A portable photo printer to take with you on vacation or to a party
A portable photo printer is a device that you can set up seamlessly and that can please you with high-quality printed photos taken on your mobile phone.
Mini photo printers for photographers are controlled by a user-friendly app and offers you a variety of frames to choose from, with which you can decorate your pictures, collages, and other handy features, such as placing two photos on one when printing.
In my list, you will find various options to suit any requirement and any wallet, ranging from $50 to $209.
When compiling my list, I took into account such parameters as assembly, print quality and speed, ease of setup, use, and control, a variety of available accessories, as well as cost.
Here you can find the best mini photo printer that allows for editing and filtering your images prior to printing, as well as options that allow for adding fun overlays, e.g. captions, frames, or stickers.
Connectivity: Bluetooth, NFC | Batteries: 1 Lithium Ion battery | Dimensions: 3x5x1 inches | Photo size: 2x3-inch
This portable printer for photos boasts a super small size and an ergonomically stylish design with a discreet power button, a slide-out cover hiding the photo paper tray, a micro USB port, and status lights. Its print speed is amazing – in less than a minute, you will be able to enjoy your shots. Once the device is fully charged, you can print 25 pictures.
The KODAK Step is very sweet and pretty in every color available – white, blue, black, or pink. That being said, you can personalize and protect your device with a variety of accessories, including cases. I love that you can purchase a scrapbook set to make your photos even more original and eye-catching.
The mini printer is controlled by a simple and clear photo printing software in which you can also adjust the color and light of your photo and add various assets to decorate. You can download the KODAK Step Prints app for Android and iOS.
Connectivity: Bluetooth | Batteries: 1 Lithium Polymer battery | Dimensions: 4.63x3.15x0.98 inches | Photo size: 2x3-inch
This mini printer boasts a concise and practical design as it comes with print and battery status indicators, a print output slot, a power button, a reset hole, and a micro USB port for charging. By fully charging the device, you can print 35-40 photos at a time, which is more than enough for the best small printer for photos.
The speed of work will please even the most demanding users – it will take about 30 seconds to print a picture and about a minute to wait for printing the next one. I love that with the HP Sprocket app for iOS and Android, you can print photos directly from your smartphone gallery or social media feed.
On top of that, the app also offers enhancements to your photos before printing – basic image editing tools, frames, captions, filters, stickers, and more.
Connectivity: Bluetooth | Batteries: 1 Lithium Polymer battery | Dimensions: 4.7x3.2x0.7 inches | Photo size: 2x3-inch
The combination of stylish designs available in Mint Green, Rose Gold, and Slate Gray colors and powerful features that can print photos in just 19 seconds makes Canon IVY the best portable photo printer. Its Canon Mini Print app is available for smartphones running iOS 9.0 and up and Android 4.4 and up.
By linking the mini printer with your smartphone, you can print photos directly from the gallery or social media for photographers. The application also allows you to perform basic color and light correction, and apply filters and effects. I also love that I can create a collage of my photos and print it out immediately.
Connectivity: Bluetooth | Batteries: 1 Lithium Polymer battery | Dimensions: 7x4x3 inches | Photo size: 4x6-inch
The principle of operation of this portable printer for photos is layer-by-layer ribbon printing combined with lamination. This technique protects printouts from fingerprints and moisture, extending the life of the printout. With this printer under $200 you can print photos with or without borders. Framed shots look particularly cozy and inviting, giving them a Polaroid-era vibe.
If you like larger prints, then borderless printing is what you’ll love. Install the Kodak Printer Dock app, available for both iOS and Android, to control your mini printer and decorate your photos before printing. It offers some cool augmented reality features, basic beauty tools, and plenty of filters to choose from.
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, USB | Batteries: Lithium battery | Dimensions: 9.84 x 7.48 x 7.48 inches | Photo size: 4x6-inch
The innovative thermal-dye sublimation technology in this best mini photo printer takes fast photo printing to a new level. Stunning color reproduction of photographs is achieved due to the deep penetration of the dye into the paper. These prints will last for years as they are water, fade, scratch, and fingerprint-resistant thanks to the lamination.
I love that it requires no wires or Bluetooth connections to print photos. All you need to do is simply download and install the Liene Photo app, which is available for both iOS and Android. In this iPhone printer app, you can also enhance your photos – make them more contrast or brighter, add filters and effects, create a Polaroid-like shot, and more.
Connectivity: Bluetooth | Batteries: Lithium battery | Dimensions: 2.24x4.02x4.57 inches | Photo size: 2x3-inch
If you are looking for a device for black and white printing, then the nice and compact Phomemo M02 has every chance of becoming your best small printer for photos. Using thermal printer paper, it does not need to be refilled with ink.
If you insert the specialized paper into it, you can print in blue as well. You can control the printing process through the Phomemo app, which is compatible with Android and IOS. It is suitable not only for printing inscriptions and b/w photos, but also for various brochures, guides, and emoticons.
I like that with it I can seamlessly edit my images, and not just print them. Typing, adding lines, applying templates – all this and more is available to you with Phomemo M02. Edit your images, decorate it with the filter you like, and so on before printing to get exactly the result you want.
Connectivity: Bluetooth | Batteries: 1 Lithium Ion battery | Dimensions: 8.54x6.42x4.72 inches | Photo size: 4.25x3.39-inch
This device boasts about 100 continuous Instax photo prints on just one battery charge, making it the best portable photo printer. It produces glossy, pretty photos, bringing out deep blacks in B&W shots that cannot be achieved on matte photo paper. This compact device prints color photos no less attractively.
To manage the printing process, you need to download and install the Instax Link WIDE app, which is available for both iOS and Android users. In addition to print settings, you can also enhance your photos here.
The application offers photo cropping, exposure adjustment, filters, and effects, as well as emoticons and stickers. It also has powerful restoration features, which is why it is often used as photo restoration software.
Connectivity: USB, Wi-Fi, Wireless | Batteries: 2000 mAh lithium battery | Dimensions: 13.74x10.12x5.51 inches | Photo size: 4x6-inch
This portable printer for photos can be plugged directly into an outlet through a power adapter, helping you set it up more consistently. It comes with a swiveling 3.2-inch LCD screen, making selecting, editing, and printing your photos even faster and easier.
You can select photos for printing from the SD card or any social network. To control the printing process, simply download and install the Canon PRINT Inkjet/SELPHY app available for both iOS and Android users.
This device takes 42 seconds to print a photo, as it does it in four passes. With AirPrint wireless technology, you can print from any application, including your favorite photo editing app, and from anywhere else on your smartphone.
| IMAGE | NAME | FEATURES | |
|---|---|---|---|
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KODAK Step
OUR CHOICE
|
CHECK PRICE → | |
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HP Sprocket
PURE COLORS
|
CHECK PRICE → | |
|
Canon IVY
COMPACT
|
CHECK PRICE → |
The portable printer for photos is a battery-powered device that can print photos. A distinctive feature is the dimensions of the printed images. They are generally easy to use and allow you to print directly from your mobile device via Wi-Fi or USB.
Look for the right print methods. There are several printing methods and you need to decide what you like. Dye sublimation is based on the transfer of ink from sheets of film to photographic paper under the influence of heat.
Zink technology also uses heat, but in this case, it is used to change the color of dye crystals included in a special paper. You can also always opt for the traditional Polaroid method, which stores the developing liquid along the edges of the paper.
Take into account format. Generally, all mini printers offer the same photo size – 3x3, 2.7x2.7, and 2x3-inch. If you are going to print mostly portrait shots, then 3x3 will look better. In the case of landscape photography, I advise you to stop at 2x3.
Don’t forget about battery life. The best mini photo printer usually comes with a rechargeable battery, which is not often found in larger printers. One full battery charge will last you about 12-25 photos, depending on the specification of the device. If your on-the-go printing volume is usually higher, then you should get a charging cable and a power supply or an external battery.
First, you need to pair your mobile device and mini printer via Bluetooth. To do this, you need to download and install the appropriate application through which you will manage the printer.
In the app, you can view photos from your gallery and print them. Most apps are compatible with both iOS and Android. The advantage is that you don’t need a computer to print photos, just a phone, making it possible to print on the go.
Most applications are developed with some sort of feature set or tool to enhance your images before printing. These are basic effects and filters, frames, inscriptions, stickers, and in some, you can even find QR-code generating option.
