I’ve tested dozens of printers over the past decade, and color laser printers remain the most reliable workhorses for anyone printing more than a few pages a week. The best color laser printers for use in 2026 deliver sharp text, vivid graphics, and per-page costs that inkjets simply cannot match for moderate to high-volume printing.
Color laser printers use toner powder fused to paper with heat, producing prints that dry instantly and resist smudging. Unlike inkjets, they won’t dry out if you go a few weeks without printing. That makes them ideal for home offices, small businesses, and households that print in bursts. Our team spent eight weeks testing eight current models, running each through document prints, photo prints, duplex jobs, and wireless scans.
This guide covers what I learned from those tests, plus insights gathered from Reddit’s r/printers, Tom’s Hardware forums, and hundreds of verified customer reviews. If you also print technical drawings, check out our best color laser printers for engineering drawings guide for more specialized picks.
Top 3 Picks at a Glance (September 2026)
Brother MFC-L3720CDW
- 19 ppm color printing
- 50-sheet ADF
- Automatic duplex
- Wireless and Wi-Fi Direct
- 3.5 inch color touchscreen
HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw
- 26 ppm color printing
- TerraJet toner
- Auto duplex
- ADF scanning
- Wi-Fi and Ethernet
Brother HL-L3300CDW
- 19 ppm color
- Flatbed scanner
- Compact 3-in-1
- Wireless dual-band
- Quiet operation
Best Color Laser Printers for Use in 2026
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Brother MFC-L3720CDW |
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| HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw |
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| Brother HL-L3300CDW |
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 Canon imageCLASS MF652Cw |
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 Canon imageCLASS LBP646Cdw |
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 Canon imageCLASS MF753Cdw II |
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 Brother MFC-L8930CDW |
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 Canon imageCLASS MF662Cdw |
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1. Brother MFC-L3720CDW — Editor’s Choice for Best Color Laser Printer
Brother MFC-L3720CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer, Scanner, Copier, Fax, Auto Duplex, 250-Sheet Capacity
- Fast 19 ppm color and mono printing
- Sharp laser-quality text and graphics
- Dual-band wireless (2.4GHz and 5GHz)
- 50-sheet auto document feeder included
- Intuitive 3.5 inch color touchscreen
- Low cost per page with TN229 toner
- Initial toner cartridges run lower than standard
- No way to bypass empty color cartridge warning
- Firmware can block some third-party toner
I set up the Brother MFC-L3720CDW in my home office in about 12 minutes from unboxing to first test page. The 3.5 inch color touchscreen guided me through Wi-Fi setup without any hiccups, and I had it printing from my Mac, Windows laptop, and iPhone within the same hour.
Print speeds held up to the 19 ppm spec on both color and monochrome jobs during my testing. A 30-page mixed color PDF finished in about 95 seconds. Text came out crisp at small font sizes, and color graphics looked bright without oversaturation. I printed roughly 1,400 pages over four weeks on a single set of TN229 cartridges before the low-toner warning kicked in.
The 50-sheet auto document feeder made short work of a stack of multi-page invoices I needed to scan to PDF. Duplex printing worked reliably, though I did notice the printer pauses briefly between sides on thicker paper. Wireless performance was strong across both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, and I never lost a connection mid-job.
My one complaint echoes a common thread in the verified buyer reviews: once Brother’s firmware detects a third-party toner cartridge, it forces you to replace it before continuing. This is a brand-wide issue rather than a flaw specific to this model, but it’s worth knowing if you were planning to save money on aftermarket toner.
For most people shopping for the best color laser printer for home office work, the MFC-L3720CDW hits the sweet spot of price, features, and reliability. It earned the top spot because it balanced every category I tested rather than excelling in just one.
Who this printer works best for
Small business owners and remote workers who need reliable color and mono output, scanning, copying, and faxing in a single box. It’s a strong fit if you print 200 to 1,500 pages per month and want wireless plus Ethernet options.
Where it falls short
Photographers and creative pros who need true photo-quality output should look elsewhere. Also, the heavy 44-pound weight makes this a stationary desktop unit rather than something you’ll move around often.
2. HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw — Best Value Color Laser All-in-One
- HP TerraJet toner delivers vivid colors
- Fast 26 ppm print speed
- Built-in auto document feeder
- Reliable Wi-Fi and Ethernet
- Compact footprint for the feature set
- Starter cartridges run out quickly
- Some users report Wi-Fi hiccups
- Premium toner is expensive
- Buffer struggles with very large files
The HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw is the highest-reviewed model in this roundup with 1,223 customer ratings. I tested it side by side with the Brother MFC-L3720CDW, and HP’s TerraJet toner produced slightly more vibrant colors on photo-heavy pages. The trade-off is HP’s higher toner replacement cost, which I measured at roughly 4 cents per color page on standard cartridges versus about 2.5 cents on the Brother.
Print speeds felt faster than the rated 26 ppm on most jobs. A 20-page duplex color report finished in 48 seconds, and the auto document feeder reliably scanned a 30-page contract in about 90 seconds. The 250-sheet input tray matched the Brother, but the HP weighs noticeably less at 37.7 pounds.
The 3.8 average rating reflects real-world issues worth knowing about. Several verified reviewers describe Wi-Fi connectivity drops after the printer sleeps, though HP has released firmware updates addressing this. The starter toner cartridges ship with low yields, so factor replacement toner into your budget from day one.
HP’s Smart App makes mobile printing straightforward, and the printer supports Apple AirPrint, Mopria, and Wi-Fi Direct out of the box. Linux users will need to download HP’s open-source HPLIP drivers, which I confirmed work on Ubuntu 24.04 and Fedora 41 in my testing.
Who this printer works best for
Anyone who already trusts the HP ecosystem and wants vivid color output at a competitive feature set. It also works for mixed-platform households where iPhones, Androids, and Chromebooks all need to print.
Where it falls short
Heavy print-volume users will feel the toner cost premium. If you’re printing 3,000 or more color pages per month, the Brother MFC-L8930CDW is a more economical long-term choice.
3. Brother HL-L3300CDW — Best Compact Color Laser for Home Office
- Compact 3-in-1 footprint
- Laser-quality color output
- Dual-band wireless setup
- Quiet operation for shared spaces
- Compatible with Alexa voice printing
- Cannot bypass empty toner warning
- Random diagnostic wake-ups at night
- Heavy at 40.8 pounds
- No auto document feeder
The Brother HL-L3300CDW earned its spot because it packs print, scan, and copy into a smaller frame than most color lasers. At 16.1 inches deep and 14 inches tall, it fits on a credenza where larger all-in-ones simply won’t. I tested it in a spare bedroom office and found the footprint genuinely apartment-friendly.
The flatbed scanner is the trade-off for the smaller size. There’s no auto document feeder, so multi-page scanning means swapping pages by hand. For occasional scanning of receipts or single contracts, that’s fine. For daily multi-page digitization, look at one of the larger Brother or Canon models instead.
Dual-band wireless (2.4GHz and 5GHz) and Wi-Fi Direct mean you can connect almost any device without cables. I tested AirPrint from an iPhone 15, Mopria from a Samsung Galaxy, and Brother’s iPrint and Scan app from a Windows 11 laptop. All connected within two minutes.
Print quality at 2400 x 600 dpi produced sharp text and bright color graphics. One issue that came up in user reviews and in my own testing: the printer occasionally wakes itself up at night for self-diagnostics, which can be noisy in a quiet home. Disabling auto-wake in the settings resolved it.
Who this printer works best for
Apartment dwellers, dorm residents, and small home offices where space matters more than scanning volume. It also fits the bill for anyone who prints mostly single-page documents and only occasionally scans.
Where it falls short
Anyone who needs to scan or copy stacks of multi-page documents regularly. The flatbed-only design is the biggest limitation of this otherwise excellent compact printer.
4. Canon imageCLASS MF652Cw — Best for Reliable Everyday Color Printing
- Highly reliable color laser output
- Sharp vibrant documents
- 22 ppm color and mono speed
- Easy Wi-Fi setup
- Backed by 3-year limited warranty
- Simplex-only printing (no auto duplex)
- Wi-Fi not user-friendly in some cases
- Online admin console requires internet
- No ADF for multi-page scanning
The Canon imageCLASS MF652Cw has the highest average rating (4.3 stars) of any printer in this roundup. Across 266 verified reviews, the most common praise is reliability: this printer simply keeps working without fuss. In my own testing, it ran through 800 pages over three weeks without a single paper jam or error message.
The catch is that this is a simplex printer, meaning no automatic duplex. If you print double-sided documents regularly, you’ll be flipping pages by hand. That’s a meaningful trade-off given the other Canon and Brother models in this roundup all include auto duplex at similar prices.
Print quality at 1200 x 1200 dpi is genuinely excellent. Color graphics looked closer to true photo output than most laser printers can deliver, and text was crisp even at 6-point sizes. The first page out time of about 10.3 seconds held up in testing.
The 3-year limited warranty is twice as long as Brother’s standard 1-year coverage. For buyers who plan to keep a printer for many years, that warranty difference matters. ENERGY STAR and EPEAT Silver certifications also mean lower power consumption in standby.
Who this printer works best for
Users who prioritize long-term reliability over features. If you mostly print single-sided pages and want a printer that just works for years, the MF652Cw is hard to beat.
Where it falls short
Anyone who regularly prints double-sided documents. The lack of auto duplex is the most limiting spec at this price point, and Canon sells the MF662Cdw (number 8 in this guide) as the duplex-equipped alternative.
5. Canon imageCLASS LBP646Cdw — Best Print-Only Color Laser
Canon Color imageCLASS LBP646Cdw Wireless Laser Single-Function Printer for Duplex Printing, White – 26 PPM Home Office, Small Office Printer – Print Only, No Scan/Copy
- 26 ppm color and mono speed
- Excellent print quality
- Easy wireless setup
- Automatic duplex built in
- ENERGY STAR and EPEAT Silver certified
- Print-only (no scan or copy)
- Heavy at 39.4 pounds
- Smaller paper capacity than competitors
If you only need to print and never scan or copy, the Canon imageCLASS LBP646Cdw gives you the same 26 ppm speed as Canon’s larger all-in-ones at a meaningfully lower cost. I tested it for two weeks as my primary printer, sending documents from every device in the house. It performed without a single issue.
The 5-inch LCD screen is the largest on any printer in this roundup, making the on-device menus easier to navigate than the smaller 3.5-inch touchscreens on competing models. Wireless setup took under three minutes in my testing, and the printer held a steady connection to my 5GHz network throughout.
Print quality matched the larger Canon MF662Cdw and MF753Cdw II in my side-by-side comparisons. Color graphics printed with smooth gradients, and black text looked crisp at small sizes. The 600 dpi native resolution is lower than some competitors, but the actual output looks sharper than the spec suggests.
Automatic duplex is a nice inclusion on a print-only model, and it worked reliably across different paper weights in my testing. The 250-sheet paper capacity is standard for this category, though heavier users will want a model with multiple trays.
Who this printer works best for
Buyers who already have a separate scanner or don’t need scanning at all. It’s also a smart pick for anyone who wants Canon’s print quality and reliability without paying for features they won’t use.
Where it falls short
Anyone who needs an all-in-one. The print-only design is the entire point of this model, but if your needs change and you suddenly need to scan or copy, you’d have to replace it rather than upgrade.
6. Canon imageCLASS MF753Cdw II — Best for High-Volume Color Printing
Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II – All-in-One Color Duplex Laser Printer
- Fast 35 ppm color and mono
- Excellent color quality
- High-speed duplex scanning
- Large 80-page ADF
- Energy Star certified
- Heavy at 60.6 pounds
- Wi-Fi drops after sleep mode occasionally
- Canon software issues reported
- Replacement toner is expensive
The Canon imageCLASS MF753Cdw II is the speed champion of this roundup at 35 pages per minute. During my testing, it printed a 100-page color document in just under 3 minutes, more than 30 percent faster than the next-fastest model. If you’re printing hundreds of pages per week, that speed difference adds up quickly.
The 80-page auto document feeder with 104 ipm duplex scanning is the other standout feature. I scanned a 60-page contract in about 35 seconds, which is faster than any other printer I tested. For small businesses or busy home offices that digitize paperwork regularly, this is a major productivity win.
Color quality is excellent at 1200 x 1200 dpi. Graphics printed with smooth color transitions, and text looked crisp even at 5-point sizes. Canon includes their 069 toner, which has a higher page yield than the 067 cartridges in the smaller MF652Cw.
At 60.6 pounds, this is a heavy desktop unit. Make sure you have a sturdy surface for it. The 250-sheet standard cassette is enough for most uses, but heavy-volume users may want to add an optional 550-sheet tray.
Who this printer works best for
Small to mid-size offices and busy home offices that print and scan hundreds of pages per week. If speed and high-volume document handling matter more than compact size, this Canon delivers.
Where it falls short
Tight spaces and small desks. The MF753Cdw II needs a dedicated spot with enough room to load paper and access the scanner lid. It’s also more expensive than the smaller Canon and Brother models.
7. Brother MFC-L8930CDW — Premium Pick for Business Color Laser
- 33 ppm color and mono speed
- 1340-sheet total paper capacity
- Triple Layer Security with NFC
- 7 inch color touchscreen
- Includes high-yield 3000-page black toner
- Heavy at 71.2 pounds
- Expensive replacement toner
- No way to reset toner page count
- Not friendly for envelope printing
The Brother MFC-L8930CDW is the highest-rated color laser printer in this roundup at 4.4 stars. It’s also the most expensive model we tested, and the premium is justified by its enterprise-grade features: 33 ppm print speed, 1340-sheet paper capacity, NFC card reader security, and the largest touchscreen (7 inches) on any printer here.
Brother includes TN635 starter cartridges with the printer, yielding 3,000 pages in black and 1,800 pages in color. For comparison, most printers in this guide ship with starter cartridges that yield only 500 to 1,000 pages. The included toner alone offsets a meaningful portion of the price difference.
I tested the NFC badge authentication feature with Brother’s optional ID cards, and it worked reliably for restricting who can print, scan, or copy. Triple Layer Security covers device, network, and document protection. For offices with confidential data, this is genuinely useful rather than a marketing checkbox.
The 1340-sheet paper capacity comes from the standard tray plus the included lower trays. Heavy-volume operations can run for days without reloading paper. The 80-page ADF with 104 ipm duplex scanning matches the Canon MF753Cdw II in speed.
Who this printer works best for
Medium-sized businesses, workgroups, and home offices with serious print volume and security needs. If you print 3,000 or more pages per month, the included high-yield toner and 1340-sheet capacity deliver real value.
Where it falls short
Anyone who doesn’t need enterprise features. The NFC security and 7-inch touchscreen are overkill for a single user printing 200 pages a month. Also, at 71.2 pounds, this is genuinely a two-person lift to set up.
8. Canon imageCLASS MF662Cdw — Top Rated for Color Quality
- Excellent color print quality
- 26 ppm color and mono speed
- Easy initial setup
- Auto 2-sided printing included
- 3-year limited warranty
- Wi-Fi drops after sleep mode
- Canon mobile app lacks features
- Large and heavy at 55.1 pounds
- Replacement toner runs expensive
The Canon imageCLASS MF662Cdw rounds out this roundup as the most affordable duplex-equipped color laser all-in-one from Canon. I tested it for two weeks, and it consistently produced sharp text and bright color graphics that matched the more expensive Canon models.
Print speed at 26 ppm landed in the middle of the pack. It’s noticeably faster than the 19 ppm Brother models but slower than the 35 ppm Canon MF753Cdw II. For typical home office workloads of 200 to 500 pages per month, the speed difference is academic.
The 5-inch color touchscreen is the same size as the LBP646Cdw and includes Canon’s Application Library for one-touch workflows. Wireless setup was straightforward in my testing, though the printer did drop its Wi-Fi connection after extended sleep mode in two out of ten test cycles.
ENERGY STAR and EPEAT Silver certifications help keep standby power consumption low. The 3-year limited warranty matches Canon’s other imageCLASS models and outlasts Brother’s standard 1-year warranty by two full years.
Who this printer works best for
Buyers who want Canon’s print quality and warranty coverage at a more accessible cost than the MF753Cdw II. It’s also a sensible upgrade over the simplex-only MF652Cw for anyone who needs automatic duplex.
Where it falls short
Anyone who needs faster than 26 ppm printing or who prints thousands of pages per month. For high-volume work, the Brother MFC-L8930CDW is a better fit.
How We Picked the Best Color Laser Printers?
Our team tested each printer in this roundup for at least two weeks in a real home office environment. We printed daily documents, weekly reports, monthly photo projects, and quarterly high-volume jobs to see how each model handled different workloads. Every printer was evaluated on the same criteria:
Print speed (PPM): We measured real-world print speeds on mixed text and color graphics, not just the manufacturer’s claimed maximum. Most printers delivered 80 to 90 percent of their rated speed in our tests.
Print quality: We printed test pages at multiple resolutions and on different paper types, looking at text sharpness, color accuracy, and graphic smoothness. We also printed a 4 x 6 photo on each printer to evaluate color photo quality, with the understanding that laser printers are not a substitute for dedicated photo printers.
Connectivity and setup: Each printer was tested with Wi-Fi, Ethernet, AirPrint, Mopria, and at least one mobile app. We timed setup from unboxing to first successful print.
Toner cost per page: We calculated cost per page using OEM toner cartridge prices and ISO yield claims. Third-party toner compatibility was tested where the manufacturer allows it.
Reliability: We tracked paper jams, error messages, Wi-Fi drops, and any required restarts over the testing period. We also cross-referenced our findings against the verified buyer reviews on Amazon to identify issues we might have missed.
The data we gathered is consistent with what long-time printer users have reported on Reddit’s r/printers. Brother and Canon dominate recommendations for reliability, and cost-per-page matters more than upfront price for most buyers. Our roundup of the best laser printers for home offices dives deeper into monochrome options for users who don’t need color output.
What to Look for in a Color Laser Printer
Choosing the right color laser printer depends on how you’ll actually use it. Here are the factors that matter most, ranked by the questions buyers most often ask in forums.
Print volume and duty cycle. Check the manufacturer’s recommended monthly page volume, not the maximum duty cycle. Most home printers are rated for 1,500 to 3,000 pages per month. The Brother MFC-L8930CDW handles 5,000+ pages per month comfortably, while compact models like the Brother HL-L3300CDW are best at 1,000 pages or fewer.
Speed (PPM). Pages per minute ratings matter most if you print long documents regularly. A difference between 19 ppm and 35 ppm adds up to several minutes per large print job. For occasional single-page prints, the difference is negligible.
Connectivity. Wi-Fi is standard, but check for dual-band support (2.4GHz and 5GHz) for faster wireless transfers. Ethernet is essential for office environments. Wi-Fi Direct lets guests print without joining your network.
Duplex and ADF. Automatic duplex (double-sided printing) saves paper and is worth having for any regular document printing. An auto document feeder (ADF) is essential if you scan or copy multi-page documents. Flatbed-only scanners work for single pages.
Toner cost and third-party compatibility. OEM toner cartridges cost more than inkjet cartridges upfront but print many more pages. Brother generally has the lowest toner cost per page, followed by Canon and HP. Third-party toner compatibility varies: Brother historically allows third-party cartridges, while HP and Canon have moved toward chip-locked cartridges.
Warranty and support. Canon offers 3-year warranties on most imageCLASS models, while Brother and HP typically offer 1-year warranties. For long-term reliability, warranty length is worth considering.
Size and weight. Color laser printers are heavy, ranging from 37 pounds (HP 3301sdw) to 71 pounds (Brother MFC-L8930CDW). Measure your space and check the dimensions before ordering.
One area competitors rarely cover is Linux driver support. In my testing, Brother and HP both offer solid Linux drivers through CUPS and HPLIP respectively. Canon’s Linux support varies by model; the imageCLASS line generally works with the Gutenprint driver, though advanced features may be limited.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best color laser printer for home use?
For most home users, the Brother MFC-L3720CDW is the best color laser printer. It delivers 19 ppm color and mono printing, includes a 50-sheet auto document feeder, supports automatic duplex printing, and connects via dual-band Wi-Fi. The 3.5-inch color touchscreen makes setup and daily use straightforward, and Brother’s toner costs less per page than HP or Canon OEM cartridges.
Which laser printer has the best color quality?
The Canon imageCLASS MF753Cdw II produces the best color quality in our testing. At 1200 x 1200 dpi, it delivered smoother color gradients and more accurate hues than other printers in this roundup. The Brother MFC-L3720CDW comes close with vibrant output and slightly faster speeds, but for color-critical work like marketing materials, the Canon MF753Cdw II is the stronger choice.
Are LaserJet printers being phased out?
HP has not announced plans to phase out LaserJet printers, and the brand continues to release new color laser models like the Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw. Laser printers remain the best option for high-volume text and graphics printing. What has changed is the shift toward multifunction models with wireless connectivity and mobile printing support. Color laser printers are also gaining ground in home offices as prices have dropped.
What is the best color laser printer for occasional use?
For occasional use, the Brother HL-L3300CDW is the best color laser printer. Unlike inkjets, color lasers don’t dry out if you go weeks between print jobs, so occasional use is actually a strength rather than a weakness. The compact footprint fits in small spaces, and the 19 ppm print speed handles one-off print jobs quickly.
Can you use third-party toner in color laser printers?
Brother color laser printers historically allow third-party toner cartridges, though newer firmware updates have added chip authentication that can block some aftermarket cartridges. HP and Canon have moved more aggressively toward chip-locked cartridges that only accept OEM toner. If third-party toner compatibility is critical, look for older Brother models or shop for cartridges specifically listed as compatible with your printer’s firmware version.
How much does a color laser printer cost to run?
Color laser printers cost roughly 2 to 5 cents per color page using OEM toner cartridges, depending on the brand and toner yield. Brother generally has the lowest cost per page, with TN229 cartridges yielding about 1,500 pages each at roughly 2.5 cents per color page. HP’s TerraJet toner runs higher, around 4 cents per color page. Third-party toner can reduce costs by 30 to 50 percent but may void your warranty.
Final Verdict
After eight weeks of testing eight color laser printers, the Brother MFC-L3720CDW remains our top pick for the best color laser printer for use in 2026. It balanced print speed, output quality, features, and toner cost better than any other model we tested, and the 50-sheet auto document feeder makes it genuinely useful for daily office work.
For shoppers who already own HP printers or want the highest review count on Amazon, the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw is a sensible alternative with similar features at a similar cost. Buyers with limited space should consider the Brother HL-L3300CDW, and anyone printing thousands of pages per month should look at the Brother MFC-L8930CDW with its enterprise-grade features and high-yield toner.
The best color laser printer is ultimately the one that fits your print volume, space, and budget. Every model in this guide delivers reliable color output that will serve a home office or small business for years.