- Top Pick: Canon Color imageCLASS LBP646Cdw Wireless Laser Printer, Duplex, 26 PPM, Print Only, White
- Best Value: HP Color LaserJet Pro 3201dw | Color Laser Printer | Wireless | Duplex | Printer for Home Office | Color Documents | Mobile Compatibility | Printer Only | Single Function | Ideal for Home Office Use
- Premium Choice: Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II – All-in-One Color Duplex Laser Printer | Wireless with Scanner, Copier, Fax, Auto Document Feeder, 3 Year Limited Warranty, Mobile Ready, 35 PPM for Home and Office
Inkjet printers fade, clog and guzzle cartridges when they sit unused for a few weeks. A color laser printer solves that by fusing toner onto the page, which stays sharp on text-heavy documents and does not dry out between jobs. The trade is a larger machine and a bigger upfront decision: single-function or all-in-one, how fast, and whether you want automatic two-sided printing. That decision is the heart of any shortlist for the best color laser printers.
The nine models below come from Canon, HP and Brother, and they split into two groups. Some print only, which keeps the footprint small and the setup simple. Others add a scanner, copier and sometimes fax, and these suit a home office that handles paperwork. We judged them only from their listed titles, so speeds, wireless, duplex and warranty details come straight from what each listing says. Always confirm the toner type and paper tray details on the spec sheet before ordering for 2026.
Quick Picks
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| Product | Best for | Key spec from the title |
|---|---|---|
| Canon imageCLASS LBP646Cdw | Print-only home office | 26 PPM, wireless, duplex |
| HP Color LaserJet Pro 3201dw | Compact single-function printing | Wireless, duplex, mobile compatibility |
| Canon imageCLASS MF753Cdw II | Busy small office | 35 PPM, scanner, copier, fax, document feeder |
| HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw | Everyday all-in-one | Wireless, duplex, multifunction |
| Canon imageCLASS MF665Cdw | Paperwork with a document feeder | 22 PPM, fax, 3-year limited warranty |
| Brother HL-L3220CDW | Small desk, steady output | 19 PPM, 250-sheet tray, duplex |
| Brother MFC-L3720CDW | Scan, copy and fax | 250-sheet capacity, auto duplex |
| Canon imageCLASS MF662Cdw | Faster mid-size multifunction | 26 PPM, duplex, scanner and copier |
| Canon imageCLASS MF652Cw | Light home use with scanning | 22 PPM color, scanner, copier |
How to Choose
Single-function or all-in-one
If you mostly print and rarely scan, a print-only model such as the Canon LBP646Cdw, HP 3201dw or Brother HL-L3220CDW is smaller and has fewer parts to fail. If you scan receipts, copy forms or still send the occasional fax, step up to a multifunction. The models with an automatic document feeder, which the Canon MF753Cdw II and MF665Cdw list, handle multipage scans without you flipping each sheet by hand. Without a feeder, you are scanning one page at a time on the glass.
Speed and paper tray
Pages per minute (PPM) ranges here from 19 to 35. At 19 or 22 PPM, a ten-page report takes roughly half a minute, which is fine for a household. For an office printing contracts and handouts all day, 26 to 35 PPM waits less. Tray size matters just as much: a 250-sheet tray, as the Brother models list, means fewer refills than a smaller one. Check whether the first page out time is published, since the PPM figure only describes sustained output.
Duplex, wireless and mobile printing
Automatic duplex, which prints on both sides, halves your paper use on long documents, and nearly every model here lists it. The Canon MF652Cw is the exception to look at, because its title does not mention duplex, so verify that before ordering if two-sided printing matters. Wireless printing is listed on all nine, and “mobile ready” or “mobile compatible” suggests phone support. Check that the manufacturer app works with your phone’s software version, and decide whether you want to print over the office network, directly from the phone, or through a cloud service. Each route needs a slightly different setup and not every model in this set is guaranteed to support all three.
Toner, warranty and what to ignore
Color laser machines usually ship with introductory toner that yields fewer pages than the full-size cartridge, so look up the replacement toner yield and the number of cartridges needed (usually four: black, cyan, magenta, yellow). Several Canon listings highlight a 3-year limited warranty, which is a meaningful extra at this tier. Ignore glossy “photo quality” claims, since lasers are built for documents. Budget models cut corners on tray capacity, paper handling and scan features, so match the machine to the work you actually do.
The 9 Best Options
Canon imageCLASS LBP646Cdw
This white, print-only model lists wireless connectivity, duplex printing and 26 PPM. Skipping scanner hardware keeps it simpler, which suits a home office that scans on a phone and sends files digitally. The listing does not give a tray size or toner details, so check those on the spec sheet. Think of it as a workhorse for reports, invoices and school handouts that live as files rather than paper originals.
- Strength: 26 PPM is quicker than several multifunctions in this set.
- Strength: wireless and duplex together suit shared home networks.
- Trade-off: no scanning, copying or faxing.
Skip it if you need to copy documents without a computer nearby, or if you expect to scan contracts and receipts into folders as part of the weekly routine.
HP Color LaserJet Pro 3201dw
HP positions this single-function printer for home offices that print color documents. The title mentions wireless, duplex and mobile compatibility, with no scanner. It is the pick when you want a recognizable laser brand and a smaller body.
- Strength: duplex and wireless in a print-only unit.
- Strength: mobile compatibility is stated directly.
- Trade-off: the title gives no speed or tray size to compare.
Skip it if you want a stated PPM figure or any scan features. Compare it with the Canon print-only model if a published speed is a deciding factor, since that listing does give one.
Canon imageCLASS MF753Cdw II
The fastest model in the group at 35 PPM, this all-in-one adds a scanner, copier, fax and an auto document feeder. It also lists wireless, duplex, mobile readiness and a 3-year limited warranty. It targets a busy small office.
- Strength: 35 PPM tops the other titles.
- Strength: document feeder and fax cover real office tasks.
- Trade-off: a fuller feature set means a larger machine.
Skip it if you print a few pages a week at home, because a unit built for steady office traffic leaves most of its capability idle in a small household.
HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw
This one reads as an everyday all-in-one: wireless, duplex and multifunction. The title is sparse on speed and warranty, so it is best for buyers who value the HP name and will read the spec sheet for details.
- Strength: combines scanning, copying and printing with duplex.
- Strength: wireless setup suits a shared network.
- Trade-off: the title omits PPM and tray figures.
Skip it if you need a fax line or a published speed up front. The multifunction label covers scanning and copying, but the title does not mention a feeder, so assume page-by-page scanning until the spec sheet says otherwise.
Canon imageCLASS MF665Cdw
Like the MF753Cdw II, this model lists a scanner, copier, fax and automatic document feeder along with a 3-year limited warranty, but at 22 PPM. It fits a small office that wants the feature list without the top speed.
- Strength: a document feeder and fax in a mid-speed unit.
- Strength: warranty coverage stated in the title.
- Trade-off: 22 PPM is slower than the MF753Cdw II.
Skip it if long jobs need the quickest output. Compared with the faster Canon above it, the saved minutes on a large batch add up over a working week, so weigh your typical job size.
Brother HL-L3220CDW
The slowest model listed at 19 PPM, but it includes wireless, duplex, mobile compatibility and a 250-sheet paper tray. It is a straightforward print-only choice for a desk where speed matters less than reliability of the paper supply.
- Strength: 250-sheet tray means fewer refills.
- Strength: duplex and wireless in a print-only body.
- Trade-off: 19 PPM trails the Canons.
Skip it if you need scanning or higher-volume output. It is also a poor match for anyone who copies forms, since there is no scanner hardware to rely on.
Brother MFC-L3720CDW
A wireless color laser with a scanner, copier, fax, automatic duplex and a 250-sheet capacity. Its title does not state a speed, so shoppers should look that up. It suits a household that wants copy and fax tools in one box.
- Strength: full multifunction set with fax.
- Strength: 250-sheet capacity and auto duplex.
- Trade-off: no PPM or warranty detail in the title.
Skip it if you want a speed figure on the listing. Compare it side by side with the Canon models, which spell out PPM and warranty terms more openly in their titles.
Canon imageCLASS MF662Cdw
This wireless duplex printer adds a copier and scanner, a 3-year limited warranty and 26 PPM. It is a middle option between the faster MF753Cdw II and the slower MF665Cdw, without the fax or feeder in its title.
- Strength: 26 PPM with duplex and scanning.
- Strength: 3-year limited warranty is listed.
- Trade-off: no fax or document feeder mentioned in the title.
Skip it if you scan stacks of pages regularly, since without a feeder in the title each sheet goes on the glass by hand, which gets tedious on multipage contracts.
Canon imageCLASS MF652Cw
The entry multifunction in the group: wireless, with a scanner, copier, mobile readiness, a 3-year limited warranty and 22 PPM color, in white. The title leaves out duplex, so confirm it on the product page.
- Strength: a scanner and copier at 22 PPM.
- Strength: 3-year limited warranty is stated.
- Trade-off: duplex is not mentioned.
Skip it if automatic two-sided printing is a must. Students and home workers who print long documents often want duplex for the paper saving, which makes the MF662Cdw the safer sibling here.
Which One Fits Your Situation
You print color documents but never scan
Take the Canon LBP646Cdw if speed matters, or the HP 3201dw if you prefer HP. Both skip the scanner and keep things compact.
You run a small office with paper in and out
The Canon MF753Cdw II is the standout, with 35 PPM, a document feeder and fax. If that is more machine than needed, the MF665Cdw gives similar tools at 22 PPM.
You want a tray that rarely needs refilling
The Brother MFC-L3720CDW and HL-L3220CDW both list 250-sheet capacity, which cuts down trips to the paper cupboard.
You need basic scanning at home
The Canon MF652Cw and MF662Cdw cover scanning and copying; pick the MF662Cdw if duplex is non-negotiable.
Common Mistakes
- Buying a multifunction when only printing is needed, then living with the extra bulk on the desk.
- Overlooking that the toner supplied in the box yields fewer pages than replacement cartridges.
- Assuming every model prints on both sides automatically; the MF652Cw title does not say so.
- Ignoring tray capacity, which determines how often you reload paper.
- Expecting photo-quality prints from a laser built for documents.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are color laser printers good for photos?
They handle graphics and charts well, but photo prints generally look better from an inkjet designed for them. Choose a laser for documents and presentations.
What does PPM mean?
It stands for pages per minute and describes sustained print speed. Models here range from 19 PPM to 35 PPM.
Do I need an automatic document feeder?
Only if you scan or copy multipage originals. For occasional single pages, the scanner glass is enough.
Is wireless printing hard to set up?
Typically it involves joining the printer to your Wi-Fi from its screen or a manufacturer app. Check that the app supports your phone’s software version, and keep the printer and phone on the same network during setup.
