner reports, plenty of small businesses never touch the scanner on their all-in-one more than a few times a month. If that describes your office, a print-only machine gives you more speed, better resolution and a lower total cost for a feature you never use.
The reverse is also true. If your workflow is scan-to-email, copying quotes, or faxing signed documents, an all-in-one saves real money by removing a second device. Our broader small business printer guide covers the wider category if you are weighing non-laser options too.
Also read the scanner type carefully. A flatbed handles single sheets, IDs and anything face down. A sheetfed scanner needs a stack. Two machines in this roundup have no flatbed at all, and that single fact rules out a set of common office tasks.
Toner Reality: Yield, Starter Cartridges and Cartridge Lock
Every printer in this guide includes starter toner in the box, and starter cartridges are always smaller than the replacements. The Xerox C235dni includes 500-yield starter toners, and the Canon imageCLASS MF662Cdw includes 500-page color and 700-page black starters. A shop that prints heavily will burn through starter cartridges faster than the box implies.
Cartridge lock is the biggest cost variable and the one buyers regret most. The three HP models in this guide are designed to block cartridges without HP chips or circuitry, and enforcement runs through periodic firmware updates. That closes off the cheaper toner market for the life of the printer. If your office prints more than 1,000 color pages a month, choose a machine that does not restrict you, and check our Brother versus Canon laser printer comparison before you settle on a brand.
What you should never do is calculate running cost from the machine price. A lower purchase commitment with locked toner can cost more over three years than a higher one with open cartridge options, and that math decides the real winner.
Weight, Footprint and the Two-Person Install
Weights in this roundup run from 33 pounds to 55.1 pounds. That is a 22-pound spread, and it decides whether one person can install the machine at all. The heaviest units need dedicated counter space and a second person, and a machine that arrives at 9 a.m. on a Monday and stays in its box until Tuesday is a productivity loss nobody budgets for.
Width matters as much as weight. The HP Color LaserJet Pro 3201dw is 20.08 inches wide, which makes it the widest machine here despite weighing only 33 pounds. Measure the intended space rather than trusting the category label.
Brother vs HP vs Canon: Where Each Brand Is Weakest
Brother is the most consistent for low-maintenance reliability and covers the widest range here, from compact print-only to 31 ppm all-in-ones. Its weak points are the DRUM and toner-lockout complaints after a jam, and Mac software that still depends on Rosetta translation.
HP produces notably vivid color on office documents, and its TerraJet toner is a real improvement, plus self-resetting Wi-Fi is a genuinely useful feature. Its weakness is concentrated and consistent: chipped-cartridge enforcement and a 600 x 600 dpi ceiling that costs you detail on graphics.
Canon offers the sharpest output and the only three-year warranties, with strong ENERGY STAR and EPEAT Silver credentials on three of its four machines. Its weakness is software and network behavior, with sleep-mode dropouts on mesh networks, an online-only admin console on one model, and mobile apps that owners describe as clunky.
Xerox is the outlier here and worth considering if you want a brand outside the big three. Its published 1,500-page monthly volume makes matching it to your workload unusually easy.
When an Inkjet or a Monochrome Laser Is the Smarter Buy
If you print photos, a color laser is the wrong tool. Photo printers produce output that a laser engine cannot approach, and owner forums consistently redirect photo-heavy buyers away from office color lasers entirely.
If you print color twice a year and black documents the rest of the time, a monochrome laser and a separate inkjet for occasional color will cost less. The color laser premium only pays back when color pages are routine, which is why these machines target invoices, proposals, labels and client-facing materials rather than personal projects.
One useful final check: if your team is under three people and your volume is under 300 pages a month, walk away from this list and read our general color laser roundup for lighter-duty options, or consider a dedicated check printer if that is your real workload.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best color laser printer for a small office?
The Brother MFC-L3720CDW is the best all-around choice. It prints, scans, copies and faxes at 19 ppm in color, includes a 50-sheet document feeder and automatic duplex, and its 3.5-inch touchscreen makes it easy for walk-up users. For a print-only need, the Canon imageCLASS LBP632Cdw is faster at 22 ppm with sharper output.
How much does a color laser printer cost per page?
A color laser usually costs a few cents per page in black and noticeably more in color, and the two numbers that move it are cartridge yield and brand policy. The two HP models in this guide are designed to block cartridges without HP chips, which keeps your per-page cost under HP control. High-yield toner is the single biggest lever most offices have.
Are color laser printers worth it for a small business?
Yes, when you print several hundred pages or more a month. Laser color output never smudges, never clogs and needs far less attention than an inkjet, and a color page costs a fraction of inkjet ink once cartridge yield is counted. If you print color twice a year, or if you print photos, an inkjet or a monochrome laser is the smarter buy.
Do HP color laser printers block third-party toner?
The three HP machines in this guide are designed to block cartridges without HP chips or circuitry, and the restriction is kept in place through periodic firmware updates. That limits you to Original HP 218A and 218X cartridges. Owner communities rank cartridge lock as the most common complaint about HP, and it is the main reason buyers at volume pick Brother or Canon instead.
Which brand makes the most reliable color laser printers?
Long-term owner reports generally favour Brother and Canon. Brother is widely reported as low-maintenance with few clogs, and Canon is trusted for output quality and carries the only three-year warranties in this guide. HP is trusted for color vibrancy and speed, but owners cite cartridge lock and some recurring fault codes as the reason its average ratings sit lower.
Final Verdict: Which Color Laser Printer Fits Your Office
If you want a single answer for a two-to-five-person office, the Brother MFC-L3720CDW is the machine to buy. It covers every function most small teams need, it carries the largest review base in the group, and it is the least likely to surprise you.
Adjust from there. If you print heavily and scan almost never, take the Canon imageCLASS LBP632Cdw for 22 ppm and 1200 x 1200 dpi output. If your team runs in bursts, the Brother MFC-L3780CDW adds single-pass duplex scanning and 31 ppm. If space is the constraint, the Brother HL-L3280CDW does 27 ppm with duplex in the narrowest body here. If fax is not optional, the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301fdw is the only pick that has it.
And if you print under 500 pages a month and mostly in black, question whether a color laser is what you need at all. That decision usually saves more money than any choice on this list.
Whichever route you take, check the running cost before you check the price. Both change constantly, so use the buttons above to see the current listing, and revisit your volume assumption after the first quarter.
