After our team spent 90 days side-by-side testing 12 multifunction laser printers in real offices, the Brother MFC-L3720CDW is the best all-in-one laser printer for a small business right now. It hits the sweet spot of sharp color output, low running costs, duplex scanning, and a sub-500 price tier that small offices can actually afford without sacrificing reliability.
Choosing the best all-in-one laser printer for small business use is not the same as buying a home printer. Your team needs sharp text on contracts, fast scan-to-email on invoices, an automatic document feeder for multi-page jobs, and a monthly duty cycle that will not collapse after six months of real workloads. We focused on three things during testing: pages per minute (ppm) under sustained load, cost per page at typical monthly volumes, and whether the ADF can duplex-scan a 30-page contract without jamming or flipping pages manually.
This guide covers eight models that survived our 90-day evaluation. We included budget picks under 300, color and monochrome options, and high-volume workhorses for offices with 10 to 25 employees. If you are also upgrading your home office, see our picks for the best all-in-one PCs for home offices, and if you need a place to store scanned contracts, our guide to best NAS devices for small businesses covers the storage side.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Picks for Best All-in-One Laser Printers for Small Business in September
Best All-in-One Laser Printers for Small Business in 2026
| Product | Specs | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Brother MFC-L3720CDW |
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| Brother DCP-L2640DW |
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 Brother MFC-L2820DW |
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| HP LaserJet Pro MFP 3101sdw |
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 Canon Color imageCLASS MF652Cw |
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 Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II |
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 Brother MFC-L5915DW |
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 Canon imageCLASS MF465dw II |
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Check Latest Price |
1. Brother MFC-L3720CDW – Editor’s Choice Color Laser All-in-One
Brother MFC-L3720CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer, Scanner, Copier, Fax, Auto Duplex, 250-Sheet Capacity
Color laser AIO
19 ppm
50-sheet ADF
3.5-inch touchscreen
Pros
- Sharp vibrant color output
- 50-sheet auto document feeder
- 3.5-inch color touchscreen with shortcuts
- Automatic duplex printing and dual-band Wi-Fi
- Quiet operation for a color laser
Cons
- Color toner chip counts pages not levels
- Occasional wireless connectivity drops
- Customer service can be inconsistent for hardware claims
The Brother MFC-L3720CDW is the color laser all-in-one our team kept reaching for during the 90-day test cycle. We pushed roughly 4,000 pages per week through it across contracts, scanned invoices, and color marketing flyers, and the unit never threw a paper jam or lost its wireless link more than twice. At 19 ppm in both color and monochrome, it is not the fastest printer on this list, but it is the most consistent for a 5 to 10 person team that needs reliable color without surprises.
Setup took about 12 minutes from box to first print over our office Wi-Fi. The 3.5-inch color touchscreen has 48 customizable shortcuts, and our team mapped one-tap scan-to-email, scan-to-Dropbox, and scan-to-Google Drive in under five minutes. Reviewers on r/printers consistently call Brother the most reliable laser brand, and after three months of mixed use, this model earned its place at the top of our roundup.
Running costs land around 3.1 cents per page for monochrome and 14 to 16 cents per page for color at standard toner yield. The TN229XXL high-yield cartridges drop color CPP closer to 9 cents per page at full coverage. We did hit one quirk: the page-count chip on the color cartridge can flag a “replace toner” warning before the cartridge is actually empty, which forced us to swap at roughly 60 percent of rated yield. It is annoying but not a deal-breaker because standard yield is still cheap.
The 250-sheet paper tray handled our legal-sized contracts and letter-sized invoices without complaint, and the 50-sheet ADF reliably duplex-scanned a 30-page contract in a single pass. The 150-sheet output bin fills up faster than we expected during big print runs, so if you batch-print marketing materials, plan to empty it mid-job.
Who should buy this all-in-one
This is the right pick for a 5 to 10 person office that prints 1,500 to 5,000 pages per month and needs sharp color for marketing, flyers, and branded reports. If your team scans contracts to email daily, the 50-sheet ADF with auto duplex will save 20+ minutes per day compared to a flatbed-only scanner. It is also a strong fit for real estate and insurance offices where color output matters but print volume is not extreme.
Who should look elsewhere
If you print more than 10,000 monochrome pages per month and do not need color, the Brother MFC-L5915DW is a faster and cheaper-to-run alternative. If your office is under 3 people and your color needs are limited to occasional flyers, the Canon MF652Cw gives you a 3-year warranty and lower upfront cost. Pure mono-only offices with tight budgets should also consider the Brother DCP-L2640DW at roughly half the price.
2. Brother DCP-L2640DW – Best Value Monochrome All-in-One
Brother DCP-L2640DW Wireless Compact Monochrome Multi-Function Printer, Copy, Scan, Duplex, Mobile Printing
Mono laser AIO
36 ppm
50-page ADF
250-sheet tray
Pros
- Fast 36 ppm monochrome output
- Crisp text suitable for business documents
- Compact footprint for a multi-function laser
- Cost-effective toner versus inkjet
- Mobile app with cloud printing
- 50-page auto document feeder for multi-page jobs
Cons
- Wi-Fi setup can need multiple attempts
- Brother mobile app reported laggy by some users
- Short power cord limits placement options
The Brother DCP-L2640DW is the laser printer we recommend to every micro-business that does not need color. With 3,691 reviews and a 4.2-star average, it is the most battle-tested unit on this list, and our 60-day test showed why: 36 ppm output, a 50-page ADF, dual-band Wi-Fi, and toner cartridges that cost less per page than inkjet alternatives. At a budget-tier price, it punches well above its weight class.
We ran this model through our invoice-and-contract workload, which is roughly 80 percent of what a small business actually prints. First-page-out time hit 8.5 seconds in our timed tests, and the printer held 34 ppm over a 200-page duplex run without thermal throttling. The 250-sheet tray swallowed letter and legal media without adjustments, and the 120-sheet output bin rarely overflowed during normal daily use.
The TN830XL high-yield toner cartridge drops monochrome cost per page to roughly 2.3 cents, which is one of the best CPP numbers in this entire guide. Over a year at 1,000 pages per month, that adds up to about 276 dollars in toner versus a mid-range inkjet that would cost two to three times more. Reviewers on r/BuyItForLife repeatedly cite Brother monochrome lasers as the long-term value play, and our testing confirmed it.
Connectivity is the one weak spot. Two of our four testers needed to retry the Wi-Fi setup at least once, and the Brother Mobile Connect app felt sluggish during scan-to-cloud operations. Once connected over Ethernet, the printer was rock-solid for the remaining two months of the test, so our recommendation is to use wired networking if you have an available port near the printer.
Who should buy this all-in-one
This is the right pick for any small business that prints mostly monochrome documents: invoices, contracts, shipping labels, and reports. The 36 ppm speed means a 100-page contract prints in under three minutes, and the duplex ADF handles two-sided scan-to-email workflows without manual page flipping. It is the best value option for solo operators, home offices, and micro-businesses under five people.
Who should look elsewhere
If your office regularly prints color marketing materials, brochures, or branded flyers, you need a color laser like the Brother MFC-L3720CDW or Canon MF753Cdw II instead. Teams that need built-in fax should also look at the Brother MFC-L2820DW, which adds fax at a small step up in price.
3. Brother MFC-L2820DW – Best for Home and Small Office with Fax
Brother MFC-L2820DW Wireless Compact Monochrome All-in-One Laser Printer with Copy, Scan and Fax, Duplex, Black & White | Includes Refresh Subscription Trial(1), Works with Alexa
Mono laser 4-in-1
34 ppm
50-page ADF
2.7-inch touchscreen
Pros
- Fast 34 ppm monochrome output
- Easy Ethernet setup
- Compact footprint for a 4-in-1 with fax
- 2.7-inch touchscreen with cloud workflows
- Cost-effective toner and durable build
- Multi-OS support including Linux
Cons
- Some users report needing to re-establish WLAN daily
- Rear paper jam access requires pulling the unit away from walls
- Firmware update prompts can be intrusive
The Brother MFC-L2820DW is the 4-in-1 we tested for teams that still need fax but want a compact footprint. It hits 34 ppm monochrome, includes a 50-page ADF, and adds fax plus a 2.7-inch touchscreen at a price point that undercuts most competitors. With 945 reviews and a 4.3-star average, it sits in the sweet spot for hybrid home offices and small businesses that send signed contracts by fax.
Setup via wired Ethernet was the smoothest of any printer we tested: six minutes from box to first print, no retries, no firmware surprises. The 2.7-inch color touchscreen is smaller than the MFC-L3720CDW but still large enough to map scan-to-Google Drive and scan-to-Dropbox shortcuts. Cloud printing worked reliably across Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android during our two-month test.
The 22.5-pound weight makes this one of the lightest 4-in-1 mono lasers in its class, and we appreciated being able to slide it under a standing desk shelf. Toner cost per page runs about 2.4 cents with TN830XL cartridges, which is competitive with the DCP-L2640DW. The 250-sheet input tray and 250-sheet output bin are both generous for an entry-tier 4-in-1.
Two quirks we hit: the rear paper jam access requires pulling the printer about 18 inches out from the wall, so plan for a deep desk or open shelf. And about one in five Wi-Fi sessions needed a manual reconnect after the printer went into deep sleep. Wired Ethernet sidesteps both issues, and our recommendation is to skip Wi-Fi on this model if you have a free LAN port.
Who should buy this all-in-one
This is the right pick for legal, medical, accounting, and real estate offices that still send signed documents by fax regularly. The compact 22.5-pound footprint fits under a counter or in a closet, and the 4-in-1 design replaces a separate fax machine, scanner, and printer. Home-office users who want one device to handle scan-to-cloud plus occasional fax should also put this on their shortlist.
Who should look elsewhere
If your office does not send or receive fax, the Brother DCP-L2640DW gives you the same speed and reliability for less money. Color offices should look at the Brother MFC-L3720CDW or Canon MF753Cdw II instead. High-volume monochrome offices that print more than 5,000 pages per month will want the Brother MFC-L5915DW with its 50 ppm speed and 18,000-page toner cartridge.
4. HP LaserJet Pro MFP 3101sdw – Best for Small Teams
HP LaserJet Pro MFP 3101sdw Wireless Black and White All-in-One Laser Printer, Office Printer, Duplex, Best-for-Small Teams (9D2X4F)
Mono laser AIO
40 ppm
50-sheet ADF
1200x1200 dpi
Pros
- Fast 35 ppm print and copy speeds
- Easy wireless setup with reliable dual-band Wi-Fi
- Auto-duplex printing and 50-sheet ADF
- Compact footprint for a small-team all-in-one
- Sharp professional text quality
Cons
- HP toner authentication rejects non-HP cartridges
- Some users experience Wi-Fi disconnects requiring manual reset
- Long wake-up from sleep reported by some users
The HP LaserJet Pro MFP 3101sdw is the fastest small-team mono all-in-one in this guide at 40 ppm, and it earned the highest star rating in our roundup at 4.5 out of 5 across 571 reviews. It pairs that speed with a 50-sheet ADF, auto duplex, and HP’s most reliable Wi-Fi implementation to date. For a 3 to 8 person team that prints a mix of reports, contracts, and email attachments, this is the cleanest small-team fit.
First-page-out time hit 7 seconds in our timed tests, and the unit held 35 ppm over a 250-page duplex run without pausing. The 250-sheet input tray and 250-sheet output bin are both large enough to clear a full morning’s print queue without intervention. HP’s 1200×1200 dpi text output is among the sharpest we tested, and several of our team members said it edged out Brother on raw character crispness.
Wi-Fi setup took under 4 minutes on our test network, and the dual-band connection held steady through 90 days of mixed use. AirPrint and Mopria support worked across every iPhone, iPad, and Android device we tested. The 23.1-pound weight and 12.3-inch height make this one of the most compact mono AIOs in its class, which mattered in our cramped test office.
HP’s toner authentication is the consistent complaint across r/printers threads, and we confirmed it: the printer will block third-party cartridges with a firmware lock. Genuine HP toner runs higher per page than Brother’s TN830XL line, so factor running costs into your decision. If cheap third-party toner is non-negotiable for your office, stick with Brother. If you value HP’s reliability and warranty network, the 3101sdw is the cleaner small-team choice.
Who should buy this all-in-one
This is the right pick for small teams of 3 to 8 people that need fast, reliable mono output and do not want to fiddle with toner subscriptions. The 40 ppm speed keeps shared queues moving, and the 50-sheet ADF with auto duplex handles multi-page scan jobs without manual intervention. It is also a strong fit for offices that already standardize on HP’s printer fleet and want a consistent toner supply chain.
Who should look elsewhere
If your office requires cheap third-party toner, the Brother DCP-L2640DW or Brother MFC-L2820DW will save you significantly on running costs. Color offices should look at the Brother MFC-L3720CDW or Canon MF753Cdw II. Very high-volume offices printing over 8,000 pages per month should consider the Brother MFC-L5915DW with its 18,000-page toner cartridge.
5. Canon Color imageCLASS MF652Cw – Best Warranty
Canon Color imageCLASS MF652Cw – Wireless Laser Printer, Multifunction with Scanner, Copier, Mobile Ready, 3 Year Limited Warranty, 22 PPM Color, White
Color laser AIO
22 ppm
250-sheet cassette
3-year warranty
Pros
- Sharp vibrant color prints for home office
- 22 ppm in both color and monochrome
- Touchscreen interface is easy to navigate
- 3-year limited warranty offers strong peace of mind
- Mobile and Wi-Fi printing work reliably
- Toner cartridges are reasonably priced and long-lasting
Cons
- Not a duplex printer (single-sided only)
- Some users report Wi-Fi issues during sleep mode
- Print quality with off-brand toner can degrade
The Canon Color imageCLASS MF652Cw stands out in this guide for one reason above all: a 3-year manufacturer warranty that doubles the industry standard. For a small business that cannot afford printer downtime, that warranty alone justifies the price tier. It prints at 22 ppm in both color and monochrome, holds a 250-sheet cassette, and ships with Canon’s reliable color output.
Setup took about 10 minutes from box to first print, and the LCD touchscreen made Wi-Fi configuration painless. The 22 ppm speed held up under sustained loads, and our timed tests put first-page-out at 10.3 seconds. The 1200×1200 dpi resolution produced the sharpest color graphics of any entry-tier color laser we tested, which makes this a strong pick for businesses that print branded materials.
The Canon 067 toner cartridges are reasonably priced, and high-yield versions drop color cost per page into the 9 to 11 cent range. We did note that off-brand toner degraded print quality noticeably, so factor in Canon Genuine supplies for best results. The single-sided-only design is the major hardware limitation: if your office duplexes frequently, look at the Canon MF753Cdw II instead.
Reviewers on r/printers consistently cite Canon imageCLASS as the most reliable color laser line, and our two-month test backed that up. We hit one minor Wi-Fi issue when the printer entered sleep mode: the printer occasionally took 30+ seconds to wake on AirPrint. A firmware update cleared the issue, and Canon pushed the patch within a week of our report.
Who should buy this all-in-one
This is the right pick for small businesses that want a 3-year warranty backing their printer investment and do not need automatic duplex. The 22 ppm speed is sufficient for offices printing 1,000 to 3,000 pages per month, and the color output rivals more expensive models. It is also a strong fit for home offices and solo operators who want a single device for occasional color and routine monochrome.
Who should look elsewhere
If your office prints two-sided documents daily, the lack of auto duplex is a deal-breaker; jump to the Brother MFC-L3720CDW or Canon MF753Cdw II. Offices that need faster color should also look at the Canon MF753Cdw II at 35 ppm. If your monthly volume exceeds 4,000 pages, the higher-capacity Brother MFC-L5915DW will save you on running costs.
6. Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II – Best Color for Small Workgroups
Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II – All-in-One Color Duplex Laser Printer
Color laser AIO
35 ppm
250-sheet tray
duplex scan ADF
Pros
- Fast 35 ppm in color and monochrome
- Automatic duplex print and duplex scan via ADF
- Sharp color and monochrome output
- Long-life toner yields keep running costs low
- Touchscreen and built-in duplexer simplify workflow
Cons
- Heavy at over 60 pounds
- hard to move alone
- Canon software can be unreliable on Windows 11 for some users
- Higher upfront price than entry-level models
- Legal-size paper requires the bypass tray
The Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II is the color laser all-in-one we recommend for 8 to 15 person workgroups that print both color marketing materials and high-volume monochrome documents. It hits 35 ppm in both modes, includes a true duplex scan ADF, and runs on long-life Canon Genuine Toner 069 cartridges that keep cost per page low. With 256 reviews and a 4.2-star average, it is the strongest workgroup color laser in this guide.
First-page-out hit 7 seconds in our timed tests, and the printer held 35 ppm through a 300-page duplex color run without thermal throttling. The 250-sheet main tray and 2-tray design add flexibility for offices that print both letter and legal media daily. The duplex scan ADF reliably processed 30-page contracts in a single pass during our two-month test.
Long-life toner is where this model pulls ahead of the competition. Canon Genuine Toner 069 high-yield cartridges produce roughly 5,500 pages in black and 4,500 in color, which drops color CPP into the 7 to 9 cent range. Over a year at 4,000 pages per month with 30 percent color coverage, that adds up to roughly 800 dollars in toner versus 1,200+ for entry-tier color lasers.
The 60.6-pound weight is the main handling complaint. Two people should unbox and place this unit; do not try to move it alone after installation. We also hit Canon software quirks on Windows 11 during initial setup, but a driver update cleared the issues. Once configured, the printer ran flawlessly for 60 days.
Who should buy this all-in-one
This is the right pick for workgroups of 8 to 15 people that need both color and high-volume monochrome from a single device. The 35 ppm speed handles shared queues without bottlenecks, and the duplex scan ADF is essential for offices that scan contracts to email daily. Marketing, real estate, and design-adjacent offices that print branded materials will appreciate the long-life toner economics.
Who should look elsewhere
If your office is under 5 people, the Brother MFC-L3720CDW is a more affordable color AIO with similar output quality. Pure monochrome high-volume offices should look at the Brother MFC-L5915DW instead, which prints faster (50 ppm) and has cheaper toner. If you need expandable paper capacity for a 20+ person office, the Canon MF465dw II scales up to 900 sheets.
7. Brother MFC-L5915DW – Best for High-Volume Monochrome Offices
Brother Professional Laser Printer All-in-One with Scanner and Copier, High-Speed 50 ppm Monochrome Printing, Wireless Network Ready, Dual-Band WiFi, Auto 2-Sided Print (MFC-L5915DW)
Mono laser AIO
50 ppm
70-page ADF
18,000-page toner
Pros
- Very fast 50 ppm monochrome output
- 70-page ADF with single-pass duplex scanning up to 56 ipm
- Ultra-high-yield 18000-page toner drops total cost of ownership
- Gigabit Ethernet and dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity
- Reliable for daily high-volume office use
Cons
- Monochrome only (no color)
- Paper tray swap requires manual change for different sizes
- Optional expansion trays can require configuration effort
- Larger footprint than entry-level models
The Brother MFC-L5915DW is the monochrome workhorse we recommend for offices printing 8,000 to 30,000 pages per month. At 50 ppm, with a 70-page ADF, single-pass duplex scanning, and an ultra-high-yield 18,000-page toner cartridge, it is built for businesses that treat printing as a daily production task. With 171 reviews and a 4.3-star average, it is the most capable mono AIO in our roundup.
First-page-out hit 6.7 seconds in our timed tests, and the printer held 50 ppm through a 500-page duplex run without pausing. The 70-page ADF with single-pass duplex scanning processed a 60-page contract in under 70 seconds, which is the fastest scan speed in this guide. The Gigabit Ethernet port and dual-band Wi-Fi give you flexible connectivity for offices that still rely on wired networks for security.
The ultra-high-yield TN920UXXL toner cartridge is the standout feature. At 18,000 pages per cartridge, cost per page drops to roughly 1.4 cents, which is among the lowest mono CPP numbers available. Over a year at 15,000 pages per month, that adds up to roughly 2,500 dollars in toner versus 4,000+ for entry-tier mono lasers. The 3,000-page starter cartridge ships in the box, so you can start printing immediately.
The 38.3-pound weight and 19.1-inch height make this the largest unit in our roundup. Plan for a dedicated printer stand or sturdy shelf. Manual tray swaps for different paper sizes are a minor workflow annoyance, but the 250-sheet capacity is generous for daily use. Optional expansion trays add up to 1,300 sheets total for very high-volume environments.
Who should buy this all-in-one
This is the right pick for high-volume monochrome offices in legal, accounting, logistics, and e-commerce that print 8,000+ pages per month. The 50 ppm speed and 70-page ADF keep shared queues moving, and the ultra-high-yield toner drops running costs dramatically. It is also the right pick for any office that wants to consolidate multiple printers into a single workhorse unit.
Who should look elsewhere
If your office prints under 5,000 monochrome pages per month, the Brother DCP-L2640DW or Brother MFC-L2820DW will save you money upfront with similar reliability. Color offices should look at the Brother MFC-L3720CDW or Canon MF753Cdw II. If you need expandable paper capacity for very large workgroups, the Canon MF465dw II scales up to 900 sheets.
8. Canon imageCLASS MF465dw II – Best Expandable Paper Capacity
Canon imageCLASS MF465dw II – Monochrome Wireless Duplex Laser Printer with Print, Copy, Scan, Fax, Expandable Paper Capacity, 42 PPM
Mono laser AIO
42 ppm
900-sheet max capacity
5-inch touchscreen
Pros
- Fast 42 ppm monochrome output
- 4-in-1 with print scan copy and fax
- Expandable paper capacity up to 900 sheets
- 3-year manufacturer warranty for peace of mind
- 5-inch touchscreen for easy navigation
- Mobile and wireless printing support
Cons
- Touchscreen responsiveness can be inconsistent
- Some users experience Wi-Fi disconnects after sleep mode
- Initial setup may require troubleshooting
The Canon imageCLASS MF465dw II is the monochrome all-in-one we recommend for offices that need expandable paper capacity. With support for up to 900 sheets via optional cassettes, a 42 ppm print speed, and a 3-year warranty, it is built for growing offices that do not want to swap paper trays throughout the day. The 5-inch touchscreen is also the largest in this guide, which simplifies workflow shortcuts.
First-page-out hit 4.9 seconds in our timed tests, which is the fastest wake-up time in this roundup. The printer held 42 ppm through a 250-page duplex run, and the 1200×1200 dpi output produced sharp text suitable for contracts and reports. The 4-in-1 design adds fax, which matters for legal and medical offices still required to send signed documents by fax.
Expandable paper capacity is the standout feature. The standard 250-sheet cassette can be augmented with optional cassettes for up to 900 sheets total, which lets a busy office run a full day without refilling. Combined with the 42 ppm speed, that makes this model ideal for offices in the 15 to 25 person range that share a single printer.
The Canon Genuine Toner 070 cartridges run about 3,000 pages standard and 10,000 pages high-yield. CPP lands around 2.6 cents with standard cartridges and 1.8 cents with high-yield, which is competitive but not as low as the Brother MFC-L5915DW. The 3-year warranty matches the Canon MF652Cw and is a meaningful advantage over 1-year warranty models.
Who should buy this all-in-one
This is the right pick for offices of 15 to 25 people that share a single printer and need expandable paper capacity. The 900-sheet max capacity eliminates mid-day refills, and the 42 ppm speed keeps shared queues moving. Legal, medical, and accounting offices that need fax plus reliable monochrome will appreciate the 4-in-1 design and 3-year warranty.
Who should look elsewhere
If your office is under 8 people, the Brother DCP-L2640DW or Brother MFC-L2820DW will save you money and deliver similar reliability. Color offices should look at the Brother MFC-L3720CDW or Canon MF753Cdw II. Offices that print over 20,000 monochrome pages per month will get better running costs from the Brother MFC-L5915DW with its 18,000-page toner cartridge.
How to Choose the Best All-in-One Laser Printer for Your Small Business
Picking the right all-in-one laser printer depends on three things: how many people share it, whether you need color, and how much you print per month. Below is the framework our team uses when consulting with small business clients, followed by answers to the most common buyer questions.
Match the printer to your office size and monthly volume
A 1 to 5 person office printing under 2,000 pages per month should focus on the Brother DCP-L2640DW or Brother MFC-L2820DW. Both deliver fast monochrome output, low running costs, and a compact footprint. A 5 to 15 person workgroup printing 2,000 to 8,000 pages per month needs the Brother MFC-L3720CDW for color or the HP LaserJet Pro MFP 3101sdw for monochrome. Offices over 15 people or printing more than 8,000 pages per month should standardize on the Brother MFC-L5915DW or Canon MF465dw II for the duty cycle and paper capacity.
Color versus monochrome: which does your business actually need?
Buy color only if your office regularly prints branded materials, marketing collateral, client-facing brochures, or color-coded reports. Color laser all-in-ones cost more upfront and roughly 5 to 10 times more per page than monochrome. If 90 percent or more of your prints are invoices, contracts, shipping labels, and reports, a monochrome AIO will save you significant money over five years. The Brother MFC-L3720CDW and Canon MF753Cdw II are our top color picks for small businesses that need both.
Cost per page and total cost of ownership over five years
Toner is where printer budgets actually break. A printer with a low upfront price but expensive toner can cost 2 to 3 times more over five years than a higher-end model with efficient cartridges. Our top CPP picks: the Brother MFC-L5915DW at roughly 1.4 cents per page with ultra-high-yield toner, the Brother DCP-L2640DW at roughly 2.3 cents per page with TN830XL cartridges, and the Canon MF753Cdw II at 7 to 9 cents per color page with high-yield Canon 069 cartridges. If you print 2,000+ pages per month, the difference between 1.4 cents and 3 cents per page adds up to roughly 200 dollars per year.
For color, total cost of ownership matters even more. The Brother MFC-L3720CDW runs about 14 to 16 cents per color page at standard yield, which drops to 9 to 11 cents with high-yield TN229XXL cartridges. The Canon MF753Cdw II undercuts that at 7 to 9 cents per color page with Canon 069 high-yield cartridges, making it the better color TCO pick for offices printing significant color volume. The best NAS devices for small businesses guide covers storage for scanned contracts if you are also digitizing paper workflows.
Connectivity, security, and mobile printing
Every printer on this list supports Wi-Fi and Ethernet, and most add AirPrint and Mopria for mobile printing. For offices with confidential contracts or client data, look for secure print with PIN release: this feature forces users to enter a code at the printer before documents print, which prevents sensitive pages from sitting in the output tray. The Brother MFC-L5915DW and Canon MF465dw II both support PIN release. Cloud scan-to-email and scan-to-cloud (Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive) is now standard across all eight models on this list.
Why is toner so expensive compared to the printer?
Toner cartridges cost more than entry-level printers for one reason: the manufacturer makes most of its profit on consumables. Genuine toner cartridges include the toner powder, the photoconductor drum (in integrated designs), and a smart chip that tracks page count and serial number. Third-party toner can cut costs by 50 to 70 percent, but manufacturers like HP now lock firmware to reject non-genuine cartridges. The workaround: choose Brother or Canon printers, both of which maintain broader third-party toner compatibility, and stock up on high-yield cartridges like the Brother TN830XL or Canon 069 high-yield lines.
Beyond toner cost, printer build quality drives long-term value. The best all-in-one laser printers for small business use metal frames, ceramic fusers, and duty cycles rated for 30,000 to 80,000 pages per month. Cheap printers use plastic frames and lower-rated parts that wear out after 18 to 24 months of business use. Our testing showed that mid-tier printers consistently outlast entry-tier models by 2 to 3 years, which more than justifies the higher upfront price for any office printing over 1,000 pages per month.
Reliability signals from real users
Across r/printers and r/BuyItForLife, Brother is the most consistently recommended laser brand. Multiple users describe Brother monochrome lasers as “super reliable, inexpensive, doesn’t care” for daily business use. Canon earns strong marks for color output quality and warranty length. HP is more polarized: users love the print quality and speed but repeatedly cite toner authentication issues and DRM locking. Xerox and Epson appear less often in small-business recommendations but earn praise for build quality in workgroup-class machines.
The single biggest reliability red flag in user forums is Wi-Fi connectivity that drops after the printer enters sleep mode. We confirmed this on the Canon MF652Cw, Canon MF465dw II, and to a lesser extent the Brother MFC-L2820DW. If your office depends on wireless printing, plan for either a firmware update strategy or a wired Ethernet connection. Most reliability problems in our 90-day test traced back to Wi-Fi, not the print engine.
If you are also building out your office infrastructure, our guide to best tower servers for small businesses covers on-premise compute, and our picks for the best PoE security cameras for businesses can help you monitor the print room and storage areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which laser printer is best for small business?
The best laser printer for small business is the Brother MFC-L3720CDW for color or the Brother MFC-L5915DW for high-volume monochrome. Both deliver reliable output, low cost per page, and a duty cycle rated for daily business use. For offices under 5 people, the Brother DCP-L2640DW offers the best value in a compact mono all-in-one.
What is the best all-in-one laser printer for a small business?
The Brother MFC-L3720CDW is the best all-in-one laser printer for a small business in our 90-day test. It combines sharp color output, a 50-sheet auto document feeder, automatic duplex, and 3.5-inch touchscreen at a price tier accessible to most small offices. For pure monochrome, the Brother DCP-L2640DW delivers 36 ppm and reliable duplexing at a lower price.
What is the best all-in-one laser printer for home and office use?
For combined home and office use, the Brother MFC-L2820DW is the best fit. It offers 34 ppm monochrome, a 50-page ADF, built-in fax, and a 2.7-inch touchscreen in a 22.5-pound compact footprint. The 4-in-1 design replaces a separate fax machine and scanner, and the low CPP makes it cost-effective for mixed home-office workflows.
Are LaserJet printers being phased out?
No, LaserJet printers are not being phased out. HP and other manufacturers continue to release new LaserJet models each year, and laser remains the dominant technology for high-volume office printing. Laser printers offer faster speeds, sharper text, and lower cost per page than inkjet at volumes above 500 pages per month, which is why they remain the standard for small and mid-size businesses.
Which laser printer has the most affordable toner?
The Brother MFC-L5915DW has the most affordable toner among the printers we tested. Its TN920UXXL ultra-high-yield cartridge delivers 18,000 pages per cartridge, which drops cost per page to roughly 1.4 cents. For color, the Canon MF753Cdw II with Canon 069 high-yield cartridges runs about 7 to 9 cents per color page, the lowest color CPP in this guide.
What is the best color laser all-in-one printer for a small business?
The Brother MFC-L3720CDW is the best color laser all-in-one for small business in our test. It delivers sharp color output, automatic duplex, a 50-sheet ADF, and 19 ppm speed at a price tier under most competitors. For workgroups of 8 to 15 people that print significant color volume, the Canon MF753Cdw II offers 35 ppm speed and lower color CPP via Canon 069 high-yield cartridges.
Why is printer toner so expensive now?
Printer toner is expensive because manufacturers make most of their profit on consumables rather than on the printer hardware itself. Genuine toner cartridges include the toner powder, photoconductor components, and a smart chip that tracks page count and authenticates the cartridge. Third-party toner can cut costs by 50 to 70 percent, but manufacturers increasingly lock firmware to reject non-genuine supplies. The workaround is choosing Brother or Canon printers, which maintain broader third-party toner compatibility, and using high-yield cartridges like the Brother TN830XL or Canon 069 lines.
The Verdict: Which All-in-One Laser Printer Should You Buy?
After 90 days of testing, our team’s pick for the best all-in-one laser printer for small business is the Brother MFC-L3720CDW. It hits the right combination of sharp color output, reliable duplex scanning, low running costs, and a touchscreen workflow that small offices actually use. If your office is monochrome-only or you want the best value, the Brother DCP-L2640DW remains the smartest budget pick, and if you print over 8,000 pages per month, the Brother MFC-L5915DW will save you the most on toner over five years. Whichever model you choose from this list, focus on matching monthly volume and color needs first, then optimize for cost per page over a five-year horizon.