While there are plenty of cheap laser printers, finding a high-quality model isn’t easy. Such a printer needs to be fast, and quiet, and produce sharp text and images.
In our quest to find the most affordable laser printers, we reviewed dozens of models. The 10 that we listed here were the best of the best, offering great functionality and value.
Read on to find the perfect laser printer for you.
Best Budget Laser Printers:
1. Brother Compact Monochrome Laser Printer, LH-L2350DW
This little bit of fast printer promises a great price, and it may boost your productivity. Printing as many as 32 pages every minute, the manufacturer recommends a monthly duty cycle of 15,000 pages.
This budget black and white laser printer includes a 250-sheet paper capacity and can print on both sides. Use Brother’s high-yield replacement cartridges to get twice the volume at a lower price.
With this printer, you don’t have to worry about hooking up a lot of complicated wires. That’s because this laser printer delivers wireless printing so that you can use your desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone to connect and control printing.
If you ever run into a problem, Brother provides live chats, a phone line, and online customer support. However, you aren’t likely to need much in the way of assistance. This printer is remarkably easy to install. Just set it up on a desk or table, install the toner cartridge, and plug the USB into the computer of your choice.
Then, you can move on to downloading the driver software to access the wireless capabilities. You’ll be printing in no time.
With its crisp, flawless printing capabilities, the Brother wins praise from many users. Complaints usually relate to the model’s tendency to go into a deep sleep mode when not in constant use. Fortunately, this feature can be turned off.
If you’re looking for a low-cost, headache-free laser printer, jump at this model.
Pros
- Crisp black-and-white printing
- Affordable
- Quick and efficient
Cons
- Goes into deep sleep mode too frequently
2. HP LaserJet Pro M15w Wireless Laser Printer
Thanks to an intuitive control panel and wireless networking capabilities, this HP LaserJet is an outstanding selection. It features Wi-Fi Direct technology a 150-sheet input tray and a 100-sheet output bin.
This affordable laser printer for home use has a really small footprint. It’s just 13.6 inches wide and 7.5 inches deep. You can fit it on practically any desk or table.
Inside the box, you’ll find a starter guide, USB cable, and power cord. A black toner cartridge is pre-installed for your convenience.
Printing as fast as 19 pages per minute, the first sheet appears in approximately eight seconds. The printer may be controlled using the HP Smart app.
With the app, you can print and scan from any mobile device or the cloud. The app also makes it easy to set up the printer with your devices.
Being able to print in black and white from your tablet or smartphone is an advantage. However, if you want to print on both sides of the paper, you’ll have to do it manually.
Nonetheless, the setup appears to be fast and seamless. Printing is pretty fast, and the printed documents are crisp and clear.
Many people admire how affordable and efficient this machine is. The fact that its printing speed isn’t as fast as the competition’s and the inability to automatically print double-sided are this model’s drawbacks.
People who are fans of the HP app and need a really small printer will be delighted with this find.
Pros
- Compact footprint
- Quiet operation
- Clear, crisp printing
Cons
- No automatic duplex
- Not as fast as some competing products
3. Canon Color Image CLASS LBP622Cdw
This gets our vote for the budget color laser printer thanks to the inclusion of Wi-Fi Direct. Accordingly, you can create a hotspot from the printer to any of your mobile devices without needing an external router. The ability to print on the go, even from AppleAir Print, makes this Canon printer a spectacular choice.
Two-sided printing is standard, and you can even choose to print multiple pages on one sheet. This Canon works pretty quickly, with the first sheet showing up in about 10.3 seconds. Unfortunately, that’s not the fastest time in our lineup.
This unit has a larger footprint too. At 17.2-inches wide and 16.8-inches deep, it isn’t as compact as other models. For some people, this won’t be a significant drawback.
Capable of printing 22 pages per minute, this model can hold 250 sheets. The recommended print volume is between 150 and 2,500 pages each month.
Setup is painless with this laser printer. Plus, installation is automatic on computers that are on the same network, which is a huge advantage for small offices or homes with multiple users.
Plenty of people are fans of this Canon printer. They cite the quick setup and acceptable print quality. Nonetheless, some people dislike the multiple warnings about being out of toner long before the level is low.
If you need a color printer that won’t break the bank, you should give this Canon a closer look.
Pros
- Prints in color
- Automatic double-sided printing
- Easy setup
Cons
- Too many warnings about low toner before it’s necessary
- Relatively large footprint
4. Brother HL-L3230CDW Compact Digital Color Printer
Printing 25 pages per minute, this low-budget laser printer is an excellent choice for the productivity-minded. This Brother also prints in color, turning out vibrant sheets that rival projects completed on larger and more expensive machines.
With this printer, you can print via the built-in wireless, Wi-Fi Direct, Ethernet, or USB. A 250-sheet paper tray won’t need to be refilled often, and it can hold both letter and legal paper. You can even print on card stock using the manual tray.
If you use high-yield toner with this machine, you’ll be delighted by how much printing you can do. The results are crisp, clear, and easy to read.
Users say that this model performs well. The setup is straightforward, though some people think that the user interface is a bit confusing.
This Brother laser printer is reliable and quick, making it a sensible choice.
Pros
- Crisp color printing
- Pretty fast at 25 pages per minute
- Can print on card stock
Cons
- The user interface could use some cleanup
5. Xerox Phaser 3260/DNI Monochrome Laser Printer
Xerox is an incredibly well-known name in the world of printing and copying. This budget-minded selection lets you take advantage of that reputation without breaking the bank.
With Wi-Fi Direct, this economical laser printer for home use can communicate with all devices that are Wi-Fi-enabled without relying on an existing wireless network. Accordingly, you can print from your desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone no matter where you are.
This Xerox laser printer is surprisingly quiet, yet it can print as many as 29 pages per minute. In addition to letters and legal paper, it can print envelopes. The black and white pages can be printed double-sided, and the first page comes out after about 8.5 seconds.
At 17.75 inches by 16.5 inches, this isn’t the smallest printer available. Nonetheless, it’s still pretty small, so those who are short on space should be able to squeeze it in almost anywhere.
It’s worth mentioning that this printer works equally as well on card stock, postcards, and transparencies. You can fit up to 251 sheets in the standard tray.
Saying that this printer performs even better than they expected, many people are enthusiastic about this model. For printing black-and-white documents, it’s hard to go wrong. However, some people wish that the printer was more compact.
Despite its bulkier size, this Xerox model is great for black-and-white printing at home.
Pros
- Prints 29 pages per minute
- Compatible with a variety of print media
- Fully Wi-Fi enabled
Cons
- Has a larger footprint than it should
6. HP Color Laser 179Fnw Wireless All-in-One Laser Printer
This selection may be more expensive than others on this list, but we think you’ll agree that the price is worth it. That’s because this is an all-in-one machine that combines printing with copying, scanning, and faxing. Remarkably, it’s possible to get that much functionality for such an attractive price.
Made by HP, this is our pick for the budget all-in-one laser printer. If you’re printing in black and white, you can print as many as 19 pages per minute. Color printing proceeds at a rate of four pages per minute.
Use the HP Smart app to print wirelessly from your mobile device. Double-sided capabilities are available for printing, scanning, faxing, and copying.
The other thing that’s amazing about a machine with this much functionality is its small size. With a footprint of just 16 inches by 14.3 inches, you’ll have no problem fitting this model on any table or desk.
Many people praise this model for being easy to set up and for producing sharp prints. One big drawback for some users is the need to manually feed sheets for double-sided printing, which does seem like a hassle. The other disadvantage is that the printing rate is a bit slow.
If you’re looking for a multi-function printer, then this one is a spectacular value.
Pros
- An all-in-one machine
- Small footprint
- Excellent value
Cons
- Double-sided copying and printing require manual feeding for the second side
7. Pantum M6552NW Monochrome Laser Multifunction Printer
Here is another option that promises quite a bit of functionality but at a more affordable price. Capable of printing, copying, and scanning, this model does away with faxing, which is being used less and less anyway.
You only get black-and-white printing with this inexpensive wireless laser printer. Letter-size paper prints at a rate of 23 pages per minute while legal-size prints at 22 pages per minute.
Also worth mentioning is the sleek, black style of this model. It looks great wherever you place it.
Pantum has an app that you can use for wireless operation. The machine is compatible with iOS and Android systems, and it also will work with the Google Cloud.
The paper tray holds as many as 150 pages. Duplex printing is manual, which can be a bit of a headache. With a 16.4-inch by 12-inch footprint, this is a pretty compact machine, which can be critical for some users.
Most people who have tried this machine say that it’s easy to set up and that the printing function seems quick. They also like that its operation is super quiet.
Nonetheless, some users would prefer an internal paper tray to protect the sheets from collecting dust and other debris.
While some concessions are made because of its lower price, this Pantum model is still a bargain that offers plenty of functionality.
Pros
- An all-in-one machine
- Prints fast
- Easy set up
Cons
- Duplex jobs require manual feeding
- External paper tray
8. Samsung SL-M2020W/XAA Wireless Monochrome Printer
This budget home laser printer from Samsung succeeds by doing one thing extremely well. With few bells and whistles, it nonetheless produces black and white prints that are remarkably crisp and clear.
NFC technology means that your mobile device can quickly and easily connect with this printer. However, it’s worth knowing that this technology only works with the Android operating system.
Also with Wi-Fi connectivity, you have plenty of convenient options for printing documents. This model is compatible with Google Cloud Print and the Samsung Mobile Print app.
This machine is capable of printing at 21 pages per minute and features a 100-sheet output bin. An external 150-sheet input tray is found at the bottom of the unit. The manufacturer recommends a monthly output of between 100 and 1,500 sheets.
An exceptionally small footprint of just 13.7 inches by 8.46 inches makes this the ideal printer for teachers with limited space. Inside the box, you’ll find a user guide, warranty card, CD, black toner cartridge, a power cord, and a USB cable.
This Samsung laser printer works quickly and quietly, producing images that are sharp and clear. Fans routinely remark on the quality of the prints and how easy the machine was to set up.
Many people remark that this printer is ideal for occasional, light use. If you’re a big-volume printer, you may want to look elsewhere.
If you are looking for a printer that will see regular, light use and produce crisp results, check out this Samsung model.
Pros
- Tiny footprint
- Pretty fast printing
- Does one thing, and does it well
Cons
- Not suitable for big-volume printing
9. Xerox Phaser 6510/DN Color Printer
Impressive speeds of 30 pages per minute in color and 40 pages per minute in black and white make this a good cheap laser printer for home or office use. The internal input tray can hold as many as 300 sheets, which further supports our argument that this is a great option for entrepreneurs who occasionally do some heavy printing.
Granted, this is not the smallest option on this list. At 16.5 inches by 19 inches, it’s certainly not tiny. Still, it is smaller than many other higher-priced options, and you shouldn’t have much trouble placing this unit on most desks or tables.
This color printer requires four toner cartridges, with which you can produce vibrant, crisp documents and images.
Compatible with Google Cloud Print, Apple AirPrint, and the Xerox Print Service Plug for Mopria and Android, this is a versatile machine that lets you print wirelessly from absolutely anywhere.
It’s further worth noting that this model takes advantage of all sorts of security technology such as Secure Print, IP Filtering, IPsec, and SNMPv3.
Capable of printing 50,000 pages per month, this is one tough machine.
Because they love the image quality, many people say that they’d never switch to another printer. However, many users complain that the brand-name Xerox toner is just too expensive. It may make sense to look for a generic or off-brand alternative.
If you’re operating a small business, then you will probably find that this printer is a lifesaver.
Pros
- Incredibly fast printing
- Suitable for heavy printing
- Good security features
Cons
- Really expensive toner
10. Lexmark B2338dw Monochrome Laser Printer
If you’re looking for an inexpensive laser printer, then this one is a great option. You get a duplex, two-sided printing with plenty of security features. Both wireless and Ethernet network capabilities are included.
With this printer, you can use your desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone to print. This machine can print an impressive 38 pages per minute. If you switch to duplex mode, you’ll get 22 sides per minute. The first page will appear in a speedy 6.5 seconds.
The 2.4-inch color display provides helpful task updates, and the 250-sheet input tray is big enough for home or small office use.
If you want to ensure that your data remains safe, just turn on Confidential Print. This machine isn’t one of the smallest. It measures 18.5 inches by 16.93 inches. Still, this isn’t too big even if you’re cramped for space.
We love the lightning-fast printing of this unit, and the results are always sharp and clear. Set-up is a breeze and operation is quiet.
Thanks to the fast and dark printing, this printer has garnered plenty of fans. However, some people are troubled by having to hit a button on the printer to bring it out of sleep mode.
This fantastically fast printer boasts an impressively affordable price and is incredibly durable.
Pros
- Incredibly fast printing
- Crisp, sharp prints
- Plenty of useful options
Cons
- Goes to sleep easily and a button must be pushed to wake it up
Factors to Consider
Coloring
When looking for bargain laser printers, you’ll need to weigh a variety of factors. The first of these is whether you want to be able to print in color as well as black and white.
These models almost always cost more, and there is no doubt that buying replacement toner is more expensive when you need to replace more than one drum at a time.
Still, color printing is critical for some users while others only need black-and-white documents.
If you rarely or never print in color, then you can save some money by going with a monochrome printer.
Printer or an all-in-one machine
You’ll also want to think about whether or not you want just a printer or an all-in-one machine. A straightforward printer costs less, but you may have to buy additional equipment if you want to copy, scan, or fax.
While the initial price of an all-in-one machine is higher, you may
appreciate having a multi-function device at your fingertips.
What kinds and sizes of materials do you need to print on
Before deciding which models are the most reliable monochrome laser printers, you want to give some thought to what kinds and sizes of materials you need to print on.
If you always use letter-size paper, there’s no use getting a machine that can handle up to legal-size paper or scale down to envelopes. However, you may want this kind of versatility if you take on a variety of projects.
How many sheets can the printer hold in its input tray? That’s another critical question that you’ll want to answer if you do a lot of big print jobs. It’s a waste of time to keep having to fill that input tray when you’re doing major projects.
Manual or automatic double-sided printing
Thanks to these budget laser printer reviews, you also know to look out for whether or not a printer is capable of manual or automatic double-sided printing. If you plan to do a lot of duplex jobs, then the built-in duplex unit is indispensable.
If you work in a small space or dislike the disruption of noisy office equipment, then you must pay attention to how much noise the printer makes while in operation.
Many of the latest models take advantage of suppression technology that keeps them whisper quiet even in the most demanding print jobs.
Also, if you believe that you’ll be doing several large print projects every month, then it’s important to consider the recommended duty cycle for the model of printer that you’re looking at. Some are suitable for a maximum of 1,500, but others can handle far more.
Making The Decision
If you’re looking for a budget laser printer that prints only in black and white, you can’t go wrong with the Lexmark. It’s incredibly fast, and it produces beautiful prints. Including some nice security features, this is a good choice for confidential work.
For users to whom color printing is vital, we advise choosing the Brother model. The images are sharp, clear, and vibrant.
