The 5 Best Printers For Small Business - Fall 2023 Reviews

The best printer for small business use we've tested is the Brother MFC-L8905CDW, an all-in-one color laser model. It produces incredibly sharp documents, doesn't take long to warm up, and prints quickly at up to 32 pages per minute. Its flatbed scanner is large enough to scan Legal-size sheets (8.5" x 14"), and it has an automatic feeder with single-pass duplex scanning to quickly process multi-page and double-sided sheets. The toner cartridges aren't overly expensive and last a long time, but you need to replace the drum separately, which is an added expense.

Like most printers, the MFC-8905CDW is only one of many variants in the lineup. If you want to save money and don't mind compromising on a few features, you can go with the Brother MFC-L8900CDW (or MFC-L8895CDW at Costco), which performs identically but has a smaller display. The Brother MFC-L8610CDW also performs identically but has an 8.5" x 11" flatbed scanner and doesn't support duplex scanning. You can see more details about the variants in the full review.

While the MFC-8905CDW is an excellent laser printer, it has a weakness: photo printing. Laser models aren't ideal because printed pictures look dull and lack detail. If you need to print photos or graphics for your business, we have two recommendations: the Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850 and the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550. The former prints faster and has more features, like an automatic feeder with duplex scanning, while the latter produces higher-quality photos. They're both supertank models that yield thousands of prints, so you won't have to worry about high running costs. That said, they're more expensive upfront.

If you want something slightly cheaper and more modest, check out the Canon Color imageCLASS MF656Cdw. It's also a color laser all-in-one with the same features and print quality as the Brother we recommend above. The drawback of its lower price is its slower printing speed. It can print up to 22 pages per minute; however, that's only achievable via a wired connection (USB or Ethernet), which is inconvenient if you don't have space near your desk or router to place the printer.

Printing speed aside, there's no complaint about the rest of the printer. You still get tons of connectivity options, an ADF-equipped scanner with duplex scanning, and a high page yield. Plus, it's easier to maintain than the Brother because of the built-in drum in the cartridges. Scan speed is slower but still respectable at 14 pages per minute. As always, cheaper variants are available, like the Canon Color imageCLASS MF654Cdw, which lacks duplex scanning and fax functionality. See our full review for more details.

For businesses that only need to print black-and-white documents, get the Brother MFC-L2750DW instead, an all-in-one monochrome laser printer. It produces high-quality documents, doesn't take long to warm up, and prints quickly at 36 pages per minute. A regular toner cartridge gets you about 2,000 prints and is relatively cheap. You'll have to replace the drum separately, though. The scanner only processes up to seven pages per minute through the feeder but supports single-pass duplex scanning. The main downside is that it can't print in color, so you must be sure you won't need color printing in the future.

For our best budget pick, we have yet another Brother printer, the Brother HL-L2390DW. It's also an all-in-one monochrome model, but unlike the pick above, it lacks an automatic feeder and Ethernet connectivity. It still prints sharp-looking documents and does so quickly at 32 pages per minute. The toner cartridge is good for around 1400 prints and is relatively cheap, so you don't need to worry about high maintenance costs. The Brother HL-L2395DW variant is the same printer but with Ethernet connectivity, a larger touch-sensitive display, and a slightly faster printing speed.

A color inkjet alternative in the same price range would be the Brother MFC-J4335DW. It has an ADF-equipped scanner, prints incredibly detailed photos, and has better black page yield. However, there are some compromises, as it doesn't print as quickly, and like most inkjet printers, it requires more maintenance.

For businesses that need to print posters, we recommend the Epson EcoTank ET-15000, an all-in-one inkjet printer that supports tabloid-size paper up to 13" x 19". Its ink tank yields thousands of prints, so it's a great choice for printing large posters in bulk, and replacement ink is cheap, which helps keep your maintenance costs low. You get Wi-Fi, USB, and Ethernet connectivity, and Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service support. It has a high-resolution scanner with an ADF; however, it's a little slow as it can only process up to five pages per minute and lacks duplex scanning capability, so you'll have to scan double-sided sheets manually. Although it doesn't have the best color accuracy, photos and graphics still look colorful and incredibly detailed.

You might need a portable printer if you travel for your business or run a kiosk at fairs. We recommend the HP OfficeJet 250. It's super compact and has a rechargeable battery that lasts about 225 prints on a full charge. It produces good-quality documents; it's just slow, so it isn't the best for printing long reports. Also, it can only print around 100 to 150 pages before it runs out of ink, so you'll need to carry a few extra cartridges. Despite its compact size, it has an ADF scanner, so you can still scan documents on the go. It scans at a maximum resolution of 600 DPI, which isn't as good as a desktop printer but more than enough for text documents and photos. You can connect to the printer via USB or Wi-Fi or print directly off a USB flash drive. It also supports Wi-Fi Direct, meaning it can generate its own Wi-Fi, which is handy when you don't have access to an existing wireless network.