While laser printers are typically thought of as more expensive than ink-based printers, these days the best colour laser printer for home office use is more affordable than you think.

In addition to being budget-friendly, today’s laser printer is more compact and easier to use than older models. You can also find these printers at a variety of price points, with both affordable and higher-end options available to meet any workflow.

That’s a definite positive for professionals who work from home because laser printing is still one of the best ways to expand the scale of your projects. Of course, you’re also looking to increase your output without losing space, time or too much of your budget. In short, you want to make sure you’re achieving a good return on your investment.

Fortunately, there are more and more options that can provide serious capacity and deep functionality as part of HP®’s extensive small business and home office laser printer line. It’s never been easier to find the best colour laser printer at the perfect price and configuration for you.

In this article, we’ll help by exploring four of the best HP colour laser printers for home offices of every type. The list will cover a range of prices, functions, and styles:

1.   HP LaserJet Pro M254dw colour printer
2.   HP LaserJet Pro M203dw laser printer
3.   HP LaserJet Pro M281fdw colour printer
4.   HP LaserJet Pro M148dw colour printer

Before we get to the reviews of each printer, let’s first discuss the key features to keep an eye out for while you’re shopping. We’ll also explore why some users favor laser printers. Just remember that many laser printers are not rated for use in the home. Check out the emissions. If the specs state "FCC class A emissions," then that printer is only rated for commercial use, and cannot be safely used in a home office.

Advantages of laser printing

There are several distinct advantages to laser-based printing, and most are related to efficiency. In almost every critical respect, an HP LaserJet Printer offers a competitive advantage against ink-based printing.

In addition to being more accurate and faster per page, it can also be less expensive depending on how often you print. Laser printing is simply difficult to beat when it comes to increasing print volume while sustaining quality and reducing costs.

Toner is cheaper and lasts longer than ink, so it’s a great way to save time on the bulk of your work printing. While an ink-based printer would run cartridges dry relatively quickly on a busy day, an HP LaserJet uses toner with greater efficiency to save time and keep projects on track.

With improvements in technology and design, even a home laser printer can be a best-in-class. You’ll find reliable models at affordable prices, alongside compact multifunction designs and high-capacity print powerhouses that can provide all-around efficiency at any almost volume.

The best for your home office or small business

All of the laser printer models covered in our guide can handle colour output, so any other features you may want are up to you. Whether you need the best wireless colour laser printer or useful administrative features like access to easy faxing, you’ll find HP home office laser printers designed to tackle any related task.

Everything here is also designed for relatively high-volume print routines. Some strike different balances between price and functionality, and others go all-out for capacity and higher print speeds.

Make sure you shop based on your priorities, whether it’s sticking to a budget or simply providing your office with the best of the best. That’s the advantage of a truly varied selection.

Do I need a single function or multifunction printer?

If you’re looking for the best colour laser printer for home use, you’ll be glad to know there are reliable options available that can help you tackle myriad tasks.

Ask yourself if you need to scan and copy as well as print when you are considering what makes the best laser printer for your home. That includes considering faxing capabilities too, which can be absolutely necessary or completely unnecessary depending on your individual needs.

It’s worth determining beforehand if you ever plan to use a fax as part of your home business before deciding on which multifunction printer you want. For some users, the best multifunction colour laser printer for home or office use will include fax functionality.

Multifunction printers may cost a bit more initially, but they more than make up for it with their features. Just imagine not needing to go to an office supply store again to make a copy, fax a document or scan.

But if you only plan to print with your new laser printer, then you may already know that you only need a single-function device. This type of printer is best suited for anyone who depends on a high volume of printed documents and doesn’t need any of those extras.

Whether you’re searching for a single-function printer or something that can handle it all, continue reading to find the top HP colour laser printer to meet your needs.

4 best HP colour laser printers for home use

1. HP LaserJet Pro M254dw colour printer

The HP LaserJet Pro M254dw is a wireless single-function printer with great output speeds. It sets a high standard for print speeds and startup times, with first-page-out ratings as fast as 10 seconds for black and less than 12 seconds for colour. It also had print speeds that can reach as high as 22 pages per minute for both black and white and colour jobs.

With built-in support for mobile printing via your smartphone or tablet and a recommended monthly page volume of up to 2,500, it can certainly open up your office’s workflow. It also provides a boost when paired with Original HP toner cartridges with HP JetIntelligence, and it features a generous 250-sheet input tray.

It’s a slim device as well, measuring 15.4 x 16.5 x 9.7 inches, so it can easily fit into a variety of workspaces. This can be particularly helpful if you’re looking to free up some space in your office or simply don’t have any space left to spare.

The HP LaserJet Pro M254dw is an ENERGY STAR®-certified, EPEAT® Silver device too. That means it’ll reduce your workspace’s carbon footprint while making a minimal impact on your energy bill.

Additional Features:

• 100-sheet output bin
• 4 cartridges; 1 each black, cyan, magenta, yellow
• 2.7 inch colour display

2. HP LaserJet Pro M203dw laser printer

For a modest price, the HP LaserJet Pro M203dw offers a compelling argument for a print-only home office laser printer. Like other models in our list, it’s still relatively compact and low-impact, with the same ENERGY STAR certification shared by most of our entries.

It’s quick to activate and start printing with this device thanks to first-page-out rating as fast as 6.6 seconds. It also has an impressive maximum print speed of 30 ppm in black. While other entries on this list are similar in these specs, that’s still the speediest estimated output available at this price point.

This HP LaserJet printer carries over several of the best features from other entries too. It features HP FastRes technology and HP Printer Assistant for sharp, easy to print results.

Additional Features:

• Automatic duplex printing
• 250- sheet input tray, 10-sheet priority tray
• HP ePrint, WiFi direct, AirPrint, Google Cloud Print capable

3. HP LaserJet Pro M281fdw colour printer

The speedy and affordable HP LaserJet Pro M281fdw is a great wireless multi-function printer. It’s perfect for home offices that need access to vibrant, high-clarity colour prints, without sacrificing an efficient workflow.

It has strong first-page-out ratings with both colour and black prints too, at 10 seconds from power-up to completion for black and less than 12 seconds for colour.

Its print speed estimates are equally as fast for both colour and black pages, with a maximum output of 22 ppm regardless of what you’re printing. And if you’re rushing to print a lower priority job, you can count on even greater speeds when using draft settings.

Automatic duplex printing also helps save time and materials with an easy change to your print settings.

This HP LaserJet also boasts access to Original HP Toner cartridges with HP JetIntelligence. They help provide more efficient printing and higher page yields of up to 48% more than the competition.

If you’re concerned about your power consumption, this printer has a full slate of certifications including ENERGY STAR approval and an EPEAT® Silver rating.

Plus, as a multifunction printer, it’s an all-in-one device that lets you fax, copy, and scan documents as needed.

Additional Features:

• Automatic duplex printing
• 256MB memory
• 2.7-inch colour graphic display

4. HP LaserJet Pro M148dw colour printer

With a deep suite of features, the HP LaserJet Pro M148dw is a great multifunction print hub at a price that won’t break the bank. It has the highest possible print yield when using Original HP Toner cartridges with HP JetIntelligence in addition to super-fast automatic duplex printing.

It has great printer paper capacity too, with space for 250-sheets in the standard configuration and a 10-sheet priority tray.

It also boasts easy scan-to-email and mobile printing. You can set it up in just a few simple steps and clear any office traffic jams around the printer virtually right out of the box. It has the best wireless printing on our list too, with the support of built-in WiFi, wireless direct, and convenient NFC touch-to-print technology.

Additional Features:

• 2-line LCD display
• Up to 30 ppm print speed in black
• 2,000 recommended monthly page volume

In summary

Finding the right printer can often depend on knowing how much and how often you’ll be printing.

For most consumers, whether you need the extra capacity and efficiency for a hobby, new business, or a growing home office, the best colour laser printer for home use needs to fit the scale of your work. Picking the right one for you is a question of what features you need most right out of the box, but also what you may need down the line.

Each of these models is a robust colour laser printer designed for efficiency, precision, and scale to support you and the growth of your home business. From the best wireless colour laser printers for home use to multifunction print hubs that also scan, copy, and fax, you can find what you need from HP®.