Choosing from any of the best color laser printer options brings the low cost of toner with speed and precision, and you get a winning combination of quality and affordability. Perfect for the office and home, today’s laser printers are speedy, reliable, and have an ink supply that seems like it might go on forever. If you’re sticking to a budget, we’ve found the best choices under $300 to get you started with color prints.
Best overall
For the best of all features, the HL-L3270CDW from Brother hits the ceiling for a $300 budget. Still, you get 25ppm (page per minute) auto-duplex prints (both sides of the page) with Ethernet, USB, Wi-Fi, and cloud connectivity alongside a 2.7″ touchscreen.
Runner-up
The HL-L3230CDW is Brother’s alternative without a touchscreen, still packing 25ppm auto-duplex printing with Ethernet, USB, Wi-Fi, and cloud connectivity. If you’re handling print management with a PC or mobile device, it’s perfect.
Third alternative
Another option at the high end of a $300 budget, the LBP622Cdw from Canon features support for Apple devices with AirPrint or anything else compatible with standard Wi-Fi printing for up to 5 users at a time. Handling up to 250 pages, it can hit 22ppm with auto-duplex support.
Connectivity option
Lexmark offers plenty of connectivity with its C3224dw color laser printer. Capable of 24ppm two-sided prints with auto duplex support via Ethernet, USB, Wi-Fi, cloud, or directly from mobile devices with a companion app.
Budget-friendly
Even at the cheaper end of color laser printers, Brother offers another variation of its best overall choice with the HL-L3210CW. Further stripped of luxury features, it can still hit a respectable 19ppm of auto-duplex printing via Wi-Fi or standard USB.
Budget buster
The M283fdw from HP is just a taste of what stretching your budget might net you. Its 22ppm auto-duplex printing is compatible with Ethernet, USB, or Wi-Fi, but the touchscreen and voice-activated printing are unique features if you’re interested.
Color laser printers on a $300 budget
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Laser printers used to be out of reach for most consumers because of their hefty price tags. Inkjet all-in-one printers (opens in new tab) became household and office assets due to their lower initial pricing and the fact that they printed in color. Inkjet cartridges, however, last less time than laser toner, and they aren’t precisely wallet-friendly either. And then came color laser printers that were affordable, and that changed everything. So which is the best color laser printer for under $300?
Our favorite is the Brother HL-L3270CDW. It’s a color multifunction printer that scans, prints, and copies. If you need a printer that works well with AirPrint, you want the Canon LBP622Cdw. It prints up to 22ppm with auto-duplex support for both sides of the page. If you outsource printing jobs to your phone or another mobile device, grab the Lexmark C3224dw. It uses a companion app to make the process quick and straightforward, or you can stick to its traditional Wi-Fi support.
If you’re having trouble installing your printer, check out our guide on how to set up any printer on Windows 11 (opens in new tab).
