For those seeking a reliable and affordable printing solution for home use, the Brother HL-L2460DW stands out as an exceptional choice. This monochrome laser printer delivers impressive performance without breaking the bank, making it our top recommendation for the Best Budget Home Printer. If you need a printer that can handle everyday printing tasks with speed and efficiency, while keeping running costs low, the Brother HL-L2460DW deserves your attention.
Brother HL-L2460DW laser printer on a desk, showcasing its compact design and paper output tray.
Why We Recommend the Brother HL-L2460DW
The Brother HL-L2460DW excels as a budget-friendly option for several compelling reasons, particularly for home users who don’t print every day. Laser printers, in general, are advantageous for less frequent printing as their toner cartridges are not prone to drying out like inkjet cartridges. This means you can leave the printer idle for extended periods and still expect it to function perfectly when needed. Beyond this key benefit, the HL-L2460DW offers fast printing speeds and produces crisp, professional-looking text documents. Unlike some inkjet outputs, laser prints are also resistant to smudging and running, even if they come into contact with moisture.
Low Operating Costs and Toner Advantage
One of the most significant advantages of the Brother HL-L2460DW is its low running costs. Toner cartridges, unlike ink, offer a higher page yield, translating to a lower cost per page over time. The printer ships with a starter toner cartridge capable of approximately 700 pages. Replacement toner cartridges are readily available at reasonable prices. The standard TN830 cartridge (1,200 pages) and the high-yield TN830XL cartridge (3,000 pages) offer cost-effective printing, with a cost per page that is competitive with, or even lower than, other laser printers in its class, typically around 2.8 cents per page. This makes it a truly economical choice for a home printer, especially when considering long-term usage.
Fast and High-Quality Printing
Speed is another area where the HL-L2460DW shines. This printer is designed for efficiency, delivering print jobs within seconds of sending them. In benchmark testing, it achieved print speeds of up to 28.6 pages per minute. This rapid output is ideal for quickly printing documents, reports, or any text-heavy materials needed for home or home office tasks. Furthermore, the print quality is excellent. Even straight out of the box, the HL-L2460DW produces decent prints. With minor adjustments to toner density and resolution settings, users can achieve even sharper, higher-contrast prints with excellent readability, even down to very small font sizes. This ensures professional-quality documents every time.
Easy Setup and Wireless Connectivity
Setting up the Brother HL-L2460DW is remarkably straightforward. It features built-in drivers for both Mac and Windows operating systems, ensuring seamless compatibility. For Apple users, AirPrint functionality is natively supported, enabling wireless printing directly from iPhones and iPads without the need for additional apps or drivers. Android users can easily connect and print via the Brother Mobile Connect app, which offers a user-friendly interface for managing print jobs and printer settings from mobile devices. This robust wireless connectivity adds to the convenience and versatility of this budget home printer.
Close-up view of the Brother HL-L2460DW paper input tray, demonstrating its capacity and adjustability for different paper sizes.
Compact Design
Despite its robust performance, the Brother HL-L2460DW boasts a compact footprint. Standing at just 7.2 inches tall, it can easily fit into tight spaces, whether on a bookshelf, a crowded desk, or a small home office setup. This space-saving design is a valuable asset for home users where space is often at a premium.
Generous Paper Capacity
Despite being a budget model, the HL-L2460DW doesn’t compromise on paper handling. It features a generous 250-sheet paper tray, matching the capacity of more expensive models. This large paper capacity minimizes the need for frequent paper refills, allowing for longer, uninterrupted printing sessions, which is a practical benefit for home and small office environments.
Minor Drawbacks
While the Brother HL-L2460DW is an outstanding budget home printer, there are a couple of minor drawbacks to consider.
Basic Controls
The control panel features a simple one-line monochrome LCD display and a set of rubberized buttons. Navigating settings, particularly entering Wi-Fi passwords, can be a little cumbersome due to the limited display and button interface. However, Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) is supported, offering an alternative, easier method for wireless setup. This basic control panel is typical for inexpensive monochrome laser printers and, while not the most user-friendly, it is functional and gets the job done for essential printer operations.
Detailed image of the Brother HL-L2460DW control panel, highlighting the monochrome LCD screen and button layout.
Plastic Build
As a budget-conscious model, the HL-L2460DW’s construction primarily utilizes plastic. While this helps keep the price down, it may impact the overall robustness and long-term durability compared to higher-end models with more metal components. There have been reports of minor shipping damage to similar models due to the plastic build. However, once set up in a stationary location, it is unlikely to encounter significant issues. The printer comes with a standard one-year warranty, which is typical for printers in this price range.
Conclusion
The Brother HL-L2460DW is undeniably the best budget home printer for anyone needing a reliable monochrome laser printer. It offers a compelling combination of affordability, speed, print quality, and low running costs. Its ease of use, compact design, and wireless connectivity further enhance its appeal for home users. While it has a few minor drawbacks, such as basic controls and a plastic build, these are easily outweighed by its numerous advantages, especially for those seeking an economical and efficient printer for everyday black and white printing needs. For a dependable and cost-effective printing solution for your home, the Brother HL-L2460DW is an excellent choice.
