The reviews below are assigned ratings by ConsumerSearch. These ratings are based on credibility in testing, evaluating and
identifying the best Photo Printers. See our ratings criteria
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| 1.
PrinterInfo.com
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Compact Photo Printer Reviews
Tom Warhol
As of Oct. 2007
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This new review source fills a much-needed gap. Reviews are comprehensive and balanced. They are neatly arranged in multiple sections. The reports are more technical in places than some people would want, but section conclusions are in plain English. "Comparisons" are a section in each review. Each printer is rated in each section and PrinterInfo.com provides overall rankings. Conclusions are decisive and comparative. Photos are very good, but we only found one print reproduction.
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| 2.
The Star Online: TechCentral (Malaysia Technology)
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Dye-subs, inkjets in shootout
Tan Kit Hoong
Aug. 7, 2007
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The Star Online is the web portal of Malaysia's leading English-language newspaper, The Star. This article directly and thoroughly compares and contrasts the Epson PhotoMate PM 250, Canon Selphy ES1, HP Photosmart A516 and Sony Picture Station DPP-FP90. The PM 250 is not sold in the U.S., but has the same specifications as the PictureMate Dash PM 260. Testing is outstanding. Tan Kit Hoong evaluates the potential durability of prints along with comparing print quality, speed and ease of use. Flaws with each printer are described and print quality is described in depth unmatched by other reviewers.
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| 3.
PrinterSpot.com
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Reviews and Info: Printer database
Marc Frochtzweig
As of Oct. 2007
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PrinterSpot is a newer enthusiast website with significantly improved reviews. Reviews are thorough, detailed and include photo reproductions so you can compare print quality. While the photos speak for themselves in as many words as a picture can, the review copy contains many direct and relevant comparisons as well. Marc Frochtzweig provides objectivity and balance, but a bit too much enthusiasm. Products aren't rated, but comparisons position each product relative to the competition. The only significant weakness of this source is the small number of photo printer reviews.
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Photo Printers Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.
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| 4.
Trusted Reviews
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Printers
Multiple reviewers
As of Oct. 2007
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UK website TrustedReviews.com is one of the most prolific reviewers of all types of printers, including five currently available mini photo printers. All of them are sold in the U.S. Testing is average, but better documentation is needed. Speed is measured and cost-of-use is reported, but we aren't certain if the reviewers attempt to calculate the figure themselves or use the manufacturers' claims. The reviews are balanced, occasionally comparative, objective and performance-oriented. The Canon Selphy ES1 and Kodak G600 are recommended.
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| 5.
PC World
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Top 5 Snapshot Printers
Melissa Riofrio
Oct. 12, 2007
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This chart ranks five previously reviewed photo printers. Like Consumer Reports, the information PC World provides is limited to charted objective and subjective data, along with very brief comments. However, the charted data is great. It covers important buying considerations that are usually ignored in reviews, including five subcategories under "Reliability & Service Measures." PC World runs rigorous tests that include speed, features and per-photo costs. Print quality gets less attention.
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| 6.
Consumer Reports
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Snapshot Printers
Editors of Consumer Reports
No date
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Consumer Reports periodically updates its chart of top Snapshot Printers, but unfortunately does not show the date of the most recent update on its website. Of the three models selected as Best Buys, one is discontinued, as are an additional model recommended in CR Quick Recommendations and a couple of others among the eleven charted printers. Still, one brand clearly emerges as having the best photo quality. Editors say that full-sized printers are more versatile and, in many cases, produce better-quality prints than portable photo printers. The evaluations are informative, but brief, lacking the detail found in other top-rated reviews.
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Photo Printers Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.
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| 7.
CNet.com
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Printers
Felisa Yang
As of Oct. 2007
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CNet.com is the most prolific reviewer of snapshot printers. The reviews are far more devoted to design and features than picture quality, however. A few reviews have very good comparisons; some address relative image quality, but CNet does not show prints. Most -- but not all -- reviews show speed comparisons. The range of ratings is better than typical for CNet. Some reviews are accompanied by reader reviews and ratings. Poor factual accuracy diminishes the credibility of CNet's reviews.
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| 8.
Steves Digicams.com
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Printer Reviews
Editors of Steve's Digicams
As of Oct. 2007
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Steve's Digicams reviews four current-model portable photo printers. The reviews are thorough, detailed and aimed at photo enthusiasts, although they do tend to be more positive than critical. Documentation is very good. Most reviews show screen shots and the quality of photographs is as good you'd expect from a photography site. Yet, the absence of ratings, rankings, criticisms and comparisons reduce this to being an average source of information for serious buyers.
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| 9.
PC Magazine
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Dedicated Photo Printers
M. David Stone
As of Oct. 2007
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PC Magazine is among the most prolific reviewers of photo printers, which gives David Stone an excellent frame of reference. PC Magazine's reviews are pretty good, but nonetheless disappointing when compared with what the magazine used to offer. We miss the enlarged print reproductions and detailed descriptions of printer output. The reviews are occasionally comparative, but comparisons generally just address speed or cost-of-use. Features are explained well.
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| 10.
WebUser.co.uk
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Printer Reviews
Andy Shaw
As of Oct. 2007
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Internet magazine Webuser reviews four mini photo printers in its first three issues of the year. The top-rated model is a discontinued HP model, while the other three models share the same high overall ratings (but two receive awards). Subcategory ratings provide some distinctions, but the very short reviews imply minimal testing and are supported with no documentation. Cost per print is reported, but the source of the information is not revealed. The reviews are concise and make valuable distinctions, but readers are required to accept the magazine's ratings with little explanation.
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| 11.
Tom’s Hardware Guide
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Four 4 x 6 inch Photo Printers Head to Head
Vincent Verhaeghe, Barry Gerber
Jan. 26, 2007
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This four-printer roundup includes printers from Canon, Epson, Kodak and Samsung. Reviews don't go into great detail, focusing mainly on speed and features. Image quality gets a one-line summary. Models are ranked in the conclusion, but the reasoning is flimsy and the lack of visual documentation is disconcerting. The mention that two printers are ranked a "close second" is the closest this review comes to direct comparison.
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| 12.
PopPhoto.com
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Editor's Choice 2007: Snapshot Printers
Aimee Baldridge
July/Aug. 2007
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American Photo, sister magazine to Popular Photography & Imaging, names its Editor's Choices for snapshot printers in this article. Printers aren't objectively rated or compared to each other, but the discussion includes ample descriptions of both strengths and weaknesses. The model named Printer of the Year is already discontinued. American Photo selects six models from six brands as Editor's Choices, which could be deliberate or coincidental.
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| 13.
Macworld
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Printers
James Galbraith, Brian Chen
As of Oct. 2007
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Macworld reviews two mini photo printers this year. The reviews are short, but test results and specifications are charted. The reviews would be extremely enhanced with comparative reproductions of prints. Comparisons are very helpful in some reviews, but just generic in others. Ratings present an additional means of comparison, but they are quirky. For example, Brian Chen says he would give the Epson PictureMate Zoom PM 290 a perfect rating, but it can't print anything larger than 4 by 6 inches. That's the point of the product.
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| 14.
Laptop Magazine
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Accessories Reviews
Anthony Losanno
As of Oct. 2007
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Laptop Magazine does not rate very many snapshot photo printers and the reviews are indexed online in this catchall category. Only the Sony DPP-FP90 and Canon Selphy ES1 have been examined this year. The reviews lack depth and documentation. Infrequent comparisons do not address performance, but each printer is rated. More reviews might add value to those single ratings. Reviews are balanced and some conclude with lists of pros and cons.
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Photo Printers Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.
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| 15.
GadgetSpeak.com
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Reviews related to: Photo printers
Mfereday, Paul Smart
As of Oct. 2007
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This forum website reviews as many mini printers as anyone. The reviews fall short of professional quality and include surprisingly little evaluation, but they are informative. Although they are minimally subjective, they are balanced. The reviews lack comparisons, performance testing, conclusions and ratings. GadgetSpeak is an adequate secondary source to consider once your choices are narrowed down to a few models.
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| 16.
Imaging- Resource.com
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Printer Reviews
Mike Pasini
As of Oct. 2007
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The Imaging Resource, a newsletter devoted to digital photography, periodically reviews photo printers. The printers are evaluated in detail and reviews are lushly illustrated, but not with prints from the reviewed printers. Instead of comparing output quality, Mike Pasini insists that all portable photo printers produce great quality and the only thing that distinguishes them is features. He finds a particular reason to like all reviewed printers, but makes no claim that one is the best.
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| 17.
PC Magazine
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Buying Guide: Dedicated Photo Printers
M. David Stone
Feb. 14, 2007
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In this somewhat older general how-to-buy guide, David Stone summarizes reasons to buy the best of previously reviewed photo printers. Most of the covered printers were reviewed in 2006. In this article, Stone does not restate the magazine's ratings or show prints comparing the recommended models. These models are not compared at all; instead, they are briefly described as choices for specific market niches. In newer reviews, Stone says newer HP products replace and slightly supersede some models recommended in this roundup.
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| 18.
The Wall Street Journal
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Compact Photo Printers Expand their Reach
Walter Mossberg and Katherine Boehret
Oct. 11, 2006
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This out-of-date roundup of three printers pits models from HP, Epson and Canon against each other. Two of the three models have subsequently been discontinued, including the best of the three. Mossberg and Boehret test each model by printing directly from memory cards plugged into three printers for a week. They also test features, such as extensive editing options. In an August 29, 2007 article, Katherine Boehret competently and thoroughly evaluates the HP Photosmart A826.
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| 19.
Amazon.com
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Photo Printers
Contributors to Amazon.com
As of Oct. 2007
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Amazon.com is one of the busier Internet retailers and has many reviews of photo printers. However, all types of photo printers, as well as current and discontinued models are jumbled together, so the site is only easily useful for checking reviews of specific models. Most snapshot printers get high average ratings. The Canon Selphy CP720 earns lower scores for print quality. Customer reaction to the Epson PictureMate Snap is enthusiastic. The worst ratings for it are average, but image quality draws universally excellent response.
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| 20.
Newegg.com
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Printers
Contributors to Newegg.com
As of Oct. 2007
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The owner-written reviews here are very clearly laid out. Reviews are broken down into pros, cons and other thoughts. Owner-reviewers even rate themselves by their technical level. Photo printers usually get fewer reviews than at Amazon.com, however. In addition, photo printers don't get their own category, so finding them at all can take some time.
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