If you love sharing photo prints, journaling, or saving memories in physical photo albums, you might want to upgrade to a photo printer. When manufacturers optimize printers for pictures, the results often exceed the image quality of the best printers available.
Compared to sending photos to a lab or printing at a local office store, you can enjoy faster feedback and more control by creating pictures on your own photo printer. If you decide a print would benefit from a color or exposure adjustment, you can quickly make that change and print again with minimal delay. A printer that handles photos well also offers instant gratification and convenience while saving you money on print costs from a photo lab.
It’s even possible to take your printer on the road thanks to the availability of high-quality portable printers. A small, light printer makes events fun and helps preserve the moment.
Here’s a list of the best photo printers available, a diverse selection that should meet most needs.
Epson SureColor P900
The best photographic-quality printer
Why should you buy this? Excellent photographic print quality will impress the most demanding audience while handling a variety of media and poster-size prints.
Who’s it for? Photographers who demand the most accurate color prints with great dynamic range.
Why we picked the Epson SureColor P900:
The Epson SureColor P900 is a wide-format inkjet printer with a 10-color ink system that creates prints with a wide dynamic range and subtle variations in tone. It’s a top choice for photographers seeking lab-quality prints at home or in the studio. The inclusion of two blacks and two grays enhances tonal depth, ensuring subtle shadows and true blacks. Difficult hues, such as purples and yellows, are rendered with ease thanks to the use of cyan, light cyan, vivid magenta, vivid light magenta, yellow, and violet.
The SureColor P900 can handle various paper types and sizes, ranging from small 3.5 x 5-inch pictures to large 17 x 22-inch posters. With a roll adapter, it can even print banners up to 10 feet long. The SureColor P900 can accept fine art paper and cardstock up to 1.5 mm thick.
While Epson optimized the SureColor P900 for photographs, it can print color documents beautifully. Gradations are smooth, the text is crisp, and graphics are sharp, making it a versatile printer for various creative projects. The high print resolution of up to 5760 x 1440 dpi captures fine details in photographs, graphics, and documents.
Note that this is a large printer and with trays extended for poster prints, it requires significant desk space. It’s also quite expensive for casual use. However, photographers and artists can easily justify an investment in Epson’s SureColor P900 to produce large-format, high-resolution prints on-demand with excellent fidelity.
If you like the look of the P900, but need something a little smaller and less expensive with the same great picture quality, Epson’s SureColor P700 will fit the bill. The P700 can handle 13-inch wide paper rolls.
Epson SureColor P900 (17-inch printer)
Epson SureColor P700 (13-inch printer)
Epson EcoTank ET-8500
The best inkjet tank photo printer
Why should you buy this? It’s one of the best photographic-quality tank printers.
Who’s it for? Photo enthusiasts who print frequently and demand top-quality pictures.
Why we picked the Epson EcoTank ET-8500:
Epson’s EcoTank ET-8500 is a fantastic all-in-one inkjet tank printer that can output pictures with photographic quality. It features a six-color ink system that adds gray and photo black to the standard CMYK palette of most inkjet printers. Epson claims photos printed with these Claria ET Premium inks can last up to 300 years in a photo album, making your photos a multigenerational record.
The EcoTank ET-8500 includes a high-resolution flatbed scanner and can create color copies with excellent fidelity. Epson’s photo inkjet tank means business and can print color documents at up to 12 pages per minute and roll out up to four 4 x 6 photo-sized prints each minute.
At around $700, the EcoTank ET-8500 might be a bit expensive for home use, but if you demand the best while keeping ink costs low, this printer is hard to beat. According to Epson, the included ink will last up to two years. When it’s time to add more, you refill from inexpensive bottles.
Epson also sells a wide-format model, the EcoTank ET-8550, which can create borderless photos up to 13 x 19 inches.
EcoTank ET-8500
EcoTank ET-8550
Canon Pixma MegaTank G620
The best deal on an inkjet photo printer
Why should you buy this? It’s a low-cost inkjet tank printer designed for photos.
Who’s it for? Home users looking for an inexpensive, all-in-one photo printer.
Why we picked the Pixma MegaTank G620:
The Canon Pixma MegaTank G620 is an all-in-one inkjet tank printer with two extra ink colors. With dedicated gray and red inks, it can handle photos better than the average inkjet printer that offers only cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.
When you’re recording memories, you want them to last. Canon’s Pixma MegaTank G620 uses ink rated for extended life, up to 100 years. Your best-looking photos could retain their beauty for a century if stored in a photo album.
As an all-in-one printer, the Pixma MegaTank G620 can also scan and make color copies of photos and documents. Since it’s an inkjet, you’ll rarely need to replenish the ink and when you do, you refill the tanks with inexpensive bottles instead of cartridges.
Priced at around $300, the Canon Pixma MegaTank G620 is an affordable photo printer with low running costs. The only trade-off could be the slow print speed. Color documents print at just four pages per minute.
Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850
The best fast inkjet printer for photos
Why should you buy this? It’s one of the quickest ways to print a large number of good-quality photos.
Who’s it for? Photographers and business users who need the speed of a laser printer with acceptable image quality.
Why we picked the EcoTank Pro ET-5850:
The Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850 is an exceptionally fast inkjet printer, rivaling the speed of many laser printers. It can print up to 25 pages per minute (ppm) in both color and monochrome, with duplex printing nearly as fast at 21 ppm. The first page is out in just 5.5 seconds, eliminating the usual warm-up time associated with laser printers. This remarkable speed ensures that busy offices and professionals can meet tight deadlines without any delays.
While speed is a defining feature, it also excels in photo quality with great prints on both glossy and plain paper, boasting vibrant colors, sharp details, and good dynamic range. Borderless photo printing further enhances its capabilities, making it suitable for creating marketing materials or high-quality photos for personal use. Although specialized photo printers like the Epson EcoTank ET-8500 may perform better in terms of high-contrast images, the EcoTank Pro ET-5850 is more than sufficient for most needs.
Since the EcoTank Pro ET-5850 all-in-one, it can also scan and copy with a 1200 dip flatbed and an automatic document feeder (ADF) allowing duplex color copies at up to 20 ppm. The large color touchscreen make copying simple and a USB port allows walk-up printing from thumb drives. It also includes fax capabilities on those rare occasions you need to send or receive a facsimile.
The EcoTank ink system reduces long-term operating costs. Epson includes enough ink to print around 27,000 pages, so you could enjoy years of printing before buying more ink bottles. The EcoTank Pro ET-5850’s large ink tanks reduce print costs to about four-tenths of a cent for black-and-white documents and one cent for color. This makes it an excellent choice for high-volume use, as it significantly reduces the cost of maintaining a steady workflow. The refillable tanks also make it more environmentally friendly compared to traditional cartridge systems.
Overall, the Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850 combines quick printing, great photo quality, versatile all-in-one functions, and cost-effective operation. While it uses a 4-color ink system, it might be all you need for image-heavy document prints and high-volume photo prints.
HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw
The best color laser printer for photos
Why should you buy this? It’s one of the quickest ways to print a large number of good-quality photos.
Who’s it for? Photographers and business users who need the speed of a laser printer with acceptable image quality.
Why we picked the Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw:
HP’s Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw offers the speed you need for high volume photo prints. With 35 pages per minute for black-and-white and color, you can output a stack of full-page photos three to seven times as fast as most inkjet printers.
While the picture quality lacks the subtlety and dynamic range of an inkjet photo printer, the Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw has good color accuracy overall and enough detail and dynamic range for many projects. Photographers could find a place for a well-rated color laser printer as well as a more refined inkjet photo printer.
With two paper trays, a fast full-duplex automatic document feeder, and large color touchscreen, the Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw will provide simple, reliable operation for nearly any job. The only downsides are the lack of borderless printing and a relatively high cost per page for color, when compared to an inkjet task printer.
Canon Selphy QX20
The best battery-operated photo printer
Why should you buy this? It offers great quality in a portable printer you can use anywhere.
Who’s it for? Mobile photographers who want to share great pics before they get home.
Why we picked the Selphy QX20:
The Canon Selphy QX20 is a fun, mobile printer that features dye-sublimation technology to produce high-quality photos on glossy sticker paper. The results are impressive for such a compact printer, providing accurate colors with good clarity and sharpness. While some prints may appear slightly less vibrant than the originals, the overall quality is more than enough for casual use, journaling, and sharing memories.
Designed with portability in mind, the Selphy QX20 is great for impromptu pictures you can share at events. Its compact size, about the same as a thick paperback book and weighing just one pound, means you can fit it into small bags or big pockets, making it easy to bring along for on-the-go printing.
The Selphy QX20 is battery-powered, and it can print up to 20 photos (one full photo pack) on a single charge. It’s compatible with standard USB-C chargers and a complete recharge takes just 80 minutes. Canon’s Selphy CP1500, mentioned below, is a portable, plug-in dye-sub printer that lets you print for longer.
The Selphy QX20 is great for parties, reunions, and other events, but ink and paper costs will add up. Canon bundles paper and ink together and it’s $15 for a 20-sheet pack. That means each 2.7-by-2.7-inch or 2.1-by-3.4-inch print costs 75 cents. I think the instant photo capability and picture quality offset the higher print cost. For larger prints or bulk printing, a desktop photo printer is still best.
Canon’s Selphy QX20 features dye-sublimation color accuracy and portability for mobile picture prints of photos while you’re still at an event. Although the battery life might prevent heavy use, its creative features and convenience make it a great choice for casual users.
HP Sprocket Select
The best tiny battery-operated photo printer
Why should you buy this? It’s a tiny, mobile printer that doesn’t require ink.
Who’s it for? Mobile photographers who want an inexpensive printer for quick prints on the go.
Why we picked the HP Sprocket Select:
The HP Sprocket is an inexpensive battery-powered printer that’s thin and light enough to bring wherever you go. It’s designed to work with your phone and connects wirelessly. This tiny printer requires HP Zink sticky-backed paper and print size is limited to 2.3 inches by 3.4 inches.
Everything about the Sprocket Select is small, including the price, which is about $100. It weighs less than a pound and can fit in your pocket.
While Zink doesn’t offer the best photo quality possible or the longest life span, the ability to print on the spot makes it worthwhile. If you want a larger picture size, HP’s Sprocket Studio Plus is a larger model that costs more but can print up to 4-inch by 6-inch photos.
HP Sprocket Select
HP Sprocket Studio Plus
Canon Selphy CP1500
The best dye-sub portable photo printer
Why should you buy this? It creates a variety of portable prints with the technology needed for higher quality.
Who’s it for? Photographers who want a portable dye-sub printer that works more media.
Why we picked the Selphy CP1500:
Don’t let the cute name of the Canon Selphy CP1500 fool you. This small printer takes photo printing seriously. Many portable printers, like the HP Sprocket Select, use less durable Zink paper, a specialized photo paper with embedded dye crystals. The Selphy CP1500 is different, as it uses dye sublimation that provides better-quality photos that last up to 100 years.
Priced a little over $100, Canon’s portable printer handles a variety of paper for pictures up to 4 inches by 6 inches. Like other portable printers, the Selphy CP1500 is easy to connect to your phone. You can also connect it to a Windows PC or Mac.
You won’t be able to shove the Selphy CP1500 into a pocket, but with a weight of about 2 pounds, it’s easy to carry. It comes with a power adapter that you need to plug into a wall outlet to print. A battery pack is available if you want to use it on the road.
Dye sublimation offers crisp images and vibrant colors, but requires special ink cartridges and paper. That means costs will add up in a hurry if you print frequently. That’s to be expected for a specialty printer of this quality.
Are laser printers good for photo printing?
Generally speaking, laser printers can’t match the image quality of inkjet printers or dye sublimation printers. The difference is obvious if compared to photo printers which often have ink colors and print smaller dots.
Since ink is a liquid, it blends better than the waxy toner that laser printers use. Photo printers also support a greater variety of paper types. Laser printer paper must withstand high temperatures, and glossy coatings might not survive.
However, the best color laser printers handle photos much better than early models. While we wouldn’t recommend buying a laser printer exclusively for photography, the HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw is one of the best color laser printers for color documents that feature pictures.
If you want a nice photo printer that’s as quick as some laser printers, check out the speedy Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850.
Can photo printers print documents?
Almost any desktop inkjet printer can print pictures, documents, and labels with an acceptable quality. That’s what makes an inexpensive inkjet such a tempting purchase. For example, Epson’s EcoTank 2800 is an inkjet tank with great picture quality at an affordable price.
Some photo printers are versatile enough to handle document printing, but not all. For example, portable photo printers often require small paper with an adhesive backing. For documents, you need letter-size and legal-size paper.
Desktop photo printers can print documents and offer the same high-quality print for text and images, making color documents look great. A potential downside is the cost of ink. If you get a cartridge-based photo printer like Epson’s SureColor printers, you won’t want to waste ink on monochrome documents and labels at a high cost per page.
With a photo printer based on inkjet tank technology, like the Canon Pixma MegaTank G620 or Epson EcoTank ET-8500, your running costs will remain low for pictures and documents.
Is it worth buying a photo printer?
The value of a photo printer is a personal decision. If you print photos frequently and cherish your collection, it’s worth considering an upgrade. Every picture you print adds more value to the investment. Just be aware of ink and paper costs.
If you don’t print pictures that often or rarely need photographic-quality prints, you can print most photos on well-rated, budget-priced printers. A photo lab or office store can make high-quality prints when you want top-quality pictures. However, there are more possibilities with a photo printer.
Mobile and portable printers are easy to carry, so you can use them to set up fun photo booths at events. Printing photos from your smartphone can evoke nostalgic memories, like the old instant film camera photos that developed before our eyes. For that same reason, many people love mobile printers.
Desktop photo printers offer significant improvements in speed and quality but take up space and have higher upfront costs. An all-in-one inkjet photo printer is versatile and long-lasting, offering good value in the long run.
Artists and photographers will love owning photo printers. Fine-tuning images to get the best possible print, experimenting with different paper types, and exploring different sizes can make a huge difference in the experience. A photo printer provides the quick feedback you need to create the results you want.
