10 of the Most Compact Printers Ever Made
In the world of printers, bigger is often considered better. A large printer is typically capable of holding a variety of different kinds of ink and paper, which means it offers a combination of maximum productivity with maximum convenience. However, a big printer has a matching footprint and if you don’t have a lot of space for it this can become a huge problem. It’s especially bad for road warriors who need a portable printer that they can take with them and their laptop down to the local coffee shop or to a meeting on the other side of the world. For situations like these, you need a small printer. Here’s a look at eleven of the smallest ones ever made!
1. PrintBrush
PrintBrush: This one hasn’t actually hit the shelves yet but it’s due out within a year and has more than a few people wagging their tongues about what an excellent little printer it is. Reportedly planned to be the smallest full-size document printer ever, the PrintBrush will weigh less than nine ounces. It is said to be a silent printer which means that it can be easily used in meetings, public spaces and even public transportation. It will run on a rechargeable battery, which means power won’t be an issue, and is expected to be priced around $199 at launch.
2. Pentax PocketJet
Pentax PocketJet: Every different printer user has unique needs, which are completely catered for by the four different PocketJet portable prints that are available. Among the options available are a wired and a wireless printer offering 200 dpi or 300 dpi resolution. A full kit includes software, cables, power cord, Ni-MH battery, carrying case and a box of paper, giving everything you need to create a professional quality document. The printer costs around $500, depending on the style of PocketJet that catches your eye.
3. HP Deskjet 450
HP Deskjet 450: This is a high-quality portable printer designed specifically for creating professionally styled text and brilliant quality photo images. The Deskjet 450 prints at a rate of 9 pages per minutes and uses unique inkjet technology which allows it to produce 400+ pages before the ink needs to be changed. The HP Deskjet 450 offers both convenience and functionality for road warriors looking for a portable printer. It weighs just over four pounds and is priced at around $450.
4. Brother MPrint
Brother MPrint: This is an ultra-light portable printer weighing in at only 11 ounces. Despite its small size, the Brother MPrint is a fully functioning printer which can print on a number of different types of paper including notepaper and labels. It’s designed to work as a printer for laptops and smart phones and provides a great printing solution for professionals who regularly work when on the road. It utilizes a rechargeable ion battery and different models of the MPrint may support Bluetooth. It is priced at around $500.
5. Polaroid Digital Mobile Phone Printer
Polaroid Digital Mobile Phone Printer: This is the most interesting new product about to be released for those people who would like to print the pictures they take with their camera phones. It is not a traditional printer in the sense that it is not designed to be compatible with technologies other than mobile phones or digital cameras. Moreover it is completely untraditional in that it prints small (2″ x 3″) photos using an inkless technology. The Polaroid Digital Mobile Phone Printer is most certainly different and is incredibly compact. Weighing in at only eight ounces when it is carrying the rechargeable battery, the Polaroid Digital Mobile Phone Printer is an incredible accessory and will be available at a cost of only $80.
6. Canon BJC-85
Canon BJC-85: This is a bubble jet printer that offers full printing capabilities on a range of different papers including standard A4 and envelopes with an astounding print rate of about 5 pages per minute, creating documents with an incredible resolution of 720 x 361 dpi. The BJC-85 weighs less than five pounds including the battery and other accessories and is considered to be a great portable printer for the business traveler. It is priced at around $299.
7. Samsung Color Laser Printers
Samsung Color Laser Printers: Samsung has recently announced that they have developed two new color laser printers that are smaller than any created before. These are still fairly large printers as far as portable printers go because of the fact that laser printing technology needs more room than inkjet printing. Nevertheless, these small products are so compact that they could be considered portable. One of the printers even has a built-in scanner, so that you really get the full package with these small printers. The bad news is that the company has only announced that they have produced these printers and haven’t specified when, where and at what price they will release these handy gizmos. It’s something to keep an eye on in the future.
8. Xyron Design Runner
Xyron Design Runner: This design printer isn’t necessarily for everyone but it’s a great niche printer for artists and scrap bookers. If you know someone who makes family scrapbooks out of photos as soon as they are printed, consider getting them this as a gift to round out his or her travel needs. It prints out text, images and borders and can be used to print on paper, fabric and even wood. It’s tiny in size, operates on two 9-volt batteries, and only costs about $99.99.
9. HP OfficeJet H470B
HP OfficeJet H470B: This is a five pound mobile printer which is designed to give full printing capabilities in a portable format. It can print up to 22 pages per minute for low quality printing (text-based drafts) but can also offer high-quality printing at speeds of about 7 pages per minute. The HP OfficeJet H470B is able to support a wide range of paper sizes up to 8″ x 14″ and is priced at around $300.
10. Canon Pixma IP90
Canon Pixma IP90: This is primarily designed as a photo printer so the IP90 prints high quality color images on paper intended for photographs. However, the Canon Pixma IP90 can also be used as a basic portable printer with added photo printing features. It can print a range of sizes up to a normal A4 and has features which allow you to save ink without reducing color quality in order to get the best value for money. It weighs around three pounds and is priced at a reasonable $330.
About the Author
When Tom Walker isn’t writing exceptional blog posts, he is indulging in his passion for gadgets and technological marvels as well as making sure that he is completely up to date with Twitter. Tom mostly writes about HP Laserjet cartridges for a well known supplier of printer cartridges called Cartridge Save, who are based in Manchester, England.
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Filed Under: Computer Hardware • Gadgets
