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Home office gear, compared spec by spec.

Home Office Printers

Best Printer for Black and White Printing (2026): 5 Compared

Five monochrome printers for black and white printing compared by print speed, duplex, paper capacity, print resolution, connectivity and warranty term.

Best Printer for Black and White Printing (2026): 5 Compared

A Monday morning, a laptop running everything off one hub, and a 40-page contract that has to be on paper before the 9 a.m. call: the best printer for black and white printing earns its desk space in that moment. We compared five monochrome printers by print speed, duplex, paper capacity, print resolution, connectivity and warranty term, using only what each Amazon listing publishes. All five are laser printers; only one also scans and copies.

OfficeKitHQ earns a commission when you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.

Quick picks

  • Brother HL-L2460DW
    Best Overall Brother HL-L2460DW: 36 ppm, auto duplex, 250 sheets, 1200 dpi, 1-year warranty Check price on Amazon
  • Canon LBP122dw
    Best Efficiency Pick Canon LBP122dw: 30 ppm, auto duplex, EPEAT Silver, 1-year warranty Check price on Amazon
  • HP LaserJet M140w
    Best All-in-One HP LaserJet M140w: Print, scan and copy, 21 ppm, 1-year warranty Check price on Amazon
  • Brother HL-L2405W
    Best 30 ppm Value Brother HL-L2405W: 30 ppm, 250 sheets, 1200 dpi, 1-year warranty Check price on Amazon
  • Canon LBP6030w
    Most Compact Canon LBP6030w: 11 lb, 19 ppm, 150 sheets, 1-year warranty Check price on Amazon

The picks

Brother HL-L2460DW

Brother HL-L2460DW

Brother9.7/10 Office Score
i
The Office Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs performance (35%), build (25%), value (25%), safety (10%, where it applies) and warranty (5%), using only what the manufacturer and the listing publish. How we pick ›

A wireless monochrome laser printer with the fastest stated speed here at 36 ppm, automatic duplex, a 250-sheet tray and 1200 by 1200 dpi resolution.

Pros

  • 36 ppm is the fastest stated speed here
  • Automatic duplex printing
  • 250-sheet paper tray plus a manual feed slot for envelopes
  • Energy Star and EPEAT qualified are stated

Cons

  • 15.6 lb is the heaviest printer here
  • Print only, no scanning or copying
  • 14.2 by 14 in footprint is the widest here
  • No starter toner yield is stated
Detailed Review

Brother lists the HL-L2460DW as a monochrome laser printer with 36 ppm, automatic duplex, dual-band wireless plus Ethernet and USB, a 250-sheet tray and a manual feed slot for envelopes and specialty paper. Resolution is 1200 by 1200 dpi, the first page prints in 8.5 seconds, and Energy Star and EPEAT qualified are stated. The footprint is 14.2 by 14 by 7.2 in at 15.6 lb, and the listing states a 1-year limited warranty.

Who it's for: a home office that prints long documents and wants automatic two-sided printing at the highest stated speed here. Who should skip it: anyone who needs scanning or the smallest footprint.

Its Office Score of 9.7/10 comes from performance 32/35, build 21/25, value 21/25, safety 7/10 and warranty 3/5: 84 of 100 points, placed on our 9.2 to 9.8 scale.

Key Specifications
Speed36 ppm
DuplexAutomatic
Paper tray250 sheets
Resolution1200 x 1200 dpi

Figures as published on the retailer listing, collected 17 October 2026. Performance figures are manufacturer rated.

Safety and Warranty

What this listing states. Energy Star and EPEAT qualified are stated, so safety scores 7 of 10. 1 Year Limited warranty stated. It does not say everything a buyer needs, such as who pays return shipping, so warranty scores 3 of 5. See How We Pick.

Shredder and printer safety. Keep hair, ties, jewelry, children and pets away from the feed slot, use the safety lock, unplug when not in use, and give printers and adapters room to vent.

This is general buying information, not professional advice. Follow each product manual and local rules, and see our Safety Disclaimer.

Canon LBP122dw

Canon LBP122dw

Canon9.7/10 Office Score
i
The Office Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs performance (35%), build (25%), value (25%), safety (10%, where it applies) and warranty (5%), using only what the manufacturer and the listing publish. How we pick ›

A wireless monochrome laser printer with 30 ppm, automatic duplex, stated Energy Star and EPEAT Silver certifications and a 1-year warranty.

Pros

  • 30 ppm with automatic duplex
  • Energy Star and EPEAT Silver are stated
  • Canon PRINT app for mobile printing
  • 5.3-second stated first page print time

Cons

  • 150-sheet tray is smaller than the Brothers' 250
  • Print only, no scanning or copying
  • 14.6 in height is the tallest here
  • 1,230-watt stated power consumption is the highest here
Detailed Review

Canon lists the LBP122dw as a wireless monochrome laser printer with 30 ppm, automatic duplex, USB and Wi-Fi, and the Canon PRINT app for mobile printing. The footprint is 15.4 by 14.4 by 14.6 in at 12.4 lb, resolution is 2400 by 600 dpi in black, and the toner is Canon 071 or 071 H with a 700-page starter stated. Energy Star and EPEAT Silver are stated, and the warranty is 1 year.

Who it's for: a desk that wants automatic duplex with stated efficiency certifications. Who should skip it: anyone who needs a 250-sheet tray or scanning.

Its Office Score of 9.7/10 comes from performance 30/35, build 21/25, value 20/25, safety 7/10 and warranty 3/5: 81 of 100 points, placed on our 9.2 to 9.8 scale.

Key Specifications
Speed30 ppm
DuplexAutomatic
Paper tray150 sheets
First page5.3 seconds

Figures as published on the retailer listing, collected 17 October 2026. Performance figures are manufacturer rated.

Safety and Warranty

What this listing states. Energy Star and EPEAT Silver are stated, so safety scores 7 of 10. 1 year warranty stated. It does not say everything a buyer needs, such as who pays return shipping, so warranty scores 3 of 5. See How We Pick.

Shredder and printer safety. Keep hair, ties, jewelry, children and pets away from the feed slot, use the safety lock, unplug when not in use, and give printers and adapters room to vent.

This is general buying information, not professional advice. Follow each product manual and local rules, and see our Safety Disclaimer.

HP LaserJet M140w

HP LaserJet M140w

HP9.6/10 Office Score
i
The Office Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs performance (35%), build (25%), value (25%), safety (10%, where it applies) and warranty (5%), using only what the manufacturer and the listing publish. How we pick ›

The only all-in-one here: a wireless monochrome laser printer with scanning and copying, 21 ppm and a one-year limited hardware warranty.

Pros

  • Printing, scanning and copying in one unit
  • Auto document feeder is stated
  • 11.9 lb, the second lightest here
  • Energy Star is stated

Cons

  • 21 ppm is slower than both Brothers and the Canon LBP122dw
  • No duplex is stated
  • 99-sheet capacity is the smallest here
  • Blocks cartridges with non-HP chips, per the listing
Detailed Review

HP lists the LaserJet MFP M140w as a wireless monochrome all-in-one with printing, scanning and copying, 21 ppm single-sided, a flatbed scanner and an auto document feeder. The footprint is 10.4 by 14.2 by 7.8 in at 11.9 lb, resolution is 600 by 600 dpi, sheet capacity is 99, and Energy Star is stated. The listing states a one-year limited hardware warranty and notes the printer blocks cartridges that use non-HP chips.

Who it's for: a small desk that needs occasional scanning and copying alongside black and white printing. Who should skip it: anyone who prints long runs and needs duplex or a bigger tray.

Its Office Score of 9.6/10 comes from performance 29/35, build 20/25, value 20/25, safety 7/10 and warranty 0/5: 76 of 100 points, placed on our 9.2 to 9.8 scale.

Key Specifications
Speed21 ppm
FunctionsPrint, scan, copy
Paper capacity99 sheets
Resolution600 x 600 dpi

Figures as published on the retailer listing, collected 17 October 2026. Performance figures are manufacturer rated.

Safety and Warranty

What this listing states. Energy Star is stated, so safety scores 7 of 10. No warranty term, so warranty scores zero. See How We Pick.

Shredder and printer safety. Keep hair, ties, jewelry, children and pets away from the feed slot, use the safety lock, unplug when not in use, and give printers and adapters room to vent.

This is general buying information, not professional advice. Follow each product manual and local rules, and see our Safety Disclaimer.

Brother HL-L2405W

Brother HL-L2405W

Brother9.5/10 Office Score
i
The Office Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs performance (35%), build (25%), value (25%), safety (10%, where it applies) and warranty (5%), using only what the manufacturer and the listing publish. How we pick ›

A wireless monochrome laser printer with 30 ppm, a 250-sheet tray and 1200 by 1200 dpi resolution, with manual duplex.

Pros

  • 30 ppm and a 250-sheet tray
  • 1200 by 1200 dpi resolution
  • Manual feed slot for envelopes and labels
  • 1-year limited warranty is stated

Cons

  • Duplex is manual, not automatic
  • No Energy Star or similar certification is stated
  • Print only, no scanning or copying
  • 15.1 lb is the second heaviest here
Detailed Review

Brother lists the HL-L2405W as a monochrome laser printer with 30 ppm, manual duplex, dual-band wireless and USB, a 250-sheet tray and a manual feed slot for envelopes and labels. Resolution is 1200 by 1200 dpi, the first page prints in 8.5 seconds, and the footprint is 14.2 by 14 by 7.2 in at 15.1 lb. The listing states a 1-year limited warranty and names Brother TN830 or TN830XL toner.

Who it's for: a home office that wants 30 ppm and a big tray without paying for automatic duplex. Who should skip it: anyone who needs two-sided printing without flipping pages by hand.

Its Office Score of 9.5/10 comes from performance 29/35, build 20/25, value 20/25, safety 0/10 and warranty 3/5: 72 of 100 points, placed on our 9.2 to 9.8 scale.

Key Specifications
Speed30 ppm
DuplexManual
Paper tray250 sheets
Resolution1200 x 1200 dpi

Figures as published on the retailer listing, collected 17 October 2026. Performance figures are manufacturer rated.

Safety and Warranty

What this listing states. No safety lock or safety listing is stated, so safety scores zero. 1 Year Limited warranty stated. It does not say everything a buyer needs, such as who pays return shipping, so warranty scores 3 of 5. See How We Pick.

Shredder and printer safety. Keep hair, ties, jewelry, children and pets away from the feed slot, use the safety lock, unplug when not in use, and give printers and adapters room to vent.

This is general buying information, not professional advice. Follow each product manual and local rules, and see our Safety Disclaimer.

Canon LBP6030w

Canon LBP6030w

Canon9.5/10 Office Score
i
The Office Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs performance (35%), build (25%), value (25%), safety (10%, where it applies) and warranty (5%), using only what the manufacturer and the listing publish. How we pick ›

A compact wireless monochrome laser printer at 11 lb with 19 ppm, a 150-sheet tray and a 1-year limited warranty.

Pros

  • Lightest printer here at 11 lb
  • Compact 9.8 by 14.3 by 7.8 in footprint
  • Toner 125 with a 1,600-page yield is stated
  • 1-year limited warranty is stated

Cons

  • 19 ppm is the slowest speed here
  • No duplex is stated
  • 150-sheet tray
  • 600 dpi is the lowest stated resolution here
Detailed Review

Canon lists the imageCLASS LBP6030w as a wireless monochrome laser printer with 19 ppm, a 150-sheet tray, USB and Wi-Fi, and an 11 lb weight in a 9.8 by 14.3 by 7.8 in body. Resolution is 600 dpi in black, the toner is Canon 125 with a stated 1,600-page yield, and the listing states under 2 watts in Energy Saver mode. The warranty is a 1-year limited warranty.

Who it's for: a small desk that prints a little and values the lightest, most compact body here. Who should skip it: anyone who prints often or needs duplex.

Its Office Score of 9.5/10 comes from performance 27/35, build 20/25, value 20/25, safety 0/10 and warranty 3/5: 70 of 100 points, placed on our 9.2 to 9.8 scale.

Key Specifications
Speed19 ppm
Paper tray150 sheets
Item weight11 lb
TonerCanon 125, 1,600-page yield

Figures as published on the retailer listing, collected 17 October 2026. Performance figures are manufacturer rated.

Safety and Warranty

What this listing states. No safety lock or safety listing is stated, so safety scores zero. 1 year limited warranty stated. It does not say everything a buyer needs, such as who pays return shipping, so warranty scores 3 of 5. See How We Pick.

Shredder and printer safety. Keep hair, ties, jewelry, children and pets away from the feed slot, use the safety lock, unplug when not in use, and give printers and adapters room to vent.

This is general buying information, not professional advice. Follow each product manual and local rules, and see our Safety Disclaimer.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

More picks to compare

Compare the picks

Printer Office Score Speed Duplex Paper tray Resolution Warranty Amazon
Brother HL-L2460DW 9.7/10 36 ppm Automatic 250 sheets 1200 x 1200 dpi 1 year View on Amazon
Canon LBP122dw 9.7/10 30 ppm Automatic 150 sheets 2400 x 600 dpi 1 year View on Amazon
HP LaserJet M140w 9.6/10 21 ppm Not stated 99 sheets 600 x 600 dpi 1 year View on Amazon
Brother HL-L2405W 9.5/10 30 ppm Manual 250 sheets 1200 x 1200 dpi 1 year View on Amazon
Canon LBP6030w 9.5/10 19 ppm Not stated 150 sheets 600 dpi 1 year View on Amazon

Specifications are manufacturer rated as listed, collected 17 October 2026. All five state a 1-year limited warranty.

How we scored them

The Office Score weighs performance (print speed, duplex and paper capacity), build (construction and stated features), value for the stated specs, safety and warranty. For a printer, safety means a stated Energy Star, EPEAT or similar certification; the Brother HL-L2460DW, Canon LBP122dw and HP LaserJet M140w state one, the other two do not. All five state a 1-year limited warranty. How we pick explains the weights.

Product Office Score Perf. /35 Build /25 Value /25 Safety /10 Warranty /5
Brother HL-L2460DW 9.7 32 21 21 7 3
Canon LBP122dw 9.7 30 21 20 7 3
HP LaserJet M140w 9.6 29 20 20 7 0
Brother HL-L2405W 9.5 29 20 20 0 3
Canon LBP6030w 9.5 27 20 20 0 3

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each product’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score.

How to choose the best printer for black and white printing

Speed and duplex first

Stated print speeds run from 19 ppm on the Canon LBP6030w to 36 ppm on the Brother HL-L2460DW, with the two 30 ppm models in between. Automatic duplex is stated on the Brother HL-L2460DW and the Canon LBP122dw; the Brother HL-L2405W lists manual duplex, and the HP and the Canon LBP6030w state no duplex at all. If you print long documents often, automatic duplex saves more paper than any speed figure.

Paper capacity and trays

The two Brothers list 250-sheet trays, the two Canons list 150 sheets, and the HP lists 99 sheets. Both Brothers add a manual feed slot for envelopes and specialty paper. A bigger tray matters less if the printer sits within arm’s reach; it matters more on a shared desk where refills get forgotten.

Printer Speed Duplex Paper tray Resolution
Brother HL-L2460DW 36 ppm Automatic 250 sheets 1200 x 1200 dpi
Canon LBP122dw 30 ppm Automatic 150 sheets 2400 x 600 dpi
HP LaserJet M140w 21 ppm Not stated 99 sheets 600 x 600 dpi
Brother HL-L2405W 30 ppm Manual 250 sheets 1200 x 1200 dpi
Canon LBP6030w 19 ppm Not stated 150 sheets 600 dpi

Figures as stated in each listing.

Print only, or print plus scan and copy

Only the HP LaserJet M140w is an all-in-one, with printing, scanning and copying plus a flatbed scanner and an auto document feeder. The other four are print-only machines. If scanning happens at your desk more than once a month, the HP earns its slower 21 ppm; if not, a print-only model keeps things simpler. For the full category, see printers.

Toner and connectivity

Each listing names its toner: Canon 125 with a 1,600-page yield on the LBP6030w, Canon 071 on the LBP122dw with a 700-page starter, and Brother TN830 or TN830XL on both Brothers. All five list wireless printing; the Brothers add dual-band wireless and Ethernet. A shredder next to the printer keeps the paper loop closed, and the office machines and storage category covers the rest of the setup.

Setup Notes

  • Measure the desk: footprints run from 9.8 by 14.3 in to 15.4 by 14.4 in, and the tallest here stands 14.6 in high.
  • Connectivity is wireless on all five, with USB on each; the Brothers add Ethernet for a wired desk.
  • Match the toner the listing names (Canon 125, Canon 071, Brother TN830) before the starter cartridge runs out.
  • Stated power consumption runs from under 2 watts in Energy Saver mode on the Canon LBP6030w to 1,230 watts on the Canon LBP122dw.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which printer here is the fastest?

The Brother HL-L2460DW states 36 pages per minute. The two 30 ppm models follow, then the HP at 21 ppm and the Canon LBP6030w at 19 ppm.

Which of these print on both sides automatically?

The Brother HL-L2460DW and the Canon LBP122dw state automatic duplex. The Brother HL-L2405W lists manual duplex, and the HP and Canon LBP6030w state no duplex.

Do any of these scan or copy?

Only the HP LaserJet M140w, which lists printing, scanning and copying with a flatbed scanner and an auto document feeder. The other four are print only.

Which printers state an Energy Star certification?

The Brother HL-L2460DW, the Canon LBP122dw and the HP LaserJet M140w. The Canon LBP122dw also states EPEAT Silver.

How long is the warranty on these printers?

All five state a 1-year limited warranty.

Brother HL-L2460DW
Still deciding? Our top pickBrother HL-L2460DW
Check price on Amazon

See every printer guide and all office machines and storage guides.

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