Guide
Best printers for small businesses 2026: 5 office alternatives
A printer is still a given part of most offices, even though much has been digitised. The right choice depends on how much you print, whether you need colour and how much maintenance you are willing to do. Here are five alternatives for small businesses.
For a small business, the most important question is not which printer has the most features, but which one works every time someone needs to print an agreement, an invoice or a label. Here are five models for different needs.
1. HP LaserJet Pro MFP 3101fdw – best for most offices
Suits: Small businesses that print 500–2,000 pages per month and want a reliable laser printer.
HP LaserJet Pro MFP 3101fdw is a black-and-white multifunction printer with automatic duplex printing, scanning, copying and fax. It has fast printing, solid build quality and HP’s support organisation behind it. Via the HP Smart app you can print straight from your phone.
- Smart feature: Automatic duplex printing and scanning saves both paper and time.
- Strength: Reliability and fast first page out.
- Downside: Toner cartridges are expensive, but last a long time.
See HP LaserJet at Webhallen · Komplett · Dustin (advertisement links)
2. Epson EcoTank ET-4850 – best for low running cost
Suits: Businesses that print many colour pages and want a low cost per page.
Epson’s EcoTank printers are refilled with ink from bottles instead of swapping cartridges. The running cost per page is considerably lower than for traditional inkjet printers, and the model prints both black-and-white and in colour.
- Smart feature: HP Smart-like app for printing and scanning from mobile.
- Strength: Very low running cost and colour printing.
- Downside: Higher purchase price and slower printing than a laser printer.
See Epson EcoTank ET-4850 at Webhallen · Komplett · Dustin (advertisement links)
3. Brother MFC-L6900DW – best for high volume
Suits: Businesses that print several thousand pages per month.
Brother MFC-L6900DW is a workhorse with high speed, large paper capacity and low cost per page. It is black-and-white and aimed at offices where printing is a central part of the day.
- Smart feature: Advanced scanning options with duplex feeder.
- Strength: Fast and cheap to run.
- Downside: Larger physical size and more enterprise-oriented than the others.
See Brother MFC-L6900DW at Webhallen · Komplett · Dustin (advertisement links)
4. Canon i-SENSYS MF742Cdw – best colour laser multifunction
Suits: Businesses that need colour printing in professional quality.
Canon’s colour laser printer delivers sharp prints of presentations, reports and marketing material. It has a touch screen, duplex printing and good connectivity options.
- Smart feature: Print directly from the cloud via Canon PRINT Business.
- Strength: Good colour quality and fast printing.
- Downside: More expensive toner than black-and-white laser alternatives.
See Canon i-SENSYS MF742Cdw at Webhallen · Komplett · Dustin (advertisement links)
5. Xerox B235 – best budget choice
Suits: Very small offices with low print volume.
Xerox B235 is a compact black-and-white multifunction printer that costs less than the other alternatives but still handles printing, scanning and copying. Perfect as a first printer in a sole trader business.
- Smart feature: Xerox Print & Scan app for mobile printing.
- Strength: Low purchase price.
- Downside: Smaller paper tray and higher cost per page than larger models.
See Xerox B235 at Webhallen · Komplett · Dustin (advertisement links)
Summary
| Alternative | Best for | Colour | Running cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| HP LaserJet Pro MFP 3101fdw | Most offices | No | Medium |
| Epson EcoTank ET-4850 | Low running cost, colour | Yes | Low |
| Brother MFC-L6900DW | High volume | No | Low |
| Canon i-SENSYS MF742Cdw | Colour and quality | Yes | Medium–high |
| Xerox B235 | Budget and small office | No | Medium |
Want a step-by-step guide to the winner? Read Get started with the HP LaserJet Pro MFP 3101fdw.
Sources
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