The best small printer 2020: perfect for compact spaces or printing on the go

Looking for the best small printers currently available? Whether you're seeking a compact option to complete a small home office, or you like the idea of printing pictures on-the-go, our top picks pack a punch, despite being small in size.

From wireless printers to options that scan and copy, too, you're sure to find an option that suits both your budget and requirements.

For more advice and information when it comes to home tech, browse our technology hub page.

What is the best small printer?

In our opinion, the best small printer currently available comes in the form of the HP OfficeJet 250, which offers everything you need in a handy printer, suitable for day-to-day use.

As well as printing, this compact model offers the option to scan and copy, meaning it'll be easier than ever to complete business admin. Plus, it's small enough to pop in a rucksack if you're someone who finds them self regularly requiring a printer while on-the-go.

Still considering your options when it comes to printers? You might find our other handy printer buying guides a handy read:

• The best home printers
• The best colour printers

How to buy the best small printer

While size is, inevitably, the most important factor on the checklist of those seeking the best small printer, there are a couple more features wort considering if you're determined to get value for money. These include:

Wireless connectivity

While you may assume that all printers produced, nowadays, come with wireless connectivity, this is a feature that certainly shouldn't be taken for granted. If you don't want to deal with the hassle of plugging in your phone, or laptop, every time you need to print, ensure you opt for a wireless solution.

Photocopying and scanning

Consider how you intend on using your printer and whether, on occasion, you may be required to scan and photocopy, too. 

The best small printers you can buy right now

A small printer isn’t what you need for super quality photo print outs, but for everyday usage and some general colour printing thrown in, this one is a good choice.

Whether you’re printing, scanning or copying, you should have no problem carrying out your business admin, and when you’re out visiting clients, you can print on premises, too, as the HP OfficeJet 250 is just about small enough to pop into a rucksack. It’s easy to set up, only takes 90 minutes to charge up, and it’s wireless, so you can easily print from phones and other mobile devices. 

Shop the full range of small printers available from Amazon

The Pixma is the perfect printer for travelling, thanks to its small size and decent 9600 DPI. You can print really easily from phones or tablets so long as it is hooked up to Wi-Fi, while Apple AirPrint and Google Cloud Print compatibility also makes printing on the go super easy.

If you fancy getting in touch with home, you can use Easy Photo Print + to design greetings cards, and when you return, you can use it to create a collage of your travels.

There’s the option to purchase a rechargeable battery, so you can print out your pictures even when you’re travelling between destinations. 

For more small printers, try Canon

So long as you have no need to scan or copy documents, the Epson Workforce is the ideal printer for working on the go. Whether it’s a last minute boarding card print out from the airport lounge or you find your client’s premises has no printer, the trusty Epson Workforce is small enough to be kept by your side for instant use.

You can print wirelessly so long as there’s a Wi-Fi connection, and you can even charge the battery up via the USB car adapter in time for your next meeting. The pretty high DPI promises great quality print outs, while the LCD screen allows for easy set up and keeping an eye on ink levels.  

Find more small printers available from John Lewis & Partners

While the DPI is nothing to shout about, this printer isn’t marketed towards the professional photography market. For taking on day trips or family holidays, on the other hand, it’s perfect. It prints snapshots and stickers using photo paper rather than ink cartridges, which means printing is instant.

You can use the HP Sprocket app to customise your photos with emojis, borders and text, making each print out completely personal and a true representation of the moment the photo was taken.

Connect the app to your Facebook account or connect the device to your phone via Bluetooth for easy, on the go print outs.  

Shop the full range of small printers available from Currys PC World

For a combination of speed and quality resolution, laser is where it’s at. With speeds of up to 18 pages a minute, it can breeze through large documents and heavy text.

As with our top pick, this printer copies and scans, although it’s probably a bit too big to lug around. You can wirelessly print from the cloud if connected to Wi-Fi and you have USB as backup.

It’s easy to use thanks to its LCD touchscreen, and just the right size to place on a desk without taking up too much space.

Shop more small printers available from Ebuyer

When size dominates over all, the HP DeskJet 3720 is the smallest all-in-one printer going. There are some compromises to be made for that, including a slow print speed, double-sided printing is manual and users have reported that it can be a pain to set up.

Aside from that, with an RRP of less than £50, you can’t really go wrong. You can print from the app and there’s the option of quiet mode so you can print in any room – even in the lounge while the other half watches their favourite box set. 

Find more small printers available at Argos

Printing your snaps on the go has been made easy with this mobile photo printer from Polaroid. While, like the Sprocket, the resolution of the photos printed aren’t going to be anything to write home about, for a bit of fun while you’re out and about you can’t really go wrong.

Peel the back off the paper and you can print out a batch of personalised stickers that you can plaster around your room or on your belongings. You can edit pictures using the Polaroid Zip app and easily print from your mobile devices via Bluetooth.

Find more mobile printers available fro Zavvi

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