What Toner Does the Canon imageCLASS LBP246dw Use?
Last Updated:Quick answer: the Canon imageCLASS LBP246dw II uses Canon Cartridge 070 toner, or the high-capacity Canon 070 H. There are only those two tiers, and there is no separate drum unit — Canon 070 is an all-in-one cartridge with the imaging drum built in, so there is no drum part number to order.
The wrong answers to watch for are Canon 057 / 057H (that is the LBP226dw and MF445dw generation), Canon 052 / 052H (LBP214dw), and Canon 071 / 071H (MF272dw and LBP122dw). You will also find aftermarket listings inventing a drum unit for this printer. There isn't one.
Canon imageCLASS LBP246dw II toner at a glance
| Consumable | Part Number | Canon SKU | Approx. Yield | Castle Ink |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toner (standard) | Canon 070 | 5639C001 | 3,000 pages | — |
| Toner (high capacity) | Canon 070 H | 5640C001 | 10,200 pages | $105.95 compatible |
| Drum | — | — | Built into the cartridge | — |
Both figures are Canon's own ISO ratings. The gap between them is large — 10,200 pages against 3,000 — which makes the high-capacity cartridge the obvious buy for anything beyond very light use.
What it actually costs to run
Castle Ink's compatible 070H is $105.95 for 10,200 pages, which works out at roughly 1.04 cents per page — and because the drum is inside the cartridge, that is the whole consumable cost. There is nothing else to buy.
That sticker price puts people off, and it should not. A cartridge that covers 10,200 pages is doing the work of roughly four entry-level laser cartridges or dozens of inkjet cartridges. Compare it against your own volumes with the ink cost calculator.
All-in-one cartridge: the trade-off
Canon builds the drum into the toner cartridge on this model. The upside is simplicity — one part number, nothing else to track, and print quality resets completely with every cartridge. The downside is that you pay for a new drum every time you replace toner, even though the drum had plenty of life left.
Printers with a separate drum, like Brother's TN/DR pairings, work out cheaper per page over a machine's life for exactly that reason. Our drum unit guide explains the difference and when each design wins.
Castle Ink recommendation
Canon 070H High-Yield Toner (with chip) — compatible, 10,200 pages, $105.95, guaranteed for a year.
The chip matters on this model: without it the printer will not report toner level correctly. We stock the chipped version for that reason. We do not currently carry the standard-yield Canon 070 — on a 3,000-page cartridge the economics rarely make sense anyway.
About the Canon imageCLASS LBP246dw II
The LBP246dw II is a print-only monochrome laser — no scanner, no copier. 42 pages per minute, automatic duplex, gigabit Ethernet plus Wi-Fi, a 250-sheet cassette expandable to 900 sheets, and a 5-line LCD that is not a touchscreen.
It ranks fifth among all laser printers in our current CastleScore rankings at 86/100, and it is the model that replaced the discontinued LBP246dw and LBP236dw. One practical note: buy it from a retailer rather than Canon direct — Canon's own store no longer sells it, while Staples, Best Buy and CDW all stock it.
Common problems on this model
Toner cartridge not recognized
Almost always the chip contacts. Remove the cartridge, wipe the contact strip with a dry lint-free cloth, reseat firmly, and power-cycle the printer with the cable out for 60 seconds.
Grey background or repeating marks
Because the drum is inside the cartridge, both symptoms mean the cartridge is at end of life rather than a separate drum needing replacement. Fitting a new 070H resolves both.
Prints stop with the toner still reporting life
Check the paper path first — on this model a sensor fault reports as a generic stop. Our paper jam guide covers phantom jams.
FAQ
What toner does the Canon imageCLASS LBP246dw II use?
Canon Cartridge 070 (3,000 pages) or Canon 070 H (10,200 pages). Nothing else fits.
Does the LBP246dw II have a separate drum unit?
No. The drum is built into the Canon 070 cartridge. There is no drum to buy separately.
Does it use Canon 057 or 071 toner?
No. 057 fits the LBP226dw and MF445dw; 071 fits the MF272dw and LBP122dw. This printer is strictly 070 series.
Which other printers use Canon 070?
Canon lists the LBP246dw and LBP246dw II, LBP247dw and LBP247dw II, MF462dw and MF462dw II, and MF465dw and MF465dw II.
Does the LBP246dw II scan or copy?
No, it is print-only. The MF462dw and MF465dw are the all-in-one equivalents on the same toner.
Shop Canon 070H now
Get the 070H high-yield toner, or find your printer on our Find Ink by Printer page.
An independent 0–100 score for every printer, refreshed monthly from thousands of owner reviews and expert tests — plus what the ink or toner actually costs to run. See this month's Top 10 inkjet and laser rankings, or use the PrinterIQ™ finder.
See the CastleScore rankings →