Best black and white laser printer scanner for home use

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For your black and white printing needs

Updated on April 28, 2021

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The best monochrome laser printers efficiently produce your documents. This efficiency comes from their quick printing capabilities and cost-cutting ink technology. Remember that these printers can print only in black and white, so if more colors are needed another model of printer is recommended. Monochrome printers are generally less expensive, and great for anyone that prints documents in bulk and wants to do so cheaply and efficiently.

One of the most powerful models on the list is Brother DCP-L5500DN Printer. This printer can process up to 42 pages for "print and copy" a minute making it perfect for small business owners. If you'd like more options for functions, the Canon imageCLASS MF267dw may suit your needs. This device can fax, print, copy, and more! The best monochrome laser printers do more than just print because they are versatile to fulfill many needs.

What We Like

• 30ppm

• LCD touchscreen

• 5 profiles

What We Don't Like

• No secondary loading tray

Canon imageCLASS MF267dw Review

Whether you're shopping for a monochrome laser printer for your home or office, the Canon imageCLASS MF267dw is the best option. This printer is capable of producing up to 30 pages per minute and can give you the first page in as little as five seconds. If this printer is doing office work, you can configure up to five different profiles so that only authorized workers have access to the printer and keep printing costs down. 

The LCD touchscreen gives you quick and easy access to printing, scanning, copying, and fax options as well as contrast and profile settings. The loading tray holds up to 250 sheets, or one whole ream, of paper so you spend less time refilling the printer and more time getting work done. There is also a multipurpose tray for printing envelopes and other special media. This printer is compatible with AirPlay and Google Cloud so you can print directly from your Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android devices and computers for hassle-free wireless printing. Our reviewer Gannon loved that capacious loading tray and the affordable price tag.

Type: Laser | Color/Monochrome: Black | Connection Type: Apple AirPrint, Canon PRINT Business, Mopria Print Service, Google Cloud Print, Wi Fi Direct | LCD Screen: Yes | Scanner/Copier/Fax: Print, scan, copy, fax

"The Mw267dw makes cumbersome document management a breeze with minimal hassle and cost." —Gannon Burgett, Product Tester

What We Like

• Cost effective

• 36 pages per minute

What We Don't Like

• No cloud printing

Brother HL-L2350DW Review

Our runner-up, best budget pick is the Brother HL-L2350DW, a slightly older but still reliable and well-liked black-and-white laser printer. At its $100 price range, it offers nearly everything you’d want from a budget laser printer and would fit well into any home or small office (as long as the office has relatively light printing needs). The unit is compact and measures 11 x 17.2 x 20.5 inches and weighs 16 pounds, meaning it can fit nicely in nearly any space you’re using.

The HL-L2350DW can print up to 32 pages per minute and has the option of two-sided printing, which can save you time and money. The paper tray can fit 250 sheets, meaning you should not need to replace paper all the time. It can connect to your home wireless router or you can connect it with your iPhone via Apple AirPrint or your Android phone via Google Cloud Print. All in all, you’ll be happy with this budget printer as long as you don’t need upgrades like scanners and copiers. Our reviewer, Gannon, praised the L2350DW for its affordability and great connectivity, and awarded it 4.5 stars.

Type: Laser | Color/Monochrome: Black | Connection Type: USB 2.0, Apple AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, WiFi, WiFi Direct | LCD Screen: No | Scanner/Copier/Fax: Print

"This black and white laser printer can spit out page after page without any hassle and has one of the lowest per-page costs you’ll come across anywhere." —Gannon Burgett, Product Tester

What We Like

• All in one

• 42 pages per minute

• Touchscreen controls

What We Don't Like

• No duplex printing

If you’re the owner or manager of a small business, it’s on you to make sure the office has a printer to print out important documents, presentations, and forms. One printer that we like a lot for offices on a budget is the Brother DCP-L5500DN black-and-white laser printer, which can print, copy, and scan while keeping up with a fast-paced office. It can also connect to Windows, Macs, iOS, and Android devices, and has a print and copy speed of up to 42 pages per minute.

This unit comes with a 2,000-page starter ink cartridge (a good value) and the replacement ink cartridges have yields of 3,000 or 8,000 pages, either of which can make sure you don’t need to replace cartridges too frequently. The device also has a 3.7-inch color touchscreen with an easy menu to select whatever task or function that you need.

Type: Laser | Color/Monochrome: Black | Connection Type: Ethernet, USB, Apple AirPrint, WiFi, Mopria Print Service | LCD Screen: Yes | Scanner/Copier/Fax: Print, scan, copy

What We Like

• iOS and Android compatible

• High resolution scanning

• Duplex printing

What We Don't Like

• Low monthly print yield

If you’re looking for a high-quality black-and-white laser printer that also does an admirable job at copying, scanning, and faxing documents, you need to consider the Brother MFC-L2750DW. The unit measures 16.1 x 15.7 x 12.5 inches, which will fit in most home office settings. When it comes to printing, this machine can print up to 36 pages per minute and has a paper tray with a 250-sheet capacity.

It can print both from your wireless network connected to your PC or Mac, or you can print from iOS and Android phones via Apple AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, Brother iPrint&Scan, and Wi-Fi Direct. For copying, you can copy up to 36 pages per minute with a resolution of 600 x 600 dpi and you can do two-sided copying as well. When it comes to scanning, this model can do two-sided scans with a maximum optical scan resolution of 1,200 x 1,200 dpi, which is good for most work use cases.

If you need faxing (which is rare these days but you never know), it has a fax modem speed of 33.6kbps, fax page memory of 500 pages, and includes caller ID to ensure you know the sending location.

Type: Laser | Color/Monochrome: Black | Connection Type: Apple AirPrint, WiFi, WiFi Direct, Google Cloud Print, Brother iPrint & Scan, Cortado Workplace | LCD Screen: Yes | Scanner/Copier/Fax: Print, scan, copy, fax

What We Like

• iCloud and Google Cloud compatible

• Duplex printing

What We Don't Like

• Single function

If you’re averse to wires in your home and want a black-and-white laser printer that excels at wireless printing, you should look closely at the HP Laserjet Pro M118dw Printer. This unit measures 14.6 x 16 x 8.8 inches and weighs 15.2 pounds, meaning it should fit easily in most home offices. For wireless printing, you have several options. First, you can connect the device to your home wireless network and print from Windows PCs (running Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10, Vista, and more) or Apple Macs (running OS X version 10.11 or later).

You can also print from most iOS and Android phone using the HP ePrint app, Apple AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, and Wi-Fi Direct printing. This unit does an admirable job printing and can print up to 30 sharp pages per minute with a 250-sheet paper tray and the option for two-sided printing to save time and money. This unit is a great value for those who want a simple black-and-white wireless-focused printer.

Type: Laser | Color/Monochrome: White/Grey | Connection Type: Ethernet, HP Smart app, WiFi, WiFi Direct | LCD Screen: No | Scanner/Copier/Fax: Print

FAQs

Can a monochrome printer print in greyscale?
Almost all monochrome printers can print in greyscale, though some are better than others. The quality of the greyscale a printer can produce is largely dependent on DPI, as well as printer memory.

How do inkjet printers compare to laser printers?
Inkjet printers are generally better at printing photos, while laser printers excel at document printing. Laser printers use toner instead of ink, which lasts significantly longer and is generally cheaper to replace, while inkjet printers tend to be less expensive upfront but cost most per page than their laser counterparts.

How long will a monochrome printer last?
Monochrome printers tend to last slightly longer than their full color counterparts, often five or more years, especially when they're properly maintained. Many can last longer, largely dependent on use and care.

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