Boost Your Small Business Productivity with the Top 5 Printer Reviews of Summer 2023

Suppose you're looking for a printer that can handle multiple tasks, such as printing flyers, processing office work claims, and producing hard-copy documents. In that case, investing in a printer that can effectively multitask is essential. This is particularly crucial for small businesses where several employees may need to share the same printer. A good business printer should be capable of printing many pages at an affordable cost without frequently running out of ink. It should also be able to print pages quickly, with additional features like duplex printing or an automatic document feeder to simplify your workload.

To help you select the right printer for your small office, we have extensively bought and tested over 125 printers. Based on our research, we have identified the best small office printers that you can consider purchasing. We have also provided recommendations for the best all-in-one, home, and office printers.

The Top Printer Choice For a Small Business

Brother MFC-L8905CDW

The top printer we've tested for small businesses is the Brother MFC-L8905CDW. This all-in-one color laser printer produces high-quality documents, warms up quickly, and prints at a speedy rate of up to 32 pages per minute. It includes a large flatbed scanner for Legal-size sheets and an automatic feeder with duplex scanning to process multi-page and double-sided documents efficiently. The toner cartridges are reasonably priced and have a long lifespan, but you'll need to replace the drum, which adds to the cost separately.

If you want to save money and don't require certain features, consider the Brother MFC-L8900CDW (or MFC-L8895CDW at Costco), which performs similarly but has a smaller display. Another alternative is the Brother MFC-L8610CDW, which has a flatbed scanner for 8.5" x 11" documents but doesn't support duplex scanning. Additional information about these variants can be found in the full review.

Although the MFC-L8905CDW is a superb laser printer, it does have a limitation regarding photo printing. Laser models tend to produce dull and detail-lacking pictures. If printing photos or graphics is essential for your business, we recommend two alternatives: the Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850 for faster printing and more features (such as duplex scanning) and the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 for higher-quality photos. These super tank models can yield thousands of prints, ensuring low running costs. Keep in mind that they have higher upfront prices.

The Ideal Mid-Range Printer for Small Businesses

Canon Color imageCLASS MF656Cdw

Consider purchasing the Canon Color imageCLASS MF656Cdw as a money-saving option. This all-in-one color laser printer offers similar features to the recommended Brother printer but may have a slower overall printing speed, depending on the connection type used. The Canon printer can print at a rate of 22 pages per minute through wired connections like USB or Ethernet. This is not as fast as the Brother printer, which can print 32 pages per minute. However, the Canon printer offers various connectivity options and has a scanner equipped with an ADF and duplex scanning. It also has a high page yield, and the cartridges have built-in drums, making maintenance easier. Although the scan speed is slightly slower at 14 pages per minute, it is still satisfactory. If you're looking for a more affordable alternative, the Canon Color imageCLASS MF654Cdw is an option to consider, but keep in mind that it doesn't have duplex scanning or fax functionality.

If you mainly print black and white documents, the Brother MFC-L2750DW is a suitable option. This all-in-one monochrome laser printer produces high-quality documents, has a quick warm-up time, and prints at a fast speed of 36 pages per minute. The toner cartridge provides approximately 2,000 prints and is relatively inexpensive. Note that the drum needs to be replaced separately. The scanner processes up to seven pages per minute using the feeder, supporting single-pass duplex scanning. However, the main drawback is that it is limited to black-and-white printing, so it's vital to consider whether color printing will be necessary.

Top Affordable Printer Options for Small Businesses

Brother HL-L2390DW

We recommend the Brother HL-L2390DW as our best budget pick for a monochrome all-in-one printer. It delivers sharp documents at a fast printing speed of 32 pages per minute. While it does not have an automatic feeder or Ethernet connectivity like the previous pick, it is still a reliable option. The toner cartridge can produce approximately 1400 prints and is affordable, ensuring low maintenance costs.

For those seeking a color inkjet alternative in the same price range, the Brother MFC-J4335DW is a good option. It features an ADF-equipped scanner and is capable of printing highly detailed photos. It also has a better black page yield than the monochrome printer. However, it is essential to note that inkjet printers generally require more maintenance and print at a slower speed than their laser counterparts.

Ideal Wide-Format Printer for Small Businesses

Epson EcoTank ET-15000

We recommend the Epson EcoTank ET-15000 for businesses needing a printer to handle printing posters. This inkjet printer is an all-in-one machine that can support tabloid-size papers up to 13" x 19". With its ink tank capable of producing thousands of prints, this printer is an excellent choice for printing large posters in bulk. Additionally, replacement ink is cheap, which helps keep your maintenance costs low.

This printer has Wi-Fi, USB, and Ethernet connectivity and supports Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service. Its high-resolution scanner comes with an Automatic Document Feeder (ADF); however, it can only process up to five pages per minute, making it a little slow. Additionally, it lacks duplex scanning capability, so you'll have to scan double-sided sheets manually.

Although this printer may not have the best color accuracy, photos, and graphics still appear colorful and incredibly detailed.

Top Portable Printers for Small Businesses

HP OfficeJet 250

We recommend investing in a portable printer like the HP OfficeJet 250 based on your business needs and frequent traveling. This printer is both compact and portable. It has a rechargeable battery capable of supporting up to 225 prints with a single charge. However, it may not be the best option for lengthy reports as it operates slower. Nonetheless, it consistently produces high-quality documents. It's worth mentioning that the ink cartridge needs to be replaced after approximately 100 to 150 pages, so it's recommended to keep extra cartridges on hand. Surprisingly, despite its small size, it also features an ADF scanner with a maximum resolution of 600 DPI, making it suitable for scanning text documents and photos.

Notable Mentions

Here are some other notable mentions to consider:

• Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw/MF751Cdw: A viable alternative to the Brother MFC-L8905CDW. It offers similar printing quality but with a slower printing and scanning speed. Maintenance is more convenient since the drum is integrated into the toner cartridges; however, remember that the cartridges are more expensive and don't last as long.

• HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283fdw: It is cheaper than the Brother MFC-L8905CDW but prints more slowly and yields fewer pages. The automatic duplex scanning feature is also missing, and the flatbed scanner can only scan up to 8.5" x 11" sheets, unlike the Brother, which can handle up to 8.5" x 14" (Legal).

• Brother HL-L2325DW: A less expensive alternative to the Brother HL-L2390DW if a scanner is unnecessary. It has similar printing quality but takes a little longer to warm up, and it has a more basic display panel.

• HP OfficeJet Pro 7740: An excellent alternative to the Epson EcoTank ET-15000, with the added benefit of duplex scanning. However, the ink cartridges yield fewer prints, making maintenance more costly, and the color range is narrower, resulting in less vibrant graphics and photos.

Recent Updates

• Aug 16, 2023: Replaced the Brother MFC-L2750DW with the Canon Color imageCLASS MF656Cdw. The Canon printer can print in color and is slightly more expensive than the Brother.
• Jun 19, 2023: Verified that all picks are valid and available. I also added the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283fdw and the Brother HL-L2325DW as Notable Mentions.
• Apr 20, 2023: I made minor text changes and replaced the Canon imageCLASS MF743Cdw with the Brother MFC-L8905CDW. This change was necessary because the Canon model is no longer available and hard to find. Furthermore, I also included the Canon imageCLASS MF753Cdw/MF751Cdw as a Notable Mention.
• Feb 21, 2023: The recommendations for the Canon imageCLASS MF743Cdw's variants remained the same, but minor text changes were made to provide more information.
• Dec 23, 2022: Verified the accuracy of picks, and recommendations have remained the same.

All Reviews

The printers listed below are our top recommendations for small office use. When making these selections, we consider price, feedback from our visitors, and availability.

If you prefer to choose a printer yourself, here is a comprehensive list of all our printer reviews. It is essential to remember that while no printer is perfect for every use, most printers are suitable for most users. Differences between models are often subtle and may not be noticeable unless intentionally sought out.