Best Black and White Laser Printer for Home Use: Our Top Choices

The best black and white laser printers are perfect for home use: a cost-effective and convenient way of printing documents and forms as part of day-to-day life. They can still be costly investments, however, and failing to find the best printer can lead to bitter disappointment.

Black and white laser printers are easy to come by but hard to rank, so we’ve sifted through the market to find the most worthwhile choices for your home. For affordable and effective home printing solutions, check out the buyer’s guide below.

How We Picked the Best Black and White Laser Printers

When it came to finding the best black and white laser printers, there were a number of factors to research. We looked at the main statistical changes such as sheet capacity, dimensions and print quality for a basic comparison; along with more subjective qualities that add value such as customer reviews, warranties and connectivity methods.

Bear in mind that we are looking at laser printers specifically: whilst there are plenty of great InkJet printers for graphics and more colorful applications, most homes only need a good laser printer for black and white documents. These have the reputation of being faster though less versatile – but don’t jump to judgement! Our top laser printers are all great devices, so should satisfy most general-purpose needs!

If you want to compare your own printer search to ours, we’ve detailed what to look out for at the end of this guide so that you can find the best black and white printer for your own needs more easily!

What is a Laser Printer?

Laser printers, as the name suggests, use a laser beam to heat powdered ink and transfer text and imagery onto paper. This means that printed pages are instantly dry and ready to use within moments. Most office printers utilize a form of laser printing technology in their machines, as it makes for fast printing in high volumes. Due to their fairly rudimentary printing format, they aren’t as well-suited to photos as InkJet printers are – but still deliver reliable documents.

Brother HL-L2300D

Specifications

• Printer Output: Monochrome
• Printer Type: Laser
• Connectivity Technology: USB
• Duplex Printing: Yes

What We Think

This compact, affordable and lightweight printer under $200 is well worth it’s low cost, for rapid-fire black-and-white documents.

Reasons to Buy

• Smart tracking – both page count and toner levels are tracked, so you know when to restock.
• Duplex printing – even double-sided prints are rendered in great time with the HL-L2300D.

Reasons to Avoid

• Lacks a compatible cable – though USB is the only means of connecting, the printer annoyingly doesn’t come with the required cable.

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Taking the lead as today’s clear winner is the Brother HL- L2300D printer: a fantastic option for those who need to do lots of fast printing at home or the office. We’re big fans of Brother printers here at PC Guide, and this model is no exception. Quick and quiet, this laser printer is easy to use with great quality from the outset!

The HL-L2300D prints at an impressive 27 ppm and automatically prints two-sided, perfect printing articles, reports, or important documents! The printer prints at speed 13 for double-sided and 26 for single-sided A4, offering quick printing when you need it. It is also compatible with Windows 7 and above, offering a seamless integration from your PC to the printer itself.  The HL-L2300D also has a fantastic printer capacity of 100 sheets and a maximum monthly duty cycle of 10,000 pages! It makes it an excellent option for home or small business use. The quality is amazing too; you can expect sharp and professional quality for all your documents, with a resolution of 2400 x 600 dots per inch (DPI)!

There are only two nagging issues with this Brother printer: the first is that whilst the USB connection is reliable, the printer itself doesn’t come with a compatible cable. And without that, you have no wireless connection options  – which really limits where you can place this printer. Other than that, the HL-L2300D is a great black-and-white laser printer that is ideal for homes and offices!

HP LaserJet Pro M15w

Specifications

• Printer Output: Monochrome
• Printer Type: Laser
• Connectivity Technology: USB, WiFi Direct, Companion App
• Duplex Printing: No

What We Think

Even more compact is the M15W from HP. For those working to both a financial and spatial budget, this is the print solution for you.

Reasons to Buy

• Fast printing – with a general speed of 19 pages per minute, with a fast first page print, this printer remains highly productive.
• Energy saving – with a low base power draw and automatic switch-off, this is a great low-cost printer.

Reasons to Avoid

• Poor companion app – the poor HP app used for wireless printing can be cumbersome to use.

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After a compact laser printer? HP has the perfect printer for you: their flagship LaserJet Pro M15w is 35% smaller than other models and still provides the professional quality printing that we expect from HP. A laser printer with great versatility, this is an ideal option for those wanting an easily-stored home printer!

With the LaserJet Pro M15w, you can expect fast printing with up to 19 pages per minute being printed. Your first page will be in your hands within 8.1 seconds, ideal for last-minute printers or those with a need for speed. The printer also comes with a gamut of reliable wireless connection options from any device. You can also use the HP smartphone app to scan your phone or tablet, order toner, and print from the cloud! If you have no WiFi network set up, you can still connect to the printer directly via WiFi Direct or a USB connection, so you never need to be without your printer!

That said, the HP app can be both a blessing and a curse, as it can be difficult to navigate at first – if you want to set up regular ink refills or cloud printing, it may take longer than you like. This learning curve aside, the LaserJet Pro M15w is still the best compact laser printer for those wanting speedy service in a small space!

Canon ImageCLASS LBP6030w

Specifications

• Printer Output: : Monochrome
• Printing Type:: Laser
• Connectivity Technology : : USB, WiFi Direct,
• Duplex Printing: No

What We Think

Whilst most black and white laser printers are cheap, the LBP6030w is even more so, with a price well under $100.

Reasons to Buy

• High yield – with a large paper capacity and toner capable of 1,600 pages, the LPB3060w is a productivity powerhouse.
• Low cost – the budget-friendly price of this printer is a clear draw.

Reasons to Avoid

• Poor print quality – unfortunately, the LPB3060w sacrifices quality to compensate for the cost, which reduces the overall value of this printer.

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Canon printers are among the best and most versatile printers on the market, and their imageCLASS LPB3060w is no exception. An affordable and compact laser printer, this reliable choice saves you money both upfront and in the long run!

In its dedicated energy-saving mode, the printer only uses 2W of power – perfect for those looking to shave money off their bills. Not only is the printer low in energy use, but size too: its compact design means you can fit the printer virtually anywhere. The LPB3060w also has wireless connectivity, allowing you to print from almost anywhere in your workspace – and from any device – with ease. The printer has a 150-sheet capacity and the black and white laser toner can print approximately 1,600 sheets of plain-text documents.

It’s not all good news with this budget printer, however. Whilst the design is quite compact, the print bay has to remain open whilst the printer runs, nearly doubling the length of the unit – make sure you accommodate that hanging drawer when storing it! The overall print quality isn’t as good as some other printers on this list, either, but that is a common factor in budget printers. And for such an economic and efficient printer, the LPB3060w is perfect for the environmentally-conscious home!

HP LaserJet Pro M118dw

Specifications

• Printer Output: : Monochrome
• Printing Type: : Laser
• Connectivity Technology : USB, Ethernet, WiFi Direct
• Duplex Printing: Yes

What We Think

Another HP laser printer, the M118dw is a productivity powerhouse well-suited to home offices or high-volume businesses.

Reasons to Buy

• Fast print speeds – printing at a blisteringly fast 30 pages per minutes and with a 250-sheet capacity, it’ll be you struggling to keep up with this printer rather than the other way around.
• Varied connectivity options – print from a phone, PC or any other device thanks to the M118w’s range of connectivity options.

Reasons to Avoid

• Lacks a display screen – it can be hard to find out even the most basic internal information about this printer, as it lacks a display.

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For the best printer capacity in a monochrome laser printer, consider the HP LaserJet Pro M118dw. Though a handful of letters and numbers may seem to be the only difference between this and the M15w we mentioned earlier, there’s a lot more than meets the eye with this printer.

The M118dw holds up to 250 sheets in its tray and can print up to 150 sheets in one go, printing 30 pages per minute. The quality is a standout feature: you can expect crisp graphics and text, ideal for those printing reports with charts or graphs in. You can print easily, too, thanks to the wireless nature of the printer. Control it via an app on your smartphone or tablet, or plug it in traditionally with a USB cable – and even set up a voice-activation system.

There is a big potential drawback to this printer, which holds it back from the top spot in our list of the best black-and-white laser printers: lacking a display screen, it can be very difficult to set the M118dw up – and with the barebones documentation it comes packaged with, that problem is exacerbated. For those familiar with printers, this shouldn’t be a problem, and we still recommend it as a top choice for high-volume printing.

Pantum P2502W

Specifications

• Printer Output: : Monochrome
• Printer Type: : Laser
• Connectivity Technology: : Wi-Fi, USB 2.0
• Duplex Printing?: No

What We Think

For some added versatility to your monochrome prints, the P2502W has some decent multimedia features at a low price.

Reasons to Buy

• Affordable – the sub-$100 price point makes it a great affordable print solution.
• Efficient printing – with high-yield toner and fast print speeds, this laser printer can churn out copies with ease.

Reasons to Avoid

• Incompatible with Chromebook – the only device this wireless printer can’t connect to is a Chromebook. So if that’s your device of choice, check out our guide on the best printers for Chromebook.

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For those after an affordable option, the Pantum P250W is here to answer all your prayers! Their laser printer can print up to 22 pages per minute or 23 if printing letters, perfect for home or business use.

The printer can print in m multiple sizes alongside A4, making for a more versatile print solution. Though it won’t match an InkJet printer for invitations, you’ve some decent options for printing. The P2502W is straightforward to set up, too; it can be done in just one wireless step. Pantum’s printer can print with phones, tablets, and laptops easily via a wireless connection or a USB cable.

The one group of people that this printer isn’t for is Chromebook users: due to some design oversight, devices running Chrome are incompatible. For everyone else, however, the P2502W is a great versatile laser printing solution to your home!

Features and Considerations

There are some general rules-of-thumb when searching for the best black and white laser printer – consider these before making your purchase:

Compatibility

Perhaps the most vital factor is the compatibility of the printer. After all, what’s the point in purchasing the printer if it won’t work with your device! These days most printers are compatible with a range of operating systems, ensuring that you can print with ease, but it is still worth checking. Some users, particularly Apple users, struggle with compatibility issues, especially when installing the software onto their devices. Some printers require little software to be installed and are better options here. An excellent place to check the compatibility is the product description or customer reviews for an accurate understanding of how well the printer will perform with your current operating system. Look out for printers that can be operated by phones or tablets, too, as these offer more flexibility and tend to have universal compatibility.

Wired or Wireless?

When purchasing your printer, you will need to decide between a wired or wireless printer (or both). Wired printers will require a USB connection to your device to print your documents, which can leave you anchored, especially if you have a lot to print and limited time. Wireless printers tend to offer more flexibility and allow a range of devices to connect to print. However, some wireless printers can have connection issues and be a pain to sort if you swap WiFi providers. Printers that offer both a wired and wireless connection offer the best of both worlds and can be used by a range of devices. In these cases, check that the printer comes with a USB wire to avoid purchasing one separately! You will also need to consider adapters if your laptop only has a USB C port.

Printer Speed

The speed at which your printer can print sheets is vital, especially for those using the printer for work. Ideally, the faster, the better, as you can compile reports quickly and grab your pages as you head out the door! Look out for the pages per minute (ppm) speed listed on the printer to assess its speed. Ideally, you want multiple pages per minute to save time when printing. Some printers will even offer a page-per-second ratio, where you can see one sheet printed in less than 10 seconds.

Toner Economy

The amount of ink being used on the page will impact the printing time, especially if you are printing images. As most black and white printers are used for documents, you can use the printer speed as an accurate representation of how long it will take. Keep an eye out for printers that automatically print double-sided, and the times for these can be slightly different. Automatic double-sided printing is fantastic for work documents and college work; just be sure to adjust the settings should you need vital documentation printed for any insurance policies!

FAQs

Verdict

Brother HL-L2300D

Specifications

• Printer Output: Monochrome
• Printer Type: Laser
• Connectivity Technology: USB
• Duplex Printing: Yes

• Shop on Amazon

There are plenty of outstanding printers on the market that are sure to enhance your office. For the overall best black and white laser printer, it’s hard to beat the Brother HL-L2300D. A quick and effective print solution for your home or office, the HL-L2300D is affordable and versatile – so long as you remember to buy a USB cable!

If you are looking for a long-term investment in ink efficiency, consider our buyer’s guide on the best ink tank printers on the market!