Photo Printers Compared: Desktop, Postcard and Pocket Options

Choose the print before choosing the printer

A photo printer can mean an A3+ inkjet, a postcard printer or a pocket-sized sticker maker. These are different purchases. This guide compares ten models by their print format, practical uses and buying considerations, helping you choose the type that suits your photographs.

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Start with the largest photograph you genuinely intend to print. Then decide whether you need scanning, document printing or a phone-only workflow. Several desktop models below are discontinued; their presence here explains their usefulness and limitations, not guaranteed availability.

Three costs that change the decision

Compare the printer, its consumables and your likely print volume together. For an inkjet, include the complete ink set and photographic paper. For a compact printer, calculate the cost of a compatible paper pack per photograph. For a used machine, leave room for supplies and the possibility that a fault makes the bargain uneconomic.

An inkjet also needs a realistic maintenance routine. Follow its manual, use it periodically and diagnose missing colours with a nozzle check before repeatedly running cleaning cycles. If you only want a few prints each year, compare home printing with ordering those photographs from a lab.

Epson EcoTank ET-7700

The ET-7700 is an A4 photo-oriented all-in-one with refillable tanks. Its five-ink arrangement combines pigment black for text with dye inks for photographs. That gives it a different purpose from a pocket printer: family photographs, documents and occasional scanning from one machine.

The attraction is the bottle system when you print regularly. It does not make every photograph practically free: paper, cleaning cycles and wasted prints still count. A tank printer bought for a handful of holiday photographs can take a long time to justify its purchase cost.

Choose it for regular A4 printing if the particular unit is healthy and supported by your computer. For A3 enlargements, move to a larger machine. Check a nozzle pattern before buying used; a full tank is no evidence that every nozzle works.

Manufacturer information and support.

Check Epson EcoTank ET-7700 offers on Amazon.

Alternative ET-7700 listing — compare the exact package and seller.

Epson Expression Photo XP-960

The XP-960 combines six dye inks and A3 printing with an A4 scanner. That size distinction matters: it can enlarge a photograph beyond A4, but cannot scan an A3 original in one pass.

Epson marks this model as discontinued. It is therefore a conditional used or remaining-stock purchase, rather than an automatic recommendation for a new home setup. Ask for a recent colour nozzle check and an actual photo print. Missing pale colours can be harder to notice on a text page.

It suits someone who wants occasional larger glossy photographs and basic scanning in the same device. Cartridge expenditure and the condition of the printhead should carry more weight than an attractive second-hand price.

Manufacturer information and support.

Check Epson Expression Photo XP-960 offers on Amazon.

HP Sprocket 200

The Sprocket 200 makes small 2 × 3-inch adhesive-backed photographs using ZINK paper and a phone app. Its appeal is immediate sharing: travel journals, scrapbooks, party souvenirs and labels made from your own pictures.

There is no separate ink cartridge, but each sheet is a consumable. Work out the price per sheet before comparing it with a desktop printer. A pocket-sized photograph also offers much less space for fine detail than a postcard or A4 print.

Buy it for the activity and small stickers. Skip it for framed enlargements or a controlled photographic workflow. On an older unit, confirm that the app connects to your current phone and that the battery charges and lasts through several prints.

Manufacturer information and support.

Check HP Sprocket 200 offers on Amazon.

Victure portable photo printer

The Victure portable printer is not identified by a sufficiently precise model number. Brand name and appearance do not establish paper compatibility, phone support or the printing process.

This entry should not be treated as a verified equivalent to the Sprocket or SELPHY. Before buying, obtain the exact model number, its manual, the required app and a source for replacement consumables. Ask the seller to demonstrate a print from the type of phone you intend to use.

An inexpensive device is poor value if its app no longer works or its proprietary paper cannot be obtained. Choose a better-documented alternative when the seller cannot answer those questions.

Check Victure portable photo printer offers on Amazon.

Canon SELPHY CP1300

The CP1300 is a compact dye-sublimation printer for small photographs, including postcard-sized output with the appropriate paper and ink pack. It serves a different need from ZINK sticker printers: ordinary small photographs for albums and sharing.

Buy matched SELPHY consumables for the exact printer and print size. Its multi-pass process needs clear space for the paper to move; do not push the printer tightly against a wall. Portable use also needs planning because battery operation requires the appropriate optional battery.

It is a sensible format for someone who wants small photographs without maintaining a desktop inkjet. Compare the total package with the newer CP1500, including warranty and connectivity, before paying a premium for old stock. Neither is a replacement for an A4 document printer.

Manufacturer information and support.

Check Canon SELPHY CP1300 offers on Amazon.

Canon Zoemini

Canon’s Zoemini uses ZINK paper to make 2 × 3-inch adhesive-backed prints through a phone-based workflow. It is designed around decorating and sharing small images, rather than producing large photographic prints.

Paper cost is the running cost even though there are no ink cartridges to replace. Stickers can be useful for a journal or event, but they are not the same thing as larger prints on your chosen photographic paper.

Check whether an offer is for this version of the Zoemini or a later model; specifications and accessories should follow that exact version. For a used unit, test the Bluetooth connection, app and battery together. Choose a postcard printer if the picture itself needs more space.

Manufacturer information and support.

Check Canon Zoemini offers on Amazon.

Kodak Dock and Wi-Fi portable photo printer

The older Kodak Dock and Wi-Fi printer makes 4 × 6-inch photographs, a useful size for albums. Its dock format can be convenient for a fixed printing spot at home.

Do not assume that a current Dock Plus listing has the same connection method or supplies as this older version. Kodak has sold different generations under similar names. Match the model number on the unit to its instructions and replacement paper-and-cartridge packs.

Choose it only after checking phone compatibility and the full cost of supplies. For a used example, a demonstration with your phone is more useful than a promise that it once worked with the seller’s handset. Allow room for paper movement during printing.

Manufacturer information and support.

Check Kodak Dock and Wi-Fi portable photo printer offers on Amazon.

Epson Expression Photo XP-8600

The XP-8600 is an A4 print, scan and copy model using six Claria Photo HD dye inks. It is a better match for a home that wants photographic printing and a scanner than for someone who only wants small party stickers.

The light cyan and light magenta inks are part of its photographic ink set; they do not turn it into a large-format printer. A4 remains the limit for the job considered here. Individual cartridges let you replace a depleted colour separately, but a full replacement set is still a meaningful ongoing expense.

Epson lists it as discontinued. Check remaining-stock pricing against supported alternatives, and inspect used examples carefully. If regular photo volume makes cartridges unattractive, consider a suitable photo tank printer instead.

Manufacturer information and support.

Check Epson Expression Photo XP-8600 offers on Amazon.

Canon PIXMA iP8750

The iP8750 is a print-only A3+ model with a six-ink Canon system, including grey. It does not use Epson Claria ink. There is no scanner, so it makes sense when photographic printing is the job and another device handles scanning.

Larger output is its practical advantage over A4 machines. Remember that larger sheets, rejected prints and cartridge replacements also increase the cost of experimenting. A high maximum resolution figure alone cannot tell you how your edited photograph will look on a particular paper.

Canon’s UK store marks it as discontinued. A clean, supported unit can still serve an existing workflow, but an expensive old-stock offer deserves comparison with current A3+ printers. Ask for a nozzle check and confirm the required Canon cartridges before buying.

Manufacturer information and support.

Check Canon PIXMA iP8750 offers on Amazon.

Polaroid ZIP

The ZIP is a small ZINK printer, rather than a camera using traditional Polaroid instant film. Its main role is turning phone pictures into small prints for sharing and creative projects.

Check the specified paper: the product’s support guidance calls for Polaroid Premium ZINK paper. Similar-looking packs should not be assumed interchangeable. Paper availability, the app and the battery are the important practical checks on an older portable printer.

It suits a buyer who specifically wants this small-print workflow and can demonstrate that it works with their phone. Skip it when colour management, larger photographs or a reliable desktop document printer are the priorities. For a gift, a supported new model with accessible supplies is usually easier to assess.

Manufacturer information and support.

Check Polaroid ZIP offers on Amazon.

The 30-second decision

BUY IT IF: the print size and workflow match your actual use: ZINK for tiny stickers, SELPHY or a verified Dock for album-sized prints, and an appropriate desktop inkjet for A4 or larger photographs.

SKIP IT IF: you cannot confirm supplies, phone or computer compatibility, or the condition of an older printer. A low price does not solve those problems.

SPEND MORE IF: you need a supported new printer, larger output or a photographic ink system that fits your paper choices. Pay for a capability you will use, rather than a headline resolution.

For a desk-based setup, read our guide to photo printers for home use. Considering a second-hand machine? See our older photo printer buying guide.