Top 12 Best Color Laser Printers Buying Guide – In [ Apr 2021 ]

There are many reasons why you might need the best color laser printer in 2021. They’re great for high-volume printing jobs in home offices and other business settings where printing will happen frequently. They’re also useful for students, artists, and designers to use.

The best color laser printers can provide photo and image quality comparable to the quality put out by the best color inkjet printers while performing better with higher speeds and fewer paper jams. Additionally, while most color laser printers will cost more initially than inkjet printers, they usually cost less in consumables like toner, drums, and imaging units.

Here, we’ll review the best color laser printers for your needs. We compared several laser color printers and came up with the ten best printers out there. So whether you’re a freelancing artist, a small business owner, or just want a reliable, high-quality printer, one of the printers we’ve reviewed is sure to suit the needs you have for it.

Whether you have a small, average, or large office workload, you can’t miss one color printer that meets your business needs in this list. Even more impressive, you’ll notice that most of these printers have impressive printing speeds – meaning that they can get the work done quickly without compromising on the quality.

And bearing in mind that each office has different needs, you must ensure that the printer you buy meets your office-specific needs. In this regard, we’ve included a comprehensive buying guide and FAQ section to make sure that you settle for the best product based on your needs and preferences. Let’s get to it!

Top 12 Best Color Laser Printer Reviews in 2021

The following are our reviews of the ten best laser color printers. These printers are sure to meet your needs whether you’re a student, small business owner, or just want to print professional, high-quality images and photos from home.

1. Lexmark C3326DW Color Laser Printer Best for Prints

While every printer on our list is great, there’s only one that can take the top spot as the best printer all-around. That said, the best color laser printer of 2020 in our opinion is the LexMark C3326DW. This color laser printer is an amazing piece of machinery that, conveniently, won’t be too large an expense from the beginning.

Despite its heavyweight, this printer is fairly compact and shouldn’t take up very much space in your home or office. It can be a little noisier than some models of laserjet printer, but it’s still significantly less disturbing than a majority of inkjet printers. So if a reasonably quiet printer that’s compact is what you’re looking for, this should be a great fit.

Its tray capacity can hold up to 250 sheets with a single-sheet feed to cut down on the potential for paper jams. It easily sets up with both Mac and Windows operating systems and should be compatible with Linux as well, though it’s not specified. This printer prints great no matter the connection type – whether you use USB, Ethernet, or wireless printing. You should expect high-quality, impeccable prints with this printer and you won’t be disappointed.

2. HP Color LaserJet Pro M454DW Printer Review.

If you need the best color laser printer for your small business, this HP printer is probably exactly what you’re looking for. If you’re looking for a particularly large sheet capacity for your laser color printer, you can get this one with an additional 550-sheet capacity feeder.

With it, you can count on this printer to handle every kind of job with a minimal need to refill the paper tray. This printer includes a suite of embedded security features that are designed to help you protect your printer and ensure the safety of any data on other devices on your network.

Alternatively, you can print with or without a wireless network, as the printer has built-in Wi-Fi Direct, so you can connect directly to the printer from your mobile device. It has a default automatic duplex printing system, and prints up to 28 pages per minute in both monochrome and full color.

3. Brother MFC-L3770CDW Color All-in-One Laser Printer Review.

The best all-in-one color laser printer is Brother MFC-L3770CDW. This printer will make all of your printing jobs, copying, scanning, and faxing need simple and hassle-free. It’s compatible with USB 2.0, Ethernet, and Wi-Fi connectivity so there’s no shortage of ways to use it.

This laser printer is great for all-around use, whether it be personal or business use is really up to you. It will work well in either environment, though you should keep in mind that it’s rather large and bulky, so it may take up too much space for common home uses.

It comes with an intuitive and easy-to-use touchscreen display, where you can manage what you want to print, scan, or copy, do any last-minute editing and print the documents. Additionally, it’s useful for helping you to troubleshoot any problems or errors, such as a reading for low toner.

4. HP LaserJet Pro M254DW Color Laser Printer Review.

The best color laser printer for home and wireless use is the HP LaserJet Pro M254DW. It’s particularly small and compact in size, so it will fit almost anywhere in your home, workspace, or home office. The starting toner that this printer comes with will print approximately 1,600 pages.

If you decide to use the HP Smart app, you will be able to set up your printer, order toner, and scan documents from your mobile device. Additionally, you’ll be able to print from any cloud-based storage, such as Apple Air Print or Google Cloud. The drivers may be a little finicky at first but are usually easy enough to work through, and for the effort, you’ll be able to enjoy excellent print quality for both documents and images.

5. Brother HL-L3290CDW Compact Color Printer Review.

If you’re not a fan of the HP printer above, you might find that the best home color laser printer is this compact digital color printer from Brother. Set this printer up with a static IP address for maximum connectivity, and it will be one of the best things you ever connect to your wireless network.

It’s compatible with Windows and Mac operating systems and is also compatible with Linux depending on the current firmware of your printer and the version of Linux being used, so be sure to check with the manufacturer before committing if this will be a concern you have.

It prints a little more slowly than some other printers on our list, but still prints at a respectable 25 pages per minute while being remarkably quiet. You can also use it to print on envelopes, card stock and more by using the manual feed slot on this printer.

6. HP Color Laserjet Pro M180NW All-in-One Laser Printer Review.

Another fantastic all-in-one wireless color laser printer is this Laserjet Pro by HP. If having an automatic duplex printing feature isn’t a necessity for you or you don’t plan on double-sided printing very often, this printer might fit you and your needs, or lack thereof, perfectly.

This printer is capable of working with any operating system and will scan, copy, and print your images and documents in excellent quality. You can use plain paper, recycled paper, cardstock, envelopes, and more with this printer, including glossy photo paper for when you want to print photos or other images. This printer comes with a one-year limited hardware warranty, so if anything is wrong, you can contact HP’s 24-hour customer support service.

7. Canon Color imageCLASS LBP622CDW Laser Printer Review.

This Canon Color imageClass printer is the best cheap color laser printer, and it’s one of the least expensive models that we’ve reviewed here. But just because it’s cheap doesn’t mean it’s not a fantastic printer.

The first print of a job is often the one that takes the longest, but this printer handles even that like a champ. You’ll get your first print in about 10.3 seconds, and everything from that point on is a breeze. This printer is easy to set up and can handle even obscure and cumbersome jobs. So, if you need the best buy color laser printer for your home or office, this is a great option.

8. Brother HLL2320D Compact Laser Printer Review.

If you’re just looking for a basic laser printer that doesn’t have any unnecessary or extra features, the HLL2320D is the best budget laser printer you’ll find. It doesn’t copy, scan, or fax but it prints exceptionally well.

The instructions for set-up are clear even for those of us that aren’t very tech-savvy, but you will probably need a USB cord to set it up initially and that’s not included in the box. Any 2.0 USB you have around should work fine though. This printer has an automatic duplex printing feature and the printer itself uses an electrophotographic laser to print, so you’ll have undeniably clear and crisp text on your documents.

9. Canon Color imageCLASS MF733CDW Laser Printer Review.

This is the best multifunction color laser printer that you’ll find in its class. For starters, it’ll produce the first page of whatever job you give it and produce that very first printed page in about 9 seconds, and can produce about 29 pages per minute.

So if you’re looking for a printer that can deliver with speed without jamming up during every job, this is a great option. You can subscribe to the Amazon Dash Replenishment subscription, which will keep tabs on your printer’s toner levels and will automatically order new toner for your printer as it runs out and have it delivered to your home or office for your convenience.

This printer features a duplex scanner that will simultaneously and automatically scan both sides of a document. It also has a massive sheet capacity with an expandable tray that will hold up to 850 total sheets of paper, so you’ll spend less time refilling the printer.

10. Brother MFC-L3710CW Color All-in-One Printer Review.

The final contender on our list for the best color laser printers of 2020 is another Brother model, the MFC-L3710CW. It’s a compact digital all-in-one printer that is one of the best color laser multifunction printers out there.

Setting this printer up for use is incredibly simple, you’ll likely spend more time removing the protective packaging than you will actually setting the printer up to be used. Even if you usually have trouble setting up other printers or technology in general, this one shouldn’t give you any trouble.

This compact digital color all-in-one printer is a fantastic solution for you if you’re wanting to get crisp, vibrant prints and don’t want to worry about any bleeding from inkjet inks. It’s not perfect, the duplex printing method is kind of dated and the toner may read as empty before it actually is, but that can be fixed with a toner reset.

11. Canon TR8520 Printer Review.

While it may seem pricey, you can rest assured that this Canon TR8520 offers real value for every dime of your money. Designed with a 5-color individual ink system, the quality of the printouts is impressive. Besides, it can handle various office tasks such as faxing, copying, scanning, and printing.

Thanks to the luxurious 4.3″ color touchscreen, operating this printer is easy and straightforward. The connectivity options are wide – it allows both wired and wireless connections. It supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, AirPrint, Canon Print App, Mopria Printing, and PictBridge for wireless printing. It’s also fitted with high-speed USB and Ethernet ports.

The compact design of this Canon TR8520 is another amazing feature worth noting. Measuring just 11.4 x 17.3 x 7.5 inches, this product can fit in small spaces. Even so, this printer has versatile paper support – it can print high-quality documents and photos thanks to the Front & Rear Paper Support.

Similarly, this printer is designed with an excellent printing resolution of up to 4,800 x 1200 dpi, so you can rest assured that you’ll get high-end, detailed, and professional texts and photo print outs. Besides, thanks to its versatile paper handling capacity of 250 sheets, this printer allows an uninterrupted printing process.

To save on overall running costs, this machine also supports auto 2-sided printing – you don’t have to flip when printing on both sides. Weighing just 17.5 pounds, this printer is suitable if you’ll be moving the printer regularly. Besides, you get a 1-year warranty

12. Brother MFC-J895DW Printer Review.

This Brother MFC-J895DW is another affordable yet premium Inkjet color printer. Besides performing various office tasks such as scanning, printing, faxing, and copying, this printer produces vivid, sharp, and professional outputs.

With a paper handling capacity of 150 sheets, this Brother printer is suitable for a small office. The 1-sheet bypass tray allows you to print on photo paper, card stock, and envelopes. Besides, for individuals who deal with legal matters, this printer has got your back – it supports both legal-size and letter-size documents.

The auto – 2-sided printing saves on paper and the hassle of flipping 2-sided pages. It’s also designed with a 20 pages ADF. Besides, setting up and connecting this machine is easy and straightforward, thanks to the 2.7″ color touchscreen display. The printing speed is reasonably good – 12 ppm and 10pppm for black and color prints, respectively.

Similarly, this printer has versatile connectivity options – it supports wired connections via Bluetooth, USB 2.0, and Ethernet. You can also print wirelessly via Wi-Fi Direct, Brother iPrint&Scan, Mopria, AirPrint, and Google Cloud Print.

Furthermore, this Brother MFC-J895DW is compact and lightweight. Measuring just 6.8 x 13.4 x 15.7 inches, this printer is convenient if you have limited storage space. It weighs only 18.1 pounds. Once you buy this printer, you will receive a 2-year warranty and free online live and call chat support for life.

Buying Guide Best Color Laser Printers.

Color printer or Monochrome

Monochrome printers can only print on black whereas, a color printer can print photographs too. Therefore, it is vital to have an understanding of your needs. If you simply want black prints then go for a monochrome printer. However, if you need color printing then you can choose a color printer.

Yes, the color printer is expensive than a monochrome printer. Nevertheless, if the price is an issue then go for a monochrome printer. It would give you all the benefits the color printer would give except for color printing. Thus, choose wisely and according to your needs.

Handling of a paper.

A normal paper handling specification almost includes every size of a paper and also it includes the thickness of a paper. No matter what you are using, inkjet or a laser printer, the printer uses a standard kind of paper. However, the standardized paper does not include envelopes in it.

Almost all the printers have the accessibility to hold more than 100 sheets in their input and output trays. There are also advanced features of paper handling which include tabloid-size printing, auto-feeder, and duplexing. Therefore, you need to know the paper handling aspects of a printer as it would lead you to buy a better printer.

Professional-quality paper

The fundamental rule of buying a printer is to check the printer first. It would help you see the paper’s quality and images. Nowadays, many stores give this opportunity to test the printer before you buy it.

So availing of the opportunity is a better option than to regret later. The fonts should be clearer despite their size. The color printing should be rich in quality. There should be no fuzzy images on the paper rather should be crisped.

FAQ’s On The Best Color Laser Printers

Wrap Up.

Even the best inkjet printers can be a hassle, between their noise levels and the fact that the ink can become dry or gum up the injection nozzles if it goes unused for a while. You won’t have these kinds of problems when you use the best laser color printers. With the above products and our in-depth reviews of them, we hope that you’ll find the best color laser printer for all of your home and office needs.