The Best Photo Printers for Your Priceless Memories

Do you have photos of old friends, priceless memories, vacation destinations, and special occasions on your phone but don’t know what to do with them? While digitally storing your photos is great, there is nothing like bringing your photos to life by printing them out.

After printing them, you can then store those memories in scrapbooks or display them on bulletin boards or the walls of your home for all to see. Luckily, there are many photo printers on the market that can help you do just this so that you can enjoy your timeless memories on a daily basis. We made this guide to simplify your search for an amazing photo printer that will suit your unique needs and produce physical copies of your favorite memories.

Shopping for a Photo Printer

Here are some things to look for:

• Print Size: While some photo printers can produce prints in various sizes, others are designed to produce a single-size printout. 3×4-inch and similarly-sized prints are great for photo albums or simply storing memories. However, for high-quality prints that can be displayed on the walls of your home, you will likely want to opt for a photo printer capable of printing large high-quality photos.
• Print Quality: Print quality is another factor to closely consider depending on your needs. Less expensive photo printers tend to produce lower-quality photo prints, but even these photos can be fun to produce and save. Many people actually prefer the lower quality of classic cameras and the moody, subtle images they produce. But if you are an amateur or professional photographer, you will need to invest more in your photo printer to bring out the nuanced details of the source photos.
• Functionality:  You should also consider how you plan on using and connecting to your printer. Some printers can connect to your smartphone via USB or Lightning connection, making them great for on-the-go printing. Others can utilize Wi-Fi for an effortless, wireless experience. Additionally, the requirements for various printers differ, so be sure to think about the ink, paper, and other accessories a printer requires, as well as the cost associated with these items.

Top Pick: HP ENVY Photo 7855 All-in-One Photo Printer

If you’re seeking a printer that supports a wide variety of print sizes and results in amazing printed photos, this one is for you. This HP ENVY All-in-One Photo Printer prints in vivid colors and is especially impressive (nearly professional quality) when utilizing high-quality photo paper. It also makes mobile printing with your smartphone quick and simple while also allowing you to print from your computer, an SD card, a flash drive, or an external hard drive. Additionally, this printer is easy to set up, even for those who aren’t tech-savvy, making it an amazing choice for many people.

Best Value: Polaroid Wi-Fi Wireless 3×4 Portable Mobile Photo Printer

For a photo printer that puts the “fun” in functionality, the Polaroid Wi-Fi Wireless 3×4 Portable Mobile Photo Printer is a great choice. This budget-friendly printer allows you to add frames, filters, captions, and other decorations to your photos, which are printed out with a classic Polaroid aesthetic. Additionally, the ZINK paper that this product uses does not require ink, toner, or anything complicated to produce beautiful vintage-style photos. While the print quality is nothing like you will find on more expensive models, this product still scores major points for being a fun, compact photo printer at an excellent price.

Best Mini: Kodak Dock Plus 4×6 Portable Instant Photo Printer

The Kodak Dock Plus 4×6 Portable Instant Photo Printer is a great choice for those seeking something small and simple to turn their smartphone photos into impressive printed keepsakes. Featuring USB-C and Lightning adapters for connecting your phone, as well as Bluetooth compatibility, this product prints in layers of ribbon and includes a lamination process for added quality and durability. The resulting photos are a definite step up in quality from most budget photo printers as the colors are more vibrant and true to the original image. Given that this photo printer can be used virtually anywhere, it’s also a versatile option for those who wish to print photos on the go.

Best for Vintage Lovers: Polaroid Originals Lab – Digital to Analog Polaroid Photo Printer

For vintage Polaroid photos without the drawback of lugging around a cumbersome camera wherever you go, this product from Polaroid Originals Lab is your best choice. This photo printer features a three-element lens system that converts digital photos from your smartphone into vintage Polaroids that you can treasure forever. In terms of ease of use and photo quality, this product definitely impresses while also scoring points for its unique augmented reality features. This photo printer is also simple to use right out of the box for vintage lovers with a compatible smartphone.

Best Print Quality: Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300

If you are a photographer seeking the best print quality for your money, the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300 is too good to pass up. This photo printer uses its nine-color plus Chroma Optimizer ink system to stunning effect to ensure your photos are recreated as close to the source material as possible. Despite being a great choice for professional photographers, however, this printer is very simple to use, whether you are printing from your Wi-Fi connection or configuring the print settings so that the end product is nothing short of perfect.