best color laser printers

Here are the standout best color laser printers to consider in early 2026, along with how to choose the right one for home or office use.

Quick Scoop

• For most home users: Brother MFC-L3720CDW (all‑in‑one) or Brother HL‑L3300/3280 series (simple, compact) offer great reliability and low fuss.

• For home offices needing pro‑grade color: Canon Color imageCLASS MF665Cdw / MF656Cdw or MF751Cdw series give sharper graphics and better scanning.

• For small businesses: HP Color LaserJet Pro 3201dw / 3301fdw / 4301fdw focus on speed, duplex, and office‑friendly networking.

• For heavy-duty color workloads: Brother MFC‑L8905CDW and similar enterprise models are built for big monthly volumes.

Top Picks: Home & Home Office

These are ideal if you’re tired of ink drying out but don’t print thousands of pages a month.

1. Brother MFC-L3720CDW (Home all‑in‑one)

 * All‑in‑one color laser (print/scan/copy, plus ADF in most configs).
 * Strong mix of speed, reliability, and ease of use for 2026 home workloads.

 * Great if you want a single box that “just works” for family and light business printing.

2. Brother HL-L3280CDW / HL-L3300CDW (Compact single‑function)

 * Compact, wireless color laser, focused purely on printing.
 * Good for small spaces, students, and homes that mostly print documents and the occasional color chart.

3. Canon imageCLASS LBP646Cdw / MF465dw II (Canon home stack)

 * LBP646Cdw is a solid single‑function color laser; MF465dw II adds full all‑in‑one features.

 * Good text and color quality; ideal if you lean toward Canon’s ecosystem and drivers.

4. Canon imageCLASS MF653Cdw / MF656Cdw (Photo‑leaning home use)

 * Frequently recommended as among the best “home‑plus” color laser options, especially for documents with graphics.

 * Offers better handling of charts, brochures, and basic marketing pieces than many budget models.

Best for Small Business & Heavy Use

If you’re printing multi‑page color reports, proposals, or marketing materials regularly, these are stronger fits.

1. HP Color LaserJet Pro 3201dw / 3301fdw / 4301fdw

 * 3201dw: fast duplex color laser tuned for office use with strong color accuracy.

 * 3301fdw: all‑in‑one office model with wireless, USB, and Ethernet; good for small businesses.

 * 4301fdw: frequently singled out as a top productivity pick for small business color workloads, with better speed and features.

2. Canon imageCLASS MF665Cdw / MF751Cdw / MF753Cdw

 * MF665Cdw: strong feature set at a mid‑range price, rated among the best color laser all‑in‑ones tested.

 * MF751Cdw: “professional‑grade” home/office machine with robust performance and high‑quality output.

 * MF753Cdw: often highlighted as excellent for photo‑like documents and rich color presentations.

3. Brother MFC-L8905CDW (Heavy-duty workhorse)

 * Regularly described as one of the best high‑volume color laser all‑in‑ones, especially in 2025–2026 roundups.

 * Strong durability, big paper capacity, and better total cost of ownership at high monthly volumes.

Snapshot Comparison (Key Models)

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Model	Best For	Type	Highlights
Brother MFC-L3720CDW	Home & home office all‑in‑one	Color laser AIO	Wireless, ADF, balanced speed & quality for 2026 home workloads
Brother HL-L3280/3300CDW	Compact home printer	Color laser, print only	Small footprint, good basic color docs, cloud‑ready options
Canon MF653Cdw / MF656Cdw	Home users needing better color	Color laser AIO	Great for professional‑looking documents and light graphics
HP Color LaserJet Pro 3201dw	Small office printer	Color laser, print only	Fast duplex, accurate color, business‑oriented features
HP Color LaserJet Pro 3301fdw / 4301fdw	Productive small businesses	Color laser AIO	High productivity, strong networking, good for teams
Canon MF665Cdw / MF751Cdw / MF753Cdw	Pros & advanced home offices	Color laser AIO	Feature‑packed, very good color, suited to reports & marketing
Brother MFC-L8905CDW	Heavy-duty color workloads	Color laser AIO	High volume, robust build, strong long‑term value

What’s Trending in 2025–2026

Recent reviews and expert channels focus on newer Brother HL‑L/ MFC‑L models, Canon imageCLASS MF6xx/MF7xx, and HP’s latest Color LaserJet Pro lines as the main “safe bets.”

A common theme across 2025–2026 roundups:

• Wireless and mobile printing are now default expectations.

• Auto‑duplex and ADF support matter more than raw print speed for most buyers.

• Total cost of ownership (toner yield, drum life) is often more important than the sticker price.

How to Choose the Right One

Ask yourself three quick questions:

1. Do you need scanning and copying?
   • Yes → look for “MFP/MFC/MF” all‑in‑one models.
   • No → simpler “HL/LBP/Pro” print‑only units are cheaper and more compact.

2. How many pages per month?
   • Under ~500 pages → compact home models (Brother HL‑L series, Canon MF653Cdw, etc.).

 * 500–2,000 pages → HP 3201/3301/4301 or Canon MF665/751 class.

 * Well above that → enterprise‑leaning devices like Brother MFC‑L8905CDW.

3. What do you print in color?
   • Mostly charts, emails, school work → any of the home models will do.
   • Client‑facing proposals, brochures, or photo‑heavy docs → Canon imageCLASS MF65x/66x/75x or higher‑end HP Color LaserJet Pros offer better color handling.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.