I Tested 7 Portable Printers for My Travel Journal — Honest Comparison & Winner!
If you keep a travel journal, you know a printed photo changes everything about a page. Today I’m comparing the portable printers I’ve actually traveled with — photo quality, size, battery life, and which one is actually worth packing.
I have 7 different printers I’m reviewing today, and I’ll list each below with their Name, Size of Printed Photo, Price, Battery Life and Results.
Canon SELPHY: https://amzn.to/4gxEFfg
This is my FAVORITE Printer… but it’s not (IMO) a portable printer. If you want one for your home office, this one is it! It has the best quality photos, you can choose from endless options for the size and configuration and it plugs into the wall. But, it’s too big to take in your suitcase, unless you have a LOT of room to spare.
Kodak Mini 3 Retro: https://amzn.to/4fbh95C
Took this with me to Spain & Italy last month, and it was a good printer, but it’s not in my TOP 3 because of the size. The 3x3 size is fun, but a little big for Travel Journaling.
Size of Photo: Slightly less than 3 x 3
Price: $92.99
Battery Life: This is slightly less than the Instax battery life, but better than the Canon Ivy.
Results: Tends to lean towards a yellow tint, but you can adjust it in the app. Good quality paper and photos are pretty clear, with a true white boarder when wanting a frame around the photo.
Kodak Mini 2 Retro: https://amzn.to/3RymlZj
This is one of my TOP 3! I use this one a lot and will continue to do so. I like the size of the photo and quality of the print. It’s smaller than the Kodak 3, so it’s easier to travel with!
Size of Photo: Roughly 2.25 x 3.25
Price: $79.99
Battery Life: This would be the bottom of my TOP 3 when it comes to battery life. Make sure you take your charging cord with you, because you will need to charge it during your trip.
Results: This one still ranks in the TOP 3 because of quality of the prints and size of the printer, and size of the photo. It’s slightly larger than the Canon Ivy or Polaroid photo and I like the option to have different frames in the app.
Instax Original: https://amzn.to/4wvgwdY
I’ve had this one the longest and I have to say it’s stood the test of time. It still works after 10+ years and they still use the same film. They’ve replaced this version with several newer ones, but I still think FujiFilm Instax printers are great for that nostalgic feel.
Size of Photo: Roughly 2.25 x 3.25 (same and the Kodak 2)
Price: $106.95 for the Mini Link 3 (newest version before the Mini Link+)
Battery Life: I’m not sure about the battery life on a newer version, but the original held up very well at our retreats.
Results: If you’re looking for the nostalgic look of a Polaroid, this would be a great option.
Canon Ivy: https://amzn.to/4wBWtKP
This printer did not make it into my TOP 3 because of several issues I’ve had with it. There may be a newer version that has taken care of these problems, but I don’t know? The quality of photo was good, but the battery life was terrible. Also, I had several issues with the printer not working at my retreats and we had to switch to a different printer. If you have this one and it works great… let me know!
Polaroid Zip: https://amzn.to/3Td4SpH
This is one of my TOP 3! Coming in at the smallest printer (in my TOP 3) it’s so easy to travel with. I think the quality of the photos are good, but have a slightly pinkish tone. Again, I think you can adjust that in the app. The only downside (which is small) is that that Zinc paper has an off-white color, but some people may like that though?
Size of Photo: Slightly less than 2 x 3
Price: $88.39
Batter Life: This printer has had a “generation 2” come out, so I’m not sure of the battery life on the new one. The one I have is good.
Results: The smallest printer & smallest photo of the TOP 3. It’s a good quality printer and would be interested to hear about the new version.
Instax Mini Link+: https://amzn.to/4wzdV2F
This is one of the TOP 3! I was so excited to get this one this year, and I did a lot of searching on YouTube for videos on it. I didn’t find very many, so it’s pretty new still. I LOVE it, and have so happy with the print quality with the “design mode” you can control.
Size of Photo: Roughly 2.25 x 3.25
Price: $169.95
Battery Life: This had the best battery life out of all the printers!
Results: With this one being the most expensive, I know it’s going to be a decision to make over the other options. I think the new features of this one: the sturdy case, the lightest printer in the bunch, the design mode and being able to link to to Pinterest makes it my TOP FAV!
Let me know in the comments if you have a favorite portable printer you travel with.
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