Remember the time photos came out only from photo booths and were black and white? Well, technology has advanced so much that we now have portable photo printers at our disposal. Have you ever taken a snapshot that was so stunning that you wanted to print it immediately? Thanks to tutorials on how to print from iPhone or Android phones and the rise of the said type of printers, that’s now possible.
Portable photo printers are compact devices that allow you to immediately generate physical copies of your images. While they’re more expensive than other mobile accessories, they’re worth the investment if you travel a lot. There are a bunch of them available on the market, each with unique features and abilities. That’s why, to make it easy for you, we’ve listed down 10 of the best portable photo printers on the market.
The Fujifilm Instax Mini Link is one of the best portable photo printers on our list for today’s generation of selfie lovers. Working together with the Instax Mini Link mobile app via Bluetooth, it lets you add trendy filters to your snapshots before printing. You can even select a specific timeframe in a video to print as a photo.
Once you think your snapshot is already looking great, the photo printer can print it in seconds! Get this small yet speedy device on Amazon now.
The Polaroid Hi-Print is already like an all-in-one portable photo studio even if it’s budget-friendly. When you pair it via Bluetooth to your phone that has the Polaroid Hi-Print app, photo edits are possible. You’re free to add various effects, such as filters, emoticons, text, and fun borders to your image before you print it.
You’ll be surprised at how nice the output from the device is. That is thanks to the dye-sub technology used. Also, the printing process takes less than a minute. Just be prepared to shell out extra cash in case you need extra cartridges.
Now interested? Buy the Polaroid Hi-Print today.
Canon’s Selphy QX10 prints photos that dry fast and can last a lifetime. The prints are high-quality because the printer uses dye sublimation and reliable Android- and iOS-ready software. And so that you can print to your heart’s content, the device has a battery that lasts long.
The downside to the Selphy QX10 is that the price is steeper compared to other entries featured here. Other disadvantages are that it can only print square photos and it also doesn’t use Zink, which means that you need ink to print. Nevertheless, it’s still worth the money you’ll be shelling out.
Augmented reality makes for a grand photo. The Lifeprint 2×3 Portable Photo and Video Printer uses that technology to give your photos unique effects for printing or motion as you view them using the Lifeprint app.
And AR isn’t the only thing that makes the device advanced compared to most portable photo printers. The Lifeprint 2×3 Portable Photo and Video Printer can also print directly from your social media library. The output, though, can be less detailed on a case-to-case basis.
Like the printer? Get it right now via Amazon.
The HP Sprocket printer is still one of the most loved portable photo printers on the market. There’s no wonder about that. It’s handy, being roughly the size of a phone. Moreover, it prints high-quality photos even from your social media and works with an app for photo customization before printing.
Probably one of the few qualms that people have with the HP Sprocket is the customer service of HP. While the product itself is great, some people don’t take too kindly to unresponsive customer service and delayed replies. Another problem is that it crops images to fit its resolution, so you have to fix the resolution before printing. Other than that, the product is amazing.
This model from KiiPix is the least expensive of all the portable photo printers here. That said, it’s still one of the best.
You don’t need to plug the printer or charge it; the only thing you need to do is fill it with Instax film (although this is a bit pricey) and place your phone (set to maximum brightness) on the scanner. You can even fold it up and take it with you anywhere.
Being low-cost, the build is the biggest drawback of the Kiipix Portable Picture Printer. Despite that, it’s worth it if you’re looking for a starter portable printer.
The Kodak Mini 2 is wireless and fast. It works with NFC or Bluetooth and the Kodak app, and is compatible with most smartphones. Printing only takes a few seconds and the outputs are all high-quality due to dye-sublimation technology.
The product only has a few downsides. It uses all-in-one ink cartridges, which occasionally makes it difficult to print. Additionally, its app is sometimes glitchy. For its price, though, the Kodak Mini 2 is another excellent choice if you’re looking to get into portable printing.
The Kodak Smile prints 2×3-inch photos that are water-resistant and backed with adhesive. Like the Mini 2, it also utilizes the Kodak app and is compatible with Android and iOS. With the app, you can add AR effects to your photos to bring those to life.
However, some say that the Kodak Smile is not intuitive to use. And like the Mini 2, the app is susceptible to bugs. Some photos might also come out darker than they should be. Overall, though, the Kodak Smile is an attractive option with tons of features.
If the previous Kodak portable photo printers aren’t attractive to you, check out the Kodak Mini 3 Retro instead. Besides using Zink technology, this portable printer has something unique to offer — photo lamination. With the device, you can make your 3×3-inch printed photo water- and smudge-resistant.
The model also works with the Kodak app. Be careful toggling the app during the printing process, though. That’s because it needs to be active for the printer to push through with its job.
Still love a black-and-white photo? There are still portable photo printers that specialize in high-quality monochrome outputs. One of those is an Amazon bestseller, the Phomemo M02 Pocket Printer.
Being designed for printing black-and-white photos doesn’t mean this thermal printer lacks smart features. In fact, it has a compatible app that lets you spruce up your photo using filters. It’s truly a black-and-white printer even the selfie generation will appreciate.
Of course, if you’re not a fan of the retro photos, you can pass on this one. Otherwise, add it to your Amazon shopping list now.
What to Consider When Choosing Portable Photo Printers?
Looking for the best portable photo printers for yourself can be difficult. There are a lot of factors that go into what makes a good portable printer. So, to make your life easier, we’ve listed down eight of the most important factors to consider.
1. Printer Size and Weight
Among the most important factors is size. After all, a portable photo printer is only called so because it’s small. You’ll want a printer that can fit in your pocket like a smartphone or at the very least only take a small portion of your bag. Yet, there are printers that trade size to some extent for quality.
2. Prices of the Ink or Films
Portable photo printers might be affordable in general, but you’ll have to buy ink for some of them. Of course, this isn’t a problem if the device you’re eyeing uses Zink. Zink saves you money and the trouble of having to buy ink.
However, the trade-off for using Zink is that your photos may suffer in terms of quality. If you don’t want that compromise, be prepared to shell out extra cash.
The film used by the printer you want is also important. There are already some devices that come bundled with extra film while others don’t have those.
3. Image Quality
Another most obvious factor to consider when picking the best portable photo printers is the quality of the image. The quality has to be presentable at the very least so you can show your photos off to your friends.
4. Printing Speed
If you’re buying portable photo printers for work, you’ll need to take printing speed into account. Some printers can take 15 seconds to a minute to print. The longer it takes to print out a photo, the slower your work will be. But this doesn’t matter that much if you’re buying portable photo printers for leisure.
5. Battery Capacity and Charging Options
The battery life of portable photo printers doesn’t usually last too long. Printer batteries usually recharge when you connect your printer to your desktop or charger via USB. Pocket printers that can be powered using power banks are better because the said charging accessories are also portable.
6. Connectivity and Compatibility
Most portable printers can function using WiFi or Bluetooth, while some rely on USB connections. Portable printers will also often support Android and iOS devices but aren’t always necessarily compatible with them. You’ll have to check the connectivity options and compatibility before choosing a printer.
7. Overall Price
Another obvious factor, price is also important if you’re on a budget. Some portable photo printers are affordable but offer limited features, and others are really expensive but give you a lot of features. The problem is finding a compromise between price and the number of features. The cost also increases, in the long run, depending on the paper and ink used.
8. Warranty Period
Having a warranty is important when you’re choosing portable photo printers. You’ll be thankful to have it if your printer breaks naturally. With a warranty, you can get your printer fixed without extra costs. In relation to this, the customer service of the manufacturer should also be reliable.
When Do You Need a Portable Photo Printer?
It might not be every day that you need portable photo printers, but there are situations when you’d want one on you. Having the device for special occasions like birthday parties or weddings can be really handy.
Portable photo printers are also good for traveling so you can share all your fun moments with friends. They’re also good for saving photos you don’t want to forget or you intend to stick onto your refrigerator or bulletin board. Photos produced by the devices also don’t take up much space, so you can hang as many as you want.
Which Portable Photo Printer Will You Get?
Portable photo printers are great for trips, special occasions, and fun moments. From our list of the 10 best portable printers on the market, we wonder which one you’ll choose. We’ve done our part, now it’s your turn.
