Photo Printers: Reviews

The newest member of Epson's snapshot printer family -- the PictureMate Charm PM 255 -- is also the best photo printer, say reviewers. The Charm may have a smaller LCD display than its sister models the PictureMate Zoom… (*Est. $200) and Dash (*Est. $140), and it lacks their USB key-compatibility, but its superior photo quality and speed give it the edge over the competition. Most experts calculate the per-photo usage cost for PictureMate printers at around 25 cents, the lowest among photo printers. Reviewers say prints qualify as lab quality, with the Charm having noticeably better prints than previous models. Editing tools include the ability to crop photos and adjust brightness levels. The Charm's LCD display is only 2.5 inches, but it weighs only about 5 pounds. A battery pack (*Est. $50) is available to make the PictureMate Charm truly portable.

See more photos, specs, and reviews

expand

collapse

While most reviewers favor Epson's PictureMate printers for their blend of quality and low running costs, experts say the Canon Selphy CP780 is a solid budget pick. In the latest reviews, the PictureMate Charm has the… clear edge for photo quality, but for $60 less, the Canon CP780 is still a good choice. Although it costs less initially than the Epson PictureMate Charm, higher ink and paper costs (about 29 cents per photo) mean it's costlier in the long term, and photos take twice as long to print. The CP780 weighs only 2.1 pounds and has an optional $80 battery to make it truly portable. Reviewers praise the Canon photo printer for its 3-inch LCD touch screen and intuitive control options.

See more photos, specs, and reviews

expand

collapse