Take it out of your pocket, open the camera app, and point and shoot. A few filters later, you have already immortalized classics like “Here, suffering” with your feet buried in the sand on the beach or the very current arm with post-vaccine cotton.
More photos are taken than ever and the fault lies not only with our love for social networks but also with the comfort and ever-improving cameras of our smartphones. And although the networks are precisely the destination of our best photos, some continue to bet on the classic and reliable photos on paper. For those people, portable mobile printers are a light, comfortable and easy-to-use option. In this pocket photo printer buying guide, you will find out how to get it right by choosing one and a selection of the most interesting models.
Portable mobile photo printers
Although you always have the handy method of sending them to your trusted photo store – or, if possible, taking your SD card to print them there – you may prefer the simplicity of doing it yourself with a portable photo printer. How to choose the best mini portable photo printer
First of all: How do you print? Most use ZINK technology to achieve this, the method used by many instant cameras as we saw in our buying guide. Roughly speaking, they use a special type of paper that is made up of 3 layers of color and a protective layer. The set is sensitive to heat, activating during the printing process.
When choosing a pocket mini-printer to print from your mobile, we will take into account:
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The standard dimensions of a photograph are 10×15, but there are exceptions such as the mythical Polaroid. Look at the supported paper sizes because this determines what kind of paper it supports, whether there are compatible photo papers, and their price. It is time to do the math to find out the unit price of a photo.
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A home photo printer generally offers a lower print quality than a professional one, but these compact devices have a certain playful vocation, advocating simplicity of use. In this sense, the quality is not something to get excited about, but pay attention to the resolution of the photographs.
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connectivity. Normally they have Bluetooth, NFC, and/or Wi-Fi, so you can send your files without cables or accessories such as an SD card directly from the application you have installed on your device. The idea is that printing is comfortable, agile, and easy. However, there are applications and services with more options than others.
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These are portable devices and are designed so that you can take them from one place to another. In this sense, being as compact as possible results in greater comfort. Of course, be careful because this feature also compromises the size of the photo.
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In addition to being portable, they are also wireless so they do not even need a plug to put them into action. In this sense, they integrate a battery to supply the necessary energy to function. Regarding autonomy, rather than offering data on its capacity or time of use, it is interesting that the manufacturer provides the number of photos that you can print with a single charge .
Portable printers for your mobile: featured models
Xiaomi Mi Portable Photo Printer
The Xiaomi Mi Portable Photo Printer ( 53 euros ) is a very compact portable photo printer with ZINK thermal printing technology that achieves photos with 313 x 400 dpi quality and a size of 2 x 3 inches (50 mm x 76 mm). According to the manufacturer, it is capable of printing a photo in about 45 seconds. You can find print sheets of the brand for 23 euros / 20 photos.
This compact, easy-to-use printer not only prints photos, but also scans, and comes with different in-app templates and filters to let your creativity run wild.
With Bluetooth connectivity and multi-user mode, so up to three people can use it. With an integrated 5,000 mAh battery to use wherever you are.
Kodak Step
The Kodak Step ( $79 ) is a compact, easy-to-use printer with inkless technology suitable for both Bluetooth and SD card use.
With one charge you can print up to 25 2″ x 3″ photos, very interesting given its dimensions. To make it more comfortable to carry and not get lost, it even has a wrist strap.
It prints photos in less than a minute from its complete app, achieving quite vivid colors and a moderately waterproof finish.
If you buy the package of 100 sheets ( 49.99 euros ) you will benefit from a lower printing cost, although you can also find the 29.99 euros /50 sheets or 14.99 euros /20 sheets
Canon Zoemini
The brand, an institution in photography, has the Canon Zoemini ( 99 euros ) in its catalog for photo printing at any time. It is a mini capable of printing photos of 5 x 7.6 cm (2 x 3 inches) and 314 x 600 dpi quality that we send to the device from the Canon Mini Print app, which allows you to add filters, augmented reality effects, and also the paper print has adhesive backing to stick wherever you want.
Very compact and light (82.36 x 18.7 x 118.31 mm and 160g in weight), it is compatible with ZINK photo paper and has an integrated 500 mAh battery.
The package includes, in addition to the printer, manual and charging cable, a box of ZINK photo paper (50 hours / 29.99 euros )
Kodak P210 Mini 2
The Kodak P210 Mini 2 ( 126 euros ) has a retro aesthetic on the outside, but a modern and agile operation. Print borderless 54×86 mm size photos in about 50 seconds thanks to connecting to your mobile via Bluetooth and the app, which also has many customization options such as adding text, filters, and other effects.
The kit includes 30 hours for 68 sheets, so printing is relatively affordable for this type of product. Otherwise, the kit with 60 sheets costs 20 euros
Polaroid Hi-Print
Another classic brand in the world of photography is Polaroid. The Polaroid Hi-Print ( 79 euros ) maintains the essence of the firm in terms of ease of use and casual design.
In this case, it has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC connectivity, so you can connect your smartphone and tablet and send them to the printer, which uses ZINK technology to print.
As usual in this type of printer, the size is 2 x 3 inches, achieving photos with vivid and bright colors, although of basic quality in our experience. In its favor, the app is quite complete in terms of options and very intuitive. Prints take between 15 and 30 seconds approximately, depending on the detail, colors, and dimensions they occupy on the paper.
The printer integrates a 620 mAh battery capable of printing about 20 photos at a moderately fast speed. With dimensions and weight of 17.50 x 10.10 x 4.60 cm and 255g, it fits perfectly in the palm of your hand.
H.P. Sprocket
The HP Sprocket ( 93 euros ) is a printer with an original and sophisticated design with which you can print from a camera, social networks, or Google Photos from different types of devices thanks to its Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity.
It is very light, with a minimalist aesthetic and a very polished app in terms of options and fluidity to print and add effects without many complications. Print 2.3×3.4″ photos and the cost of paper is 19.99 euros / 20 hours.
Sharlene Meriel is an avid gamer with a knack for technology. He has been writing about the latest technologies for the past 5 years. His contribution in technology journalism has been noteworthy. He is also a day trader with interest in the Forex market.
