If you have lots of digital photographs sitting on your hard drive, then you'll want the best photo printer that will produce professional-grade printouts that do your photography justice.
Digital cameras and mobile devices have made photography far more convenient and accessible – as you can instantly review your photos. And, if you buy one of the best photo printers, you can quickly and easily produce physical photographs to display in frames, photo books or to give as gifts.
The best photo printers come in every shape and size, from quick and easy budget photo printers, portable devices and even professional-level photo printers. Fortunately, this means that no matter what you’re looking for, you should be able to find the best photo printer for your needs.
However, we know that all this choice can make finding the best photo printer for your needs a daunting task. That's why we’ve put together this list of the best photo printers you can buy in 2018 – so you can find the best photo printer at the best price.
1. Canon Pixma Pro-100S
The best all-round photo printer
Print speed: 34 seconds | Print resolution: 4800 x 2400 dpi | Paper capacity: 150 sheets | Dimensions: 689 x 385 x 215 mm | Weight: 19.7kg
The Canon Pixma Pro-100S is, in our view, the best photo printer you can buy today. Print quality is stunning - which is perhaps the most important aspect of a photo printer, with an 8-ink dye system that produces gallery-quality prints. It can also handle print sizes of A3 and over, and it's pretty fast as well, able to print a 4 x 6-inch photo in just 34 seconds. If you take a lot of photos on your smartphone or tablet, then the wireless printing feature will be a great help as well. If you want the very best photo printer for a reasonable price, this is the one we recommend.
2. Epson PictureMate PM-400
The easiest printer to use. Ever.
Print speed: 36 seconds for 4 x 6-inch borderless photo | Print resolution: 5,760 x 1,440 | Paper capacity: 50 sheets | Dimensions: 249 x 384 x 200mm (Width x Depth x Height) | Weight: 1.81kg
Once you've got the PM-400 up and running, you'll have a ton of fun running off image after image. Although the print quality won't win any awards for print quality, you'll be proud to hang any of its prints on your wall or sit them on your desk.
The PM-400 is a delight to look at – not that this should heavily factor into which printer you should buy. It's got a pretty bone white frame that tucks away neatly, and the 4-pound printer can be easily transported wherever you go.
Read the full review: Epson PictureMate PM-400
3. Epson SureColor SC-P800
One of the best photo printers for professionals
Print speed: 3 pages a minute | Print resolution: 2,880 x 1,440 | Paper capacity: 120 sheets | Dimensions: 684 x 376 x 250 mm (Width x Depth x Height) | Weight: 19.5kg
If you need a professional photo printer that makes no compromises when it comes to print quality - and which can handle large print sizes for displays and galleries - then the Epson SureColor SC-P800 is definitely worth considering. Sure, it's expensive, but it offers a wide range of features, professional color calibration and even tools for fine artists. This is not a photo printer for beginners wanting to print out a few holiday snaps, but if you work with photos for your profession, this is the best photo printer for you.
4. HP Sprocket Photo Printer
A quick and easy portable photo printer
Print speed: 40 seconds | Print resolution: 313 x 400 | Paper capacity: 10 sheets | Dimensions: 75 x 116 x 23 mm (Width x Depth x Height) | Weight: 0.17kg
The HP Sprocket Photo Printer is a small, hand-sized, photo printer which isn't for printing out professional-quality photos, but is a quick, easy and fun way to instantly print out your digital snaps - essentially turning any digital camera into a Polaroid-esque instant printer. It doesn't use ink, so you don't have to worry about buying replacement cartridges - instead it uses heat to transform a pre-dyed sheet of paper into your photos. It runs on batteries and has a stylish design as well.
5. Canon Pixma TS8050
High quality, all-in-one printer
Print speed: 15 ppm black, 10 ppm colour | Print resolution: 9,600 x 2,400 | Paper capacity: 100 sheets | Dimensions: 372 x 324 x 139mm (Width x Depth x Height) | Weight: 6.5kg
The Canon Pixma TS8050 is great for the travelling professional or someone who needs a small printer for occasional use, printing photos or using the scanner function. It's a bit pricey to buy - and to run - but the flexibility and quality of the printouts is excellent, making this a worthy choice when looking for the best photo printer for your needs.
6. Canon PIXMA TS9150
Amazing print quality - for a price
Print speed: ISO 15ppm black, 10ppm colour | Print resolution: 4,800 x 1,200 | Paper capacity: 120 sheets | Dimensions: 372 x 324 x 140 mm (Width x Depth x Height) | Weight: 6.7g
If you're looking for a great all-round printer which doesn't skimp on print quality for your photographs, then we don't think you will be disappointed by what the PIXMA TS9150, Canon's flagship printer, has to offer.
While it's certainly more expensive than some of the cheap two in one printers you can pick up, it's not a bad price for something which produces high quality prints, especially if you only need to print at A4 or below.
Best of all, the print quality here is stunning, and it also has an attractive design. While the looks of your printer may not seem that important, it does mean you don't feel the need to try and hide it away out of sight if you're using it at home.
7. HP Envy 5540 All-in-One printer
A cheap and cheerful colour inkjet for low volume printing
Print speed: ISO 12ppm black, 8ppm colour | Print resolution: 4,800 x 1,200 | Paper capacity: 125 sheets | Dimensions: 454 x 503 x 156mm (Width x Depth x Height) | Weight: 6.82kg
We've come to expect simple setup and operation from Envy printers, and the HP Envy 5540 All-in-One is no exception. It's quiet, packs in a lot of features and delivers excellent print quality, especially on photo paper. We particularly like the ability to use smartphones as well as computers, and to connect wirelessly without a router. This makes it a versatile photo printer that's not too flashy, but does the job well.