Brother HL-L6200DW

Assuming that monochrome is sufficient, you could look at the Brother HL-L6200DW ($300 with a starter cartridge). It is a step up from the personal printers with small trays and low daily cycles. This has a 520 page tray, does duplex printing, and takes XL cartridges that raise the initial price, but keeps your per page cost low. The mono laser with even lower running costs is HP Neverstop Laser MFP 1202w.

I have the Brother HL-L6200DW, which is laser only, nothing extra, not color either. Prints about 48 pps per minute.....if it doesn't decide to jam. For the most part, it has been really good and I have been using 3rd party toner from LD Products. I'm just afraid now to update the firmware because of what I have been reading lately, that certain printers won't work anymore.

Affordable Home laser printers are fine for office type documents. Not art or photograph. You’re better off getting a used A4 laser printer from the past 5-6 years + and a new A3 ink tank printer for your son. For the laser Ive found the Brother HL is decent and the WiFi connection to print docs from Mac and IPhone via AirPrint has been problem free for me.

Just the old HP engines were unbeatable and still alive, as is mine and it’s so fast and reliable. I do use a Brother Laser HL-L6200DW which I purchased at Staples a few years ago. It is strictly a black and white laser, prints very quickly, 48pp a min, and I do NOT purchase Brother toner.