Lila Riesen
Whether you own a business, have a home office, or just want something simple that gets the job done, we've rounded up the best laser printer choices for Mac with design, price, and must-have features in mind.
Selecting a printer, pulling it out of the box, and connecting it to your Mac for its first job used to be an exasperating ordeal.
In 2023, many printers compatible with Mac are wireless, work seamlessly straight from the box with software and 24/7 assistance that effortlessly guides, and can be commanded by your iPhone or tablet using relevant apps.
When it comes to laser vs. inkjet printers, we prefer laser. After fighting with clogged heads, ridiculous cartridge prices, and issues with ink drying up before use, affordable laser printers are now the gold standard for the home or office.
The best laser printers yield sharp, high-quality text and graphics, and unlike inkjets — which require a once-a-week cleaning — you won't need to worry about clogs if you go offline for a few weeks to that much-needed vacation to Hawaii.
Brother MFCL8900CDW
If you're a business owner with a team that demands higher print volumes, the Brother MFCL8900CDW is for you.
It includes cost-effective printing, easy-to-navigate scanning, document handling that is secure, and quality output.
We've all waited by a printer at work, staring lifelessly as it does its seemingly never-ending job. Thankfully, this printer is fast, with print speeds of up to 33ppm and a double-sided scan feature of up to 58ipm.
If you've got someone in the office who unnecessarily prints everything in full color, its advanced security features can limit ink waste by allowing the handler to control color printing and device access.
If you're printing 50-page handbooks for a meeting, with a 1,300-sheet paper capacity with extra trays, you won't have to worry about loading the paper tray halfway through.
One huge perk is just how fast it's ready for use. In minutes after turning it on, you can wirelessly print from your iPhone, iPad, and desktop without a hitch.
When using a wireless connection, it might take thirty seconds to wake up, but this beats the age-long waits of the past.
The Brother MFCL8900CDW is available from BHPhotoVideo.com and Amazon.com for $649.99.
Brother Monochrome Laser HL-L2390DW Printer
The Brother HL-L2390DW is a monochrome printer that is a more affordable choice than its hefty sibling above. It is best for homes or small offices that require the occasional print job.
It seamlessly copies and scans, with print speeds of up to 32 pages per minute. It is compatible with WiFi and USB interfaces and can be commanded using your iPhone.
The tray can hold up to 250 pages, which is a nice healthy amount of paper for larger print jobs.
The only small complaint is that you will need to input your WiFi password using the up and down keys on the printer. This might seem annoying and a little archaic, but it is a one-time process and can be completed in a few moments.
This printer comes with a one-year warranty and free support. It is available from Amazon.com and BestBuy.com for $189.99.
Canon Color imageCLASS MF644Cdw Laser Printer
This printer was chosen for the price of ownership, ease of setup, and image print quality. Though the cost to purchase the printer might seem steep, the cost of ownership overall will be a fraction of the ink cost over the life of the printer.
The quick start guide included with this packaging is sufficient for most home and small office users. The overall cost to own and use this printer is what sets it apart from others, as you can find cartridges for this printer online for less than the price of others.
You also have the capability to AirDrop photos from your iPad or iPhone to the printer for fast printing. This makes decorating your fridge with photos of the new grandbaby a breeze.
The printer itself requires very little setup. All you must do is connect the printer to the WiFi, tap print, and then select device.
It retails for $399.00, but is currently on sale at Amazon.com.
HP Color LaserJet Pro Multifunction M479fdw Wireless Laser Printer
This printer is another fantastic choice for the small business or home office with moderate (under 1,000 pages per month) print volumes. It is a bit of an investment, but it is reliable, easy to program, and the toner cartridge replacement price is fair.
It has wireless and mobile printing capabilities, a large touch screen, top-of-the-line duplex printing, and a USB port for simple connectivity.
It can be connected to your home or office network with built-in Ethernet or WiFi. In addition to Wi-Fi, other mobile connectivity options include Apple AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, HP ePrint, HP Smart App, Mobile Apps, and Mopria.
Unlike the printer above, this printer is not a photo printer, but it can crank out 4x6 snapshots in around ten seconds — which is standard for most color laser printers. Photo prints are not distorted in color and the detail is excellent.
Note that it is a beast, weighing around 51.6 pounds.
This printer is available from Amazon.com for $818.99.
Canon imageCLASS MF451dw Monochrome All-in-One Wireless Laser Printer
We included a high-end Canon above, but if you mainly print in black and white and are looking for something a little cheaper without sacrificing quality, CanonimageClASS MF451dw is a great option.
It is designed for small and medium-sized businesses and allows you to print, scan, and copy. While it is a black-and-white printer, scanning can still be completed in color.
It includes a 250-sheet main input tray, a multipurpose tray with 100 sheets, and supports an optional 550-sheet input tray. A 5" color touchscreen simplifies the user experience.
The scan function supports letter, legal, and statement document sizes. Additionally, duplex scanning is supported.
It is available from Amazon.com for $237.97.
Canon imageCLASS LBP6030w Wireless Black-and-White Laser Printer
If you didn't come here for extravagant printer features and just want a cheap workhorse that goes about its business without complaint, the Canon imageCLASS LBP6030w is for you. What you get is simple, black-and-white wireless printing.
If you don't use a printer daily and color printing isn't a must-have feature, this printer does the job. Mobile printing is supported and be completed through the Canon business app.
It is easy to set up and includes a 150-sheet front-loading paper cassette. It is compatible with wireless printing, and the printer's compact design will take up minimal space on your desk. Weighing in at eleven pounds, this printer is no heavier than your cat.
The printer is fast, energetic, and cost-effective to run in the long term. Aftermarket toner can be found for a great price on Amazon.
It is available for $69 at Amazon and $79.99 at BestBuy.com.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
Malcolm Owen
24 Comments
FWIW, we’ve got the Canon 644. Yeah, easy to set up, blah blah blah… But it’s also incredibly powerful as both a printer and as a scanner. The scanner simultaneously scans both sides of the page, which is a massive time saver for large documents. I scan frequently enough that I set up four icons on the first menu screen for B&W single and double-sided, and the same for color, each of which scan directly to a folder on my NAS which is actually a Dropbox folder so I won’t lose access to any important documents.
Print quality is great and you can print onto different print stock single sided or duplexes. Third-party toner is easy to find and costs about a third of what Canon charges.
The only thing I wish I’d done different is to buy the 700-series printer. Its paper tray holds more and the print speed is doubled. Otherwise, I’m completely satisfied with it.
The Canon 644 (and likely the others) has something called a "fax" function. This is unusable unless you have a dedicated phone land line. Anyone know of any alternatives for use in the cell era?
Email?
Though it’s not a laser printer, I absolutely love my Epson Wf-7840 Scanner/printer. I can scan my 11x17 artboards from my iPad Pro at 600 dpi with zero problems. Between that and Affinity Publisher being on the iPad, I pretty much have zero need for anything but my iPad. The only exception is if a job I’m working requires After Effects work