Best Portable Printer: Let’s find what are the latest releases in terms of portable printing devices and why you should buy one in 2018
Space and portability are key issues in digital nomads’ lives, and buying the best portable printer might help you to save time, money and space on your desk
Even if the requirements for papers are not so important as they used to be, as many things that once used paper now are digital, there are still a lot of situations in which you will need a paper, especially if you are a student or work in an office. As a digital nomad, you might need a printer for visa forms, managing your bookings, printing tickets and other situations.
This post is focused on choosing the best portable printer, which should be reliable, extremely lightweight and also have small dimensions.
Another situation in which portable printers come handy is when you need to organize your desk, and ideally, have he minimum amount of space taken by devices, to enhance your work space and organization. Long gone are the days that printers used to be heavy boxes with long cables, now you can get small devices, which receive commands wireless.
What to Expect from a Portable Printer
A portable printer should be lightweight, compact and have the capacity to be connected to your computer via WiFi, those are possible the best criteria you can expect when buying a standard portable print (that prints A4 papers).
When it comes to portability itself, it will depend on how often you need to carry your print with you. It will also depend on the functions you expect your portable printer to do. One way or another, the good news is that there are extremely lightweight models available, and they keep getting smaller.
Another important aspect is how IoT (internet of things) is changing the way we interact with our devices. Ideally being able to access your printer from your mobile or laptop without cables will make your life considerably easier.
On this post I will list printers that use the inkjet technology, and below you will find some of the best and most compact models available in this category:
Primera Trio Portable All-in-One Printer with Scanner and Copier – 31001
Click here to buy this printer on Amazon.com
The Primera Trio is our favorite portable printer. It is extremely lightweight and it has very compact dimensions. With a weight of just 2.6 lbs, it will be easy to carry it around anywhere you need it. The Primera Trio also works as a scanner, which adds value to the device.
If you need a high quality portable printer which is fast and reliable, the Primera Trio is the best option.
Canon MX492 Wireless All-IN-One Small Printer with Mobile or Tablet Printing, Airprint and Google Cloud Print Compatible
Click here to buy this printer on Amazon.com
This printer is probably the best option if you are looking for the best portable printer, but you are also on a limited budget. This Canon MX492 has extremely compact dimensions, and is perfect to fit in small spaces.
Its price tag is obviously another great attractive for this printer, but its printing quality is quite surprising considering how affordable it is.
Using AirPrint, you can easily connect your iPhone or iPad using your wireless network to print any kind of documents on your Canon MX492. This is certainly a great printer if you need to use a printer occasionally.
Epson – WorkForce WF-100 Mobile Wireless Printer
Click here to buy this printer on Amazon.com
Probably one of the best options in terms of portability, weighing only 3.5 lbs. This EPSON is one of the best selling portable printers, and it is easy to understand why. It is extremely affordable, and also versatile.
HP OJ 150 Mobile Wireless Color Printer with Copier
Click here to buy this printer on Amazon.com
Print Speed (draft, letter): Up to 22 ppm black, Up to 18 ppm color
Standard Connectivity: USB 2.0, PictBridge, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR
Paper Handling: Up to 50 sheets input tray
Use only Original HP Ink in your HP printer for great results, print after print
Hey Nomad,
I like your article and like you mentioned before the most important point for me was portability, e.g. weight and dimensions. That’s why I chose the Primera Trio and I’m totally satisfied with it! It was the smallest and lightest printer available, the missing wifi also isn’t bothering me since I use only USB (In my opinion it’s better, more reliable and it needs less power than wifi). I suppose together with the battery it’s the non plus ultra for printing and scanning documents while traveling.
Moritz
PS.: You state the Epson WF-100 is “the ultimate in portability”. How is this possible, since Trio is smaller and lighter? I’m just curious if I should’ve bought the Epson instead of the Trio..
Hi Moritz, thank you for your comment
The Primera Trio as you said is lighter than the WF-100, even 0.8 pounds or 400 grams, which is quite a great difference. The fact that the epson wf-100 is more affordable and can be controlled wirelessly is a good point in favor of the epson, but I think the Primera trio is an excellent choice, especially as you mentioned, for its dimensions and weight. It all depends on how much weight you are willing to carry and how important is the wireless access for the prospective buyer.