EmailBest Reviewed
Photo Printers
- Best photo printer overall Epson PictureMate Charm PM 255 *Est. $150
- Budget snapshot printer Canon Selphy CP780 *Est. $90
Get info about new reports and updates
- Fast print speeds
- Great print quality
- User-friendly features and design
- Photos are water- and smudge-resistant
- Loss of detail in darker areas of prints
- Some muted color tones
- Heavy
- Relatively expensive
Reviewers overwhelmingly say the best combination of features, performance and print quality is packed into Epson's PictureMate Dash PM 260. Descriptions of the printer's design range from practical to clunky, but every other aspect of the model garners close to unanimous praise. Experts enthuse over the fastest print speeds and lowest-cost prints to be found among currently available compact photo printers. The 3.6-inch LCD display and rich feature set are also popular in every review we found. Some disagreement comes up with regard to print quality, but nearly all reviewers agree that the PictureMate Dash outputs nicely detailed, lab-quality photos. If you don't want to spend as much up front, the Canon Selphy CP780 (*Est. $90) costs less initially, but per-photo costs are higher and prints take twice as long.
We found more reviews of the PictureMate Dash than any other dedicated photo printer. Of these, the most comprehensive and comparative come from PCMag.com and CNET, two sites with excellent frames of reference and polar opposite opinions regarding the Dash's photo quality. PC World, GadgetSpeak.com and About.com all deliver reviews that lack the detail found in those from PCMag.com and CNET, with more description of layout and features than information about testing processes or competing models. Lastly, TrustedReviews.com and Macworld magazine offer evaluations of the Dash's upmarket sibling the Zoom, which is the same basic printer with an added DVD reader and CD burner.
Canon Selphy CP780 Silver Compact Photo Printer
 from Amazon.com New: $68.49 In Stock.
Average Customer Review:   |
||
|
|
| Featured Stores | Store Rating | Notes | Total Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  89 store reviews | In Stock. | $179.99 | See It |
 | 5659 store reviews | In Stock. Ships Today | $184.88 | See It |
 |  8355 store reviews | In Stock. Shop with confidence for the perfect gift at Best Buy. Now accepting PAYPAL! | $152.99 | See It |
| See All Stores | ||||
Our Sources
The PictureMate Dash is named a PCMag.com Editors' Choice among dedicated photo printers, with very good photo quality, the fastest print speed on the market and a rich feature set. Stone's review is comparative and thorough, with ample description of how the printer is tested and detailed analysis of the printer's strengths and weaknesses.
Review: Epson PictureMate Dash, M. David Stone, Nov. 1, 2007
2. CNET
CNET offers perhaps the most thorough and directly comparative review of the PictureMate Dash available. Reviewer Felisa Yang, like many other experts, is impressed with the machine's speed; unlike other reviewers, she is mightily unimpressed with print quality.
Review: Epson PictureMate Dash PM260, Felisa Yang, Oct. 1, 2007
This concise evaluation of the PictureMate Dash focuses primarily on the printer's design and bundled software and documentation; only three sentences are devoted to output quality and there is no description of testing processes. Speed and output quality earns the PictureMate Dash the top spot in Riofrio's list of the top five snapshot printers.
Review: Epson PictureMate Dash, Melissa Riofrio, Oct. 22, 2007
In this U.K. review, the PictureMate Dash earns praise for speed, usability and print quality, though writer Paul Smart seems unimpressed with the printer's price. There is little description of testing processes or print quality, but Smart offers a thorough explanation of the Dash's design and functionality.
Review: Epson PictureMate PM260, Paul Smart, Apr. 7, 2008
5. About.com
Michael Carr says the Epson PictureMate Dash doesn't have the functionality of other printers but adds that the one thing it can do, it does very well. Carr finds the PictureMate Dash to be the best dedicated photo printer on the market. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
Review: Epson PictureMate Dash PM 260 Compact Photo Printer Review, Michael Carr
TrustedReviews.com doesn't cover the PictureMate Dash but does review the Zoom (PictureMate PM290), which is the same base printer as the Dash with an added DVD reader and CD burner. Simon Williams provides ample description of the printer's design and function; the review would benefit from similar description of his testing processes. Nonetheless, the PictureMate printer is a clear favorite.
Review: Epson PictureMate PM290, Simon Williams, Dec. 14, 2007
This summary of the PictureMate Zoom PM 290 -- the same model as the Dash PM 260 but with a CD burner -- compares the printer primarily to a predecessor, the PictureMate Flash. The verdict is overwhelmingly positive, with Chen writing that the only thing preventing him from giving the PictureMate Zoom a perfect rating is the fact that it only prints 4-by-6-inch photos.
Review: Epson PictureMate Zoom PM 290 Photo Printer, Brian Chen, Oct. 4, 2007
Photo Printers Runners Up:
6 picks by top review sites.
5 picks including: About.com, PC World…
2 picks including: PC World…
2 picks by top review sites.
Epson PictureMate Zoom (PM290) Photo Lab Printer (Silver)
from Amazon.com New: Too low to display In Stock.
Average Customer Review: |
||
|
|
Epson PictureMate Dash PM260 Compact Photo Inkjet Printer (C11C694201)
from Amazon.com New: Too low to display In Stock.
Average Customer Review: |
||
|
|
Canon SELPHY CP760 Compact Photo Printer (2565B001)
from Amazon.com New: $49.00 In Stock.
Average Customer Review: |
||
|
|
Canon SELPHY CP790 Compact Photo Printer (3646B001)
from Amazon.com New: $109.99 In Stock.
Average Customer Review: |
||
|
|
