Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
EDITORS’ NOTE
November 3, 2025: With this update, our lineup of recommended photo printers remains unchanged. Our existing picks have been vetted for currency and availability. Since our last update, we reviewed and evaluated one new printer for potential inclusion in this roundup and our other printer roundups. We currently have three printers in PC Labs for evaluation, from makers including Epson and Canon.
(Credit: David English)
(Credit: David English)
Pros & Cons
Superb print quality
Improved scratch resistance, print longevity
Air-feed paper handling for more uniform ink-drop accuracy
Anti-clogging technology that swaps out nozzles
Supports sheets up to 17 by 22 inches, and printable paper to 129 inches long
Improved Wi-Fi connectivity
Only a minor speed boost over its predecessor
No roll-paper option
Why We Picked It
The Canon imagePrograf PRO-1100 is among the best 17-inch wide-format photo printers you can buy, with stunning quality that includes exceptionally dark blacks and vibrant colors. It’s an updated version of the Canon imagePrograf PRO-1000, with a few hardware-based improvements, including enhanced Wi-Fi and the ability to print on paper up to 129 inches long. The PRO-1100’s signature achievement is better print quality, though, with new Lucia Pro II inks that afford deeper and richer blacks than possible with the PRO-1000 and a wider color gamut that opens up the contrast range and brings a heightened sense of dimensionality. Plus, the reformulated inks provide better scratch resistance and print longevity.
Who It’s For
If you’re a professional photographer or graphic artist, the imagePrograf PRO-1100 is probably the best printer for you. However, note that the Epson SureColor P900 is an equally excellent wide-format printer and could be a better choice if you need to use roll paper.
Specs & Configurations
Type
Printer Only
Color or Monochrome
Color
Printing Technology
Inkjet
Connection Type
Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB, Wi-Fi Direct
Maximum Standard Paper Size
17″ x 22″
Number of Ink Colors
11
Number of Ink Cartridges/Tanks
12
Direct Printing From Media Cards
Direct Printing From USB Thumb Drives
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Color)
Not rated
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Mono)
Not rated
Monthly Duty Cycle (Recommended)
Not rated
Monthly Duty Cycle (Maximum)
Not rated
Printer Input Capacity
150
Cost Per Page (Monochrome)
Automatic Document Feeder
Scanner Type
N/A
Maximum Scan Area
N/A
Scanner Optical Resolution
N/A
Standalone Copier and Fax
N/A
Learn More
Canon imagePrograf PRO-1100 Review
Pros & Cons
Excellent print quality
Prints borderless banners and panoramas up to 17 inches wide
Prints cut sheets up to 17 by 22 inches
Uses UltraChrome PRO10 pigment inks for increased color gamut
Switches from photo black to matte black ink automatically
Competitive per-millimeter ink costs
Paper roll adapter costs extra
Why We Picked It
Only professional photographers are likely to spend roughly $1,200 for a 10-ink freestanding printer capable of producing gallery-class 17-by-22-inch prints and 17-inch-wide banners almost 11 feet long. Those who do will find Epson’s SureColor P900 worth every penny—including the extra $250 for the roll adapter. This magnificent machine generates brilliant colors and deep blacks (automatically switching between photo and matte black ink), with its UltraChrome PRO10 pigment inks more than fulfilling the promise of its ICC (International Color Consortium) profile and a control panel that lets you configure print jobs in ways that previously had to be done within Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom. (There’s also an Epson Print Layout plug-in that replaces Photoshop’s Print dialog box.)
Who It’s For
If you have to ask, you can’t afford it, but if you need spectacular wide-format prints, panoramas, and banners, the P900 is actually something of a bargain. For anything short of high-volume commercial printing, the SureColor is a sure thing.
Specs & Configurations
Type
Printer Only
Color or Monochrome
Color
Printing Technology
Inkjet
Connection Type
Ethernet, USB, Wireless
Maximum Standard Paper Size
17″ x 22″
Number of Ink Colors
10
Number of Ink Cartridges/Tanks
10
Direct Printing From Media Cards
Direct Printing From USB Thumb Drives
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Color)
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Mono)
Not rated
Monthly Duty Cycle (Recommended)
Not rated
Monthly Duty Cycle (Maximum)
Not rated
Printer Input Capacity
Up to 120 sheets plain paper up to 17″ x 22″
Cost Per Page (Monochrome)
Not rated
Cost Per Page (Color)
Not rated
Automatic Document Feeder
Scanner Type
N/A
Maximum Scan Area
N/A
Scanner Optical Resolution
N/A
Standalone Copier and Fax
N/A
Learn More
Epson SureColor P900 17-Inch Photo Printer Review
Pros & Cons
Excellent print quality
Prints borderless banners and panoramas up to 13 inches wide by 39 inches long
Superb grayscale output
Automatic nozzle clog detection
Small footprint
Improved software and control panel display
Low running costs
Why We Picked It
The Pixma Pro-200 isn’t the flagship of Canon’s photo printers—it’s limited to 13-inch-wide (supertabloid) media instead of 17-by-22-inch stock or roll paper for banners or panoramas. But its eight ChromaLife100+ CLI-65 inks offer deep blacks, brilliant color reproduction in blues and reds, and an enhanced color gamut that makes your prints look gorgeous, with particularly great grayscale images. If you don’t need roll support (the Pro-200 can manage limited banner printing up to 13 by 39 inches), it’s a clear winner.
Who It’s For
The Pixma Pro-200 fills a nifty niche between high-end desktop inkjets and super-deluxe, large-format photo printers. It offers a friendly control panel, versatile paper handling, automatic nozzle clog detection, and print quality you wouldn’t expect from a $600 printer, as well as lower operating costs than most machines in its class.
Specs & Configurations
Type
Printer Only
Color or Monochrome
Color
Printing Technology
Inkjet
Connection Type
Ethernet, USB, Wireless
Maximum Standard Paper Size
13″ x 39″
Number of Ink Colors
8
Number of Ink Cartridges/Tanks
8
Direct Printing From Media Cards
Direct Printing From USB Thumb Drives
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Color)
Bordered 11-by-14-inch in 1 minute 30 seconds
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Mono)
Bordered 11-by-14-inch in 1 minute
Monthly Duty Cycle (Recommended)
Not rated
Monthly Duty Cycle (Maximum)
Not rated
Printer Input Capacity
201
Cost Per Page (Monochrome)
Not rated
Cost Per Page (Color)
varies with size and content
Automatic Document Feeder
Scanner Type
N/A
Maximum Scan Area
N/A
Scanner Optical Resolution
N/A
Standalone Copier and Fax
N/A
Learn More
Canon Pixma Pro-200 Review
(Credit: M. David Stone)
(Credit: M. David Stone)
Pros & Cons
Prints, scans, and copies
Mobile printing support
Prints from and scans to USB memory and SD cards
Two paper trays and automatic print duplexing (two-sided printing)
No automatic document feeder
Scans up to letter and A4 size only
Lackluster quality when copying photos
Why We Picked It
The Epson Expression Photo XP-8800 Wireless Color All-in-One printer stands out for both its high-quality photo output and its long list of features. Built around a six-color ink system that helps boost photo quality, it also excels as a general-purpose all-in-one for copying and scanning. The main tray at the bottom front of the printer can hold 100 sheets of up to legal-size paper. A second tray just above it lets you load up to 20 sheets of Epson’s Premium Photo Paper Glossy, so you can keep both photo paper and plain paper loaded at all times rather than having to switch back and forth between the two.
Who It’s For
If you don’t print enough to save money by getting a tank-based printer, don’t need to print at larger than legal size, and don’t need Ethernet, the XP-8800 is hard to beat for great-looking photos plus everyday use around the house.
Specs & Configurations
Type
All-in-one
Color or Monochrome
Color
Printing Technology
Inkjet
Connection Type
USB, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct
Maximum Standard Paper Size
Legal
Number of Ink Colors
6
Number of Ink Cartridges/Tanks
6
Direct Printing From Media Cards
Direct Printing From USB Thumb Drives
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Color)
9 ppm
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Mono)
9.5 ppm
Monthly Duty Cycle (Recommended)
Not rated
Monthly Duty Cycle (Maximum)
Not rated
Printer Input Capacity
100+1+20 (photo paper only); 1 disc
Cost Per Page (Monochrome)
4.6 cents
Cost Per Page (Color)
17.8 cents
Automatic Document Feeder
Scanner Type
Flatbed
Maximum Scan Area
8.5″ x 11.7″
Scanner Optical Resolution
1,200 x 1,200 ppi
Standalone Copier and Fax
Copier
Learn More
Epson Expression Photo XP-8800 Wireless Color All-in-One Review
Pros & Cons
Prints borderless from 4 by 6 inches to 13 by 19 inches
Exceptional output quality
Relatively fast printing speeds for its class
Low running costs
First two years of ink are free
Purchase price is a little steep
Why We Picked It
Think home-office and small-office multifunction inkjets are a dime a dozen? (They’re actually $150 to $750, but you know what we mean.) The Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 stands out from the crowd in several ways. First, it’s a wide-format machine, supporting borderless tabloid (11-by-17-inch) and supertabloid (13-by-19-inch) prints. Second, it uses six inks (adding photo black and gray to the usual cyan, magenta, yellow, and black), yielding more vivid and detailed photos and grayscale images. Third, it’s an EcoTank printer, using ink reservoirs refilled from bottles instead of costly cartridges to cut operating costs to just pennies per page.
Who It’s For
Though its connectivity and text output quality are faultless, the ET-8550 isn’t your best pick for office productivity, since it has a flatbed scanner with no ADF for copying multipage documents. But semi-pro photographers, enthusiastic hobbyists, and small businesses making their own marketing materials will find it a perfect partner.
Specs & Configurations
Type
All-in-one
Color or Monochrome
Color
Printing Technology
Inkjet
Connection Type
Ethernet, USB, Wireless, Wi-Fi Direct
Maximum Standard Paper Size
13″ x 19″
Number of Ink Colors
6
Number of Ink Cartridges/Tanks
6
Direct Printing From Media Cards
Direct Printing From USB Thumb Drives
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Color)
12 ppm
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Mono)
16 ppm
Monthly Duty Cycle (Recommended)
Not rated
Monthly Duty Cycle (Maximum)
Not rated
Printer Input Capacity
100 sheets plain paper, 20 sheets photo paper
Cost Per Page (Monochrome)
less than 1 cent per page
Cost Per Page (Color)
varies with size and content
Automatic Document Feeder
Scanner Type
N/A
Maximum Scan Area
N/A
Scanner Optical Resolution
N/A
Standalone Copier and Fax
Copier
Learn More
Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 Review
(Credit: Canon)
(Credit: Canon)
Pros & Cons
Solid photo print quality
Low running costs (for 4-by-6-inch media)
Supports multiple paper sizes with inexpensive tray option
Easy-to-use control panel
Prints from USB and SD card memory devices
Optional battery
No Windows or macOS software (companion apps are phone-oriented)
Photo paper stock provided in packs of consumables is thin
Why We Picked It
Canon’s Selphy CP1500 comes from a venerable line of dye-sublimation printers that deliver snapshot-size output using “print packs” that bundle the paper and dye-ribbon cartridges in one box, good for a fixed number of prints. This model stands out for its support for up to four different print sizes, some with adhesive backing and some without. (Supporting smaller than the default 4-by-6-inch size requires a cheap adapter tray.) It’s relatively fast and produces high-quality prints at very competitive running costs. You’ll find the software geared more toward printing from mobile devices than PCs, but it will do a creditable job whatever the photo source.
Who It’s For
Families, especially ones with a scrapbooker in the house, will find the Selphy handy. If you need a quick, compact, and affordable way to turn your family’s smartphone images into good-looking photos and stickers, the Selphy will do the job, and you’ll have no doubt where you stand with consumables. There’s no guesswork how much “ink” is left.
Specs & Configurations
Type
Printer Only
Color or Monochrome
Color
Printing Technology
Dye Sub
Connection Type
Wi-Fi, USB-C
Maximum Standard Paper Size
4″ x 6″
Number of Ink Colors
4
Number of Ink Cartridges/Tanks
1
Direct Printing From Media Cards
Direct Printing From USB Thumb Drives
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Color)
41 seconds per print
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Mono)
Not rated
Monthly Duty Cycle (Recommended)
Not rated
Monthly Duty Cycle (Maximum)
Not rated
Printer Input Capacity
20
Cost Per Page (Monochrome)
NA
Cost Per Page (Color)
29 cents
Automatic Document Feeder
Scanner Type
N/A
Maximum Scan Area
N/A
Scanner Optical Resolution
N/A
Standalone Copier and Fax
N/A
Learn More
Canon Selphy CP1500 Wireless Compact Photo Printer Review
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Pros & Cons
Dye-sub technology delivers high-quality, long-lasting prints
Supports borders, rounded borders, and three-sided borderless printing
Prints on both square (2.7-by-2.7-inch) and card-size (2.1-by-3.3-inch) media
Prints from Android and iOS devices via Wi-Fi
Easy-to-use app
Prints’ peel-off backing can be frustrating to remove
Fully borderless printing not supported
Why We Picked It
The QX20 combines high-quality dye-sub printing with the rare ability to print in both the Instagram-style square picture format and the rectangular business card format. Most competing models offer just one format or the other. Plus, the QX20 offers plenty of other reasons to pick it. At the top of the list is its high-quality, long-lasting output, thanks to its dye-sub technology, along with Canon’s notably easy-to-use print and editing app.
Who It’s For
Phone-photo fiends who need quick, spiffy prints in a jiffy will love the QX20. Besides looking sharper and more colorful than most rivals’, the QX20’s prints come in multiple sizes. If you need this versatility, it’s pretty much the only printer for you.
Specs & Configurations
Type
Printer Only
Color or Monochrome
4-pass color
Printing Technology
Dye Sub
Connection Type
Wireless
Maximum Standard Paper Size
Wallet-size
Number of Ink Colors
3
Number of Ink Cartridges/Tanks
1
Direct Printing From Media Cards
Direct Printing From USB Thumb Drives
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Color)
1 print per 40 seconds
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Mono)
1 print per 40 seconds
Monthly Duty Cycle (Recommended)
Not rated
Monthly Duty Cycle (Maximum)
Not rated
Printer Input Capacity
10
Cost Per Page (Monochrome)
68.3 or 75 cents
Cost Per Page (Color)
68.3 or 76 cents
Automatic Document Feeder
Scanner Type
N/A
Maximum Scan Area
N/A
Scanner Optical Resolution
N/A
Standalone Copier and Fax
N/A
Learn More
Canon Selphy QX20 Review
Best Portable Printer$149.99 The latest in what’s becoming a somewhat long list of zero-ink, or Zink, HP Sprocket pocket photo printers, the Sprocket Select churns out 2.3-by-3.4-inch photos with peel-off sticky backs that can affix to most surfaces. Unlike some other Zink printers, such as the Canon Ivy Mini Photo and Kodak Mini 2 HD Instant Photo Printer, the Sprocket Select works with only Android and iOS mobile devices over Bluetooth connections via apps downloadable at Google Play or iTunes App Store. No PCs. While there are several very similar products available, the Sprocket Select’s better-than-average print quality and superior interface software elevate it to our current favorite.Read the Full Review
At just 0.7 by 3.5 by 5.7 inches, the HP Sprocket Select is small enough to fit in your pocket with room to spare.
The Sprocket Select’s magnetized lid comes off easily to access the 10-sheet paper tray.
The Zink (Zero Ink) printing paper is 2.3 by 3.4 inches, about 30 percent larger than the paper on the preceding Sprocket 2nd Edition.
The HP Sprocket Select (at left) is shown here with the previous-generation HP Sprocket 2nd Edition (at right). The Sprocket Select’s prints are 30 percent larger than those from the Sprocket 2nd Edition.
The Sprocket Select’s only port is a small USB connector used for charging the printer. It doesn’t direct-connect with PCs for printing.
It took an average of 1 minute and 16 seconds for the Sprocket Select to print, on the slow side for a pocket photo printer.
This is the front of the Sprocket Select, showing the slot from which the prints emerge. The indicator light above the slot turns on when the printer is in use.
Best Portable Printer$149.99 The latest in what’s becoming a somewhat long list of zero-ink, or Zink, HP Sprocket pocket photo printers, the Sprocket Select churns out 2.3-by-3.4-inch photos with peel-off sticky backs that can affix to most surfaces. Unlike some other Zink printers, such as the Canon Ivy Mini Photo and Kodak Mini 2 HD Instant Photo Printer, the Sprocket Select works with only Android and iOS mobile devices over Bluetooth connections via apps downloadable at Google Play or iTunes App Store. No PCs. While there are several very similar products available, the Sprocket Select’s better-than-average print quality and superior interface software elevate it to our current favorite.Read the Full Review
At just 0.7 by 3.5 by 5.7 inches, the HP Sprocket Select is small enough to fit in your pocket with room to spare.
The Sprocket Select’s magnetized lid comes off easily to access the 10-sheet paper tray.
The Zink (Zero Ink) printing paper is 2.3 by 3.4 inches, about 30 percent larger than the paper on the preceding Sprocket 2nd Edition.
The HP Sprocket Select (at left) is shown here with the previous-generation HP Sprocket 2nd Edition (at right). The Sprocket Select’s prints are 30 percent larger than those from the Sprocket 2nd Edition.
The Sprocket Select’s only port is a small USB connector used for charging the printer. It doesn’t direct-connect with PCs for printing.
It took an average of 1 minute and 16 seconds for the Sprocket Select to print, on the slow side for a pocket photo printer.
This is the front of the Sprocket Select, showing the slot from which the prints emerge. The indicator light above the slot turns on when the printer is in use.
Pros & Cons
Good print quality for a pocket printer.
Special paper eliminates need for ink or dye cartridges.
Easy to use.
Larger prints than some similar models.
Quirky image-tweaking and AR features accessible through app.
On the slow side for a pocket photo printer.
High running costs.
Can’t print from a PC.
Connects solely via Bluetooth.
Why We Picked It
HP’s Sprocket Select finds a happy medium among the company’s Zink (zero-ink) smartphone photo printers, making larger prints than the base Sprocket’s tiny snapshots but coming in under the Sprocket Studio’s 4-by-6-inch scrapbook photos. The Select’s 2.3-by-3.4-inch pics have a peel-off sticky backing and cost 65 cents apiece if you buy HP’s two-pack of 10 sheets. Print quality is the best we’ve seen from a Zink printer, if still short of inkjet and dye-sublimation devices, but then the Sprocket Select is only 0.7 by 3.5 by 5.7 inches and weighs just six ounces.
Who It’s For
Limited to Bluetooth (not Wi-Fi) printing from the iOS or Android Sprocket app, the Select is a convenient gadget that offers easy integration with Facebook, Google Photos, and Instagram. We wish HP offered non-sticky stock, but this printer is tops for handing out pics at parties and family gatherings.
Specs & Configurations
Type
Printer Only
Color or Monochrome
Color
Printing Technology
Zero Ink (ZINK)
Connection Type
Bluetooth
Maximum Standard Paper Size
Wallet-size
Number of Ink Cartridges/Tanks
Direct Printing From Media Cards
Direct Printing From USB Thumb Drives
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Color)
76 seconds per print
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Mono)
Not rated
Monthly Duty Cycle (Recommended)
Not rated
Monthly Duty Cycle (Maximum)
Not rated
Printer Input Capacity
10
Cost Per Page (Monochrome)
N/A
Cost Per Page (Color)
65 cents
Automatic Document Feeder
Scanner Type
N/A
Maximum Scan Area
N/A
Scanner Optical Resolution
N/A
Standalone Copier and Fax
N/A
Learn More
HP Sprocket Select Review
(Credit: Kodak)
(Credit: Kodak)
Pros & Cons
Low purchase price and competitive running costs
Good output quality
Multiple bundles available
Supports NFC
Only wireless (no USB) connectivity
No support for Windows or macOS laptops or desktops
Why We Picked It
If you’re interested in trying a Zink printer like the HP Sprocket Select but are looking for one with more traditional color options (and a lower price!), the Kodak Step Instant is an excellent alternative. It’s available in solid hues (white, black, pink, and blue) instead of the silver gray or light green marbled finish of the Sprocket Select. Print quality is very good for a Zink printer, and the 50-cent cost per page is average for the category.
Who It’s For
Smartphone-compatible snapshot printers need to be versatile and look good too, since you’ll likely be carrying one around with you for impromptu prints. The multiple color options of the Step Instant make it a perfect fit for people who like to color-match their personal devices.
Specs & Configurations
Type
Printer Only
Color or Monochrome
Color
Printing Technology
Zero Ink (ZINK)
Connection Type
Bluetooth, NFC
Maximum Standard Paper Size
2″ x 3″
Number of Ink Cartridges/Tanks
Direct Printing From Media Cards
Direct Printing From USB Thumb Drives
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Color)
1 ppm
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Mono)
1 ppm
Monthly Duty Cycle (Recommended)
Not rated
Monthly Duty Cycle (Maximum)
Not rated
Printer Input Capacity
20
Cost Per Page (Monochrome)
50 cents
Cost Per Page (Color)
50 cents
Automatic Document Feeder
Scanner Type
N/A
Maximum Scan Area
N/A
Scanner Optical Resolution
N/A
Standalone Copier and Fax
N/A
Learn More
Kodak Step Instant Mobile Photo Printer Review
(Credit: M. David Stone)
(Credit: M. David Stone)
Pros & Cons
Takes and prints photos like an instant camera, but with photo-booth functionality
Unusually high quality for Zink print technology
Versatile 3.5-by-4.25 inch, sticky-back prints
Easy-to-use customization options for birthday parties and other events
On-screen instructions for taking and printing photos
Maximum capacity is only 20 photo sheets
Sharing process for digital copies could use refinement
Why We Picked It
The HP Sprocket Photobooth takes and prints good-quality 3-by-4-inch keepsake photos, making it an excellent lower-cost alternative to renting a photo booth for commemorating special events. You can use it repeatedly with no additional costs other than Zink photo paper, so it’s ideal for giving you and your guests keepsake pictures even for modest events where the cost of renting a commercial photo booth is off the table.
Who It’s For
If you want to give guests a self-serve photo-booth experience, the Sprocket Photobooth is an impressive pick. (If you just want to take pictures at an event and hand them out, you could instead use an instant camera or a small-format printer like those listed here.)
Specs & Configurations
Type
Printer Only
Color or Monochrome
Color
Printing Technology
Zero Ink (ZINK)
Connection Type
Wi-Fi
Maximum Standard Paper Size
Number of Ink Colors
4
Number of Ink Cartridges/Tanks
Direct Printing From Media Cards
Direct Printing From USB Thumb Drives
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Color)
1 ppm
Rated Speed at Default Settings (Mono)
1 ppm
Monthly Duty Cycle (Recommended)
Not rated
Monthly Duty Cycle (Maximum)
Not rated
Printer Input Capacity
20
Cost Per Page (Monochrome)
90 cents
Cost Per Page (Color)
90 cents
Automatic Document Feeder
Scanner Type
N/A
Maximum Scan Area
N/A
Scanner Optical Resolution
N/A
Standalone Copier and Fax
N/A
Learn More
HP Sprocket Photobooth Review
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The Best Photo Printers for 2025
Compare Specs
Buying Guide: The Best Photo Printers for 2025
First, let’s define photo printers by the broad classes we mentioned up top.
As the name indicates, dedicated snapshot (also known as “small-format”) printers are designed to print nothing but small and wallet-size photos. You can’t print documents with them because they don’t accept letter-size paper. They’re limited to snapshot sizes, usually around 2 by 3 inches, 4 by 6 inches, or 5 by 7 inches, or longer panoramic or Instagram-style square prints. Not all such printers print all these sizes; most support just one. Generally, the smaller the printer, the smaller the maximum paper size.
But this category of printer isn’t defined just by its limits. These printers are small and portable. They’re also much less computer-centric printers than they are standalone consumer gadgets, with an emphasis on ease of use for printing snapshots from smartphones.
(Credit: M. David Stone)
By contrast, near-dedicated photo printers are aimed at serious amateur and semipro photographers. They offer professional-level output quality, can typically print at sizes up to 13 by 19 inches (sometimes even more), and often demand reasonable sophistication to get the best results.
What both categories have in common is that they focus on printing photos, not documents, reports, or presentations. Here’s what you need to consider to make the right choice.
Do You Even Need a Photo Printer?
As we said, many inkjet-based home and office all-in-one printers do print excellent photos, and even some color laser printers do a decent job with photographic images for flyers or brochures. But they’re more general-use printers than the two kinds we focus on here.
Near-dedicated photo printers and snapshot models are both made for printing photos, but that’s where the similarities end between the two. By definition, near-dedicated photo printers are also capable of printing ordinary business documents. Still, it’s a waste of their talents, like using a Lamborghini for a trip to the supermarket. You’ll have to swap out paper stock or even ink cartridges when you switch from printing photos to everyday documents, only to get results that an office inkjet or laser printer could give you for a fraction of the cost.
(Credit: David English)
Snapshot printers are a whole different animal. At one time, these printers often had LCD screens with menus and basic editing features that let you crop an image, remove red-eye, and so on; a few were practically home photo kiosks with touch-screen controls. Nowadays, however, snapshot printers tend to work with mobile devices like smartphones (most people’s cameras of choice) over a wireless connection, with your phone or tablet serving as both the image source and the control screen. If you’re primarily interested in printing quick, small snaps from your phone, these are more your speed.
How Much Will Your Photo Printing Cost?
With any photo printer, check the running cost and total cost of ownership if you can. Our reviews are helpful in this regard. Snapshot printers often use easy-to-replace packs or cartridges that combine enough photo paper and ink for 20 or 30 prints (those that use ink, that is; more in a minute about that). Unfortunately, there’s no easily found or widely accepted standard for calculating the cost per print for near-dedicated photo printers, many of which can produce images of widely varying sizes or even long panoramas using rolls instead of sheets.
To calculate the cost per photo for a snapshot printer, divide the cost of the print pack by the number of photos it produces. To calculate the total cost of ownership, multiply the cost per photo by the number of photos you expect to print over the device’s lifetime and then add the printer’s initial cost.
Some inkjet printers, not usually photo-first models, work with automatic ink delivery or subscription services like HP’s Instant Ink. These services can be great deals for consumers who print a lot of photos since they charge a flat monthly fee for a given number of prints—whether they be letter-size, borderless photos or pages of double-spaced black text. Calculating the cost of a photo print is easy in these cases.
Do You Print in Black and White?
When shopping for a laser printer, you must consider whether you really need color printing or can make do with monochrome. Photo printers turn the question on its head, making you ask whether you want to print any black-and-white images, which many printers can’t handle particularly well.
The most common flaw in monochrome image printing is a color tint, or multiple tints, that show up in different shades of gray. If you intend to print lots of black-and-white photos, you’ll need to check out monochrome photo quality separately from the printer’s color photo quality. This is more often a problem for dedicated rather than near-dedicated photo printers, but you should be aware of it in either case. (In our reviews, we note such tints and their severity when we encounter them, but we don’t use black-and-white images to test small-format snapshot printers, most of which aren’t designed to print any.)
Photo Printers: Portable Printers vs. Desk-Bound Printers
Many inexpensive snapshot printers are small enough to fit in a pocket; a few are too big to carry very often. If you want to bring a printer to a party or a Little League game, pick a size you won’t mind carrying. Also, consider whether the printer can run on batteries (many do by default; some offer batteries as options). And find out how many photos you can print on a full charge.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Most near-dedicated photo printers are larger than standard desktop-style inkjets, because they’re designed for printing on cut-paper sheets as large as 11 by 17 or even 13 by 19 inches, plus banners and roll paper for some models. Beyond the size of the printer itself, some machines in this class need additional space behind them to feed large paper stock or accommodate a roll feeder.
To print on large paper with some near-dedicated photo printers, you have to feed a single sheet from the front, which the printer then feeds all the way out of a rear slot and then prints while moving the paper forward again. If you don’t have enough free space for this approach to printing, look for a printer that can handle roll paper or feed large sheets from a standard tray (or both).
Do You Need a Wired or a Wireless Photo Printer?
Some snapshot printers can print from a computer over a USB connection, but most are meant as standalone devices for use with phones or tablets. Older models tend to come with Wi-Fi connectivity, and many can print directly from PictBridge-supporting cameras and memory cards or USB flash drives. (Make sure the printer is compatible with the memory card format you want to use.) A few print from internal memory, but you need to transfer files to the memory first, so find what connection you need to use to transfer images. Bluetooth connectivity is most common with today’s “smartphone companion”-type printers.
Connectivity options for near-dedicated photo printers are much the same as for standard office models. Some offer a single USB connector; others add an Ethernet jack for easy sharing on an office network. Most now offer Wi-Fi connectivity, and a few offer all three (USB, Ethernet, and Wi-Fi). Few models at this level offer PictBridge connectors or USB flash drive ports or SD card slots, because the assumption is that serious photographers will want to tweak their images before printing from photo-editing programs on their PCs or Macs.
How to Get the Best Output Quality From Your Photo Printer
Whatever printer you’re considering, check on the output quality before buying. Professional and semipro photo printers include both inkjet models—often with eight or 10 different color ink cartridges, instead of the four, five, or six in a typical inkjet—and dye-sublimation (usually called dye-sub) printers that make multiple passes to create an image (laying down, say, cyan, magenta, yellow, and a clear coat).
Snapshot printers offer the same two technologies. With an inkjet, you’ll typically buy your ink and paper separately, so you’ll want to match the printer maker’s paper recommendations. Dye-sub models combine their ink cartridges and paper into packs or cartridges designated for a fixed number of prints.
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(Credit: Fujifilm)
A third technology seen in small snapshot printers is zero-ink, or Zink. As you’d guess, it uses no ink cartridges; instead, special Zink paper impregnated with chemicals generates the image when heated precisely by the printer. Zink doesn’t support large prints, and its output quality doesn’t quite stack up to dye-sub or inkjet. It’s best described as good enough for photos that will wind up in a wallet or behind a refrigerator magnet.
Snapshot printers vary in quality, but any near-dedicated photo printer should offer output suitable for a professional photographer’s exhibition prints. Still, you should check before buying by reading reviews or looking at print samples at a retailer. Keep in mind, too, that different people have different tastes, so choosing between two or more printers with superb but slightly different output may depend on which you like better.
The type of paper you use can make a massive difference in the quality and appearance of an image, so ask what papers are available for the printer. Most manufacturers offer an assortment of fine-art papers for near-dedicated photo printers. In many cases, you can get paper-specific color profiles so you can use the printer with third-party papers.
(Credit: Canon)
Finally, two other issues fall loosely under the heading of quality: ruggedness and lifetime. Don’t expect much in the way of ruggedness for fine-art papers for framing, but you do need it for stacks of 4-by-6-inch snaps that you might hand out for people to look through. Photos from most printers today are reasonably waterproof and smudge- and scratch-resistant, but some fare better than others.
Claimed photo lifetimes also vary, with longer lifetimes preferred. Traditional silver halide color prints last about 20 years when exposed to air; many of today’s snapshot printers rate their output for a century of storage in a photo album.
Print Speeds and Quantities: Do They Matter?
Speed is a crucial measure for office printers, but print speed is almost a nonissue for photo models. Output quality matters much more, and even today’s slowest photo printers offer tolerable speeds of two minutes or less for a 4-by-6-inch print in our tests. Of course, advertised or rated speeds are typically slower than real-world speeds, and (as we note in our reviews where applicable) wireless printing tends to be slower than USB or Ethernet.
Similarly, enterprises and workgroups worry about a printer’s monthly and recommended duty cycles or maximum number of pages it can crank out in a given time frame. Unfortunately, manufacturers rarely rate duty cycles for snapshot and near-dedicated photo printers. About the best you can do is, if you know you’ll be printing a lot of photos, shop for printers aimed at professional photographers and retail stores.
Ready to Buy the Best Photo Printer for You?
Whether you’re a casual photographer or a pro, one of the photo printers we recommend is sure to fit your needs. Whichever you choose, you’re guaranteed to hold evidence of that great moment in your hand almost as soon as you capture it with a click. We’ve listed our favorite near-dedicated photo printers and snapshot models, as well as a few inkjet all-in-ones that do an especially good job with photos but can also serve general printing needs in a home or small office.
For a wider view of printers, check out our guide to our favorite printers overall. And for photo hounds getting started in the photo-printing world, see our guide to fixing bad photos and our collection of advanced photo tips.
