Mini printers are an interesting category of product, or, more correctly, a very generic term that refers to small printers. Within the mini printer category there are really two types of printers to consider; photo printers and everything else.
Photo printers’ sole purpose in this world is to print photos and they don’t do anything else. They require specialised ink cartridges and specialised paper, so when you choose a brand and a model you need to be aware that you’ll be tied to buying the relevant consumables (ink and paper) until you buy a new printer. Unlike larger inkjet printers there’s no option to buy generic- brand consumables so you’ll be paying full price for everything.
Some photo printers, like the Polaroid GL10, are small enough that you can keep them in your bag and print out a photo anywhere. Units like the Canon Selphy are a little bigger but still easily portable.
The other category of mini-printers are really just that; small printers designed to be portable. With these printers you get similar quality output that you’d expect from larger printers, just in a smaller
size. Mini printers in this class often have Bluetooth connectivity, the option for a rechargeable battery (to ensure portability) and a much higher price.
Unfortunately, none of the mini printers we reviewed contain AirPrint technology – the only official way to print from your iOS device at present. This seems to be a glaring omission. The Bolle BP-100 is the only printer in this review that can be used from your iOS device, thanks to its built-in dock connector.
There are third-party utilities you can install on your Mac that let you print from your iOS device via AirPrint, but the main reason you might buy a mini printer is that you have a need to print when you’re away from your computer.
Canon SELPHY CP800
Canon, Review here.
Epson PictureMate PM235
Epson, Review here.
Bolle Photo BP-100
Bolle, Review here.
Brother PJ-663
Brother, Review here.
HP Officejet 100
HP, Review here.
Polaroid GL10
Polaroid, Review here.
