HP LaserJet Pro M255dw Review (2026): Best Color Laser Under $300?

The HP LaserJet Pro M255dw is one of the most compelling color laser printers available under $300. At around $249, it delivers 22ppm black and 17ppm color printing, automatic duplex, WiFi, a 250-sheet paper tray, and HP Smart app integration — features that usually cost significantly more. Toner lasts thousands of pages. It never dries out from sitting idle. And it handles the kind of document volume that would exhaust an inkjet in months. If you print a lot of color documents — reports, presentations, brochures, invoices — the M255dw makes a compelling case for switching to laser.

Who Is the HP LaserJet Pro M255dw For?

The M255dw is purpose-built for users who print documents in volume and want color output that looks professional without paying $400+ for a higher-tier business laser. It's not trying to replace a photo printer — the color gamut simply isn't there for that use case. What it does extremely well is print crisp, accurate color on letterhead, presentations, charts, graphs, and marketing materials at speeds that make inkjets feel sluggish.

Small business owners, freelancers, home office workers who regularly print client materials, and students who need reliable high-volume printing will all benefit from the M255dw. The 250-sheet paper tray means you're not constantly refilling it, and automatic duplex printing cuts paper costs in half. If your monthly print volume is 200–1,000 pages and a significant portion is color, the M255dw's economics are hard to beat.

If you primarily print photos or need to match Pantone colors precisely, look elsewhere — inkjet or a higher-end production laser. But for document-focused color printing, this is the sweet spot under $300.

Print Quality and Performance

Laser printers excel at text, and the M255dw is no exception. Black text output at 600dpi is razor-sharp — the kind of output you'd be proud to hand to a client. Fine lines, small fonts (even 6pt), and dense paragraphs all render cleanly without smearing or feathering. Color document output — charts, graphs, colored headers, bar charts — looks vivid and professional. The HP ColorSphere 3 toner technology produces accurate, consistent color reproduction that remains stable across a full toner cartridge's lifespan.

At 22ppm black and 17ppm color, the M255dw lives up to its speed claims. A 20-page color presentation printed in under 90 seconds in our testing. The 250-sheet tray handles a full ream with room to spare, and the 150-sheet output tray means you won't be clearing it constantly for large jobs. First-page-out time of around 16 seconds is excellent for a laser in this price range — competitive with printers costing significantly more.

Where the M255dw falls short, as with virtually all laser printers at this price, is photo printing. Flesh tones look slightly plasticky, gradients show minor banding, and the color gamut simply doesn't match what a 6-color inkjet can achieve. For presentation photos and product images embedded in documents, it looks fine. For dedicated photo printing, it's the wrong tool.

Toner Costs and Running Economics

This is where the M255dw earns its premium over inkjet all-in-ones. The HP 207A standard toner cartridges yield 1,350 pages (black) and 1,250 pages (each color). The HP 207X high-yield cartridges yield 3,150 pages black and 2,450 pages per color — always buy X-series for the lowest cost per page.

With 207X toners, expect approximately $0.012–0.015 per black page and $0.04–0.06 per color page. These economics become very attractive compared to inkjet all-in-ones where color pages typically cost $0.08–0.15+ per page. Over 12,000 pages per year — a modest office workload — you'll save $50–100 in ink/toner costs versus a comparable inkjet, on top of the reliability advantage of laser.

The upfront toner replacement cost is a real consideration. A full set of 207X toners (1 black + 3 colors) runs approximately $180–220. That's a meaningful expense when it comes due. Budget for it annually if you're printing 500+ pages per month. Some users try compatible third-party toners to reduce this cost — they work with varying quality, but HP doesn't void the warranty based on toner choice alone.

WiFi, HP Smart App, and Setup

Setup via the HP Smart app is straightforward. The app walks you through WiFi configuration with QR code scanning, and the printer appears on your network within 5 minutes. HP Smart enables mobile printing from iOS and Android, scan to phone (if you have the all-in-one variant), remote printer status monitoring, and low toner alerts. WiFi Direct allows phone-to-printer connection without a home network — useful for printing from a guest device or in an environment without WiFi infrastructure.

The M255dw doesn't have a touchscreen — instead it features a simple 2-line LCD display with control buttons. For a print-only device, this is perfectly adequate. Configuration via the HP Smart app is more intuitive than menu-diving on the printer itself, but the printer's built-in web server (accessible via browser at the printer's IP address) provides full administrative control.

HP LaserJet Pro M255dw vs. Competitors

The M255dw's main competition comes from the Brother HL-L3270CDW (~$230) and the Canon Color imageCLASS MF654Cdw (~$280). The Brother offers similar speed and a lower toner cost per page but lacks HP Smart's polish and HP's ecosystem integration. The Canon includes scanning and copying in an all-in-one design at a slightly higher price — worth considering if you also need those functions. The M255dw wins on print speed, paper capacity, and HP ecosystem features, but loses to the Canon on versatility.

If you need scanning and copying alongside laser printing, consider the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283fdw (~$350) — the all-in-one variant that adds a flatbed scanner, ADF, and fax. The $100 premium is well justified if those functions matter to your workflow.

Should You Buy the HP LaserJet Pro M255dw?

Buy it if: You print 200–1,000 color document pages per month, want a printer that's always ready (no warm-up fuss), and are comfortable with the upfront toner cost. The M255dw's speed, paper capacity, and low per-page economics make it genuinely cost-effective for heavy document users. Its toner never dries out, so it's ideal if you print in bursts rather than daily.

Skip it if: You need scanning or copying alongside printing (look at the M283fdw), print photos regularly (look at a 6-color inkjet), or print fewer than 100 pages per month (the toner economics won't justify the upfront cost vs. a budget inkjet). Also skip it if desk space is limited — at nearly 40 pounds and with a large footprint, this printer demands a proper printer stand or dedicated shelf.