Home The Best Portable Printers of 2022
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It may seem completely absurd at first to think of a battery-powered, totally portable printer: carry around your Canon, tote around your HP? The truth is that, unlike a regular desktop printer, very few portable printers available today can act as an all-purpose printing tool. But just like most modern technology, printers have undergone significant specialization and diversification. There are now a ton of portable printers available that specialize in one task rather than being all-purpose.
With so many portable printers available today, it can be quite hard to choose which works for you, considering that they all have different features. If you can’t decide which portable printer to buy, we’ve rounded up the best portable printers in 2022 to help you narrow down your choices.
The Pixma TR150 is the same same size and girth as its iP100 predecessor, measuring 2.6 by 7.3 by 12.7 inches (HWD) with its trays closed and weighing 4.5 pounds (or 5.1 pounds with the battery attached). It is also slightly smaller and slightly lighter than the HP OfficeJet 200 and the Epson WorkForce WF-110. The printer cannot be powered without an AC or USB power source, so without the optional battery, it is not completely portable.
Canon rates the TR150’s throughput at 5.5 ppm for color prints and 9 ppm for monochrome sheets. Even if the TR150 is slow, the output—particularly the graphics and photos— is worth the wait. Even though some of the smaller text I printed (say, 10 points and below), was slightly deformed and wasn’t nearly laser grade, it was still very legible. Most of the time, it showed problems with kerning and leading (the distance between certain letters and letter pairs) that only desktop publishers and document designers would truly notice. Other than that, the details and color accuracy in our test images, as well as the gradients and fills in our Excel graphics and PowerPoint slideshows, came out better than you might anticipate from such a little imaging equipment.
Small footprintExcellent print quality, especially photosRobust mobile device supportPossible to save predefined templates onboardOptional detachable battery
Slow outputLacks support for flash drivesSomewhat high cost per pageRechargeable battery is pricey
All-in-one printers don’t have to be large, clunky machines that are attached to a desktop or placed on a separate table. The HP OfficeJet 250 Mobile All-in-One Printer has the ability to print, copy, and scan while being small and lightweight enough to be transported with little effort. The OfficeJet 250’s dimensions with the lid closed are 3.6 x 15 x 7.8 inches (HWD), and when the rear paper feeder and the front-facing automatic document feeder (ADF) are extended, those dimensions increase to 10.6 x 15 x 15.8 inches (HWD).
The OfficeJet 250’s size and weight over a single-function mobile inkjet visibly rise with the inclusion of the copier and scanner, although not noticeably. We have seen very few mobile all-in-one printers, in part because it is heavier than the majority of laptops. In terms of performance, with acceptable text and slightly above-average graphics and photographs, the OfficeJet 250’s print quality is somewhat above average for an inkjet. Text should be adequate enough for any usage short of those demanding very small fonts.
PortableScans and copiesOutput quality worthy of a desktop inkjetLighter than its predecessorFast photo printing
Lacks a USB cableHeavier than most laptops
The Canon Selphy CP1300 comes in either black or white. The 3.2-inch color LCD screen, which has increased in size from 2.7 inches, is the only noticeable improvement over the CP1200. The CP1300 is 2.5 x 7 x 5.4 inches (HWD) and weighs 2.5 pounds when the cassette and ink cartridge is loaded or 3.1 pounds when the power adaptor is added.
Up to 54 prints can be produced from a single battery, according to Canon. For direct printing from memory devices, the CP1300 offers a USB thumb drive port and an SD card slot. The printer features a mini-USB Type-B port that may be used to connect it to a computer through USB or Wi-Fi (as well as a direct wireless connection in which the printer serves as its own hotspot).
A PictBridge-compatible camera can be used to print directly from the CP1300 via USB or direct wireless connection. Overall, the print quality is very good. In fact, it can produce prints with vibrant colors that match favorably to the original work; the majority of the prints are equivalent to drugstore prints and, in some cases, even better.
The print size, print quality, and connectivity options of the Canon Selphy CP1300 Wireless Compact Photo Printer are unmatched by other portable small-format photo printers. It takes the place of the Canon Selphy CP1200 and adds a larger LCD and a few other convenience features while keeping the model’s good print quality, low cost per print, and variety of connection options.
Lightweight and portableGood print qualityRelatively low cost per print for its class
Does not include mini-USB Type-B cable
This printer is strictly wireless. In contrast to several of its predecessors, the connectivity is restricted to Bluetooth. The HP Sprocket app, which is available for download from the iTunes App Store or Google Play, allows users to control printing when the Sprocket Select is connected to an iOS or Android-based smartphone or tablet. What makes this unique compared to other portable printers is that it uses zero ink (Zink). The Zink paper that The Sprocket Select utilizes has its own “ink” (in the broadest sense) incorporated in the paper as clear dye crystals. Heat is used by the printer to activate the crystals to somewhat different degrees, giving them color and creating a picture. Zink paper is only offered in a few selections of sizes, and the HP Sprocket Select only accepts sheets that measure 2.3 x 3.4 inches and have a peel-off sticky back. In terms of printing speed, Sprocket Select prints a 2.3 x 3.4 inch image on average in 1 minute and 16 seconds, which is somewhat slow for a pocket photo printer. However, Sprocket Select’s print quality is good, partially making up for the sluggish printing. However, the HP Sprocket Select still needs some tweaking. Its colors could’ve been bolder. Overall, the HP Sprocket Select is a portable, useful, and appealing option if you only want to print small pictures from your phone or tablet, whether from the device’s photo albums or your own social media accounts. The Sprocket Select adds a simple connection with Facebook, Google Photos, and Instagram to the mix, in addition to printing from the photo gallery on your Android or iOS device.
Good print quality for a pocket printerSpecial paper eliminates need for ink or dye cartridgesEasy to useLarger prints than some similar models
On the slow side for a pocket photo printerHigh running costsCan't print from a PCConnects solely via Bluetooth
The largest of Fujifilm’s three instant film sizes, the overlooked Instax Wide, is getting some much-needed attention from the company. Like previous Fujifilm printers, the Instax Link Wide is a Bluetooth printer for smartphones that prints images using instant film rather than paper and ink. Compared to the Instax Link Mini, the Instax Link Wide creates prints that are twice the size, making them more suitable for cork boards and refrigerators than the wallet-sized Instax Mini format.
The printer’s accompanying software enhances your immediate prints with filters, templates, and other options. This instant film printer could be the answer if you’re sick of merely staring at photos on your phone’s screen or simply miss taking Polaroid pictures. You won’t ever need to buy ink or thermal ribbons because the Link Wide uses a photographic development technique rather than a printing one. However, you will need to buy film, which is more expensive than inkjet photo paper. Although it costs a little more, monochrome film is also offered, but there isn’t really a way to utilize it with the printer.
Photos have a glossy finish, which is appropriate for monochrome prints with deeper blacks and colors that stand out somewhat more than with a matte or luster finish. Also, the colored photos are gorgeous. Compared to other models in the series, it is a little bit larger, but it is not nearly as heavy to transport as the cameras that use it. Overall, it’s a pretty good photo printer.
Prints wide-format instant photosWorks with Android and iOSNo-hassle Bluetooth connectionProduces glossy prints with excellent color
Takes about 30 seconds to print a photoMaterial costs add up over time
Small businesses and even hobbyists who want labels that look professional will find the Epson LabelWorks LW-PX300 Full Printer Kit is the way to go because it offers inexpensive industrial-style labeling. The printer is 1.2 inches tall at the front and 2.25 inches high at the back when it is flat. This gives the top panel of the printer a little slant, making it easier to use the keys and read the 140 x 80 dot, two-line illuminated LCD. However, the physical layout is best suited for portable use.
The printer has perfectly rounded edges on all sides and measures 4.5 inches wide by 6.5 inches deep. Additionally, you’ll find it easy to grip for thumb typing, and after printing, you can easily press the manual cutter. At 1.1 pounds, it is also manageably light.
The Epson LW-PX300 is almost perfect for light, industrial-style labeling, whether for a tiny corporation identifying cables, pipes, and bins or a hobbyist organizing a workshop. You can even use it to print business promotional refrigerator magnets or convert your kitchen’s Frigidaire into a message board. Getting this much power for such a low price, and getting a lifetime warranty that includes accidental damage, too.
Affordable, industrial-style labelingEasy-to-use handheld design with QWERTY keyboardTape choices include plastic, vinyl, magnetic, and fluorescent up to 18mm
Noticeably slow print speedDoesn't connect to a PC or mobile device for printingBatteries not included
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