Whenever we test a printer, we always run multiple speed tests - and these laser and inkjet models are the fastest printers we've reviewed. We don't just take manufacturers' claims at face value. We've personally timed print speeds for every printer in this guide.
For the fastest overall, the Xerox VersaLink B600DN takes the prize at a colossal 58 pages per minute and a First Page Out Time of just over 6 seconds. On sheer speed alone, it's one of the quickest monochrome laser printers we've ever used.
But whether you're looking for the quickest inkjet for the home or a fast color laser unit for your home office or business, we've rounded up the printers that impressed us most throughout our series of tests - not just on speed, but performance and print quality, too. For more options, see our guide to the best home printers. They're quick, but they're not all as fast as these machines.
Fastest printer overall
If your sole focus is on speed, there's not much that beats the Xerox Versalink B600/DN. This print-only mono laser printer hits a staggering 58 pages per minute, making it one of the fastest laser printers out there.
Considering the amount of print-power it's packing, the VersaLink B600DN is surprisingly small. You can slot this on a desk without taking up too much room, making it an ideal all-rounder for home offices and offices alike.
The biggest issue is that it's not cheap and it's not always readily available outside the US. As an alternative, we'd recommend the HP LaserJet Pro 4001dn that's compact and quick but not quite so fast (58ppm vs. 42ppm).
Our tests showed that this laser printer lived up to Xerox's claims of 58ppm for Letter-sized pages (or 55pm on A4). Duplex printing is only fractionally slower at 49.5ppm and photos make little difference to the print time either. The First Page Out Time is also quicker than most at 6.3 seconds.
Read our full Xerox VersaLink B600DN review
Fastest printer for small teams
For a desktop laser for the home office or small teams, we found the HP LaserJet Pro 4001dn (known as the 4002dn outside the US) is ideal.
It boasts a rapid 42 pages per minute, which held up in our tests, with First Page Out Time of just over six seconds - although this varies depending on the job. We also found this HP printer delivered quick double-sided printing too.
As a compact black-and-white laser printer, the use-case is clear. This is for home offices and small businesses that need fast document printing - and only prints, because that's all the LaserJet Pro 4001dn does. High-volume printing is possible, thanks to the 250 and 100-sheet paper trays. But this can also be expanded with a 550-sheet cassette if you're regularly performing bigger print runs.
During testing, it proved an exceptionally prompt printer with a 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution. We experienced no paper jams or misprints that slowed us down. We did find you sacrifice print quality for speed here in the fastest Draft Mode, where text documents weren't as sharp or crisp as some. Switch to the Best Quality Mode and those issues are resolved, but at the cost of speed.
Overall, we found that when it comes to speed and consistency, the HP LaserJet Pro 4001dn is hard to fault.
Editor's note: For an alternative, see our Kyocera ECOSYS P2040dw review - it has a similar speed, resolution, and features to this HP printer.
Read our full HP LaserJet Pro 4001dn review
Fastest inkjet printer
While traditional inkjets are slow, the newer ink tank models are much faster. And nowhere is that so perfectly obvious as with the Epson EcoTank ET-4950. Standard inkjets struggle to hit over 22ppm, while this color all-in-one is capable of an impressive 35ppm and 8.5-second First Page Out Time.
In testing this model, that 35ppm held up for monochromatic printing, dropping to just 23ppm for full color documents. That compares very well to other ink tank printers, and shatters speeds set almost any standard inkjet that accepts cartridges (here, you use bottled ink refills, which are cheaper to buy).
Fast printing isn't the only highlight, either. It boasts automatic double-sided printing, automatic document feeder to speed up workflows, and a generous three years' worth of ink in the box, so you can get started right away. For the price, we can't think of a single printer so loaded with features and ink as this.
We found it ideally suited to home and small business use thanks to the high quality of both document and photo printing, and the inclusion of print, copy, scan, and fax capabilities.
After putting the EcoTank ET-4950 through its paces, we called its print speeds "PDQ (pretty darn quick)."
Read our full Epson EcoTank ET-4950 series review
Fastest color laser printer
The Xerox C325 is one of those laser printers that's a genuine to joy to use. A lot of 4-in-1 models can slow down workflows, no matter how fast the printing is. We even found copying was a breeze.
Speed-wise, you're looking at 33ppm for single-sided documents, and 23ppm for double-sided printing. That might not make the absolute fastest printer, but it's more than enough, especially when we took the print quality and features into consideration. In tests, it consistently delivered print-outs with impressive speed and accuracy.
Text documents are well-presented, but the star is the photo printing. Each one was bright and vivid - far brighter than almost any laser printer we've tried - due to the high contrast. The scanning is also very quick, both single- and double-sided. Reproductions were so faithful to the original, we struggled to tell them apart.
For us, the Xerox C325 is well-suited for busy offices that demand speed, accuracy, and core features like scanning.
Editor's note: Don't need a multifunction printer? See our HP Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw review for a print-only model that's just as quick.
Read our full Xerox C325 review
Fastest printer for copying
Blistering 33ppm print speeds across both mono and color printing marks the Brother MFC-L8970CDW as one of the fastest printers on our roster.
But what really impressed us with this color laser printer was the copying speed. At up to 20 sides per minute, it's one of the fastest copiers we've ever tested. Likewise, the scan rate is 100ipm for two-sided mono pages, which also smashed all our previous tests.
Alongside that, this surprisingly compact printer also supports paper cassette expansion for higher-volume print-runs - you can effectively create a 1340-sheet machine here. That makes this enterprise-grade printer a top choice for medium to large organizations where speed is of the essence.
We experienced no jams throughout our testing, with the MFC-L8970CDW printing quickly and incredibly accurately. Every black-and-white and color document page has a professional, high-quality finish that was sharp, crisp, and bold. Even the photos appeared realistic compared to most laser printers.
For fast copying, scanning, and printing all-in-one, it's difficult to find fault with this machine.
Read our full Brother MFC-L8970CDW review
Fastest printers: FAQs
Which is the fastest printer - laser or inkjet?
We would always expect the best laser printers to outpace best inkjet printers due to the use of a powdered toner that's transferred to the paper using heat. That's instead of using liquid ink. Laser printer speeds are typically around 30+ pages per minute. An inkjet will be around 10+ pages per minutes.
Ink tank printers are much faster than most traditional inkjet printers, competing with standard laser printers on speed at around 20 to 35ppm. We consider them the middle-ground when it comes to fast printing.
What is PPM for a printer?
PPM stands for pages per minute - it tells you how many pages the printer will print out, and is the standard way to gauge printing speeds. In general, we find manufacturers' stated PPM speeds to be accurate - although we always test the claims to be sure.
What is FPOT?
FPOT stands for First Page Out Time. This is the approximate time until the first page is printed. However, in our tests a fast FPOT doesn't always translate to faster printing overall.
Why do print speeds differ in the US and UK?
This is due to the difference in paper sizes. It's quicker to print to a Letter-sized paper than it is to A4.
We're not talking by much, mind you. So, where a US printer may have a speed of 42ppm on Letter, the print speed in the UK, Europe, and elsewhere will be approximately 40ppm based on our tests.
In this guide, we've used US print speeds - they're fractionally faster than UK and European speeds, but not outrageously so.
How can I make printing faster?
Printing in black and white, one-sided is usually the fastest way to print. If text quality isn't important you can also usually choose 'draft' settings in your print console. Paper size is be a factor - the larger the surface area, the more time it will take to print.
What is duplex printing?
This is how manufacturers describe double-sided printing.
It's is something that's supported by most printers – although does tend to slow down printing speeds as pages need to be fed back into devices once you print on one side of the page.
Certain printers offer auto-duplex printing. This speeds up the workflow by letting the printer automatically flip the page, rather than needing to do it manually.
What's the fastest printer in the world?
The Epson WorkForce Enterprise WF-C20590 Multifunction Network Printer can print out pages both in monochrome and color at up to 100 ppm. An enterprise-grade machine, prices start at around $13,000. While they can't quite compete with those speeds, business-grade laser printers offer very good speeds for office printing.
How to choose the fastest printer
If you're deciding which printer is best for speed, there are some broad categories to consider:
Inkjet vs. laser
When it comes to choosing inkjet vs laser printers, a laser printer is almost certainly going to be the fastest printer compared to an inkjet model. However, they tend to be more expensive in the short-term (and cheaper to run in the long-term). The opposite is true of inkjet printers, which are cheap to buy, but can cost more when buying new ink cartridges.
Ink tank printers work the same way as an inkjet, spraying droplets of ink on to the page. However, these are much faster than standard inkjet printers, and are a good middle-ground for most home and small business use.
Paper tray, easy-loading, and ADF
A high-capacity paper tray with an ADF option is the best choice for faster printing - chiefly because refilling the paper tray too often will only further slow down the printing process. Ideally, your chosen printer will be designed for easy loading in this event.
Resolution
Speed is important - but that shouldn't mean a reduction in print quality. So, when selecting the fastest printer for your needs, check the device's dots-per-inch (DPI). The higher the number, the more clarity and detail your print-outs will have.
How we test the fastest printers
Our senior printer editor Jim Hill has devised a standardized test that is used on every printer we review. This means we can accurately gauge performance and compare results to other printers.
We use a series of test cards, photos, and text documents to evaluate print resolution, detail, contrast, and color reproduction. Each of these tells us something about the performance of the printer, such as banding on laser printers or feathering when used on inkjets. Every page is tested on a range of paper stock, from thin 75gsm sheets to heavyweight 600gsm card stock.
To accurately test printer speeds, we time how long it takes a printer to output a text-heavy 10-page document. We then compare our timings to the manufacturers claims. For what it's worth, we tend to find these stated speeds are accurate, and rarely contradict them.
As part of our tests, we also calculate running costs and price of consumables like bottled ink, cartridges, and laser toners. This lets us see if the printer offers good value for money. After all, the fastest printer in the world is useless if it's too expensive for a business to run.
Find out more in our guide How we test, review and rate printers on TechRadar Pro.
