Best Home Laser Printer · Occasional use

Best Laser Printer for Occasional Home Use

If you print a few pages a month, a small black-and-white laser is the safest bet: our top pick is the HP LaserJet M209dw. Toner is a dry powder that does not dry out, so a laser that sits for weeks still prints cleanly. HP lists low ready and sleep power for the M209dw, and it prints both sides automatically.

Small laser printer on a hallway console table printing a single page

Our top 3

Top picks at a glance

Best for occasional printing#1
HP LaserJet M209dw laser printer

HP LaserJet M209dw

Budget price range

Compact, auto two-sided printing, and HP rates its ready-mode draw at about 2 watts.

See specs ›
Best Brother for light use#2
Brother HL-L2405W laser printer

Brother HL-L2405W

Budget price range

Budget-tier price, Wi-Fi, and toner that waits as long as you need it to.

See specs ›
Best if you sometimes need color#3
Brother HL-L3280CDW laser printer

Brother HL-L3280CDW

Mid-range price range

Color toner that, like black, will not dry out between jobs.

See specs ›

In detail

Who each one suits

Specifications and toner yields are each manufacturer’s own; fit notes draw on independent reviews and manufacturer guidance. We have not tested or used these printers ourselves.

Best for occasional printing#1

HP LaserJet M209dw

A small, low-cost black-and-white laser with automatic two-sided printing, Wi-Fi and Ethernet. It is the standard version, not the discontinued M209dwe “HP+” model, and HP’s page for it lists no account or internet requirement for printing.

Why it stands out

  • HP rates it at up to 30 pages per minute.
  • HP 134X high-yield toner is rated at about 2,400 pages.
  • HP lists AirPrint, Mopria and Wi-Fi Direct.
PrintsBlack only, auto 2-sided
SpeedUp to 30 ppm
Scan & copyPrint only
Toner (rated)HP 134X: 2,400 pages
ConnectWi-Fi, Ethernet, USB · AirPrint, Mopria

Good fit if

  • You want a Budget-tier laser with auto two-sided printing.
  • You print small batches of black-and-white pages.

Skip it if

  • You want to use third-party toner: HP says the printer works only with cartridges that have a new or reused HP chip.
  • You fill big print jobs; the input tray holds 150 sheets.
Best Brother for light use#2

Brother HL-L2405W

The simplest way into a Brother laser: Wi-Fi, a 250-sheet tray and the same toner as its bigger siblings, in a small box. The trade-off is that two-sided pages have to be flipped by hand.

Why it stands out

  • Brother rates it at up to 30 pages per minute.
  • Uses TN830 toner (1,200 pages) or TN830XL (3,000 pages), so running costs match the HL-L2460DW.
  • AirPrint, Mopria and Wi-Fi Direct for printing from phones without extra software.
PrintsBlack only, manual 2-sided
SpeedUp to 30 ppm
Scan & copyPrint only
Toner (rated)TN830XL: 3,000 pages
ConnectWi-Fi, USB · AirPrint, Mopria

Good fit if

  • You print a few pages a week, all in black.
  • You want an entry-level Brother laser and do not mind manual two-sided printing.

Skip it if

  • You print long documents double-sided — Brother lists no automatic duplex on this model.
  • You need a wired Ethernet connection; this model has Wi-Fi and USB only.
Best if you sometimes need color#3

Brother HL-L3280CDW

The color printer for a home that mostly prints documents but wants color when it matters. It prints both sides automatically, has a 2.7-inch touchscreen and fast wired and wireless networking, and Brother rates it at up to 27 pages per minute in color and black.

Why it stands out

  • High-yield TN229XL cartridges are rated at 3,000 pages black and 2,300 pages per color.
  • Starter cartridges in the box are rated at about 1,000 pages each, more than many printers include.
  • The drum, belt and waste-toner box are separate parts, so a worn part does not mean a new printer.
PrintsColor (LED), auto 2-sided
SpeedUp to 27 ppm
Scan & copyPrint only
Toner (rated)TN229XL: 3,000 black / 2,300 color
ConnectWi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet, USB · AirPrint, Mopria

Good fit if

  • You print school projects, charts and flyers as well as black documents.
  • You want color without an inkjet’s drying-out problem.
  • You scan with your phone or do not need a scanner.

Skip it if

  • You print photos often — Consumer Reports says lasers do worse than inkjets on photos.
  • You need to scan or copy; the MFC-L3780CDW adds that.

Strictly speaking this is an LED printer: Brother lists its print technology as “Digital Color LED” with “laser quality output.” It uses toner cartridges and a drum like the laser models on this page.

Also worth a look

Brother HL-L2460DW

A compact, print-only black-and-white laser that does the basics properly: automatic two-sided printing, Wi-Fi, Ethernet and a 250-sheet tray. If you never scan or copy, it covers everyday home printing for less than an all-in-one.

Why it stands out

  • Brother rates it at up to 36 pages per minute with a first page out in under 8.5 seconds.
  • Takes the same TN830 and TN830XL toner as Brother’s compact all-in-ones, rated at 1,200 and 3,000 pages.
  • A one-sheet manual slot takes heavier paper (up to 61 lb bond) than the main tray.
PrintsBlack only, auto 2-sided
SpeedUp to 36 ppm
Scan & copyPrint only
Toner (rated)TN830XL: 3,000 pages
ConnectWi-Fi, Ethernet, USB · AirPrint, Mopria

Good fit if

  • You print in black and white and scan with your phone when you need to.
  • You want auto two-sided printing at a Budget-tier price.
  • Your printer will sit on a shelf and see light, irregular use.

Skip it if

  • You want to copy or scan on the printer itself.
  • You need color pages for school projects or flyers.

The HL-L2460DW XL version ships with a standard and a high-yield cartridge in the box instead of a starter cartridge, which Brother rates at about 4,200 pages in total.

Also worth a look

Brother HL-L3220CDW

The lower-cost way into Brother’s color printers. It uses the same TN229 toner and separate drum as the HL-L3280CDW and prints both sides automatically, but Brother rates it at a slower 19 pages per minute, and it has a one-line display and no Ethernet port.

Why it stands out

  • Starter cartridges in the box are rated at about 1,000 pages each, black and color.
  • TN229XL cartridges are rated at 3,000 pages black and 2,300 per color.
  • Dual-band Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct and USB, with AirPrint and Mopria.
PrintsColor, auto 2-sided
SpeedUp to 19 ppm
Scan & copyPrint only
Toner (rated)TN229XL: 3,000 black / 2,300 color
ConnectWi-Fi, USB · AirPrint, Mopria

Good fit if

  • You print color now and then and want an entry-level Brother color model.
  • Speed matters less than price.

Skip it if

  • You print long jobs: Consumer Reports notes slow text printing.
  • You want a wired Ethernet connection or a touchscreen.

Tired of clogged inkjets?

Lasers do not run ink-cleaning cycles, so the toner you buy goes on the page.

Read buyer reviews ›

Tips

Three things that make the difference

01

Keep spare toner sealed

Canon advises storing cartridges in their protective bag, out of direct sunlight; Brother says an unpacked cartridge left out for a long time loses toner life.

02

Use sleep settings

ENERGY STAR advises keeping sleep settings on. HP lists the M209dw at about 0.5 watts in sleep.

03

Do not overbuy toner

If you print a few pages a month, a standard cartridge may be all you need for a long time; Brother UK says toner keeps its quality after extended storage.

Honest note

Some reviewers point occasional printers to cheap inkjets instead, because the upfront price is lower. That only works if you print often enough to keep the ink from drying; if you do not, a laser avoids the problem.

FAQ

Questions people ask

Is a laser printer good if I rarely print?

Yes. TechRadar says you can leave a laser printer for months between jobs with no problem, and Brother UK says toner does not dry out.

Does toner expire?

Makers give storage conditions rather than a fixed shelf life. Canon says to store cartridges at 32 to 95°F in their protective bag; Brother warns that unpacked cartridges left out for long periods lose toner life.

Why do inkjets waste ink when used occasionally?

They clean their print heads. Consumer Reports found many inkjets delivered half or less of their ink to the page under intermittent use, and says lasers use no maintenance ink.

Should I unplug my laser printer between uses?

You do not need to. Brother lists the HL-L2460DW at about 0.4 watts in deep sleep, and HP lists the M209dw at about 0.5 watts in sleep.

Is a color laser good for occasional use?

Yes, for the same reason: color toner does not dry out either. It costs more to buy and has four cartridges, so choose it only if you need color.

What is the smallest home laser?

Among our picks, HP lists the M209dw at about 14 by 11 by 8 inches, and Brother lists the HL-L2405W at about 14 by 14 by 7 inches.

Ready when you are, even after a month off

Want the full picture? See our best home laser printer, compared by how you print, and the FAQ on toner, setup and running costs.