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10 Best Budget Laser Printers 2026 in the United States

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Our technology thoroughly searches through the online shopping world, reviewing hundreds of sites. We then process and analyze this information, updating in real-time to bring you the latest top-rated products. This way, you always get the best and most current options available.

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Our Top Picks

#1

Winner

HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw Wireless All-in-One Color Laser Printer, Office Printer, Scanner, Copier, ADF, Duplex, Best-for-Office (499Q3F)

Rating
10.0
Chosen by1,186
Print Speed
Print Quality
Duty Cycle

Most important from
796 reviews

Print Speed
Prints so fast and the quality of copies is amazing, capturing even the faintest details accurately.
Print Quality
Print and color quality is superb, making it an excellent printer, scanner, and copier.
Duty Cycle
The included black ink cartridge is durable, lasting over a month with heavy daily use.
Connectivity Options
Setup is easy and connecting to Wi-Fi is painless, ensuring a hassle-free experience.
Paper Handling
The drawer feed design eliminates paper jams, a significant improvement over gravity feed.

The HP Color Laserjet Pro MFP 3301sdw is a solid choice for small office teams needing a budget-friendly laser printer that can handle printing, scanning, and copying tasks. Its print speed of up to 30 pages per minute in both color and black ensures efficient workflow, and the professional-quality TerraJet toner delivers vivid, sharp prints.

The printer features automatic two-sided printing and a 250-sheet input tray, which adds convenience and reduces the need for frequent paper refills. This model's wireless connectivity, including dual-band Wi-Fi, simplifies printing from various devices, while the HP app allows for easy mobile printing and scanning.

Security is also a strong point, with built-in HP Wolf Pro Security to protect sensitive information. However, potential drawbacks include its weight of 37.7 pounds, which might be cumbersome for smaller spaces, and the toner cost, as HP's original toner cartridges can be pricier compared to third-party options. Nevertheless, the printer's reliability and eco-friendly design, certified by Energy Star and EPEAT, make it a commendable choice for those looking for a cost-effective, versatile, and secure printing solution.

Rating
10.0
Chosen by1,186
Print Speed
Print Quality
Duty Cycle

Most important from
796 reviews

Print Speed
Prints so fast and the quality of copies is amazing, capturing even the faintest details accurately.
Print Quality
Print and color quality is superb, making it an excellent printer, scanner, and copier.
Duty Cycle
The included black ink cartridge is durable, lasting over a month with heavy daily use.
Connectivity Options
Setup is easy and connecting to Wi-Fi is painless, ensuring a hassle-free experience.
Paper Handling
The drawer feed design eliminates paper jams, a significant improvement over gravity feed.
#2

Brother MFC-L3780CDW Wireless Digital Color All-in-One Printer with Laser Quality Output, Single Pass Duplex Copy & Scan | Includes 2 Month Refresh Subscription Trial, Works with Alexa

Rating
9.7
Print Speed
Print Quality

Most important from
620 reviews

Print Speed
The print speed is impressive and it's very quiet, a huge improvement over older models that were slow and prone to jams.
Print Quality
While it's not a photo printer, the color quality is bright and perfectly acceptable for documents.

The Brother MFC-L3780CDW is a versatile budget laser printer ideal for small businesses and home offices. It offers impressive print speeds of up to 31 pages per minute (ppm) for both color and monochrome documents, which is great for busy environments. The print quality is excellent, with a maximum resolution of 2400 x 600 dpi ensuring sharp and professional-looking documents. The all-in-one functionality also includes copy, scan, and fax capabilities, enhancing its utility. Additionally, the single-pass duplex feature for both copying and scanning can significantly save time on large tasks.

This model also supports various connectivity options, including Wi-Fi, Ethernet, NFC, and USB, making it highly adaptable to different network setups. The built-in dual-band wireless support ensures stable and fast connections. Paper handling is flexible, with a 250-sheet input tray that can accommodate a range of media sizes up to 8.5 x 14 inches, plus an optional additional paper tray for increased capacity. However, the printer is quite heavy at 47.8 pounds, which might be cumbersome to move around.

Toner cost and yield are manageable with options for high-yield cartridges and a subscription service that offers up to 50% savings on toner. The initial setup might be a bit complex for non-tech-savvy users, but once set up, the printer is straightforward to use. The LED display could be more intuitive, and while automatic duplex printing is a plus, the resolution for scanning and copying is relatively lower at 300 x 300 dpi. The Brother MFC-L3780CDW is a robust choice for those needing a reliable, fast, and multi-functional printer, with minor drawbacks in ease of use and weight.

Rating
9.7
Print Speed
Print Quality

Most important from
620 reviews

Print Speed
The print speed is impressive and it's very quiet, a huge improvement over older models that were slow and prone to jams.
Print Quality
While it's not a photo printer, the color quality is bright and perfectly acceptable for documents.
#3

Epson EcoTank ET-4800 Wireless All-in-One Cartridge-Free Supertank Printer with Scanner, Copier, Fax, ADF and Ethernet – Ideal-for Your Home Office, White

Rating
9.4
Print Quality
Paper Handling

Most important from
4968 reviews

Print Quality
The print quality is crisp for documents, and it handles color prints well enough for most everyday needs.
Paper Handling
For an artist, the direct paper feed handles heavier weight card stock paper well, perfect for art and greeting cards.

The Epson EcoTank ET-4800 is an affordable all-in-one printer, ideal for home office use. Its standout feature is the innovative cartridge-free printing, which uses high-capacity ink tanks to deliver significant cost savings on ink. The claimed savings of up to 90% on replacement ink bottles are impressive, and the capacity to print up to 4,500 pages in black and 7,500 pages in color means fewer interruptions and lower ongoing costs.

This model shines in terms of print quality, with Epson's Micro Piezo Heat-Free Technology producing sharp text and vivid color graphics on various paper types. However, its print speed is relatively slow, with a maximum of 10 pages per minute (ppm) for monochrome and 5 ppm for color, which may not suit high-volume print needs. Connectivity is robust, offering both Ethernet and wireless options, and supports modern features like voice-activated printing and mobile printing through the Epson Smart Panel App.

The built-in scanner and copier, along with features like automatic duplex printing and an Automatic Document Feeder (ADF), enhance its functionality. Paper handling is decent with a 100-sheet capacity, suitable for light to moderate usage. The device’s environmental impact is mitigated by the reduction in cartridge waste, aligning with eco-friendly practices. Measuring 13.6 inches in height, the printer is compact enough for most home office setups.

Rating
9.4
Print Quality
Paper Handling

Most important from
4968 reviews

Print Quality
The print quality is crisp for documents, and it handles color prints well enough for most everyday needs.
Paper Handling
For an artist, the direct paper feed handles heavier weight card stock paper well, perfect for art and greeting cards.

Buying Guide for the Best Budget Laser Printers

When choosing a budget laser printer, it's important to consider several key specifications to ensure you get the best fit for your needs. Laser printers are known for their speed, precision, and cost-effectiveness over time, especially for high-volume printing. By understanding the key specs, you can make an informed decision that balances performance and affordability.
Print SpeedPrint speed, measured in pages per minute (PPM), indicates how quickly a printer can produce documents. This is important if you need to print large volumes of documents regularly. Entry-level models may offer speeds around 20-30 PPM, which is sufficient for home or small office use. Mid-range models can print 30-40 PPM, suitable for moderate office use. High-end models exceed 40 PPM and are ideal for busy offices with high printing demands. Consider your typical printing volume to choose the right speed for you.
Print QualityPrint quality is measured in dots per inch (DPI) and determines the clarity and detail of the printed documents. For most text documents, a resolution of 600 x 600 DPI is adequate. If you need to print graphics or images, look for a printer with at least 1200 x 1200 DPI. Higher DPI values provide sharper and more detailed prints, but may not be necessary for everyday text printing. Assess the type of documents you print most often to decide the appropriate print quality.
Duty CycleThe duty cycle is the maximum number of pages a printer can handle per month without experiencing wear and tear. This is crucial for ensuring the longevity of your printer. For home use or small offices, a duty cycle of up to 10,000 pages per month is usually sufficient. Medium-sized offices might need a printer with a duty cycle of 10,000 to 50,000 pages. Large offices with heavy printing needs should look for models with a duty cycle exceeding 50,000 pages. Estimate your monthly printing volume to choose a printer with an appropriate duty cycle.
Connectivity OptionsConnectivity options determine how you can connect your printer to your devices. Basic models may only offer USB connectivity, which is fine for direct connections to a single computer. For more flexibility, look for printers with Wi-Fi or Ethernet capabilities, allowing multiple devices to connect wirelessly or through a network. Some models also support mobile printing via apps or Bluetooth. Consider your setup and how you prefer to print to choose the right connectivity options.
Paper HandlingPaper handling refers to the types and sizes of paper a printer can accommodate, as well as the capacity of its paper trays. Basic models typically handle standard letter and legal sizes with a single tray holding around 150-250 sheets. More advanced models may offer multiple trays, higher capacities, and support for various paper types like envelopes, labels, and cardstock. If you frequently print on different media or need to minimize paper refills, look for a printer with versatile and high-capacity paper handling.
Toner Cost and YieldToner cost and yield are important for understanding the long-term cost of operating your printer. Toner yield is the number of pages a toner cartridge can print before needing replacement. Higher yield cartridges may have a higher upfront cost but lower cost per page. Compare the cost and yield of toner cartridges for different models to estimate your ongoing expenses. If you print frequently, a printer with high-yield toner cartridges can be more economical in the long run.

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