7 Best Cheapest Laser Printer | Stops Printing Money Drains

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The Canon LBP172dw prints 35 pages per minute versus the 30-ppm HP M209d, and it has a 250-sheet tray versus 150 sheets on the HP M209d.

You get a true 35-ppm print engine, noticeably quicker than the 30-ppm machines in the same price bracket. The 250-sheet input tray holds 250 sheets versus 150 sheets on the HP LaserJet M209d, so you refill it less often during a busy work day. Automatic duplex (two-sided printing without you flipping the paper) is built in.

Buyers report that duplex printing works well, and the Canon Mastersetupv220 app installed drivers flawlessly on a Windows 11 machine. The catch, according to several reviews, is that the initial setup requires a USB cable (not included), and you must pay close attention to which USB port you use. A few owners also note that the bundled Canon app collects user data, though uninstalling it did not affect printer operation. For the speed and paper capacity at this price, those setup quirks are a minor trade-off.

If you regularly print multi-page documents and want a machine that keeps pace, this is the best choice among the cheapest laser printers available right now — the Canon LBP172dw delivers 35-ppm speed and a 250-sheet tray that beats the HP M209d’s 30 ppm and 150-sheet tray for nearly the same money.

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At 36 ppm, the Brother HL-L2460DW ties the Xerox B230/DNI for the top speed in this guide — it is also the only model here with Ethernet for a wired network connection.

That speed, paired with automatic duplex and a 250-sheet paper tray, makes it a legitimate small-team printer at a home-office price. Unlike many budget models, it includes Ethernet alongside dual-band wireless and USB, so you can drop it on a wired network for rock-solid reliability.

Brother’s reputation for toner value helps here — the machine uses TN830 or TN830XL cartridges, and the Refresh subscription promises savings of up to 50% on genuine toner. You also get a 1-year limited warranty and free support for the life of the printer. The only real drawback is the lack of a scan or copy function; this is a print-only device. For a home office or small team that just needs fast, reliable black-and-white printing, this is a top contender — it is faster than the Canon LBP172dw’s 35 ppm and adds Ethernet that the Canon lacks.

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The Xerox B230 matches the Brother HL-L2460DW at 36 ppm, but owners mention that its tiny screen makes entering a Wi-Fi password a chore while still offering strong mobile print support.

The 36-ppm engine runs at 36 ppm versus 30 ppm on the Visioneer and HP models. It features built-in Wi-Fi with support for Apple AirPrint, Mopria Print Service, and Chromebook printing, so it plays well with almost any device. Automatic duplex is standard, which cuts paper waste.

One reviewer noted that after setup, it handled a 200-page document with no problems and was remarkably easy to connect in an iPhone environment. On the flip side, another reviewer described the setup as complex, noting many hidden tape tabs and a tiny screen that requires scrolling through the alphabet just to enter a Wi-Fi password. A few also reported it is noisy with a hot air exhaust. If you can power through the initial configuration, the print speed and reliability are tough to top at this price point — the Xerox B230 offers the same 36-ppm speed as the Brother HL-L2460DW but adds mobile-friendly AirPrint for iPhone users.

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The HP LaserJet M209d skips Wi-Fi to stay cheap, but it has a 150-sheet tray versus 250 sheets on the Canon LBP172dw or Brother HL-L2460DW.

The M209d is a stripped-down, no-frills printer that does one thing well: print black-and-white documents quickly and reliably. It churns out 30 pages per minute with automatic 2-sided printing, and HP claims it has the fastest in-class two-sided printing speed. The wired USB connection (cable included) means you will never have to troubleshoot a Wi-Fi dropout, but it also means every computer must be physically connected or on the same local network via a USB-share setup.

The 150-sheet input tray is smaller than the 250-sheet trays on the Canon and Brother models, so you will refill it more often. It also uses HP’s chip-locked cartridges, which means you cannot use cheaper third-party toner. This is a solid pick if wireless is not important to you and you want a simple, fast, print-only machine — but its 150-sheet tray and 30-ppm speed are below the Canon LBP172dw’s 250-sheet tray and 35-ppm speed.

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The Brother HL-L2405W gives you a 250-sheet tray and wireless at a bargain price, but you flip pages yourself for double-sided printing since it lacks automatic duplex.

The HL-L2405W hits a balance: it is a wireless, compact monochrome laser with a 250-sheet paper tray at a price that undercuts most competitors. It prints at 30 ppm and the first page comes out in just 8.5 seconds, which is fast enough for most home and small-office jobs. Dual-band wireless (2.4GHz and 5GHz) means you can pick the cleaner band, and the Brother Mobile Connect app lets you manage and print from your phone from anywhere.

The major trade-off here is manual duplex. Unlike the pricier Brother HL-L2460DW, this model does not automatically flip pages for two-sided printing — you have to feed the paper manually. That saves you money upfront but costs you time on every multi-page document you want to print on both sides. If you rarely need duplex, this is a smart way to save. If you print two-sided documents regularly, spend the extra cash for the L2460DW — which offers automatic duplex and 36-ppm speed for a small price jump.

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The renewed HP M209dw adds Wi-Fi to the M209d design, but its 150-sheet tray and chip-locked HP cartridges mean you refill often and cannot use third-party toner.

This is the wireless version of the M209d, adding dual-band Wi-Fi with a self-reset feature that automatically detects and resolves connectivity issues — a clever fix for among the most common printer headaches. It prints at 30 ppm with automatic duplex, and one buyer called it “a veritable work horse” and admitted they did not even realize it printed double-sided until after they bought it. Multiple customers note that the setup is quick and easy from both a phone and a laptop.

The 150-sheet input tray is the same limitation as the M209d, and it still uses HP’s chip-locked cartridges (HP 134A toner). Some users on MacOS needed a support call to get the setup working, though the support team was reportedly helpful. As a renewed unit, the condition can vary, but the price is tough to top for a wireless, auto-duplex laser from a major brand — though the Canon LBP172dw offers a larger 250-sheet tray for not much more.

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The Visioneer Rabbit PC30dwn is the only budget laser here that also copies, but reviewers point out defective units and a “rock tumbler” noise — making it a gamble.

At the lowest entry price in the list, the Rabbit PC30dwn is a true multifunction device: it prints and copies in black and white at 30 ppm, with a 250-sheet input tray and automatic duplex. It also includes a sheetfed ADF (automatic document feeder that pulls in stacks of pages by itself) with a 250-page capacity, which is generous for the price. The connectivity options — USB, Gigabit Ethernet, and WiFi — are solid, and it works with Windows and Mac via AirPrint.

The problem is reliability. Shoppers say that “two units failed to connect to PC; customer service couldn’t resolve,” and several others describe defective units that print blank pages or make a “horrible sound like it was broken before we got it.” Another reviewer calls it “obstinately not plug and play” and says it sounds “like a rock tumbler while printing.” For the absolute lowest price, you get a lot of features on paper, but the risk of getting a lemon is real. This is strictly a “if you are willing to gamble on setup” pick — unlike the Canon LBP172dw, which buyers consistently praise for reliability.