Brother
Brother HL-L2465DW
Ranked #3 of 3 in Best Home Printer
Best if you never print in colour
From $169.99Approximate — prices change and we do not track them in real time
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Key specifications
- Type
- Monochrome laser, multi-function
- Functions
- Print, copy, scan
- Duplex
- Automatic two-sided printing
- Connectivity
- Wireless and mobile printing
- Colour
- None — black and white only
Our verdict
The honest answer for a large number of people who buy colour printers and never print in colour. Consumer Reports' position is blunt: if you do not need colour, buy a mono laser, because they are far more reliable. And the reason matters — toner does not dry out, so this survives being ignored for three months, which is exactly what kills an inkjet. Print one photo a year at a shop and you will still be ahead.
How it scores
Each criterion is scored 0-100 from published specs and lab-tested figures in the sources below, then weighted by the fixed formula this category uses. The weights are the same for every product here.
Running Cost35% of score
82
Print Quality25% of score
85
Features15% of score
70
Price Value25% of score
86
Strengths and limitations
Pros
- Consumer Reports' testing finds lasers markedly more reliable than inkjets, which is the complaint most printer owners actually have
- Toner does not dry out, so it survives months of not being used — the failure mode that kills inkjets
- Crisp text at speed, with automatic two-sided printing
Cons
- No colour whatsoever, which rules it out for anyone printing photos or school projects
- Per-page cost is higher than bottled tank ink, though far below cartridges
- No fax or document feeder
Where this product appears
Also worth a look
Sources: Consumer Reports (laboratory testing and cost-of-ownership modelling) (2026-06-24) · TechRadar (standardised test across 200+ printers) (2026-07)Last checked by Picksights 2026-07-29