A large format laser printer is horribly expensive. And most of them are only black and white. It's quite hard to make what the industry calls "large format" in a toner-based printer machine. Just getting a belt that wide, or rollers that wide, or a fuser to heat evenly that wide, is going to be super hard and hence super expensive.
But it sounds like he doesn't actually want what's called "large format" in the industry, he just wants an A3/tabloid size printer that doesn't suck. A3/tabloid is not "large format" in the printing industry. Large format means like A1 or A0 sized paper, usually on a roll.
Probably the best way to get a cost effective high quality A3/tabloid size printer is going to be to buy a used commercial machine that's roughly 10-15 years old. You'll still be able to get parts and toner for it, these things normally last a few decades. But it won't be small and it won't be electrically efficient.
But it sounds like he doesn't actually want what's called "large format" in the industry, he just wants an A3/tabloid size printer that doesn't suck. A3/tabloid is not "large format" in the printing industry. Large format means like A1 or A0 sized paper, usually on a roll.
Probably the best way to get a cost effective high quality A3/tabloid size printer is going to be to buy a used commercial machine that's roughly 10-15 years old. You'll still be able to get parts and toner for it, these things normally last a few decades. But it won't be small and it won't be electrically efficient.