The 10 Best Portable Printers for Travel Photos, Documents, and More
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These printers are about to change the way you travel.
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Fact checked by Nick Blackmer
Portable printers allow us the freedom to print, scan, and copy documents or photos on the go, which is ideal for professionals and those who want the convenience of printing with ease — no outlet needed. If you travel often and need quick access to documents or photos for work, a portable printer can be a solid investment. Many weigh only a few pounds but still offer the features of a regular printer. Whether you want high-quality photos on the fly or need to print receipts for customers on a regular basis, your portable printer needs, as well as the price point, will dictate what kind of model you need.
Portable printers come in all different forms; some are best suited for printing fun photos on vacation and others are an all-in-one product that tick all the boxes for a traveling professional. To find the best printer that fits your needs and budget, we’ve researched and rounded up the top options that offer a wide variety of features.
Best Overall: Canon Selphy Square QX10 Compact Photo Printer
Why We Love It
It produces high-quality, vibrant photos with a peel-off adhesive backing.
What to Consider
You’re limited to printing photos only.
We love the pocket-sized Canon Selphy QX10 for printing our favorite photos on the fly. It’s the perfect lightweight companion for vacations, festivals, or any event where you want to capture and share the memories you make. The built-in battery makes this tiny but mighty photo printer super portable and great for travel. Print quick-drying square-shaped photos in 2.7 x 2.7 inches to tack onto the wall, fridge, scrapbook, homemade greeting cards, and much more. Within the Canon Selphy app on your iPhone or Android, get creative, choose a layout, and add effects, filters, and stickers to make your prints your very own. As a bonus, each creation is printed on paper with an easy-to-peel adhesive backing so they can be used as stickers. The printer comes in a spectrum of colors, including some pretty pastel shades to match your personality.
Price at time of publish: $149
The Details: 1.2 x 5.7 x 4 inches | 15.5 ounces | Wi-Fi connectivity
Best All-in-one: HP OfficeJet 250
Why We Love It
It boasts all the main printer functions in a portable size for travel.
What to Consider
It can be difficult to photocopy smaller items like an ID.
We love the multi-function versatility of the HP OfficeJet 250 Mobile All-in-one Printer and the fact that it maintains a compact size compared to a desk model. It’s perfect for printing needs on the go, whether you need to copy, scan, or print full-sized documents, labels, or photos. Print from your laptop or smartphone using the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity while traveling and enjoy the convenience of printing from almost anywhere. The LCD touch screen makes things easy to navigate, and the automatic document feeder allows you to stay hands-free for up to 10 pages of scanning. The impressive battery life is a key component when printing on the go and the OfficeJet 250 delivers on that front as well. For a small, lightweight printer that’s quiet too, this sleek model is an excellent overall choice for travelers — or digital nomads — who need access to a full printer.
Price at time of publish: $490
The Details: 14.96 x 7.8 x 3.6 inches | 6.51 pounds (6.73 pounds with battery) | Wi-Fi, USB, and Bluetooth connectivity
Best Customizable: HP Sprocket Studio Plus 4x6 Instant Photo Printer Bundle
Why We Love It
It produces lab-quality 4 x 6 photos.
What to Consider
Each cartridge only prints approximately 10 photos.
Let your creativity shine with the HP Sprocket Studio Plus 4x6 Instant Photo Printer Bundle. Print high-quality 4 x 6 prints from your smartphone using the HP Sprocket app, with the option to customize them to your heart’s desire. Editing is possible within the app, and printing is a breeze using a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection where you’ll then see your vivid prints come to life. With the bundle, you can then use the included markers, stickers, and patterned paper for frames to decorate them. Create a greeting card for a friend’s birthday, a collage page for a scrapbook, and so much more with this printer and kit. If customization is at the top of your portable photo printer wishlist, this is your best bet.
Price at time of publish: $231
The Details: 7.09 x 4.72 x 1.97 inches | 1 pound | Wi-Fi, USB, and Bluetooth connectivity
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Most Lightweight: Fujifilm Instax Mini Link 2 Smartphone Printer
Why We Love It
It’s ultralight and compact.
What to Consider
Purchasing the film on a regular basis can get pricey.
We love the pocket-sized Fujifilm Insta MiniLink Smartphone Printer for its portability and quick photo printing. It’s packed with cool features like printing a still photo from a video on your phone and the ability to add filters, frames, and stickers to your images. Use the ‘Party Print’ mode to create a unique print with up to 5 friends or create a collage using one of the 14 templates. Print from the free app from your smartphone or tablet, or, if you have a Fujifilm X series compatible camera, it’s possible to print right from there. If you’d like two of the same photo just hit the handy “reprint” button so you can share the shot with friends or family and keep one for yourself. The 2.4 x 1.8 inch film comes in packs of 10 and is easy to carry along with the tiny-but-mighty printer for your upcoming vacation, music festival, family picnic, and more.
Price at time of publish: $135
The Details: 3 x 5 x 7.1 inches | 9.9 ounces | Bluetooth/app connectivity
Best for Borderless Photos: Kodak Mini 3 Retro Portable Photo Printer
Buy at Shop.kodakphotoprinter.com
Why We Love It
It prints both bordered and borderless photos.
What to Consider
The prints are limited to 3 x 3 inches.
We love the ease of Bluetooth printing from smartphones or tablets when using the Kodak Mini 3 Retro Portable Photo Printer. Edit your photos using a wide array of filters right in the Kodak app before printing from this sleek, compact device. Send your favorite vacation shots directly to the printer via Bluetooth and print them out for friends or family, or to hang on your own refrigerator as decorative mementos of your trip. It’s perfect for travel since it fits easily in almost any bag without taking up too much space and uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Photos come out crisp and high-quality and won’t get ruined as they are protected against water and fingerprint smudges. Whether your kids want to print some photos from a day at the beach or you plan on making a mini scrapbook for your friend’s birthday weekend away, this mini photo printer is a fantastically fun choice.
Price at time of publish: $180
The Details: 5 x 4 x 1 inches | 1.94 pounds | Bluetooth connectivity
Related:The 11 Best Cameras for Travel of 2023, According to Professional Photographers
Best Budget: HP Tango
Why We Love It
It prints, scans, and copies.
What to Consider
The scanning has to be done through your smartphone and then sent to the printer.
The HP Tango is our top pick for a stand-up all-around printer that’s portable and affordable. Whether you need to print a return label for a package, a photo for your family, your grocery list, or a contract for a client, this printer can handle getting the job done virtually anywhere. Print directly from your smartphone or laptop, and do it hands-free with the voice activation feature. Using the HP Smart app, printing photos up to 5 x 7 inches or other documents from your phone is a breeze. Its compact size makes taking it along easy in a pinch, and the intelligent HP Instant Ink Plan will automatically order replacement ink to be delivered to your home monthly, so you won’t run out. It also works with Amazon’s Alexa, so, without pressing any buttons, you can tell your printer to make a hard copy of your grocery list before leaving home.
Price at time of publish: $160
The Details: 8.11 x 14.84 x 3.58 inches | 6 pounds | Wi-Fi, USB, and Bluetooth connectivity
Best for Stickers: Brother VC-500W
Why We Love It
Since it prints without ink, there’s no need to constantly purchase ink cartridges.
What to Consider
Set up can be time-consuming.
Ideal for crafters and small businesses, the Brother ColAura Color Photo and Label Printer is a great choice for printing labels, stickers, and photos on the go. Print directly from your smartphone using the Wi-Fi connection and create products that are water, tear, and smudge resistant. Whether you want to personalize your belongings with fun, custom labels, or print stickers with your business logo, this lightweight printer gets the job done from almost anywhere. Tap into your creative side with the free downloadable software where you can design your own labels and stickers. Take it from your home office to a craft fair, enjoy a scrapbooking project with printed photos, or tackle that organization project with your own creative flair in full color and high quality.
Price at time of publish: $180
The Details: 4.60 x 4.40 x 3.80 inches | 1.45 pounds | Wi-Fi connectivity
Best for Documents: Jadens PeriPage Wireless Portable Printer
Why We Love It
It doesn’t require ink, toner, or ribbons.
What to Consider
In order to use the printer, you need to download and use their specific app.
We like the stylish design of the Jadens Wireless Portable Printer and the fact that its slim profile is easy to transport. Using thermal technology, you can print documents directly from the app via Bluetooth without having to replace ink cartridges, toner, or ribbon. Whether you need to print your boarding passes quickly during your travels, or a shipping label for a return, this compact printer is perfect for students, professionals, or just everyday use within your family. The battery is long lasting and the paper comes in roll form, making it portable as well. For basic document printing in black and white, this printer is great for travels near and far.
Price at time of publish: $180
The Details: 11.18 x 4.29 x 2.83 inches | 2.25 pounds | Bluetooth/app and USB connectivity
Best for Receipts: Square Terminal
Why We Love It
It’s perfect for small business owners, whether in a shop or on the go.
What to Consider
It’s limited to printing receipts.
Small business owners need the flexibility to take payments by card, and the Square Terminal is our pick for an all-in-one device that processes payments and prints receipts. The cordless design with built-in battery allows you to take credit and debit cards and print receipts for customers all day long via a Wi-Fi connection. The printer is small and lightweight, easy to tote along for your travels, days selling your goods at the market or craft fair, and much more. The terminal printer works with standard thermal printer paper so replacing a roll isn’t a big deal.
Price at time of publish: $299
The Details: 5.6 x 3.4 x 2.5 inches | 14.71 ounces | Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity
Best for Road Trips: Epson WorkForce WF-110
Why We Love It
It’s smaller than a standard printer.
What to Consider
The printing speed is on the slower end.
For those who need a lightweight printer to tote around in your car that can still print full-sized pages, the Epson Workforce WF-110 is a great option. This model is a bit hefty for air travel but makes sense for professionals who trek by car and need to print on the go, as it easily fits in a bag for transport. Enjoy voice-activated, hands-free printing, and if you forget to turn it off, the automatic power-off feature will save the battery. Flexible battery charging via USB and AC adapter works well in a vehicle and Wi-Fi-connectivity makes it a breeze to print documents from your smartphone, tablet, or laptop. Although this model isn’t ideal for bigger print jobs, it’s a solid choice for lighter tasks, with its 20-paper input tray. The SD card slot is a welcome bonus for printing photos as well.
Price at time of publish: $330
The Details: 9.1 x 12.2 x 8.5 inches | 4.6 pounds | Wi-Fi connectivity
Tips for Buying Printers for Travel
Prioritize printing quality and speed
With so many mobile printers on the market, it’s important to prioritize the features that will be most useful to you and how you plan to use it. Quality and high-speed printing are some of the most important features to look for — you don’t want to be waiting forever to print a PDF you need for a business meeting or end up with blurry shipping labels. For a portable printer, between 5 and 15 pages per minute (ppm) is considered pretty solid, though sometimes the higher the quality of the printed page, the slower the speed it takes. Finding a decent balance of the two, as well as strong battery life and ease of use, are ideal.
Think about connectivity
A portable printer should be straightforward to use, whether printing, scanning, or copying from your smartphone, tablet, or laptop. Most portable printers come with a USB for charging as well as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity options that pair with your smartphone directly or through an app. If you will often be in areas where Wi-Fi is unreliable or nonexistent, consider a portable printer that connects through Bluetooth so sending documents to print isn’t an issue in those situations.
Look for a packable size
Consider how and where you’ll be using your portable printer. If you’ll be printing from a combination of your home, car, and office and you need something that can be transported between those places, you can probably go with something a little bigger. If you plan to bring your printer on your travels where packing space is limited, you’ll want something more compact.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose a portable printer?
Choosing the right portable printer for your specific needs and mobility depends on many factors. While the main issue surrounds the size of the printer you’ll bring along on your travels, there are several other things to consider, too. If you plan to use your printer while out and about all day, you’ll need one with good battery life. If you’re interested in primarily using it to print photos from your phone, looking for a compact photo printer makes the most sense as they’re less bulky. Think about whether you need to scan or copy in addition to print as there are specific models that have all three capabilities. If you will mostly be using it for receipt or label printing for your small business, make sure to purchase a portable thermal printer as that will give you the highest quality for that particular type of printing. It’s also key to look at the ease of use and whether or not you’ll need to replace ink cartridges, toner, or ribbons regularly.
Do portable printers need Wi-Fi?
Many portable printers have the option to print via Wi-Fi, however, it’s not necessary. Really, you just need a connection between the device you want to print from and the printer itself. Many offer Bluetooth, USB, or their own wireless connection platform within the device. Bluetooth is the most common, and is an easy way to print from your smartphone, laptop, or tablet once connected. This makes a portable printer truly mobile for whatever your needs are and wherever your travels take you.
Why Trust Travel + Leisure
A writer and travel photographer, Lauren Breedlove used her personal experience with finding the right portable printers for travel in order to curate this list. She also scoured the internet, researching and selecting the best portable printers to suit a wide array of needs.
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