6 best mini printers for space conscious Aussies in 2024
This compact gadget could be the key to making you less phone dependent and happier too.
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If you love the experience of an instant camera printing out physical copies of photos but hate the element of surprise – you need a portable printer.
Portable printers are small and simple, and serve as a way to conveniently print out photos or documents whenever and wherever you please. They can easily connect to your phone or other devices via Bluetooth and generally offer great app support with access to a number of customisation features.
If you’re interested in a portable printer yourself, we’ve rounded up the best mini printers – from instant photo printers and mobile photo printers to zink printers and thermal printers.
We’ve currently got our eye on the mini Sticker Printer T02 from Amazon that shoppers say is “the best printer ever” and “very practical”, as well as the Fujifilm Instax Wide Link Smartphone Printer that our Shopping Writer, Harriet says is “incredibly handy” and “replaced her camera”.
BEST MINI PRINTER
Sticker Printer T02, $59.99 (down from $69.99) at Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
Measuring 3.6 x 8.6 x 8.6cm with a weight of 99.7g, this small but mighty gadget is the lightest printer in this list.
It’s a thermal printer – meaning it doesn’t require any ink cartridges to print, plus it’s Bluetooth-compatible with iOS and Android devices, and offers customisation options like different text fonts, filter effects and themes to use on your photos.
With the ability to print on sticker or regular thermal paper, this portable printer is a great gadget for journaling, scrapbooking, studying and more.
Boasting over 3,000 five-star ratings, this mini machine has been dubbed by reviewers as “very practical” and the “best printer ever”.
“The item works great for my school notes and works well for diagrams as well. It is very handy and allows me to write less and print more for my school notes. I’m really happy with the item thank you so much!” one five-star reviewer wrote.
“Cute little printer. So compact and easy to carry around. Does what it says – easy to connect to Bluetooth, and the app is user-friendly too. My 10-year-old child is able to take a picture of her notes and print them out on a sticker,” another wrote.
Compatible paper: Memoking T02 White Thermal Paper, $19.99
BEST PORTABLE PHOTO PRINTER FOR WIDE SHOTS
Fujifilm Instax Wide Link Smartphone Printer, $229 at Myer
Tried and Tested by Harriet Amurao, news.com.au checkout Shopping Writer
The Instax Wide Link printer was incredibly handy while I was travelling because it can print photos directly from my phone without having to wait to see whether I had blinked mid photo or not, and I could easily give multiple physical copies of the same photo to my relatives.
The print quality and image quality is superb, the battery life is long lasting and the portability is very convenient.
Not to mention, the great app support is easy to use and navigate, and gives you full customisability – you can edit the template, photos, make collages, add text, sketches, stickers and even pop on a filter.
Unlike other printers, this instant photo printer prints out wide shots, which is perfect for group photos, scenic photos and everything in between. It even has a feature where you can add a QR code to any photo and make it a link to a website, voice message, location info or a hidden message which was interesting.
Overall, it’s super convenient and has honestly replaced my tried and true, Instax Mini camera.
Compatible film:Fujifilm Instax Wide Instant Film (50 Pack), $77.68
BEST PORTABLE PHOTO PRINTER
Fujifilm Instax Mini Link 2 Instant Printer, $161.10 (down from $179) at Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
Arguably one of the best portable photo printers in the market, the popular Instax Mini Link 2 prints out standard sized Polaroids that can conveniently fit into wallets and even enhance the image quality of any photo taken on your phone.
It has great battery life and an easy-to-use companion app called the Mini Link app which allows users to create Instax Mini prints by wirelessly connecting it to their phone. Here, they can draw on the prints using instaxAiR (an AR drawing mode), add text, apply filters and print out multiple copies.
This portable printer has secured over 1,000 five-star ratings on Amazon with reviewers dubbing it “handy and compact”.
“We loved the Fujifilm Instax Mini Link as my daughter could take photos on my phone or her iPad and use the app to edit or add text or stickers. And also the function to print multiple copies for her besties. We liked this compared to the instant camera as this wasted so much of the expensive photo paper on bad shots haha,” one reviewer wrote.
“I had an all-in-one camera but it was so difficult to ensure you got a good shot. This instant printer allows you to print the ideal shot from your phone and unlock your vault of photos. Print away and be free,” another wrote.
Compatible film:Fujifilm Instax Mini Film (20 Pack), $28 (down from $34.95)
BEST PORTABLE PRINTER
MUNBYN Portable Printer, $179.99 at Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
Weighing in at 1kg, this fully portable printer offers two printing methods and can print on different sized pieces of thermal paper. It’s a handy machine that supports Bluetooth connectivity for iOS and Android phones, as well as USB connection for Windows and Mac – making it ideal for those that need to quickly print out documents while on the go.
Designed to cater to multiple file formats including Word, Excel, PPT, TXT and JPG, this portable printer only supports thermal printer paper, so it’s inkless and you don’t need to worry about the extra expense of replacing ink cartridges.
It’s a great cost-effective alternative to regular models like inkjet printers that require ink refills or dye sublimation printers that are typically on the pricier side.
“Compact and perfect for on-the-go. I use portable printers a lot due to the nature of my work. This printer is lightweight and connects seamlessly using Bluetooth. It’s an inkless printer so I don’t have to worry about ink cartridges etc. It can print up to A4 size which fits my needs,” one five-star reviewer wrote.
“Brilliant. This thermal printer is perfect, a bit heavy but portable. It only prints in black and white, you have to buy the paper for thermal printing but is cheaper than the ink printers. I’m loving it,” another wrote.
Compatible paper:MUNBYN 200 Sheets A4 Thermal Printer Paper, $29.99
BEST PORTABLE ZINK PRINTER
HP Sprocket Portable 2x3 Instant Photo Printer, $129.37 at Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
If you’re after a good portable photo printer that can turn your favourite memories into stickers, you’ll love the HP Sprocket.
This smartphone sized printer is a zink printer, which essentially means a “Zero Ink” printer. Zink printers, like the HP Sprocket, conveniently don’t require ink cartridges, toners or ribbons to print out a photo – zink photo paper is all it needs to produce vibrant, colourful high-quality photos.
Similar to the Polaroid Hi Print, this instant photo printer is great for journaling and scrapbooking, and allows users to edit your photos with stickers, borders and more. It has an easy-to-use companion app and it’s Bluetooth-compatible, super portable and lightweight in design, plus it can produce 35 prints on a single charge.
“This is incredible technology! Super impressed with the size, capability and remote ability to produce exceptional photos and print straight after the photo is taken! Our bunny was able to hand out photos with signature paw prints to kids!” one five-star reviewer wrote.
“Very impressive for a portable inkless printer! I am SO impressed with this little dude! It was so easy to set up and is so quick to print. I am very happy and have already printed around 100 photos for a project I’m doing and couldn’t be happier :)” another wrote.
Compatible paper:HP Sprocket 2x3 Premium Zink Sticky Back Photo Paper (50 sheets), $39
BEST ALL-IN-ONE MINI PRINTER
Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay Instant Camera, $236.55 (down from $249.95) at Amazon Australia
Tried and Tested by Lauren Chaplin, Consumer Technology Reporter
I love the idea of instant photos but hate wasting pricey film on pictures that didn’t turn out the way I’d hoped. Fujifilm’s Instax Mini LiPlay is a game-changer, uniquely operating as both an instant camera and a printer. This little hybrid camera and instant photo printer has the same analog settings as other instant camera models but features an LCD screen on the back so you can preview your snaps before printing them.
It also sends a digital copy of your photo to your phone, making it easy to share on social media. Plus, you can control the camera remotely using your smartphone, which is incredibly handy for group photos. My favourite feature, though, is the ability to print photos I’ve taken on my smartphone via Bluetooth. This means I can share photos from a night out with friends and family, giving everyone a nice keepsake.
The Instax Mini LiPlay also has a fun feature that lets you record sound and convert it to a QR code printed on your photo, which can then be scanned to play. While I found this a bit gimmicky and not something I’d use often, it’s a fun addition for kids and teens looking to share photos with their friends.
Now in its second generation, the Instax Mini LiPlay brings USB-C charging, firmware updates, and new colour options like Matcha Green, making it an all-round great buy.
Compatible film:Fujifilm Instax Mini Film (20 Pack), $29 (down from $34.95)
More tech gadget coverage:
- Best instant cameras
- Best portable chargers and power banks
- Best eReaders for all budgets
- Best streaming devices
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