For most homes, a monochrome laser is the right laser: the Brother HL-L2460DW suits people who only print, the Brother DCP-L2640DW suits those who also scan and copy, and the Brother HL-L3280CDW is the compact colour laser for families who need coloured documents as well. This guide covers best laser printers, best home laser printers, best personal laser printers, best affordable laser printers and best small laser printers, using the makers’ stated specifications and what independent outlets report in 2026. A laser is worth it if you print documents regularly or in bursts, and not worth it if photo quality is your main goal.
- Why a laser at home
- At a glance: home laser printers compared
- Brother HL-L2460DW: the small affordable laser
- Brother DCP-L2640DW and MFC-L2820DW: laser all-in-ones
- Brother HL-L3280CDW: the compact colour laser
- Other laser options reviewers mention
- Running cost: toner, drum and what to expect
- Size, fit and setup
- Laser versus inkjet at a glance
- Duty cycle and what the numbers mean
- Pick X if…
- Alternatives
- Frequently Asked Questions
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Why a laser at home
Outlets including RTINGS, Tom’s Guide and a retailer blog agree on the same advantages: laser toner is dry powder, so a laser does not clog or dry out when it sits unused for weeks, and text comes out fast and sharp. Cost per page for black text is typically lower than on a cartridge inkjet. The downsides are real too. Lasers are bigger and heavier than the cheapest inkjets, the starter toner that ships with them is small, photo output is weaker, and colour models cost more up front. A laser also warms up with a fuser, so a printer in a small bedroom should have clear space around it and be used according to the maker’s ventilation guidance in the manual.
At a glance: home laser printers compared
| Model | Type | Best for | Key stated specs | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brother HL-L2460DW | Mono laser, print only | Small, affordable text printing | Up to 36 ppm; first page 8.5 s; auto duplex; dual-band Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB; 250 sheets; about 14 x 14.2 x 7.2 in; 15.6 lb | No scanner |
| Brother DCP-L2640DW | Mono laser all-in-one | Print, copy, scan | Up to 36 ppm; 50-page feeder; auto duplex; Wi-Fi Direct; about 16.1 x 15.7 x 12.5 in; 25 lb | Larger; no fax |
| Brother MFC-L2820DW | Mono laser all-in-one with fax | Home office needing fax | Up to 34 ppm; 50-page feeder; 2.7 in touchscreen; 25.5 lb | Fax adds cost you may not need |
| Brother HL-L3280CDW | Colour laser, print only | Compact colour documents | Up to 27 ppm; first page 13.5 s; Gigabit Ethernet and dual-band Wi-Fi; starter toners about 1,000 pages; drum about 20,000; 33.9 lb | Heavy; higher up-front cost |
| Brother HL-L2400D | Wired mono laser | One computer, USB only | Up to 32 ppm; auto duplex; USB 2.0 | No wireless; stock listed as out on the maker page |
Brother HL-L2460DW: the small affordable laser
This is the model most often named when readers ask for an affordable personal laser. Brother lists up to 36 ppm, a monthly duty cycle up to 35,000 pages (with 2,500 recommended), automatic two-sided printing, a 250-sheet tray, ENERGY STAR certification and a one-year warranty. Its footprint is small by laser standards, which is why guides such as DigiLabsPro call it the best small printer for most people. The starter toner is about 700 pages. Replacement TN830 toner comes in standard and high-yield sizes, with one roundup citing about 4,200 pages for the largest, and the DR830 drum is rated near 15,000 pages. Forbes Vetted names it its laser pick. It does not scan or print in colour.
Brother DCP-L2640DW and MFC-L2820DW: laser all-in-ones
The DCP-L2640DW adds a flatbed and a 50-page document feeder to the same 36 ppm class of engine, with dual-band Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Wi-Fi Direct, AirPrint, Mopria and cloud links. It uses the same toner and drum as the HL-L2460DW. The MFC-L2820DW is rated at up to 34 ppm and adds fax and a 2.7-inch touchscreen. Brother names it as the replacement for the discontinued MFC-L2750DW. Tom’s Guide credits the earlier Brother mono all-in-one as the best multifunction laser it reviewed in years for everything except colour, and one retailer guide recommends the DCP-L2640DW for households that scan. For students and remote workers, being able to scan a signed page without a separate scanner is the main reason to step up from the print-only model.
Brother HL-L3280CDW: the compact colour laser
Brother lists 27 ppm for colour and black, a 13.5-second first page, Gigabit Ethernet, dual-band Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct, a 250-sheet tray, a 40,000-page maximum duty cycle and 3,000 pages recommended monthly. It ships with four starter toners of about 1,000 pages each, a 20,000-page drum and a waste toner box. It weighs about 33.9 pounds and measures roughly 15.7 inches wide and deep, so it needs a stable surface. Choose it if you print colour charts, school projects or presentations. A colour laser does not match an inkjet for photos, so it is not a photo printer.
Other laser options reviewers mention
- Brother MFC-L3720CDW: a colour laser all-in-one that an expert quoted by NBC Select calls a very good option for varied home-office needs.
- Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II: Tom’s Guide’s top all-in-one, described as a fast laser workhorse. It is aimed at heavier use.
- HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301fdw: listed by RTINGS among the lasers it tested.
- Brother MFC-L8930CDW: RTINGS’s top-ranked laser, a heavy-duty colour model more suited to offices than homes.
Running cost: toner, drum and what to expect
A laser’s running cost has two parts: toner and the imaging drum. On the Brother models above, the drum is rated around 15,000 pages (about 20,000 on the colour model) and is replaced less often than toner. Starter toner is small, at about 700 pages mono and about 1,000 per colour, so expect the first replacement within a few months of regular use. High-yield toner lowers the cost per page. One review site estimates roughly two cents per page for the HL-L2460DW on high-yield toner, a third-party estimate that varies with coverage. Colour lasers cost more to run than mono; a household that prints colour only occasionally can find an inkjet or tank printer cheaper overall.
Size, fit and setup
- Desk or shelf: the HL-L2460DW and HL-L2400D share a footprint of about 14 by 14.2 inches and 7.2 inches high, the smallest laser size in this guide.
- Weight: 15.6 pounds for the print-only mono, 25 pounds for the all-in-ones and almost 34 pounds for the colour laser.
- Networking: Ethernet is the most reliable connection; dual-band Wi-Fi is listed on the Brother wireless models.
- Phones: AirPrint and Mopria are listed, along with Brother’s mobile app.
- Cable: the maker states that no USB cable ships with the HL-L2400D.
- Power: plug lasers directly into a wall socket rather than a crowded extension lead, as the manual advises for high-draw devices. Brother lists up to 590 W while printing on the colour model.
Laser versus inkjet at a glance
- Mostly text, printed in bursts: laser.
- Weekly colour and photos: a tank inkjet such as the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 or Canon MegaTank G3270.
- Rare printing: laser, because there are no nozzles to dry.
- Space-limited: a compact laser or a tank inkjet; the Epson ET-2800 weighs about 8.8 pounds.
Duty cycle and what the numbers mean
Makers publish two figures that confuse buyers. The maximum monthly duty cycle, such as the 35,000 pages Brother lists for the HL-L2460DW, is a stress ceiling, not a target. The recommended monthly volume, listed at 2,500 pages for that model and 3,000 for the colour HL-L3280CDW, is the range the maker designs the printer to handle comfortably. A household printing a few dozen pages a week sits far below either number, so the practical differences between these lasers come down to size, scanning, colour and toner cost rather than durability headroom. Warranty terms are also modest, with Brother listing one year limited on the models here.
Pick X if…
| Pick this | If you… |
|---|---|
| Brother HL-L2460DW | want a small, affordable laser for text |
| Brother DCP-L2640DW | need scanning and copying with a feeder |
| Brother MFC-L2820DW | also need fax |
| Brother HL-L3280CDW | need colour documents from a laser |
| Brother HL-L2400D | have a single USB-connected computer |
Alternatives
- Epson EcoTank ET-2800 or ET-2850: for regular colour and photos at low ink cost.
- Canon MF753Cdw II: a faster colour laser all-in-one for busy home offices.
- Brother MFC-L3720CDW: a colour laser all-in-one at a mid-range tier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a laser printer cheaper to run than an inkjet?
For black text, usually yes, especially with high-yield toner. For colour and photos, tank inkjets are typically cheaper. Third-party cost-per-page figures vary with page coverage.
Do lasers dry out if I do not use them?
No. Toner is a dry powder, which is why reviewers recommend lasers for occasional use. The manual gives guidance on storage and moving the printer.
Are laser printers safe to use in a small room?
They are widely used in homes. Follow the manufacturer’s ventilation and placement instructions in the manual, and contact the maker or a qualified electrician if you have concerns about the power supply.
Why is the first toner cartridge small?
Brother lists starter cartridges of about 700 pages for its mono models and about 1,000 pages per colour for the HL-L3280CDW. Replacement cartridges come in larger sizes, so the first change arrives sooner than later ones.
Can a laser print photos?
It can, but a colour laser is not designed for photo quality. Reviewers point to tank and photo-oriented inkjets for that job.
Should I buy a mono or colour laser?
Buy mono if you rarely print colour; it costs less to buy and run. Choose colour only if you regularly need coloured charts, school work or presentations, and accept the larger size and higher toner costs.
