Laser Printers

The Bottom Line: The Color LaserJet CP1215 is HP's entry-level printer built to serve small workgroups, but it suffers from frustratingly slow print speeds, a missing LCD screen, and other problems. Your $299 will go much further with the Dell 1320c, another color laser with faster print speeds for the same price.

Specs: Workgroup printer - Laser - Color, Legal (8.5 in x 14 in), Wired, 12 pages/min, 8 pages/min, PC, USB

The Bottom Line: Although the HP CP2025n is rather slow to print black documents and is missing supplementary features such as USB-direct printing and wireless, the color laser shines in output quality, and the software holds your hand through a somewhat daunting learning curve. The CP2025n also has a high monthly duty-cycle, so we recommend it to anyone hunting for a workhorse printer to complement an equally diligent work environment.

The Bottom Line: The OKI C3600n is neither small nor lightweight, but its quick print speeds and its impressive output quality make it one of our favorite color laser printers on the market today.

Specs: Workgroup printer - LED - Color, A4 (8.25 in x 11.7 in), Legal (8.5 in x 14 in), Wired, 20 pages/min, 16 pages/min, PC, Mac, Unix, USB, Ethernet 10/100Base-TX

The Bottom Line: The Lexmark E460dw is an overly priced one-trick pony that produces mediocre prints at an inconsistent pace. Small businesses looking for a single-function monolaser should turn their attention toward the Samsung ML-2851ND instead.

Specs: Workgroup printer - Laser - Monochrome, A4 (8.25 in x 11.7 in), Legal (8.5 in x 14 in), Wired, 38 pages/min, 18 pages/min, 40 pages/min, PC, Mac, Unix, USB, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n (draft), Ethernet 10/100Base-TX

The Bottom Line: The Samsung CLP-315W is a fancy looking wireless laser printer with a clean design and small footprint, but the output quality is unacceptable and the blisteringly slow speeds will have you searching for other options

Specs: Workgroup printer - Laser - Color, A4 (8.25 in x 11.7 in), Legal (8.5 in x 14 in), Letter A Size (8.5 in x 11 in), Wired, Wireless, 16 pages/min, 17 pages/min, 4 pages/min, PC, Mac, USB, 802.11b, 802.11g, Ethernet 10/100Base-TX

The Bottom Line: Small businesses should take a serious look at the Samsung ML-2851ND's monolaser because of its excellent print speed, text print quality, autoduplexer, and networking features. It's a little more expensive than the competition, but its chart-topping test results speak for themselves.

Specs: Workgroup printer - Laser - Monochrome, A4 (8.25 in x 11.7 in), Legal (8.5 in x 14 in), Wired, 30 pages/min, 28 pages/min, PC, Mac, USB, Ethernet 10/100Base-TX

The Bottom Line: The Samsung ML-1630 can't claim to be the best value among $200 mono laser printers--the competition offers faster print speeds and more features--but the ML-1630's aesthetic appeal is undeniable.

Specs: Personal printer - Laser - Monochrome, A4 (8.25 in x 11.7 in), Wired, 16 pages/min, PC, Mac, USB

The Bottom Line: The Dell 1320c is a decent choice for a small office or work group, but a little more cash will net you a faster printer with better print quality.

Specs: Personal printer - Laser - Color, A4 (8.25 in x 11.7 in), Wired, PC, USB

The Bottom Line: The HP LaserJet 1020 is a good deal for home users who have light print needs, but just a little bit more money can get you more features and better print quality.

Specs: Personal printer - Laser - Monochrome, A4 (8.25 in x 11.7 in), Legal (8.5 in x 14 in), Wired, 14 pages/min, PC, USB

The Bottom Line: Despite its lagging black print speeds, the Brother HL-4040CN does a lot of things right and makes a compelling color laser printer for small offices or workgroups.

Specs: Workgroup printer - Laser - Color, A4 (8.25 in x 11.7 in), Legal (8.5 in x 14 in), Wired, 21 pages/min, 20 pages/min, PC, Mac, USB, Direct print USB, Ethernet 10/100Base-TX