Key Points
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Printers have a long and interesting history, and while you might assume the first printers took up a lot of space, the earliest designs easily fit in your pocket.
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Look for certain features when it comes to output quality and technology when purchasing updated small printers.
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Owning a portable printer makes life and work much more convenient and enjoyable.
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The best brands in electronics launched their own versions of small printers that include all the latest features of a normal-sized printer but fit in your bag.
The next wave of the printing revolution has arrived in a tiny little package. Blink and you might miss it. After adding just about every capability and wireless option including Bluetooth and cloud printing, small printers now serve as the next stage of evolution for office technology.
How could something so small produce projects and deliverables? Small printers deliver the same quality of output by doing exactly what their average-sized counterparts have always done. However, they do it with convenience, reduced headaches, and saved space. These newer printers have so much possibility for creativity and innovation.
Printing Just Got Smaller (and Cooler)
Mini printers might seem like a significant leap in the design and mechanics of computer printers, but interestingly enough, the very first small computer printer ever built measures smaller than anything you have worked with in the 2020s.
In 1968, the Japanese electronics company Epson (formerly called Shinshu Seiki Co) invented the first mini printer. It measured just six inches wide, four inches tall, and five inches deep. Imagine holding the first-ever printer in the palm of your hand after learning that it was a functioning device!
As an upgrade to typewriters, Xerox had invented computer printers just 15 years prior in 1953. The earliest iteration of typewriters came from scientist Charles Babbage, whose seminal theories of a "Difference Engine" in 1822 would become the precursor to modern-day computers. The field known as desktop publishing did not explode until the 1984 development of the first affordable computer printer, the HP LaserJet.
Is affordability the only benefit that small printers offer? As they became more convenient, fast, and easy to use, computer printers became wildly popular. Making an electronic device more compact requires innovations in both the design and technical features of a typical printer.
Small Printers in a Big World
Two main benefits of owning a mini printer immediately come to mind: portability and saving space. Technologically, these small printers do everything that normal-sized or mid-sized printers do, but on a much smaller scale.
In 2020, the US Chamber of Commerce released a special guide outlining seven essential features to look for when buying a printer for your home or office. These qualities include maximum capacity for paper and ink along with compact size. These features work together to get printers that deliver amazing results. For example, you purchase a printer that fits in a small space but also has ink cartridges that produce more output for less turnover.
The next features consider what you want your printer to do. Specifically, does the printer work for quality photo printing and color graphics? The best contemporary printers in 2023 also scan documents to your computer or mobile device and make copies.
Finally, the hallmark of a quality printer is that it serves multiple purposes in a single machine, such as scanning, copying, and even sending faxes.
The most important component – value – helps buyers determine which of the essential features already mentioned warrant a significant financial investment. Remember, printers stay in use for many years, so purchase decisions have a lasting impact.
Why Do You Want a Mini Printer?
As technology improves, the designs get smaller and more compact. Portability functions as one of the greatest innovations of the 21st century. Mini printers come packed with all the benefits of a traditional computer printer but made with a smaller and more sleek design.
Business people who travel or endure long commutes benefit greatly from the compact design, lightness, and versatility of a mini printer. Such printers make it possible to print out important documents or anything you need no matter your location. Smaller printers also work for printing out tickets, boarding passes, photos, Powerpoint slides, and internet articles for sharing.
With wireless printing, Bluetooth devices, and WiFi direct, mini printers work anywhere at all times. They also recharge using either Ion batteries, adapters or an AC adapter.
Small printers perform all of the essential functions of an all-in-one printer, and they also come in different printing models. That means inkjet printers, laser printers, photo printers, and thermal printers now come in small sizes for convenience and portability.
Five Small Printers Available for Purchase in 2023
The following links feature the top models for small printers made by the biggest electronic brands. They contain all the updated tech advancements available in computer printers today with top-quality functionality and space-saving designs. Learn more about the top five small printers below.
Canon Pixma TR150 Wireless Printer
The Canon Pixma TR150 offers a highly versatile small inkjet printer that connects directly to mobile devices and tablets. Many different wireless printing options work with this printer including Apple AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, and using the Canon Print app directly on your phone.
It comes equipped with an OLED display interface and a battery that charges anywhere. Travel with this light printer and create bright colorful documents and photographs as big as 8.5 inches by 11 inches.
HP OfficeJet 250 All-in-One Portable Printer
This new HP portable printer comes with an easy-to-use interactive touchscreen to access all-in-one capabilities. The OfficeJet 250 functions as an inkjet printer, scanner, and photocopier that goes with you wherever you go. The HP Smart app enables direct printing and scanning from phones and tablets. It contains smart Bluetooth technology and WiFi direct, and even responds to Alexa voice control.
It fits neatly inside backpacks, suitcases, and carry-ons for easy business and personal travel. The automatic document feeder holds up to 10 pages.
Canon TS6320 All-in-One Wireless Color Printer
The Canon TS6320 comes equipped with an easy-to-navigate LED status bar and OLED display interface. It also comes with an automatic expandable tray to keep documents all in one place. This inkjet printer uses five individual ink cartridges, so it produces high-quality output for black-and-white text documents as well as bold colorful visuals.
This portable printer connects easily in multiple ways for easy and convenient accessibility. With printing options directly available from any connected device, it uses Bluetooth and WiFi and connects with a USB.
HP Envy 6020e All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer
Purchase the HP Envy 6020e Printer from Amazon and receive six months of free instant printer ink. You receive this benefit once you sign up for HP benefits within the first seven days after buying your new printer.
This WiFi printer connects to any available network making it fast and simple to print all types of documents, receipts, tickets, and important slips on the go. It also features automatic double-siding to save on paper. This model prints at the highest speed compared to the other printers mentioned. It prints most documents at sixteen pages per minute (ppm). For monochrome documents, it prints as fast as 20 ppm.
Epson Workforce WF-110 Wireless Mobile Printer
The Epson Workforce WF-110 only prints using Epson Genuine Cartridges. It comes built-in with an Ion lithium battery that recharges easily with an adapter or USB port. If you want to maximize the potential print volume, purchase an external battery for extra power.
This latest updated portable printer offers exceptional connectivity options through wireless, WiFi Direct, and Bluetooth. As a wireless mobile printer, it offers the versatility to print directly from any device connected to an internet network. The only Epson printer on this list, its compact design takes up significantly less space using clean flat lines.
Sometimes, Size Does Matter
As improved technology keeps fitting in smaller and smaller spaces, everything you need in a long-lasting printer goes with you anywhere in the world. The portable inkjet printers mentioned in this article might cost close to a regular-sized printer, but with so much added convenience and reduced office clutter, it adds so much more value.
Read more on Printers & Scanners to explore informative articles about all your printing needs!
