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Although color printers are relatively affordable, many people only print in black, especially in the commercial environment. Many offices only need to print invoices and receipts, so why pay more for a color printer? Monochrome printers often have room for a bigger cartridge, giving you a higher page yield, so you don't have to replace the cartridge as frequently. Also, the lack of color cartridges cuts down on your running costs considerably.
Laser printers are usually preferred for black-and-white printing, as they typically print faster. That said, inkjet printers are more versatile and often cheaper, and those with an ink tank system can often match or surpass the page yield of their laser counterpart. Whether looking for the best black-and-white laser printer for home use or office use, you'llfind a good option that fits your printing needs.
We've tested over 135printers, and below are our recommendations for the best monochrome printers you can buy. You can also check out our picks for the best laser printers, the best printers for small businesses, and the best all-in-one printers.
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Best Black And White Printer
Brother MFC-L2750DW 2
Black & White
9.1
Estimated Black Page Yield
1,953 printsCost-Per-Print
9.6
Black & White Documents
9.0
Black Only Text Document
36 PPMScanner
ADF + FlatbedSee all our test results
The best black and white printer we've tested is the Brother MFC-L2750DW. This all-in-one monochrome laser model produces incredibly sharp documents. It's great for printing a large number of documents in a hurry; not only does it warm up fast, it prints up to 36 pages per minute. It's also very easy to print from a wide variety of devices, as you can connect to it via Wi-Fi, USB, or Ethernet. There's also NFC support, so you can connect your NFC-enabled device with a simple tap.
Its ADF-equipped scanner has automatic single-pass duplex scanning, making it easy to process multi-page and double-sided sheets. It scans up to seven pages per minute, which is on the slower side but still considerably quicker and more convenient than scanning each page manually. Its page yield is outstanding; a standard-size toner cartridge gets you about 2,000 prints, and you can get a high-yield XL cartridge that'll last even longer. The drum is a separate unit you'll have to spend extra to replace, although it's usually good for about 12,000 prints and won't need regular replacement.
Cheaper variants are available if you don't need all the features on the MFC-L2750DW, like the Brother MFC-L2710DW, which lacks duplex scanning and prints a little slower at 32 pages per minute. The print quality remains the same, so you'll still get sharp-looking documents. You can also get bundles that come with XL toner cartridges, like the Brother MFC-L2750DW XL, which might be cheaper than buying the cartridges separately.
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Best Mid-Range Black And White Printer
Brother HL-L2390DW 0
Black & White
8.4
Estimated Black Page Yield
1,425 printsCost-Per-Print
9.3
Black Only Text Document
32 PPMScanner
YesSee all our test results
A more modest mid-range pick would be the Brother HL-L2390DW. It's also an all-in-one laser model, but unlike our top pick, it lacks an automatic document feeder and Ethernet connectivity. It still produces sharp-looking documents, prints quickly at 32 pages per minute, and supports automatic duplex printing. A regular toner cartridge is good for about 1,400 prints and is fairly cheap, so you don't need to worry about high maintenance costs.
The lack of an automatic feeder is probably the most significant compromise with this printer, so ensure you won't need to scan many long, multi-page documents. This model has a variant, the Brother HL-L2395DW. It's essentially the same printer but with Ethernet connectivity, a larger touch-sensitive display, and a slightly faster printing speed.
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Best Budget Black And White Printer
Brother HL-L2350DW 1
Black & White
7.7
Estimated Black Page Yield
1,273 printsCost-Per-Print
9.1
Black & White Documents
9.0
Black Only Text Document
33 PPMScanner
No ScannerSee all our test results
If you're on a tighter budget and don't need an integrated scanner, the Brother HL-L2350DW is worthy of consideration. This print-only unit is a variant of the Brother HL-L2325DW, one of the best monochrome laser printers we've tested in the budget range. The HL-L2325DW is a good choice, too; it's just hard to find. This printer feels sturdy, produces remarkably sharp, legible documents, and prints up to 32 pages per minute. Plus, it's a fairly compact model, making it a good option for small spaces.
As for its page yield, you can expect to get around 1,300 prints from a regular toner cartridge. The printer is also compatible with XL-size and third-party cartridges. Like the Brother printers we recommend above, you'll have to replace the drum on this model separately, but again, the drum usually lasts a long time, so you won't need to do it all that often. You get the usual Wi-Fi and USB connectivity, as well as support for Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service.
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Best Cheap Black And White Printer
Pantum P2502W 1
Black & White
7.2
Estimated Black Page Yield
2,090 printsCost-Per-Print
9.4
Black & White Documents
9.0
Black Only Text Document
23 PPMScanner
No ScannerSee all our test results
If you want a cheap printer that can get the job done, consider the Pantum P2502W. Like the Brother HL-L2350DW above, this is also a print-only unit, so there isn't a scanner. It produces nice, sharp documents and doesn't cost much to maintain because the toner cartridge lasts a long time. It takes a little longer than most laser printers to warm up, but it's very fast once it starts printing, pushing up to 23 pages per minute. You just have to flip the pages manually when printing double-sided because it doesn't support automatic duplex printing.
Unfortunately, there's an issue with this printer. It tends to push printed sheets off the output tray, which can be annoying during large print jobs, as you'll have to rearrange the prints into the right order. This issue also causes misaligned prints. While this doesn't always happen, it's still inconvenient, as you might waste a lot of time, paper, and toner. Again, this model can get the job done; you just might encounter occasional problems.
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Best High-Yield Black And White Printer
HP LaserJet Tank MFP 2604sdw 6
Black & White
8.2
Estimated Black Page Yield
4,560 printsCost-Per-Print
10
Black & White Documents
9.0
Black Only Text Document
9 PPMScanner
ADF + FlatbedSee all our test results
If you have a large print load and need a printer with a high page yield, the HP LaserJet Tank MFP 2604sdw. As you can probably guess from its name, it's a laser printer with a tank of sorts. Indeed, it has a refillable toner tank instead of a cartridge, similar to supertank inkjet models. A full tank gets you about 4500 prints, and you can refill the tank as you go, even during a print job. The print quality is outstanding, though, like most laser printers, it isn't ideal for printing photos. As for printing speed, you can print up to 22 pages per minute, but only over a wired USB connection, which is inconvenient if it's a shared printer or you don't have room to keep it close to your computer. Its printing speed drops to nine pages per minute over Wi-Fi.
Printing speed issues aside, this printer has great connectivity options. You get USB, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and support for Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service. There's a scanner with an automatic feeder but no duplex scanning, so you'll have to scan double-sided documents manually. The main downside has to do with the drum. Although it lasts a long time, with an estimated lifespan of 50,000 prints, it isn't user-replaceable. It's hard to access, as you need to do a fair amount of disassembly, and the drum isn't available for purchase to the general public, anyway, so you can only replace it through an authorized service provider. The drum's long estimated lifespan is reassuring, but remember that the drum can get damaged by staples or imperfections on the paper.
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Recent Updates
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Feb 01, 2024: Verified that all picks are valid and available. Our recommendations remain the same.
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Dec 04, 2023: Minor in-text adjustments to further clarify product information.
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Oct 06, 2023: Small text changes to improve clarity and readability. No change in recommendations.
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Aug 10, 2023: Verified that all picks are valid and available. No change in recommendations.
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Jun 15, 2023: Replaced the Epson WorkForce ST-M1000 with the HP LaserJet Tank MFP 2604sdw because the HP is easier to find and has better print quality and a scanner.
All Reviews
Our recommendations aboveare what we think are currently the best black and white printers for most people. We factor in the price, feedback from our visitors, and availability.
If you would like to do the work of choosing yourself, here's the list of our printerreviews. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While noprinter is perfect for every use, mostare goodenough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.
