Printers specs
What to look for
   
Compatibility
You're spending money to make things easier for you, not harder. With that in mind, there are certain things to look out for when buying printers, the operating system (OS) compatibility being one. As the vast majority of the desktop market runs on one variation of Windows or another, Windows support for printers is a given. When it comes to Mac users, you'll find some printers or a few of their functions will work for only certain versions of the OS. Let's not even go into other OSes; only a few manufacturers -- mostly models that are targeted at the enterprise market -- have support for Linux.

Other issues are perhaps an extension of the photo printer's versatility. Printers with Direct Print support may work for only some models of digital cameras. Do not expect to connect these printers to just any digital camera. You'll be sorely disappointed if you had that impression. For example, Canon's Direct Print units can only print photos directly from selected Canon digicams. Lately, PictBridge -equipped models have started to flood the market, therefore this botheration should slowly fade away.


 

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Find the right printer

Brand

    • Multiple options can be selected

    • Canon Selphy CP770

      Canon Selphy CP770

      The Canon Selphy CP770 is a neat, little dye-sublimation printer that includes a bucket for easy travel, but the battery pack which would make it totally portable is not included.

    • Canon Pixma iP100 Inkjet Printer

      Canon Pixma iP100 Inkjet Printer

      It isn't cheap compared to standard printers, but the Canon Pixma iP100 has the highest resolution available in the mobile printer market and prints at an impressive speed to boot. If you simply must have a printer with you at all times, the iP100 should be the do-it-all at your side.

    • Canon Selphy ES2

      Canon Selphy ES2

      Although it offers no technical upgrades from its predecessor, an enhanced user interface and larger LCD display improve on the impressive ES1, making the Canon Selphy ES2 a pleasing choice for a dye-sub photo printer.

    • Epson Stylus Photo R1900

      Epson Stylus Photo R1900

      Epson's Stylus Photo R1900 photo printer is great for scrapbookers who want to print with pigment ink or advanced photographers who want to print large but can't justify the expense of a pro-level printer.

    • HP Photosmart A626

      HP Photosmart A626

      The HP Photosmart A626 is supposed to bridge the gap between the A826 and the A526 snapshot printers by providing lots of features, good print quality, and decent print speeds, but it falls short on the last two counts.

    More reviews »

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