10 Best Compact Mini Photo Printers 2025 in the United States

The Canon Ivy 2 Mini Photo Printer is a handy choice if you want a compact and portable way to print fun, small photos directly from your smartphone. It uses ZINK technology, which means no ink cartridges are needed — the color comes from special paper with dye crystals, making it fuss-free and easy to maintain. Prints measure 2x3 inches, perfect for stickers or small keepsakes, and the photos have improved color, sharpness, and contrast compared to older versions, so your pictures look nice despite the compact size.

Connecting to your phone is simple via Bluetooth 5.0, and the dedicated Canon Mini Print App offers some customization options to personalize your prints. Battery life lets you print on the go without plugging in, making it great for parties or travel. On the downside, the print speed is quite slow—each photo takes about a minute or more, so it’s not ideal if you need many prints quickly. Also, the print resolution is modest (512 dpi), so images won’t be as crisp or detailed as larger photo printers.

The printer handles glossy photo paper only, and while the peel-and-stick backing is fun for decorating, it limits the print size and use cases. If you want a small, cute printer for casual photo printing and don’t mind waiting a bit for each print, the Canon Ivy 2 fits well. However, for serious photo quality or larger prints, a different device would be better.

The Kodak Step Instant Smartphone Photo Printer is a compact and lightweight device designed for quick, portable photo printing from smartphones or tablets via Bluetooth. It uses Zink (Zero Ink) technology, which means no cartridges or ink are needed, producing vivid 2x3-inch color photos that are smudge-proof and water-resistant. The print quality is decent with a resolution of 300 dpi, suitable for casual printing but not meant for professional photo quality. Printing is borderless and takes about a minute per photo, which is on the slower side but typical for this type of portable printer.

The built-in lithium-ion battery supports about 25 prints per charge, making it handy for on-the-go use but requiring recharging during extended sessions. The printer connects easily with iOS and Android devices, and the companion Kodak app offers a full editing suite with filters, stickers, and collage tools, enhancing the fun and creative side of photo printing. However, the print size is fixed at 2x3 inches, which may feel small if you want larger photos. Paper capacity is limited to about 10 sheets loaded at once, so frequent reloading is needed if printing many photos.

This printer is well-suited for those seeking a fun, portable way to print small, sticker-backed photos quickly, especially for casual use, crafts, or social sharing, rather than for high-volume or high-resolution photo printing.

The Canon Ivy 2 Mini Photo Printer offers several benefits for those looking to print photos directly from their smartphones or tablets. It boasts improved print quality with optimized skin tone colors, better photo contrast, and sharpness, which makes your photos look great. The print size is compact at 2x3 inches, making it perfect for small keepsakes or stickers. A notable feature is the ZINK (Zero Ink) technology, which eliminates the need for traditional ink cartridges, relying instead on dye-based crystals embedded in the paper. This printer also includes sticky-back photo paper, allowing you to stick your prints anywhere you like, which adds a fun element to your photos.

Connectivity is seamless with Bluetooth 5.0, and you can control the printer via the Canon Mini Print App, which is compatible with both iOS and Android devices. This makes it easy to customize and print your photos on the go. On the downside, the print speed is relatively slow with an initial page print time of up to 50 seconds, which might be a drawback if you need to print multiple photos quickly. The printer's small size also means it can only hold up to 10 sheets of paper at a time.

Additionally, while the battery life should suffice for casual use, it may not be adequate for extended periods of heavy printing without recharging. The app features are consumer-friendly but may lack advanced editing tools that some users might expect. The Canon Ivy 2 Mini Photo Printer is an ideal choice for casual photo printing, particularly for those who enjoy the convenience of printing directly from their mobile devices, and appreciate the ease of use and portability.