Printers have come a long way. Back in the days, we relied heavily on the traditional bulky power-plug-wired printers. You could only find these ‘then-fascinating’ machines in offices and photo studios. Then came the dawn of the smartphone that brought cameras to the tip of our fingers, and all of a sudden everybody became a photographer. But again, printing these photos out still meant having to get a printer, even when you are on the go. The men and women of technology saw the need to come up with a printer that allows people to carry around, printing photos and documents instantly.
These godsend devices are integrated with the most recent technologies including wireless connectivity, reduced incredibly small sizes, and many others that make them ideal for any home environment. The best of these now pocket-sized machines are able to produce good quality print outs, photos, and edits as fast as possible, and in the best quality possible. Their designs are also made specific to certain uses and situations.
There’s so much to love about portable printers besides the fact that they are compact. If you want to enjoy what these little devices have to offer, read on and find out some of the best compact portable printers in the market. You’ll love them!
Top 10 Compact Portable Printers of 2020 Reviewed
1. hp Officejet 250 all-in-one portable printer
- The printer’s Bluetooth easily pairs with android devices, Wi-Fi direct for iPhone
- Long-lasting battery reduces enhances portability
- Very compact, can fit in your bag
- Doesn’t have a modem for facing
- Bluetooth printing not supported for iPhones
- The device has to be off for fast charging
Best All-in-One Portable Printer
STANLEY High-Velocity Blower Fan comes packed with features to help get the work done at the site. This high-velocity air mover features a pivoting patented design which allows you to direct air wherever you need it most. The pivoting design allows the air mover to rotate up and down at wide angles aiding you to direct the air up or down and anywhere between.
This air mover features three high-velocity speed s making ideal for garages, basements and other work sites. The three speeds are controlled using a knob on the side that is calibrated for easy access. The fan can be used for a range of applications including cooling, drying, ventilating as well as exhausting.
STANLEY High-Velocity Blower also features 120 volts outlets built-in making it very ideal for onsite projects and other DIY projects even in your house. These outlets can charge and power any tool. Whether it’s charging your smartphone or powering a drilling tool, this air mover will come in handy. A circuit breaker is also included in the fan assuring you of safety for your charging devices. With this air mover, you don’t have to bother yourself with extension cords anymore. This fan comes readily assembled and ready to use right out of the box.
2. Canon Pixma ip110 Wireless Mobile Printer
- Supports cloud and Wi-Fi for easy and remote printing
- High quality makes it very durable
- Very small, light and compact in size hence easily portable
- Set up to network is hard, especially if you’re not tech-savvy
- Using app may is hard to get around at first
]Best Wireless Mobile Printer
Canon is a company re-known for its exceptional quality cameras, it would therefore not be wrong to claim that the same translates to its other products. The Canon Pixma ip110 wireless mobile printer comes to you like a bear witness to this. Perhaps what makes this unit stand out among the list is its cloud print functionality.
What does this mean for you? Well, simply put, with this futuristic device, you are able to print directly through online cloud services using your mobile device; you get to easily achieve this as well, with its free cannon print PPS application. As if that’s not enough, the device comes with AirPrint with which allows the printer to create its own Wi-Fi. This means you can simply turn on and connect to this network wirelessly then get to printing.
The cannon Pixma doesn’t go without showcasing canon’s inclination to photography. With the unit, you get access to its easy PhotPrint+ feature with which you can get to edit and print your photos furthermore, from anywhere with internet access. The 9600 * 2400 color dpi will shock you with its incredible detail and resolution in your photos and business documents. The Pixma is also very size efficient, small and compact enough to snugly fit inside your office desk.
3. Kodak HD Wireless Portable Mobile Instant Photo Printer
- Small and very easily portable
- Easy to operate with simplistic design
- Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enable
- Not so versatile
- The pictures may come out smaller than expected
- Needs a lot of updates on setup
Best Portable INstant Photo Printer
It comes as no surprise to find a Kodak printer top on our list. The company does produce high-end photo processing machines after all, which almost guarantees quality with the Kodak HD wireless printer. The machines incredibly simplistic design totally eliminated the need for buttons and cables. With the wireless NFC one-touch in android Kodak app for android, and Bluetooth for iOS, you can easily print 2. 1 * 3.4’’ photographs, directly from your mobile devices.
Judging from its small size and lightness, it would be easy to underestimate this machine, however, don’t be fooled, the quality of photos you’ll get from this baby is unquestionable. Featuring its innovative 4 PASS D2T2 Dye Transfer Method, the machine is able to produce the most beautiful, detailed, colored portraits. They will dry instantly, with a guaranteed lifespan of up to 10 years.
The Kodak mini also gives you this all-in-one experience with its quality Kodak MC Cartridges that gives the most precise combination of paper and color ink. The Cartridges make it easy to maintain and refill. Also mentionable it’s that the printer comes with its own application that allows for filters, cropping, ID photo print, card templates among other editing tools that are bound to make even the ugly creature ‘precious’ from the lord of the rings look good.
4. Epson Workforce WF-100 Wireless Mobile Printer
- Quiet when running on battery power
- Can charge with its micro USB if you don’t have the Epson wall charger
- Has access to online printing services
- Nozzles tend to clog and require cleaning after days of inactivity
- The Epson ink tanks are relatively costly
Best Compact Printer for Office
Enjoy the privilege of printing your documents wherever your business takes you with the Epson Workforce. This extremely small and compact machine, with a weight that’s near negligible, is simply perfect for the ideal traveling professional. The printer comes with in-built wireless connectivity. This, together with WI-FI direct will allow you to seamlessly print all your invoices and contracts from your android devices or everything iOS.
It also has access to online printing cloud services such as Apple AirPrint, Google CloudPrint and EpsonConnect which, once linked, allows the device to receive print documents from there. The Epson workforce also features an inbuilt rechargeable lithium battery, which would require either a USB or AC adapter to charge, both of which are included in the package.
Since you would probably use this away from your typical office environment, the portable workforce is designed with a power-off feature to save your battery lie. As for ease of use, the unit has a 1.4’’ LCD display which is both easy to set up and operate. The machine is made for fast speed printing with its quick-dry inks. The inks are also high in quality, fade and water-resistant, which guarantees the document’s longevity. All these features in the Epson workforce are tweaked to make it the ideal product for printing anywhere at your own convenience. In fact, if you do happen to be a student, the workforce would save you the hassle of having to rush to the print center to print your reports.
5. Polaroid ZIP Wireless Mobile Photo Mini Printer
- Highly intuitive Polaroid application
- Quick zero ink photos
- User-friendly, connects perfectly with NFC and Bluetooth
- Quality of pictures fall a bit short of your more live sized printer
- The pictures tend to come out a bit small
- Not recommendable for use by a large group of people
Best Mobile Photo Mini Printer
One of the most efficient instant cameras within recent times has always been the Polaroid. Much as the photos you’d get from these cameras couldn’t exactly match the traditional ones, they still came out fairly decent. This is perhaps why this next photo printer from Polaroid doesn’t leave much out with respect to printing speed and quality.
When you first gaze upon the Polaroid wireless mini-printer, it is instantly clear how easy it would be to throw this machine in your back pocket. With a design that is both sleek and beautiful, this Polaroid would sit perfectly on any tabletop. What’s most impressive is the Polaroid zip application which is made for this printer. The app is both well designed and easy to use, offering features such as linking social media accounts, ordering paper, as well as, taking and editing pictures.
The printer is easy to use as well, with its minimal button action, you’d simply have to turn it on, and once you download the application and connect to your phone through Bluetooth, you’re good to go. Another outstanding fact about this printer is its zink zero ink technology which totally eliminates the use of ink toners, film, ribbons and cartridges. This goes, of course, with no compromise to the overall quality of prints. The 2*3 inch peel-back paper prints come out bold, colorful and almost life-like. They also happen to be both water and tear-resistant, dry to the touch and smudge-proof. The size of this unit will make it perfect for anyone making a scrapbook or travel journal.
6. Brother P-Touch Cube Smartphone Label Maker
- The tape is, fade and chemical resistant
- The printer is small and portable
- Very versatile as you can print whichever font
- The app can get a little slow and clunky sometimes
- Some amount of tape gets wasted after each printing
Best Best Portable PRinter with Bluetooth
Coming well deservedly in fifth is Brother P-Touch Cube Smartphone, Label Maker. Having 450 characters, over 60 frames and a wide array of fonts including Google and Apple font libraries, makes it perfect for custom label design. However, for those who find the whole process of self-design a little tedious then not to worry; it comes with a whole stock of pre-designed templates. All you have to do is type the name and choose the label design that suits you.
Its principle of operation is also simple and easy to understand. Simply download the free, user-friendly P-Touch app on your smartphone, which is both Android and iOS supported. Afterward, use the phone app’s Bluetooth setup wizard to link with your P-touch CUBE label maker via Bluetooth wireless technology and design away.
The pone is not just useful as a typing inlet but also for its myriad of assistive functionalities such as voice-to-text capabilities and spell-check making label design faster and more effective than ever before. Another good thing about this product is that you don’t have to make your label on a basic white strip of paper. With Brother Genuine P-touch TZe tape colors, you have a lot of color options for color-coding. Personalize and organize your home or workspace and know exactly where and what everything is.
7. HP Sprocket Portable Photo Printer
- It offers high-speed printing
- Its battery is rechargeable.
- The software is updated frequently so any bugs get sorted out fast
- The color in the prints is not completely accurate
- It is a bit pricey
- Its colors can be a bit off sometimes
Best Compact Portable Photo Printer
Remember the good old days when all photos had to be taken, developed and then given to you. It was a tedious take and wait for the process but the photos were timeless because after all, you can’t accidentally delete real-life physical print. The HP Sprocket gives you all the positives of physical prints with none of the wait time. With its easy to use functionality, scrapbook your socials away with this overachieving baby. You will first need to buy the Sprocket, obviously. Download the free to use HP Sprocket app on your smartphone or tablet and it goes without saying that it supports both Android and iOS systems. Link the app to all your social media accounts, and relieve those colorful moments in a colorful print.
The HP sprocket is not just a printer ( it’s not a rocket either sadly), but with the Sprocket app; you can customize and personalize your photos making then indistinguishably yours. Don’t be boring, insert that border, plaster that sticker/emoji and be the envy of all your friends.
The device uses Bluetooth to send pictures to the Sprocket from your smartphone. This is such a wonderful feature as everyone at the party or in the house at home can connect and pair with their device subsequently printing their favorite moments hassle-free. It is also portable meaning you can get the best out of the Sprocket anywhere you go.
8. Fujifilm Instax SP-3 Mobile Printer
- It is small and portable
- It offers great color clarity in its prints
- You can’t even hear it print
- The mobile device connected to the printer times out too soon
- It is not a cheap buy
- The film is not wallet-friendly either
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From one of the biggest names in photography, Fujifilm comes the Instax SP-3 Mobile Printer.
Fujifilm really outdid themselves on this one. With the Instax mobile printer, comes the promise of the most exceptionally colorful, high definition INSTAX square photos, bound to make your scrapbook come to life. With its free, easy to use INSTAX share app, you can link this printer with your socials, be it Instagram, Facebook, Weibo, Pinterest, Tumblr, Snapchat, etc. Using Wi-Fi, send your shots from the app to your SP-3 and print away.
Additionally, developing hardcopy photos has never been faster. The SP-3 is no joke in terms of print-speed, with only a 13-second wait between when the softcopy print was sent to when the photo was output. It does all this hardly making any noise at all, thanks to Fujifilm’s new laser exposure system, incorporated in the device.
Their INSTAX Share app is so versatile that it can be linked with a digital Fujifilm camera. This means that you can print in qualities and with effects that can only be achieved with professional cameras such as fast shutter speeds on fast-moving scenes like when viewing animals on a safari or even taking blurred images of fast-moving traffic.
9. Portable Instant Mobile Photo Printer SereneLife PICKIT20
- It offers good quality pictures
- It is easy to use
- You can edit pictures using their app
- The pictures are small
- The printing paper is a bit pricey
- The machine operates loudly
Best Wireless Color Portable Printer
The SereneLife PICKIT20 is a portable photo printer designed for convenience without compromising on anything. It is very easy to use. You simply need to download the free PICKIT mobile app, on any Android or Apple smartphone or tablet/iPad to make popping edits and changes on your image; you can add filters and stickers, crop or even write text using the app. After spicing up images on your camera roll or just using the ones on your socials i.e. Facebook, Instagram, etc., transfer them to your printer using Wi-Fi connectivity that incidentally does not need to connect to DSL or 4G data.
We’d mentioned that the PICKIT20 is convenient right? This is because it is ink-free and paper-free, so you’re guaranteed to messy smudges and the necessary cleaning afterward. However, this is not wizardry, it is just the magic of human innovation at work here. The ink and paper are contained in self-contained cartridges good for up to 10 photo prints after which all you have to do is remove the depleted one and replace it with a fresher new one.
For one and a half hours of charge, get a full day’s worth of memories and moments. Once fully charged, the printer is good for 25 prints. This does not mean the battery affects its portability in any way as the SereneLife if pocket-sized and can easily fit in the confines of your backpack or those of your back-pockets. What are you waiting for?
10. Lifeprint 2×3 Portable Photo AND Video Printer for iPhone and Android
- Photos come to life with a hyper photo
- The design is very sleek and compact
- So easy to set up
- The photo quality is okay but nothing to write home about
- You need to have a good network signal to be able to use
- You need to join their social network to create a print
Best Portable Printer for iPhone and Android
This is one of the more remarkable buys you will make this year and this is why. The Lifeprint boasts a lot of positives and normally choosing between which is the most positive pro for most devices is usually tricky but not so in this case. If you have read/watched any Harry Potter movie anywhere (for those who’ve been living under a rock the past 20 years, just watch the movie) you’d know that photos in the wizarding world and ours differ in that they appear to be moving. Lifeprint has achieved this to some level of success. Take a hyper photo, it’ll appear static like any other picture, however, put it under your camera lens using the Lifeprint app and see what was immovable move.
In addition to this, the Lifeprint app works just like Twitter/IG with a follow/following criteria where you can send photos to anyone in the world. That isn’t anything out of the ordinary yeah? Here’s where things get interesting, you can use anyone’s printer anywhere in the world to send them real photos. Send real photos anywhere in the world in real-time.
Like all other portable photo printers, you can print any saved Instagram and Facebook photos, GIFs, memes, Apple Live Photos or any saved Snaps and of course, you can style them however you want with the myriad of filters and other photo editing tools out there. To do all this, simply charge up and power your printer, connect it with your phone via Bluetooth, load the glossy photo paper into the device’s paper slot, download the app and print! You haven’t read wrongly, we didn’t forget to talk about ink, the Lifeprint needs no ink, just put in the paper and get started.
How to Choose The Best Compact Portable Printer – The Ultimate Buying Guide
Are you looking to buy a compact portable printer? If so, then it is not enough to identify a goods manufacturer. If you stick with a particular brand, you might discover that there is a lot about the printer that you don’t like.
Also, the price of a printer should never be an overriding factor. After all, the cost of a machine might have no bearing on its performance. To help you make a wise buying decision, we have come up with this comprehensive buying guide. Read it and you will be able to pick a printer that offers you exactly what you want.
What Is A Portable Printer?
With the increasing ownership of mobile devices such as mobile phones, tablets, and laptops, it is no longer necessary to do all the work in the office. Compact portable printers make it easy for you to print photos and important documents on-the-go. Even though it works the same way as a home printer, it is slower. Most portable printers connect via NFC connection, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Each model comes with a dedicated app to make it easier for you to print from any device.
Should The Compact Portable Printer Have A Warranty?
The manufacturers of compact printers usually include comprehensive warranties that cover damage that isn’t due deliberately caused. As such, the warranty period may differ from one manufacturer to another. The cheapest models of compact portable printers may either lack a warranty or come with one that lasts only 6 months. When such a printer gets spoiled in your hands, you will not know what to do with it.
That’s why is advisable that you choose a compact portable printer with a warranty for at least two years. If it can go for five years and more, the better. In short, the longer the warranty period, the safer you will feel owning the printer in question. Remember – the longer the warranty, the more expensive the printer will be. That is the reason you should never try a product with a lifetime warranty. You may find it impossible to pay a high price. Anything two years or more is better. After all, you can easily buy another printer before the expiry of the warranty period, depending on your needs.
Does The Battery Last Long Enough?
Like any other electronic device, portable printers need the power to operate. They get their power in the form of a rechargeable battery. That’s the reason you should pay attention to battery life. You don’t want to end up with a machine that stalls in the middle of an important project. Usually, the battery life will be indicated by the manufacturer of the compact portable printer.
For the best results, pick a model with a battery that lasts long. Also, look for the charging options. Some models have AC adapters while others may use a USB cable. You don’t want a model that sticks to as AC adapter. Versatility in the available charging options is a key consideration when buying compact portable printers.
What Is The Quality Of The Print Job?
Portable printers have come a long way. Back in the days, you’d not be very happy with the quality of your prints. These days, however, the story is different. One thing you should never overlook is the quality of work you get from the printer. When printing photos, do you get the quality you want? Make sure that the printer model you pick is able to perform as expected.
That means taking the time to compare different machines before settling down on a specific one. Where possible, read reviews from previous users of the different printer models. You can also check out the reviews in this write-up. That way, you will be able to determine the kind of quality you will get without trying the printer.
How Fast Is The Printer?
As earlier noted, compact portable printers are slower than standard home printers. However, among them, you will find several machines that are capable of producing fast results. In that case, a fast machine will be able to give you many pages of a document within the shortest time possible. But eventually, the machine you pick should go in line with your desired speed. If you want a fast machine, then choose the one with the highest speed. With that, you can print your documents within the shortest time possible.
What Type Of Connectivity Does It Have?
Compact portable printers differ when it comes to connectivity. While some have only one option, others are more versatile when it comes to the number of connectivity options. The most common types of connections include USB or Wi-Fi or both.
So, if you like USB connectivity, buy a printer that offers you that. If Wi-Fi, why not? However, it is better to buy a printer with more connectivity options, since you are likely to use it under different circumstances. Sometimes you may even lose or forget the USB cable. What will you do if your printer doesn’t have other connectivity options?
Is It Easy To Use?
There is nothing as frustrating as having a machine that is too hard to use. Better one for which you do not need to pursue a lengthy manual to figure out how it works. So, buy one that is easy to use. From such a model, you can also expect to get the right performance.
What you should know is that the controls for the machines differ depending on the manufacturer. The reason you should buy a printer with easy controls is so as to make your work easier and enjoyable. Who wants a stressing job anyway?
How Portable Is The Printer?
From the title of this review, we are already discussing compact portable printers. But that doesn’t mean that all the models you will come across will be easy to carry. That’s why you should be careful to ensure you only pick a highly portable printer.
This will be dictated by the size as well as the weight of the model. With the right size, you can be sure that you will carry the printer with you with a lot of ease. You can use it in the office and carry it with you back home without a problem. So have that in mind as you shop for a good compact portable printer.
Conclusion
Have you already identified the printer you want to buy? If so, then no problem. Go ahead and contact the seller and make an order. If not, then you are in the right place. Read the buying guide again to be sure that you know all about a compact portable printer. Then go back to the reviews and see if you can find the right printer for you. Whatever you do, you will eventually find what you want. Don’t stop until you have it!