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A color laser printer that also scans, copies, and handles faxes is the workhorse of a small office—but the wrong one wastes your time on setup headaches, lost connections, and expensive toner. This guide cuts through the noise to find the nine models worth your desk space.
I’m Mohammad Maruf — the founder and writer behind Gardening Beyond. This guide is built by comparing the manufacturers’ published specifications and the patterns across verified customer reviews, so you get each pick’s real strengths and trade-offs instead of marketing spin.
You’ll find a sharp, honest breakdown of each contender, from blazing-fast workhorses to budget-conscious all-rounders, so you can confidently choose the best color all-in-one laser printer for your actual workload.
Our Picks at a Glance
How To Choose The Best Color All-In-One Laser Printer
Picking the right all-in-one color laser printer means matching the machine to your daily volume, your team, and your patience for setup. Here are the three specs that separate a joy from a job.
Print Speed and First-Page Out
Print speed, measured in pages per minute (ppm), dictates how fast a multi-page report lands in your hand. Speed matters most for shared offices where several people are queuing jobs. A slow printer (under 20 ppm) can become a bottleneck for a team of five or more, while a fast one (around 35 ppm) keeps everyone moving. The first-page-out time—how long you wait for that initial sheet—matters when you only need one document.
Toner Yield and Running Costs
A printer’s purchase price is only half the story. Toner cartridges come in standard, high-yield, and super-high-yield capacities, measured in pages. Standard-yield cartridges run out faster and cost more per page. High-yield (XL) cartridges deliver more pages per dollar and require fewer changeovers. Check whether the printer accepts third-party toner; some brands use firmware to block non-original cartridges, locking you into their pricing.
Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) Type
The ADF is the part that pulls a stack of originals through the scanner. A simplex ADF scans one side of each page and flips the stack manually for the other side. A duplex ADF—especially a single-pass duplex—scans both sides of a page in one pass, cutting multi-page scan and copy time in half. For anyone who regularly handles two-sided contracts, forms, or reports, a duplex ADF is a huge time-saver.
Quick Comparison
| Model | Best For | Print Speed (ppm) | Duplex ADF | Toner Series | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canon MF751Cdw★ Best Overall | Speed-focused offices | 35 ppm | Simplex | 069 / 069 H | Amazon |
| Brother MFC-L3720CDWBest Value | Budget-conscious teams | 19 ppm | Simplex | TN229 Series | Amazon |
| HP 3301cdwTop Performer | Refurbished reliability | 26 ppm | Single-pass duplex | HP TerraJet | Amazon |
| Brother HL-L3300CDW | Compact scan-and-print | 19 ppm | None (flatbed) | TN229 Series | Amazon |
| HP 3301fdw | All-in-one with fax | 26 ppm | Single-pass duplex | HP TerraJet | Amazon |
| Canon MF753Cdw | 4-in-1 speed demon | 35 ppm | Single-pass duplex | 069 / 069 H | Amazon |
| HP 4301fdw | Large office workhorse | 35 ppm | Single-pass duplex | HP TerraJet | Amazon |
In‑Depth Reviews
1. Canon imageCLASS MF751Cdw
Our pick — over 4★ from 250+ verified ratings; the strongest balance of quality and price.
The speed king that keeps a full office fed without breaking a sweat.
This Canon prints both black-and-white and color documents at 35 pages per minute, a 84% speed advantage over the Brother MFC-L3720CDW’s 19 ppm. For a busy team, that gap means the Canon finishes a 20-page report in 34 seconds while the Brother takes over a minute. The 50-sheet simplex automatic document feeder handles multi-page stacks, and the duplex prints on both sides automatically—saving paper without slowing down.
What wins people over is the consistent print quality—buyers call the output “sharp, vibrant” even on plain paper—and the thoughtful extras like the responsive touchscreen and a 3-year warranty that comes standard. The main trade-off is the starter toner, which is low capacity; owners suggest budgeting for the high-capacity 069 H cartridges early. The wireless setup can be fussy on Windows 10, but wired USB gets you running fast.
If your office prints color presentations, client proposals, or marketing flyers in volume, this Canon is built for that rhythm. The printer quality and print speed are the two most praised aspects by a wide margin.
What flies
- Blazing 35 ppm in color and black-and-white
- Vibrant, accurate color output even on budget paper
- Full 3-year limited warranty gives real confidence
What to know
- Starter toner runs out fast—plan for high-capacity replacements
- Wireless setup on Windows 10 can be a headache
Grab it if: you need a fast, reliable color laser that handles a multi-user office without jams or slowdowns.
Think twice if: you rarely print in color and want the absolute lowest upfront cost; a monochrome laser would save you money.
2. Brother MFC-L3720CDW
A crowd-favorite color laser that balances price and performance for a small team.
This Brother prints at 19 ppm in both black-and-white and color, which is slower than the Canon MF751Cdw’s 35 ppm—an 84% speed gap—but fine for a home office or a team of two to three people who aren’t racing the clock. The 50-page auto document feeder (ADF, which feeds a stack of pages automatically) and 250-sheet tray keep you working without constant refills, and the 3.5-inch color touchscreen with up to 48 custom shortcuts puts frequent tasks a tap away.
Buyers rave about the easy wireless setup and the quality of output, saying prints are “sharp, vibrant” and the scanner is fast and clean. The main concern that surfaces is reliability over time; a small number of buyers report the printer becoming unusable after roughly 1,000 pages due to a waste toner error. Quality and setup are the top positive aspects, but the mixed reliability note is worth factoring in if you need a machine that runs for years without hiccups.
This is a genuinely versatile machine for the price—it scans, copies, prints, and faxes, supports dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz and 5GHz), and works with the Brother Mobile Connect app for remote printing and toner monitoring.
Why it works
- Easy wireless setup praised by the vast majority of owners
- Sharp, vibrant color prints with fast scanning
- Intuitive touchscreen with customizable shortcuts
Watch for
- Print speed is slower than premium picks (19 ppm vs 35 ppm)
- A minority of units develop waste toner errors early
Reach for this if: you want a solid all-rounder with a low initial cost and simple setup for light to moderate office use.
Pass if: you print over a thousand pages a month and need bulletproof long-term reliability.
3. HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301cdw
A certified refurbished HP that punches well above its price class.
This HP offers 26 ppm in both color and black-and-white, a solid step up from the Brother MFC-L3720CDW’s 19 ppm (a 37% speed advantage). What really separates it is the single-pass duplex ADF (an automatic document feeder that scans both sides of a page in one pass), cutting multi-page scanning time in half compared to a simplex feeder (which scans one side at a time). The TerraJet toner is designed for more vivid colors on professional documents.
As a certified refurbished unit from the HP program, it comes with a one-year warranty and uses genuine HP parts, which eases the usual worry about buying used. Owners mention it looks new, sets up easily over Ethernet (a wired network cable), and delivers “crisp, clean prints with no smearing.” The main hiccup is the starter toner: several people note that the printer warns “very low on toner” after only a few hundred pages. HP also blocks non-original cartridges, so you’re locked into their supply chain.
If you want HP reliability at a lower entry cost and don’t mind the cartridge lock-in, this is a smart buy. Print quality and reliability are the most praised aspects.
Smart bet for: a small team that wants HP build quality for less. The certified refurb status with a one-year warranty takes the risk out.
The limitation: introductory toner is sparse, and HP firmware blocks third-party cartridges, so budget for genuine HP toner.
4. Canon Color imageCLASS MF665Cdw
A 3-in-1 that keeps things simple with a flatbed scanner and a smaller footprint.
This Brother is a 3-in-1 (print, scan, copy) that uses a flatbed scan glass rather than an ADF, making it ideal for scanning single pages, books, or documents you don’t want to bend. At 19 ppm for both color and black-and-white, it matches the Brother MFC-L3720CDW’s speed but in a more compact form that fits tighter desks. The duplex printing is automatic, so you still save paper on two-sided jobs.
The quality of output is a consistent praise point—owners describe it as “crisp,” “vibrant,” and “professional.” The wireless setup is straightforward, and dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz and 5GHz) keeps the connection stable. The catch is that this model lacks an ADF entirely, so scanning multi-page documents means feeding each page by hand. The toner subscription route is optional but can become expensive if you sign up accidentally.
This is a reliable, no-fuss machine for a home office that prints a few pages daily and prefers simplicity over multi-page scanning speed.
What stands out
- Compact footprint with easy wireless setup
- Sharp, professional color output for everyday documents
- Duplex printing standard with no ADF complexity
What to note
- No document feeder—scanning multi-page stacks is manual
- Print speed is at the lower end at 19 ppm
Great if: you need a compact, reliable color laser for a single user who scans infrequently.
Skip if: you regularly scan multi-page contracts or reports—get a model with an ADF.
5. HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301fdw
A full-featured office hub with fax and a dual-band Wi-Fi that fixes itself.
The 3301fdw adds fax to the 3301cdw’s feature set, making it a true 4-in-1 with the same 26 ppm color and black-and-white speed and the same single-pass duplex ADF. The standout feature here is the dual-band Wi-Fi with self-reset—it automatically detects when the connection drops and reconnects, which is a small mercy for anyone tired of re-adding a printer to the network. The HP Wolf Pro Security suite adds customizable threat protection for the printer itself.
Owners find the setup fast and the interface responsive, praising the “sharp text” and “vibrant colors.” But there is a recurring point of frustration: the introductory toner can run out quickly (some report after roughly 50 pages), and replacement cartridges were reportedly hard to source early in the product’s life. The printer is designed to block non-HP cartridges, so you are tied to HP’s supply chain.
If you need fax and want a printer that stays connected without your help, this HP is a solid pick—just be ready for the toner costs.
Good for: a small office that faxes regularly and wants self-healing Wi-Fi. The build quality is standard HP.
The catch: starter toner is stingy, and genuine HP replacements are the only option—no third-party cartridges accepted.
6. Canon imageCLASS MF753Cdw
A fully-loaded 4-in-1 that matches the speed of the top pick and adds one-pass duplex scanning.
The MF753Cdw shares the same 35 ppm engine as the MF751Cdw but adds fax and a 50-sheet single-pass duplex ADF. That means you can copy a 20-page double-sided report in one quick pass—no flipping and re-feeding. The 5-inch LCD touchscreen and Application Library give you quick access to your most-used functions, and the expandable paper capacity (up to 850 sheets with the optional cassette) keeps the office running longer between refills.
Print quality is the number-one praised aspect, with owners calling the output “ultra-clean” and “sharp.” The duplex scanning is frequently singled out as incredible. The main real-world headache is wireless connectivity—several people report the printer regularly losing network connection, and Canon support was described as unhelpful. A smaller number of units arrive as gray-market imports with a serial number that cannot be registered in the US, meaning no warranty support.
If you rely on the fax function and need the fastest duplex scanning, this Canon delivers. Just plan to connect via Ethernet rather than Wi-Fi for stability.
Ideal for: a busy office that faxes, needs fast duplex scanning, and can use a wired network connection.
Caution: wireless reliability is spotty, and some sellers ship non-US units without a valid warranty.
7. HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw
A high-speed flagship for up to ten users with enterprise-level security.
This HP matches the Canon MF751Cdw and MF753Cdw at 35 ppm in both color and black-and-white, but it’s designed for a larger team—HP rates it for up to 10 people. The single-pass duplex ADF and auto 2-sided printing keep large jobs flowing, and the Intelligent Wi-Fi self-selects the best band (2.4GHz or 5GHz) to stay connected. The HP Wolf Pro Security suite adds customizable protection for the printer itself, which is rare at this level.
The introductory cartridges are reasonably generous, with 1,200 pages for black and 1,000 for color—better than the stingy starters on the 3301fdw. Owners call it “very quiet” and “super fast,” and the setup is plug-and-play if you already have an HP on the network. The big sticking point is long-term reliability: a pattern of false paper jam errors and other electrical issues appears after roughly a year of use. The printer also blocks non-HP cartridges, which means you’re locked into HP’s expensive toner—some customers note the genuine toner costs are high.
If you need the fastest color output with strong security features and a larger recommended user count, the 4301fdw is worth the money—just keep an eye on the cartridge budget.
What works
- Fast 35 ppm with a single-pass duplex ADF
- Generous starter cartridges (1,200 / 1,000 pages)
- HP Wolf Pro Security for network threat protection
What to weigh
- Long-term reliability issues reported after a year of use
- Genuine toner is expensive, and third-party cartridges are blocked
Pick this for: a busy team that values security, speed, and a large paper capacity. The 35 ppm keeps everyone moving.
Look elsewhere if: you want to use affordable third-party toner or need a printer with a proven multi-year track record.
Understanding the Specs
Print Speed (ppm)
Pages per minute (ppm) is a shorthand for how many letter-sized pages the printer can churn out in one minute of continuous printing. A fast printer like the Canon MF751Cdw hits 35 ppm, which means a 10-page report lands in your hands in about 17 seconds. A slower unit like the Brother MFC-L3720CDW at 19 ppm takes roughly 31 seconds for the same job—fine for a single user but a bottleneck in a team of four or more. Speed matters most when multiple people are waiting for color documents to come out.
Toner Yield
Toner cartridges are rated by the number of pages they can print before running dry. Standard-yield cartridges get you around 1,000 to 2,000 pages, while high-yield (XL) or super-high-yield (XXL) versions can push past 5,000 or 7,500 pages. The higher-yield cartridges have a higher upfront cost but a lower cost per page—a key calculation for anyone who prints more than a few hundred pages per month. Some printers lock out third-party toner, meaning you pay the brand’s price every time; others like the Canon 069 series allow third-party options.
FAQ
Can I use third-party toner in any of these printers?
What does single-pass duplex ADF mean and why does it matter?
Is a color laser printer more expensive to run than an inkjet?
How long does a color laser printer last compared to an inkjet?
What is the difference between 19 ppm and 35 ppm in real-world use?
Does Wi-Fi Direct eliminate the need for a network?
What is a starter toner cartridge and how is it different from a standard one?
Can I print photos on a color laser all-in-one?
Final Thoughts: The Verdict
For most people, the best color all-in-one laser printer winner is the Canon imageCLASS MF751Cdw because it delivers the fastest print speed at 35 ppm, strong color quality, and a generous 3-year warranty at a mid-range price. If you need single-pass duplex scanning to handle double-sided documents efficiently and can connect via Ethernet, grab the Canon imageCLASS MF753Cdw. And for a budget-friendly workhorse with easy wireless setup and the backing of nearly a thousand positive experiences, the Brother MFC-L3720CDW is the one to reach for.
How We Picked
We do not accept paid placement. Every pick is matched to a real buyer and a real use-case; we do not hands-on test units.
Sources & Methodology
Specifications: manufacturer listings and product documentation. Review insights: verified customer reviews, as of July 2026. Pricing: not shown on this page (it changes often); check the current price via the retailer link.
As an Amazon Associate, Gardening Beyond earns from qualifying purchases. This does not affect which products we feature.