Whether you're printing off photos to save in your scrapbook or want some glossy prints of your best pictures to display around your home or work, a good photo printer can make a huge difference in properly reproducing these all-important images. While most printers can print images, the best ones will accurately and vividly reproduce colors while still retaining detail from your original photo. Inkjet printers also tend to be better suited for printing photos, and some inkjets even include special photo cartridges to give you an even better color reproduction.
Below are our recommendations for the best photo printers you can buy. For other options, check out our picks for the best home printers, the best inkjet printers, and the best all-in-one printers.
Quick Look
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Best Photo Printer
Build Quality9.0Photo8.9Color Quality9.0Average Color dE1.94Recurring Costs6.4Cartridge6.6Estimated Color Page Yield383 printsPhoto Printing Cost0.999 US$/printSee all our test resultsPhoto Printing Time82.0 sFor enthusiasts who prioritize photo printing quality above all else, the best photo printer we've tested is the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310. It improves on its predecessor, the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300, with support for the newest Lucia PRO II ink (PFI-5100 cartridges). This ink is more scratch-resistant and features an improved Chroma Optimizer to reduce bronzing. Overall, it delivers some of the best image quality results we have ever seen, producing extremely detailed, color-accurate, and vibrant photo prints. It also supports printing on various media types and paper sizes up to 13" x 70", making it ideal for bigger prints. This printer also uses pigment ink, which typically lasts longer and is more resistant to exposure to sunlight and smudges. Note that this is a printer with a very focused use case, and it lacks many of the usually very common functions you would expect to find in a printer. It doesn't have a scanner, it prints extremely slowly, and its 10-cartridge system can get pricey to fill up if you print often.
The Epson SureColor P700 is another excellent option for enthusiasts seeking the highest printing quality above all else. While it delivers slightly more vibrant colors and a wider color gamut, it's also less accurate than the Canon out of the box. Overall, the print quality is impeccable and very comparable to Canon's offering. The P700 supports a variety of print sizes, up to 1.5 mm thick, and even includes a practical roll-paper compartment. Also, while it's more frugal than the Canon in terms of ink use, its ink is more expensive. We should also note that this printer consumes a significant amount of ink during setup. Once the priming process is complete, you will be left with only about 25% of your cartridges still filled. Which of these two printers you choose will depend on your preferences.
If you're willing to sacrifice some color accuracy for a more versatile printer with much lower cost-per-print, the more affordable Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 listed below could be a better choice.
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Best Upper Mid-Range Photo Printer
Build Quality8.0Photo8.8Color Quality7.9Average Color dE6.48Recurring Costs10Cartridge10Estimated Color Page Yield3,319 printsPhoto Printing Cost0.070 US$/printSee all our test resultsPhoto Printing Time48.1 sIf you want a more versatile option, the best upper mid-range photo printer we recommend is the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8500, a variant of the ET-8550 that we tested. It performs identically to the flagship ET-8550 but can only print on paper up to 8.5" x 11". The ET-8550 is also an excellent choice if you need wide format printing (up to 13" x 19"), but it costs more. As far as performance goes, this printer produces detailed and colorful photos. It tends to oversaturate colors to make them more vibrant, which isn't necessarily bad; just don't expect the pictures to look exactly like the originals straight out of the box.
Print quality aside, what makes this printer stand out is its low ownership costs. It uses a refillable ink tank that yields thousands of prints, and replacement ink is cheap, making this printer an amazing choice for high-volume printing. Connectivity options include the usual Wi-Fi, USB, and Ethernet; plus, you can print directly from a USB flash drive or SD card. You also get a scanner that produces excellent scans, great for digitizing your old photos or making copies. The ET-8500 sports an 8.5" x 11.7" flatbed scanner, while the ET-8550 can accommodate sheets up to 8.5" x 14".
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Best Mid-Range Photo Printer
Build Quality6.0Photo8.2Color Quality7.5Average Color dE7.21Recurring Costs10Cartridge10Estimated Color Page Yield3,617 printsPhoto Printing Cost0.031 US$/printSee all our test resultsPhoto Printing Time88.0 sFor a more modest mid-range pick for casual at-home use, check out the Epson EcoTank ET-2400. Like our upper mid-range pick above, the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8500, this is also a supertank model, so it's a great option for those with a large print load of photos or documents. The ET-2400 features a more traditional setup with cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink. Its color range isn't as good but is still excellent; it just struggles with bright, saturated tones, meaning some bright highlights won't come out as well compared to more expensive photo printers like the ones above. Printed pictures still look detailed and are fairly color-accurate, albeit slightly grainy.
You can connect to the printer via USB or Wi-Fi; just know that it doesn't support Apple AirPrint or Mopria Print Service, so you may need to download the Epson Smart Panel companion app to get full functionality on mobile devices. The app lets you print, scan, and perform maintenance tasks. It also gives you easy access to Epson's image gallery, which contains patterns you can use for crafts, like house decorations and greeting cards. Unfortunately, its printing speed is pretty slow, taking almost a minute and a half to produce a 4" x 6" photo.
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Best Budget Photo Printer
Build Quality8.0Photo8.1Color Quality7.1Average Color dE5.65Recurring Costs7.4Cartridge4.5Estimated Color Page Yield231 printsPhoto Printing Cost0.322 US$/printSee all our test resultsPhoto Printing Time37.0 sOur best budget pick is the Canon PIXMA TS7720, a cheaper, ADF-less variant of the Canon PIXMA TR7820 we've tested. This model has better out-of-the-box color accuracy than our upper mid-range and mid-range picks, but it has a lower print resolution than the other printers mentioned, resulting in less detailed photos. It supports borderless printing and paper sizes up to 8.5" x 11". The drawback with budget models is usually page yield, and that's absolutely the case here. It's not too bad if you only print once in a while; just know that you'll have to pay more for replacement ink than the models mentioned above if you print often. Also, it uses only a tri-color cartridge, so you'll have to replace it even if only one color runs out.
A note on pricing: while this printer's MSRP is $150 USD, its price has dropped steadily since its release. The median price looks to be around $99 USD, though it's occasionally on sale for a bigger discount; it may be worth waiting for a sale if you don't need a printer right away.
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Best Cheap Photo Printer
Build Quality5.5Photo7.8Color Quality7.0Average Color dE5.24Recurring Costs7.2Cartridge4.8Estimated Color Page Yield254 printsPhoto Printing Cost0.245 US$/printSee all our test resultsPhoto Printing Time50.4 sIf you only print photos once in a blue moon and want to spend as little as possible, check out the Canon PIXMA MG3620. Except for its lower capacity 100-sheet input tray and lack of Wi-Fi Direct support (ability to generate its own wireless signal), it's very similar to the Canon PIXMA TS7720 above feature-wise. As for the print quality, printed photos look detailed, but they are noticeably darker due to the printer's narrower color range. There's also a perceptible warm tint, which may not be to everyone's preference. It still performs better than many office-oriented inkjet printers, even models costing significantly more. It uses a two-cartridge system like the Canon above, but thankfully, the cartridges are cheap.
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Best Portable Photo Printer
Build Quality6.5Photo7.7Color Quality6.7Average Color dE7.66Recurring Costs7.8Cartridge3.8Estimated Color Page Yield217 printsPhoto Printing Cost0.225 US$/printSee all our test resultsPhoto Printing Time66.0 sIf you're looking for the best printer for printing photos on the go, check out the Canon PIXMA TR160, a portable print-only inkjet model with a built-in rechargeable battery. In all intents and purposes, this model is identical to its predecessor, the Canon PIXMA TR150: the only difference is that the newer TR160 has Wi-Fi 5 support and improved wireless security. This printer also has USB-C connectivity and supports both Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service. Printed photos look detailed and colorful, albeit slightly grainy. You'll have to replace the ink cartridges often, as they yield only about 217 color prints; however, they're relatively cheap, so you won't have to spend much on replacement ink over time. The optional battery supplies enough power for around 330 prints and takes about two hours to charge fully.
Notable Mentions
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Canon PIXMA PRO-200S:
The Canon PIXMA PRO-200S is a good alternative to the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8500. It has better color accuracy than the Epson, but it isn't as good at reproducing small details. Unfortunately, it doesn't have a scanner, and it yields fewer prints, which means you'll have to spend more on replacement ink in the long run. Also, the 200S uses dye ink, while the Epson uses a combination of dye and pigment ink, which can give some flexibility if you want to print on matte paper.
See our review - Epson EcoTank ET-2800/ET-2803: The Epson EcoTank ET-2800/ET-2803 is a good alternative to the Epson EcoTank ET-2400. It yields slightly more prints and supports Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service; however, its color gamut is narrower, and its scanner doesn't capture fine details as well as the ET-2400. See our review
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Canon PIXMA TR8620a:
If you want a printer with better color accuracy and more connectivity options, the Canon PIXMA TR8620a is a good alternative to the Epson EcoTank ET-2400. It has an SD card reader, so you can print directly from the SD card, and unlike the Epson, it supports Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service. However, its color range is slightly more limited, leading to some loss of fine details, and it doesn't yield nearly as many prints, so you'll have to spend more on ink over time.
See our review -
Fujifilm instax Link WIDE:
For capturing the moment at parties or important life events like weddings, consider the Fujifilm instax Link WIDE as a great alternative to the Canon PIXMA TR160. This small printer is more portable and produces portraits with a retro aesthetic, but its print quality isn't as good. It can only print one photo size, and it uses proprietary paper that can get very expensive if you print a lot.
See our review -
Polaroid Hi-Print Generation 2:
If you want a more compact photo printer that can easily fit in a handbag or small backpack, the Polaroid Hi-Print Generation 2 is a great alternative to the Canon PIXMA TR160. It has the best color gamut amongst small photo printers that we've tested, but its recurring costs are very high, even for portable printers, and its battery is only good for about 20 prints.
See our review
Recent Updates
Oct 29, 2025:
Added the Epson SureColor P700 as an alternative to the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310 for the photo printer pick. It provides similarly outstanding print quality and is more frugal with its ink use.
Jun 09, 2025:
Added the Canon PIXMA PRO-310 as the 'Best Printer,' moving the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 to the 'Best Upper Mid-Range' category, as the Canon has much better color accuracy. Replaced the Canon PIXMA TR150 with its successor, the Canon PIXMA TR160, since the TR150 is no longer available.
Apr 10, 2025:
We removed the Canon PIXMA PRO-200 because it's discontinued, making the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 the top pick. We added the CanonPIXMA PRO-200S as a Notable Mention.
Jan 22, 2025:
Owing to availability, we've replaced the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300 with the Canon PIXMA PRO-200 as the 'Best Photo Printer' and made small edits for clarity throughout.
Nov 25, 2024:
We've added the Canon PIXMA PRO-200 as an alternative for the 'Best Photo Printer' pick; it's cheaper and offers similar overall performance but slightly worse color accuracy. We've also verified that our other recommendations are available.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best printers for pictures. In addition to test results, we factor in the price, feedback from our visitors, and availability.
If you would like to do the work of choosing yourself, here's the list of all our printer reviews. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While no printer is perfect for every use, most are good enough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.