All-in-One Laser Printer Buying Guide for Home

On this page (18 sections)

1. What an all-in-one laser printer does at home
2. Print, copy, scan and fax: which functions you need
3. Document feeders and scanning: what to check
4. Fax on an all-in-one: when it matters
5. Two-sided printing on an all-in-one
6. Wi-Fi, Ethernet and phone apps on an all-in-one
7. Toner for an all-in-one: what it costs to run
8. Size, weight and placement for an all-in-one
9. Speed on an all-in-one laser printer
10. Which all-in-one laser printer fits your home
11. Checklist before you buy an all-in-one laser printer
12. Warranty and support on an all-in-one
13. Setting up an all-in-one at home
14. Common mistakes when buying an all-in-one
15. Paper handling and envelopes on an all-in-one
16. Phone printing and scanning from an all-in-one
17. Who should choose an all-in-one
18. Which all-in-one laser printer to buy

An all-in-one laser printer for home prints, copies and scans, and some models add fax, so check those functions and the document feeder before you compare speed. Then check duplex, the toner and the size of the body.

Most home desks need one machine rather than a printer and a separate scanner. This guide walks through the choices that decide which all-in-one fits a home, using four models that cover the range.

What an all-in-one laser printer does at home

An all-in-one does four jobs in one body: printing, copying, scanning and, on some models, faxing. Each job uses the same toner and paper tray, so you get one machine to maintain.

For home use, copy and scan cover most of the work. Printing covers the rest, and fax matters only if you still send or receive faxes.

Start with the jobs you do each week. That list decides which features are worth paying for.

Print, copy, scan and fax: which functions you need

The Brother DCP-L2640DW prints, copies and scans, and it has no fax. It suits a home office that files forms and sends scanned documents by email.

The Brother MFC-L2820DW adds fax to copy and scan, with a 2.7-inch touchscreen. The Canon MF462dw II is a four-function unit, with print, scan, copy and fax in one body.

The HP LaserJet MFP M140w copies and scans but doesn't fax. It's the compact choice for a desk that copies, scans and prints without fax.

For the full list of all-in-ones in one place, see our best all-in-one laser printer for home use guide.

Document feeders and scanning: what to check

A document feeder handles a stack of pages without you feeding each sheet. The Brother DCP-L2640DW and MFC-L2820DW both have a 50-page automatic document feeder.

The feeder matters most for multi-page copying and scanning. A single page or two is quick either way, so the feeder earns its place only if you copy stacks often.

The Brother HL-L2480DW copies and scans from a flatbed scan glass. A flatbed suits books, old papers and single sheets, but it moves slower through long stacks.

Fax on an all-in-one: when it matters

Fax is only useful if you still send or receive faxes. Many homes don't, and paying for it adds cost with no return.

The MFC-L2820DW and the Canon MF462dw II include fax. Both need a phone line, and the MFC-L2820DW's box includes a telephone line cord.

If fax is a rare need, a service that accepts faxes online can cover the occasional send. Pick the printer for the copy, scan and print work you do every week.

Two-sided printing on an all-in-one

Automatic two-sided printing matters on an all-in-one, because copies and scans often run to many pages. The DCP-L2640DW, MFC-L2820DW and MF462dw II all print both sides automatically.

The HP LaserJet MFP M140w prints one side only. That's fine for light household use, but it's the weakest choice for long copy jobs.

For more on duplex, read our best duplex laser printer guide. It covers the automatic and manual setups in detail.

Wi-Fi, Ethernet and phone apps on an all-in-one

Dual-band Wi-Fi is the connection most home all-in-ones use. The Brother DCP-L2640DW and MFC-L2820DW both add Ethernet, which helps when the Wi-Fi signal is weak.

Each brand has its own phone app. Brother's Mobile Connect app prints, scans and tracks toner on its models, Canon's PRINT app covers the MF462dw II, and HP's Smart app suits the M140w.

Check the app setup before you buy, because it's the part you use from your phone. A printer that's hard to reach from the phone is a poor match for a busy household.

Toner for an all-in-one: what it costs to run

An all-in-one uses toner for every print, copy, scan copy and fax, so the cartridge cost adds up. The Brother DCP-L2640DW and MFC-L2820DW use TN830 or TN830XL cartridges.

Brother rates the TN830 at up to 1,200 pages and the TN830XL at up to 3,000 pages. The Canon MF462dw II uses Canon Genuine Toner 070, and its high-capacity options suit a busy home office.

HP says the M140w works only with cartridges that have HP chips and blocks the rest. Check that before you buy any non-HP cartridge.

For a deeper look at Brother's cartridge codes, see our Brother laser printer toner guide.

Size, weight and placement for an all-in-one

An all-in-one takes more room than a print-only unit. Measure the desk and the space behind it before you order, and leave room for the lid and paper to come out.

The DCP-L2640DW weighs 25 pounds and the MFC-L2820DW weighs 22.5 pounds. The Canon MF462dw II is the heaviest at 46.6 pounds, so it needs a strong desk.

The M140w is the lightest and smallest here, at 11.9 pounds and about 14 inches wide. For a small desk, it's the easiest to place.

Speed on an all-in-one laser printer

Brother rates the DCP-L2640DW at 36 pages per minute in black and white, and the MFC-L2820DW at 34 pages per minute. Canon rates the MF462dw II at up to 37 pages per minute.

The M140w is rated at 21 pages per minute on one side. For a few pages a day, the difference matters little, but it's noticeable on a long copy job.

Speed decides how long a big copy run takes. For most homes, a few pages a day finish quickly on any model here.

Which all-in-one laser printer fits your home

An all-in-one laser printer for a home office

The DCP-L2640DW is the most complete choice for a home office that prints, copies and scans. It has a feeder, automatic two-sided printing and Ethernet.

An all-in-one laser printer that also faxes

The MFC-L2820DW is the Brother to pick when fax still matters. It has a 50-page feeder and a touchscreen, and it adds the fax line.

An all-in-one laser printer for a small desk

The HP LaserJet MFP M140w is the compact choice. It copies, scans and prints in a small body, but it prints one side only.

For the black and white print-only picks, see our black and white laser printer guide.

Checklist before you buy an all-in-one laser printer

Start with the four functions: print, copy, scan and fax. Only buy fax if you use it.

Next check the duplex and the feeder. Automatic two-sided printing and a document feeder matter most for long copy jobs.

Finally check the connection, the toner and the size. Wi-Fi with an Ethernet fallback suits most homes, and the cartridge sets the running cost.

Warranty and support on an all-in-one

Warranty terms differ by brand and model, so read the card in the box and keep the receipt with the model number. An all-in-one has more parts than a print-only printer, so the warranty deserves a look.

Brother lists a 1-year limited warranty on the DCP-L2640DW and MFC-L2820DW, with online, phone and live chat support for the life of the printer.

Canon and HP set their own terms for the MF462dw II and M140w, so confirm them before you buy.

Setting up an all-in-one at home

Place the printer where the paper and output trays have room to open. Remove all the packing material and protective tape before you power it on.

Install the toner cartridge as the manual shows, then connect to Wi-Fi from the touchscreen or the maker's app. Print a test page and make a copy to confirm both functions work.

If you scan, set a default scan destination on your computer or phone. That one step saves time on every scan after it.

Common mistakes when buying an all-in-one

The most common mistake is paying for fax you won't use. If you don't send faxes, the fax line adds cost with no return.

Another is skipping the feeder check. If you copy stacks of pages, a feeder saves more time than a faster print speed.

A third is ignoring the toner. An all-in-one uses toner for copies and scans as well as prints, so the cartridge yield matters more than on a print-only model.

Paper handling and envelopes on an all-in-one

Paper handling decides how often you refill during a copy run. The Canon MF462dw II holds 250 sheets in the cassette and 100 in the multipurpose tray, and an optional cassette adds 550 more.

The Brother DCP-L2640DW and MFC-L2820DW use a 50-page feeder for multi-page originals, which is separate from the paper tray. Check which one your copy jobs rely on before you buy.

Phone printing and scanning from an all-in-one

Phone printing works on each model here through the brand's app or a phone printing standard. Install the app once, then use it for the jobs you send from the phone.

Scanning to a phone or email depends on the app and the model. Test a scan on each device you plan to use, so you know the workflow before it matters.

Who should choose an all-in-one

Choose an all-in-one when you copy or scan several times a week. A single machine saves desk space and keeps the copy and scan jobs in one place.

A print-only printer and a separate scanner can work when copy jobs are rare. Weigh the space and the cost of a second device against how often you use each function.

Which all-in-one laser printer to buy

Buy the DCP-L2640DW for a home office that prints, copies and scans without fax. Buy the MFC-L2820DW when fax still matters.

Pick the MF462dw II for speed and paper capacity, or the M140w for a small desk. Every model here does the core job well, so the right choice depends on the functions and space you have now.

For the wider picture on laser printers at home, read our best laser printer for home use guide. For the color all-in-one picks, see our best color laser printer for home use guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is an all-in-one laser printer worth it over a printer and a separate scanner?

For most home desks, yes, since one body saves space and one set of cables. Keep a separate scanner only if you need a flatbed for large or delicate originals.

How big is an all-in-one laser printer for a home desk?

The Brother DCP-L2640DW and MFC-L2820DW are about 16 inches wide, and the Canon MF462dw II is about 16.6 inches wide and 18 inches deep. The HP M140w is the smallest here at about 14 inches wide.

Does an all-in-one laser printer need a phone line?

Only for fax. The Brother MFC-L2820DW and Canon MF462dw II include fax and need a phone line, while the DCP-L2640DW and HP M140w have no fax function.