Do I need a color laser or is monochrome enough?

Across the reviewers we read, the consensus is that most home and small-office users print text and forms and should buy a monochrome laser, which is cheaper to run and historically more reliable. Color lasers like the Brother HL-L3280CDW make sense if you regularly print marketing materials, color graphics, or kids' schoolwork, but multiple expert reviewers note color toner costs are noticeably higher and color lasers aren't a substitute for a photo printer.