Best Travel Printers

The Canon PIXMA TR160 earns the top spot on this list in 2026 — it balances genuine portability with full-page color printing in a way no other travel printer matches at its price point. If you need to print boarding passes, contracts, or photos while you're on the road, the right compact printer makes all the difference between a smooth trip and a frantic scramble at the hotel business center.

Travel printers have come a long way. The category used to mean bulky, underpowered machines that produced mediocre output and drained batteries in twenty minutes. Today's options span everything from inkless thermal printers that never need a cartridge replacement to dye-sublimation photo printers that produce lab-quality 4×6 prints from your smartphone. Whether you're a road-warrior sales rep who needs sharp document output, a travel photographer who wants physical prints on demand, or a remote worker who occasionally needs to sign and return paperwork, there's a purpose-built machine for your workflow in 2026.

This guide covers the six best travel printers available right now. Each one was evaluated on print quality, battery life (where applicable), connectivity, size, and real-world usability. We've also included a buying guide and FAQ to help you make the right call for your specific situation. If you're also considering portable scanning on the road, our Best Portable Scanners 2026 guide pairs well with this one.

Best Choices for 2026

• #
  Preview
  Product
  Rating
• Bestseller No. 1
  
  Canon PIXMA TR160 Wireless Portable Printer, 50-Sheet Paper Tray and 1.44" Display
  Rating:

  
  
• Bestseller No. 2
  
  HP OfficeJet 250 Wireless Mobile Printer, Scanner, Copier - Black, Battery Included (CZ992A)
  Rating:

  
  
• Bestseller No. 3
  
  Brother PocketJet PJ773 Direct Thermal Printer - Monochrome - Portable - Plain Paper Print
  Rating:

  
  
• Bestseller No. 4
  
  Epson PictureMate PM-400 Wireless Compact Color Photo Printer, white
  Rating:

  
  
• Bestseller No. 5
  
  HPRT Inkless Portable Printer Wireless for Travel,Thermal Printer Supports 8.5" x 11" US Letter&A4&A5,Compatible with iOS,Android, Laptop, MT620,203 DPI,Black
  Rating:

  
  
• Bestseller No. 6
  
  Canon Selphy CP1500 Photo Printer Bundle (Black) with KP-108 Paper (108 Sheets) 3 Color Ink Cartridges & Tudak Cleaning Cloth – Wireless Compact Dye-Sub Printer Kit
  Rating:

  
  

Our Hands-On Reviews

1. Canon PIXMA TR160 Wireless Portable Printer — Best Overall Travel Printer

The Canon PIXMA TR160 is the travel printer that most people should buy in 2026. It handles full 8.5" × 11" pages, weighs under 3 pounds, and slides into the main compartment of a standard laptop bag without rearranging everything else. The 50-sheet paper tray is a real feature — not a gimmick — and the 1.44" LCD display lets you navigate settings without pulling out your phone every time. Canon built this specifically for people who travel, not people who want a desktop printer in a smaller box, and that intentionality shows in every design decision.

Print quality is the real story here. The 5-Color Hybrid Ink System — combining dye and pigment inks — produces sharp black text for documents and vibrant color output for photos. You get borderless 4×6 prints as well as standard letter-size output, which gives you genuine flexibility depending on what you're printing on a given day. Connectivity covers Canon PRINT app, Apple AirPrint, and Mopria Print Service, so Android and iOS users are both covered without any extra setup. The TR160 doesn't include a built-in battery (it uses AC power or a separately sold battery pack), but for hotel room or conference room use, the AC connection is rarely a problem. If you want to understand how the TR160 fits into Canon's broader lineup, our Best Canon PIXMA Printer 2026 guide breaks down the full family.

For anyone who needs full-page document printing on the road in 2026, this is the printer to beat. The combination of ink quality, paper capacity, and build precision puts it ahead of every other portable option in its class.

Pros:

• Full 8.5" × 11" letter-size output with borderless photo printing
• 5-Color Hybrid Ink System delivers sharp text and rich color photos
• Compact enough to fit in a backpack alongside a laptop
• Works with AirPrint, Mopria, and the Canon PRINT app
• 50-sheet paper tray reduces constant reloading

Cons:

• No built-in battery — separate battery pack sold separately
• Ink costs add up over time compared to thermal alternatives

2. HP OfficeJet 250 Wireless Mobile Printer — Best All-in-One for Road Warriors

The HP OfficeJet 250 does something no other printer on this list can claim: it prints, scans, and copies — all from battery power — without needing a Wi-Fi network to function. That three-in-one capability in a unit that fits in a briefcase makes it the clear choice for business travelers who deal with paperwork in unpredictable environments. Hotel lobbies, airport lounges, client offices without guest Wi-Fi access — the OfficeJet 250 handles all of it. HP includes the battery in the box (retail value around $119), so you're not paying extra to unlock the core functionality.

Print quality is professional-grade for documents, handling everything from invoices and contracts to spreadsheets with fine print. The scanner produces usable results for archiving signed documents on the fly. Connectivity is handled through the HP Smart app, which is genuinely one of the better mobile print apps on the market — intuitive, reliable, and available on both iOS and Android. The OfficeJet 250 is not the smallest printer here, and it's heavier than the PIXMA TR160, but that extra bulk buys you the scanner and the battery, which are worth the trade-off if your job involves document management on the road.

If you regularly need to scan receipts, contracts, or hand-written notes during travel, the OfficeJet 250 eliminates the need to carry a separate portable scanner. It's an investment, but for frequent business travelers it pays for itself quickly.

Pros:

• Print, scan, and copy from battery power — no network required
• Battery included in the box at no extra cost
• HP Smart app is polished and easy to use
• Professional document output quality

Cons:

• Heavier and bulkier than document-only travel printers
• Higher upfront cost compared to most portable options
• Ink cartridges need replacement — no inkless convenience

3. Brother PocketJet PJ773 Direct Thermal Printer — Best for High-Volume Document Printing

The Brother PocketJet PJ773 is built for professionals who print documents constantly and don't have patience for ink cartridges, paper jams, or warm-up delays. This is a direct thermal printer — it uses heat to mark specially coated paper, eliminating ink entirely. The result is a printer that starts outputting your document almost instantly, runs off a battery for hundreds of pages, and has essentially no consumables beyond the paper roll itself. Field technicians, insurance adjusters, delivery drivers, and healthcare workers have relied on the PocketJet line for years because it simply works, every time, under conditions that would defeat a conventional inkjet.

The PJ773 is truly pocketable by portable printer standards — it's roughly the size of a large water bottle, weighing under a pound. Despite that size, it handles full 8.5"-wide direct thermal paper, so your printouts are professional-width documents rather than receipt-style strips. Connectivity options include Bluetooth and USB, with optional Wi-Fi available depending on the specific configuration. Print speed is fast — noticeably faster than inkjet alternatives — which matters when you're standing in front of a client waiting to hand over documentation. The monochrome-only output is a limitation, but for text documents, invoices, receipts, and forms, black-and-white is entirely sufficient.

The PJ773 occupies a specific niche, and if that niche matches your use case, nothing else comes close. You don't need to manage ink, you don't need to clean heads, and you don't need to worry about the battery dying mid-job. For high-volume professional document printing on the road in 2026, this is the professional's choice.

Pros:

• No ink required — direct thermal eliminates cartridge costs and mess
• Extremely compact and lightweight — fits in a jacket pocket
• Fast output with virtually zero warm-up time
• Purpose-built for rugged field use

Cons:

• Monochrome only — no color output whatsoever
• Requires special direct thermal paper — standard copy paper won't work
• Premium price point compared to inkjet portable printers

4. Epson PictureMate PM-400 Wireless Compact Photo Printer — Best Compact Photo Printer for Travelers

The Epson PictureMate PM-400 is the printer you want when photos are the priority and documents are an afterthought. It's specifically engineered to produce beautiful 4×6 and 5×7 borderless prints — the kind you'd hang on a wall or hand to a grandparent — from a machine compact enough to pack in a carry-on bag. Epson's ink formulation for this printer is genuinely impressive: the colors are rich and accurate, the blacks have real depth, and the finished prints are smudge-resistant once dry. If you've been disappointed by drugstore photo prints, the PM-400 will change your expectations for what a portable printer can do.

Setup is straightforward. The PM-400 connects over Wi-Fi, supports printing directly from memory cards and USB drives, and works with Epson's iPrint app for mobile printing. The ultra-compact footprint means it takes up minimal space in a hotel room or on a temporary desk setup. One important note: Epson designed this printer to work exclusively with genuine Epson cartridges. Third-party or refilled cartridges are not supported and may cause operational issues. Factor that into your running cost calculations before you buy. For travelers who also need a companion device for scanning on the road, our Best Cheap Document Scanners 2026 guide covers portable options that pair well with the PM-400.

If your travel photography matters to you — if you want physical prints to give to people you meet, post on notice boards, or mail home — the PM-400 delivers results that justify the space it takes up in your bag. The photo quality is the headline, and it delivers.

Pros:

• Exceptional photo quality — vibrant, borderless 4×6 and 5×7 prints
• Ultra-compact design built specifically for portability
• Prints from Wi-Fi, memory cards, and USB drives
• Smudge-resistant output once prints are dry

Cons:

• Only works with genuine Epson cartridges — no third-party ink
• Limited to photo paper sizes — not a document printer
• No built-in battery — requires AC power

5. HPRT MT620 Inkless Portable Printer — Best Truly Maintenance-Free Travel Printer

The HPRT MT620 solves the single biggest frustration with travel printers: running out of ink at exactly the wrong moment. This is a thermal printer that uses zero ink — it applies heat directly to specially treated paper — which means you never carry backup cartridges, never deal with dried-out print heads, and never find yourself in a foreign city hunting for a compatible ink refill. You load the paper, connect via Bluetooth or the HPRT app, and print. That simplicity is genuinely valuable when you're traveling.

The MT620 handles US Letter (8.5" × 11"), A4, and A5 paper sizes at 203 DPI resolution. For text documents, that resolution produces clean, legible output. For graphics or images, 203 DPI is noticeably lower quality than inkjet alternatives, so set your expectations accordingly — this is a document printer, not a photo printer. Compatibility is broad: iOS, Android, and laptop printing are all supported. The thermal printing mechanism is inherently fast, producing pages quickly without any warm-up time. Weight and dimensions are excellent — this is one of the most portable options on the list when you account for the fact that you're not carrying ink cartridges alongside it.

The trade-off with thermal printing technology is well-documented: thermal prints can fade over time, particularly when exposed to heat or direct sunlight. For temporary documents — receipts, travel itineraries, meeting notes — that's irrelevant. For documents you need to archive for years, choose an inkjet alternative. But for hassle-free travel printing where you just need something to work every time, the MT620 is the right call.

Pros:

• Zero ink required — no cartridges, no maintenance, no surprises
• Handles Letter, A4, and A5 paper sizes
• Fast output with no warm-up time
• Works with iOS, Android, and laptops via Bluetooth

Cons:

• 203 DPI is adequate for text but noticeably soft for graphics
• Thermal prints may fade over time with heat or UV exposure
• Requires special thermal paper — standard copy paper doesn't work

6. Canon Selphy CP1500 Photo Printer Bundle — Best Dye-Sublimation Photo Printer for Travel

The Canon Selphy CP1500 bundle gives you everything you need to start printing professional-quality 4×6 photos immediately: the printer, 108 sheets of photo paper, three color ink cartridges, and a cleaning cloth — all in one package. The Selphy line uses dye-sublimation technology, which layers cyan, magenta, and yellow dyes onto paper in a process that produces results closer to a photo lab than a home inkjet. The prints are water-resistant, fingerprint-resistant, and designed to last. If you want to hand someone a photo that looks and feels like a real photograph — not an inkjet approximation — this is the machine that delivers it.

Wireless connectivity is handled through Wi-Fi, and Canon's SELPHY Photo Layout app makes it straightforward to print from your smartphone or tablet. The compact footprint means it packs flat in a luggage side pocket or travel bag without issue. The bundle format is particularly smart for first-time buyers — you're not guessing about compatible paper or ink; everything is matched and ready to use. Dye-sublimation printing is slower than inkjet by design (each print takes roughly 45–50 seconds), but the quality difference justifies the wait when you're printing photos you actually care about. If you're interested in comparing standalone 4×6 photo printing options more broadly, our Best 4×6 Photo Printer guide covers the full landscape.

The Selphy CP1500 is the right choice when photo quality is non-negotiable and you want a complete kit without sourcing compatible supplies separately. It's not a document printer. It's not versatile in the way the HP OfficeJet 250 is. But for travel photography, family trips, or events where physical photos add real value, it's the best-performing portable photo printer in 2026.

Pros:

• Dye-sublimation produces lab-quality, water-resistant 4×6 prints
• Complete bundle — printer, 108 sheets, ink cartridges, and cleaning cloth included
• Wireless printing from smartphone, tablet, or computer via Wi-Fi
• Prints are fingerprint-resistant and long-lasting

Cons:

• Photo-only — cannot print standard letter-size documents
• Print speed is slower than inkjet (approximately 45–50 seconds per photo)
• Ongoing dye-sub cartridge and paper costs are higher per print

Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Travel Printer in 2026

Document Printing vs. Photo Printing — Know Your Primary Use Case

This is the single most important question to answer before you spend a dollar. If you primarily need to print contracts, boarding passes, invoices, and text-heavy documents on the road, you want an inkjet or thermal document printer like the Canon PIXMA TR160, HP OfficeJet 250, or Brother PocketJet PJ773. These machines handle letter-size output with sharp black text and are optimized for paper throughput and reliability. If you primarily want to print photographs — vacation shots, portraits, event photos — you want a dedicated photo printer like the Epson PictureMate PM-400 or the Canon Selphy CP1500. Trying to make a document printer do high-quality photo work, or a photo printer do document work, leads to frustration. Buy the right tool for your actual use case.

Ink vs. Inkless — The Consumables Trade-Off

Inkjet printers produce the most versatile output quality, handling both documents and photos competently, but they require ink cartridges that expire, dry out if unused for extended periods, and need occasional maintenance. Thermal and direct thermal printers (the HPRT MT620 and Brother PocketJet PJ773) eliminate ink entirely, which removes a whole category of travel headaches — no carrying spare cartridges, no worrying about security screening with ink, no surprise empty cartridges. The trade-offs are real: thermal prints are typically monochrome or lower-resolution, and thermal paper degrades over time in heat or direct sunlight. Dye-sublimation (the Selphy CP1500) offers another approach: combined ink-and-paper cassettes that produce excellent results with no mess, but the per-print cost is higher. Match the technology to how long you need your prints to last and how much you're printing on a given trip.

Battery vs. AC Power — Where Will You Actually Print?

Most travel printers in 2026 run on AC power with an optional battery pack sold separately — the Canon PIXMA TR160 falls into this camp. The HP OfficeJet 250 is the notable exception: its battery is included in the box, making it genuinely untethered from the start. The Brother PocketJet PJ773 is also battery-powered by design. If you'll always be printing in a hotel room, airport lounge, or office with access to power outlets, AC-only operation is completely fine. If you need to print in a car, on a job site, or in a location without reliable power access, buy a printer with an included battery or verify that a compatible battery pack is available before you buy.

Size, Weight, and Connectivity

Travel printer dimensions vary more than you'd expect. The Brother PocketJet PJ773 fits in a jacket pocket; the HP OfficeJet 250 fills a briefcase. Measure your available bag space and set a hard weight limit before shopping — every extra pound matters over a long travel day. On connectivity, Wi-Fi printing from a phone or laptop is the standard expectation in 2026. AirPrint support matters if you're primarily an iPhone user; Mopria support covers Android. Bluetooth is the fallback when Wi-Fi networks are unavailable or restricted. Check that the printer you're buying supports the connection method that matches how you actually work on the road — don't assume all portable printers support all connection types.

Common Questions

Key Takeaways

• The Canon PIXMA TR160 is the best overall travel printer in 2026 — full letter-size output, excellent ink quality, and genuine backpack portability make it the right choice for most travelers.
• The HP OfficeJet 250 is the only portable all-in-one on this list that prints, scans, and copies from an included battery — the right call for business travelers who handle documents in the field.
• If you never want to deal with ink cartridges again, choose the HPRT MT620 for documents or the Brother PocketJet PJ773 for professional field printing — both are completely inkless.
• For photo printing that rivals a lab, the Canon Selphy CP1500 bundle delivers dye-sublimation quality with everything included, while the Epson PictureMate PM-400 is the compact pick for beautiful borderless 4×6 and 5×7 prints on the road.