Buying Guide
The Best Printers for Small Businesses, Compared
We looked at 8 printers for small businesses side by side, with the trade-offs that separate them and who each one suits.
By Jamie Cole, Lead Product Researcher
10 min read8 products evaluated
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A small business printer has to survive daily use that a home printer was never designed for, whether that means printing shipping labels at a retail counter, running high-volume black-and-white contracts at a law office, or turning out color proofs at a design studio. The right pick depends less on brand and more on matching duty cycle, color needs, and true cost per page to how your specific business actually prints.
99 color laser built for a 250-sheet daily workload.
Quick Picks
Our 8 recommendations at a glance. Tap a pick for the full verdict.
Best for High-Volume Text
Brother DCP-L2640DW Wireless Compact Monochrome Laser
Law offices, accounting firms, and text-heavy service businesses
Our take Check price for Brother DCP-L2640DW Wireless Compact Monochrome Laser (opens in a new tab)
Best Color Laser
Brother HL-L3220CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer
Design studios, real estate offices, and businesses needing professional color output
Our take Check price for Brother HL-L3220CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer (opens in a new tab)
Best All-in-One with Fax
HP OfficeJet Pro 8139 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet
General small offices that still need fax and multi-page scanning
Our take Check price for HP OfficeJet Pro 8139 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet (opens in a new tab)
Best Budget Laser
Brother HL-L2405W Wireless Compact Monochrome Laser
Businesses that already have a scanner and just need a dedicated print workhorse
Our take Check price for Brother HL-L2405W Wireless Compact Monochrome Laser (opens in a new tab)
Best Budget All-in-One
Epson Workforce WF-2930 Wireless All-in-One Printer
Very small or home-based businesses with light, occasional office printing
Our take Check price for Epson Workforce WF-2930 Wireless All-in-One Printer (opens in a new tab)
Best for Low Cost Per Page
Epson EcoTank ET-2400 Wireless Cartridge-Free Supertank Printer
Businesses printing color materials regularly enough to justify ink-tank economics
Our take Check price for Epson EcoTank ET-2400 Wireless Cartridge-Free Supertank Printer (opens in a new tab)
Best High-Volume Ink Tank
HP Smart Tank Plus 651 Wireless All-in-One Ink Tank Printer
Businesses that need both an ink-tank cost structure and full document handling
Our take Check price for HP Smart Tank Plus 651 Wireless All-in-One Ink Tank Printer (opens in a new tab)
Best Compact Ink Tank
HP Smart Tank 5101 Wireless All-in-One Refillable Printer
Small businesses wanting ink-tank savings in the smallest available footprint
Our take Check price for HP Smart Tank 5101 Wireless All-in-One Refillable Printer (opens in a new tab)
Our Picks
Best for High-Volume Text1 of 8
Brother DCP-L2640DW Wireless Compact Monochrome Laser on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The Brother DCP-L2640DW is a monochrome laser built for the kind of steady, high-volume black-and-white output a law office, accounting firm, or general service business runs every day, with duplex printing, copy, and scan built into a compact chassis.
Best for
- Law offices, accounting firms, and text-heavy service businesses
Why we like it
Toner-based printing keeps cost per page low compared to inkjet, which matters once monthly volume climbs past a few hundred pages.
Wireless and mobile printing cover a small office with 2-3 people sharing the same unit. It skips color entirely, so it is the wrong pick for a business that regularly needs marketing materials or product photos, but for a text-heavy workload it is the most efficient option in this list.
Duplex printing saves paper automatically.
Key dimensions & specs
- Monochrome laser engine
- Automatic duplex (2-sided) printing
- Copy and scan built in
- Wireless and mobile printing
- Compact footprint for a shared desk or counter
Pros
- Low cost per page for high text volume
- Duplex printing saves paper automatically
- Compact enough for a shared office desk
- Toner does not dry out during slow weeks the way ink does
Cons
- No color output at all
- Higher upfront cost than a basic inkjet
- Overkill for a business printing under 50 pages a month
Best Color Laser2 of 8
Brother HL-L3220CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The HL-L3220CDW is the only true color laser in this list, printing at up to 19 pages per minute with a 250-sheet paper tray that can absorb a full day of client handouts, proposals, or marketing sheets without a refill.
Best for
- Design studios, real estate offices, and businesses needing professional color output
Why we like it
Color laser toner holds up better than inkjet under infrequent color use, which suits a business that prints color materials in bursts rather than daily.
Duplex printing and mobile compatibility round it out for a small design studio, real estate office, or any business where a color logo or chart needs to look professional on paper. It is the most expensive pick here, and that upfront cost only pays off once your print volume justifies laser over inkjet.
Key dimensions & specs
- Color laser engine, up to 19 PPM
- 250-sheet paper tray
- Automatic duplex printing
- Wireless and mobile device compatible
- Built for daily professional office use
Pros
- Genuine color laser output, not inkjet color
- Large 250-sheet tray reduces refill frequency
- Fast 19 PPM output speed
- Toner does not dry out like idle inkjet cartridges
Cons
- Highest price in this list
- Larger footprint than the compact mono laser
- Color laser toner costs more per cartridge than mono toner
Best All-in-One with Fax3 of 8
HP OfficeJet Pro 8139 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The OfficeJet Pro 8139 covers print, scan, copy, and fax in one machine with an automatic document feeder for multi-page originals, a combination that still matters for businesses dealing with signed contracts, insurance paperwork, or vendor forms that require fax confirmation.
Best for
- General small offices that still need fax and multi-page scanning
Why we like it
Duplex printing keeps paper costs down on longer documents.
A year of Instant Ink is included, which offsets the higher per-cartridge cost of inkjet during the trial period, but a business should plan for standard cartridge or subscription pricing after that window closes. It fits a general small office that needs the full suite of document functions rather than pure print volume.
Included Instant Ink trial lowers first-year ink cost.
Key dimensions & specs
- Color inkjet all-in-one: print, scan, copy, fax
- Automatic document feeder (ADF)
- Automatic duplex printing
- 1-year Instant Ink trial included
- Wireless and AI-capable printing
Pros
- Fax and ADF cover document-heavy small office needs
- Included Instant Ink trial lowers first-year ink cost
- Full color output for mixed text and graphics
- Duplex printing built in
Cons
- Inkjet cost per page rises after the Instant Ink trial ends
- Slower than the laser picks for pure text volume
- Ink can dry out if the printer sits idle for weeks
Best Budget Laser4 of 8
Brother HL-L2405W Wireless Compact Monochrome Laser on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The HL-L2405W strips a laser printer down to its essentials, print only, no scan or copy, which keeps the price well under the DCP model above while still delivering the low cost-per-page toner economics that make laser worth it for high-volume text.
Best for
- Businesses that already have a scanner and just need a dedicated print workhorse
Why we like it
It is wireless and mobile-ready, so it fits into a shared office network without extra cabling.
This is the pick for a business that already owns a scanner or copier and just needs a dedicated, reliable printer for invoices, forms, or shipping paperwork. Skipping scan and copy keeps the footprint and the price both smaller than the multifunction laser above it.
Key dimensions & specs
- Monochrome laser, print only
- Wireless and mobile printing
- Compact chassis
- Low per-page toner cost
- No scan or copy functions
Pros
- Cheapest laser pick in this list
- Low cost per page for pure text printing
- Compact footprint for a small counter or shelf
- Reliable wireless setup for shared office use
Cons
- No scan or copy, print only
- No color output
- Needs a separate device for document scanning
Best Budget All-in-One5 of 8
Epson Workforce WF-2930 Wireless All-in-One Printer on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The Workforce WF-2930 is the lowest-cost all-in-one in this list still built for office duty, with scan, copy, fax, an automatic document feeder, and duplex printing on a small color display.
Best for
- Very small or home-based businesses with light, occasional office printing
Why we like it
It suits a very small business or a home-based side business that needs basic office functions without a laser-level budget.
Because it runs on standard cartridges rather than an ink tank, cost per page will climb faster than the EcoTank pick below once monthly volume grows, so this is best suited to lighter, occasional office printing rather than a daily high-volume workload.
Full office function set: scan, copy, fax, ADF.
Key dimensions & specs
- Color inkjet all-in-one: print, scan, copy, fax
- Automatic document feeder
- Automatic 2-sided printing
- 1.4-inch color display
- Cartridge-based ink system
Pros
- Lowest price in this list
- Full office function set: scan, copy, fax, ADF
- Compact and easy to fit on a small counter
- Simple color display for quick status checks
Cons
- Cartridge ink costs more per page than an ink-tank system
- Not built for high daily volume
- Ink can dry out with infrequent use like other cartridge inkjets
Best for Low Cost Per Page6 of 8
Epson EcoTank ET-2400 Wireless Cartridge-Free Supertank Printer on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The EcoTank ET-2400 replaces disposable cartridges with refillable ink tanks, and that single design change is what makes it worth considering for a small business over a standard inkjet: bottle refills run a fraction of the cost of cartridges once you're printing regularly, which changes the math for any business doing steady color output.
Best for
- Businesses printing color materials regularly enough to justify ink-tank economics
Why we like it
Scan and copy are included alongside print.
The upfront cost is higher than the basic cartridge all-in-ones in this list, but it pays back over months of use rather than years for a business printing color materials on any kind of regular schedule, retail signage, menus, or client handouts included.
Handles regular color printing without high ongoing cost.
Key dimensions & specs
- Cartridge-free EcoTank refillable ink system
- Color print, scan, and copy
- Wireless printing
- Bottled ink refills included
- Designed for everyday, regular-volume printing
Pros
- Ink bottle refills cost far less per page than cartridges
- Handles regular color printing without high ongoing cost
- Scan and copy included
- No cartridges to run out mid-job
Cons
- Higher upfront price than basic cartridge inkjets
- Larger footprint due to the ink tanks
- No fax or automatic document feeder
Best High-Volume Ink Tank7 of 8
HP Smart Tank Plus 651 Wireless All-in-One Ink Tank Printer on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The Smart Tank Plus 651 pairs an ink-tank system with a full office feature set: automatic document feeder, fax, scan, copy, and 2 years of ink included in the box.
Best for
- Businesses that need both an ink-tank cost structure and full document handling
Why we like it
For a small business that needs both high color volume and document handling in one machine, this is the most complete pick in this list.
The included 2 years of ink is a meaningful cost offset compared to buying cartridges or even refill bottles separately during that window, though the printer itself costs more upfront than the ET-2400. Once the included ink runs out, refill economics remain similar to any other ink-tank system.
Key dimensions & specs
- Ink tank system with 2 years of ink included
- Automatic document feeder
- Fax, scan, copy, and print
- Mobile printing support
- Higher-capacity tank design for sustained volume
Pros
- 2 years of ink included lowers early running costs
- Full document feeder and fax for office paperwork
- Ink-tank economics for ongoing color volume
- Handles both high volume and multifunction needs
Cons
- Most expensive ink-tank pick in this list
- Larger footprint than cartridge-based all-in-ones
- Overkill for a business printing only occasionally
Best Compact Ink Tank8 of 8
HP Smart Tank 5101 Wireless All-in-One Refillable Printer on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The Smart Tank 5101 brings ink-tank economics to a smaller, more affordable package than the Plus 651 above, with 2 years of ink included and print, scan, and copy covered.
Best for
- Small businesses wanting ink-tank savings in the smallest available footprint
Why we like it
It is a solid entry point for a small business that wants lower cost per page without paying for a document feeder or fax it may not need.
4GHz only, worth checking against your office router setup before buying, since some newer routers default to 5GHz-only guest networks that this printer will not join without adjustment.
Lower upfront price than the Plus 651 ink-tank model. 4GHz-only wireless can be a setup snag on some routers.
Key dimensions & specs
- Refillable ink tank system with 2 years of ink included
- Print, scan, and copy
- Wireless printing (2.4GHz only)
- Compact footprint versus the Plus 651
- No fax or automatic document feeder
Pros
- 2 years of ink included
- Lower upfront price than the Plus 651 ink-tank model
- Compact for an ink-tank printer
- Low cost per page for ongoing color and text printing
Cons
- 2.4GHz-only wireless can be a setup snag on some routers
- No fax or document feeder
- No automatic duplex printing listed
How We Chose These Printers for Small Businesses
Each pick was assessed across 5 criteria weighted for real-world use.
- Weighed toner and ink-tank economics against cartridge-based inkjet, since sticker price alone misleads on ongoing cost once monthly volume climbs.
- Duty cycle and daily volume fit
- Compared paper tray size, print speed, and duplex support against realistic small-business daily output rather than best-case lab numbers.
- Checked which picks include an automatic document feeder, fax, and duplex printing, since a business handling multi-page paperwork needs more than a basic print-only unit.
- Color needs by business type
- Separated genuine color laser and color inkjet options from monochrome-only picks, since retail, design, and marketing-facing businesses need color while legal and accounting workflows often don't.
- Considered wireless band support and mobile compatibility for a printer that 2 or more people in a small office will connect to and share.
What to Look for in a Printer for Small Businesses
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
Match actual size and capacity to your real need, not the category label alone
Listings for a printer often use a size or capacity label ("compact," "large," "heavy-duty") that isn't standardized across brands, so the same label can mean meaningfully different actual dimensions or capacity from one product to the next.
This matters because buying based on the category label rather than the specific listed dimensions or capacity is a common way to end up with something that doesn't actually fit your space or handle your real load.
Check the listing for exact measurements or a stated capacity figure, and compare that directly against your actual space or need, not just the marketing size category.
Verify build material and construction quality from reviews, not just spec-sheet claims
A product description can describe material or construction in flattering terms that don't always hold up under real, sustained use, and the gap between a listing's claimed quality and its actual durability only shows up in how the product performs after weeks or months of real use, not in day-one photos.
This matters more for anything you'll use daily or under real load, less for occasional light use where durability matters less.
Check reviews specifically for mentions of how the printer holds up over time, not just unboxing-day impressions, and treat a listing's own quality claims as a starting point to verify, not a guarantee.
Confirm any headline feature actually works as advertised, not just that it's listed
A feature appearing in a product's bullet points doesn't guarantee it performs well in practice, some features are functional but limited, and a few are closer to a marketing checkbox than a useful capability.
This matters directly if a specific feature is the main reason you're choosing this printer over a simpler, cheaper alternative, since a feature that underperforms in practice undermines the whole reason for paying more.
Check reviews specifically for real-world experiences with the exact feature that matters most to you, not just whether the feature is listed at all.
Weigh review count alongside rating, not rating alone
This matters more for a purchase you're relying on to perform consistently over time, less for a low-stakes, easily replaceable item.
Check both the star rating and the review count together for any printer you're considering, and treat a high rating on a very small review count as a promising but less-proven signal.
Check compatibility and fit with your existing setup before ordering
A printer that looks like a straightforward fit in photos can still have a compatibility detail, a connector type, a mounting requirement, a size threshold, that doesn't match your existing setup, and this kind of mismatch is one of the most common and avoidable reasons for a return.
This matters directly if the product needs to physically connect to, mount on, or otherwise integrate with something you already own.
Check the listing's specific compatibility details against your exact existing setup, not just the general product category, before ordering.
How to Choose a Printer for Small Businesses
By Rating Confidence: Highest Rated vs Most Reviewed
Epson Workforce WF vs Brother HL
- The lower-priced option in this comparison, worth checking its actual specs and review history against your specific need before assuming it's enough.
- The higher-priced option, worth it if it offers real, checkable headroom in build quality, capacity, or features over the cheaper pick.
Default to Epson Workforce WF unless your specific need calls for the pricier pick's extra headroom.
For a First-Time Buyer Specifically
- Clear, specific dimensions or capacity and a real, established review history, not just marketing language.
- You need real durability and feature depth for regular use, where Brother HL's build gives real headroom over the cheaper picks.
- You only need this for light or occasional use, where Epson Workforce WF covers the same job at a lower price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a laser or inkjet printer better for a small business?
It depends on volume and color needs. A monochrome laser like the Brother DCP-L2640DW has the lowest cost per page for high-volume black-and-white text, common in legal and accounting work. A color laser like the HL-L3220CDW covers professional color at moderate volume, while an ink-tank inkjet like the EcoTank ET-2400 offers the lowest cost per page for regular color printing without laser's higher upfront cost.
Can I use third-party toner or ink to save money?
08 for OEM toner, a real savings at business volume. Some brands, HP included, have used firmware updates to block non-OEM cartridges from functioning, so check a specific model's policy before assuming third-party supplies will work long-term.
How much should a small business expect to print each month?
It varies widely by business type, but under 100 pages a month suits a basic all-in-one like the Workforce WF-2930, 100 to 500 pages a month justifies a laser or ink-tank printer, and past 500 pages a month it's worth comparing buying outright against a managed print service with toner included for a fixed monthly cost.
Is leasing a printer ever better than buying one?
For businesses printing past roughly 500 pages a month, a managed print service or lease with toner included at a fixed monthly cost can beat the total cost of buying and restocking supplies yourself, and it removes the hassle of managing consumables. Below that volume, buying one of the printers in this list outright is usually simpler and cheaper.
Is a business printer purchase tax deductible?
Generally yes, a printer bought for business use is typically deductible as a business expense, and a higher-upfront-cost laser or ink-tank printer can mean a larger deduction than a cheap basic inkjet. Confirm the specifics with a tax professional rather than assuming a blanket rule applies to your situation.
Should I keep my business printer on the same network as my other systems?
A printer left on default settings on the same network as point-of-sale systems or customer data is a soft target for a breach. Keep firmware updated and consider isolating the printer on a separate guest network rather than sharing it with sensitive business systems.
Bottom Line
Best overall: Brother DCP-L2640DW Wireless Compact Monochrome Laser — best for high-volume text pick in this roundup. See the full verdicts above for every pick, with pros, cons and who each one suits.
Browse all printers for small businesses on Amazon — Prime-eligible options with current pricing.