The 13 Best Portable Laser Printers in 2023 – Top Picks

Hb Do you often find yourself needing to print documents when you’re not at home and have only your tablet or laptop with you? Then I think you need a portable laser printer. Have you never heard of it? No problem, let’s fix it right away.

As easily imaginable, portable printers are light and compact printers that can be battery powered and can be used on the move even when there is no electrical outlet available.

They are ideal both for professionals who need to print many documents “on the fly” and for photography enthusiasts who are looking for a quick and fast solution to publish their shots.

Here we had listed out some of the best and advanced portable laser printers that are present below.

How to Choose Portable Laser Printers?

What It Is and What It Is Used For

The laser printing finds its precedent in xerography: the latter retains the methodology “dry,” that uses a copying machine and a separate processing unit.

Before the success of the laser printer, “inkjet” printers dominated the market, also facilitated by the lower cost compared to the prices of the first laser printers.

Today, the wider offer allows you to find “low cost” laser printer models, equally functional both for use in the office and at home.

The first practical advantage that this type of printer offers is that, by not using cartridges with liquid ink (likely to dry out over time), it can be left inactive without fear of not being able to use it when needed.

But basically, the speed and quality of execution of a laser printer are revealed, with use, clearly superior, especially in black and white printing.

A laser printer is also able to withstand high work rates, maintaining constant functionality, and thus optimizing processing times.

If we want to find a defect in the laser printer, we can refer to its dimensions: it is generally quite cumbersome, and this can be a factor of discomfort when choosing computer peripherals.

However, this is a problem that can be resolved logistically, surely compensated by an indisputable efficiency.

How Does It Work

As in inkjet printers, the laser printing technique also involves the use of toner, a pigment composed of the mixture of carbon powders and polymers, but, in this case, the toner acts in synergy with the action of a laser beam.

The image to be reproduced is brought back by the laser over a photosensitive selenium cylinder (called “magnetic roller” or “drum”).

Due to the effect of light, the drum loads acquires the negative image, and deposits the toner on the sheet of paper, creating the print.

The result: superior quality of execution, accurate work quickly, even faster in monochrome. And, especially in the latter case, the cost of recharging will also be lower.

Printer for Documents or Photos

The first important distinction that needs to be done is that of document printers and photo printers.

The printers intended for the production of documents using an inkjet system like the most common home printers.

They are almost always able to print in color and ensure excellent performance also about the printing of graphic content.

Photo printers, on the other hand, use a defined thermal sublimation system in which solid-state polymers are treated with heat to pass into the gaseous state and imprint the colors on the sheet.

The exciting thing about this system is that it does not require cartridges. However, it requires a photographic paper, which can be particularly expensive.

Also, it should be noted that photo printers do not allow you to print documents more considerably than the classic 10x15cm photo format. Therefore, for example, they do not allow the creation of A4 papers.

In contrast, inkjet printers are often able to print photos but with a lower quality than thermal sublimation printers.

Laser printers would also be suitable for the production of documents, which, as you may already know, allow you to print many documents in series at high speed. Still, in the portable field, they are practically impossible to find.

Standard Printer or Multifunction Printer

As well as traditional “from home” printers, portable printers can also be divided into standard printers, which offer only the printing function, and multifunction printers, which instead also include a scanner and therefore, can be used to make photocopies and scans.

As can be easily guessed, multifunction printers are only inkjet type (therefore mainly designed for text documents, even if often equipped with photographic paper support) and cost more than the standard ones.

It’s up to you to decide whether it’s worth considering them based on your budget and your printing needs.

Performance

Before purchasing a printer, carefully evaluate its performance, i.e., the speed it uses to print documents and photos and the maximum resolution that the prints obtained can have.

The print speed is expressed in ppm (pages per minute) or ipm (images per minute) for documents and only in seconds for photos (e.g., 40 seconds to obtain a 10x15cm print).

The ppm and ipm values ​​vary depending on whether you are printing in color or black and white (black and white prints are faster) and depending on whether the printer is powered by a power outlet or battery (battery power may decrease printer performance somewhat).

The resolution of the prints is indicated in DPI (dots per inch) and, as can be easily guessed, the higher and sharper the contents printed on the sheet.

It is good to point out that there are almost always two PPE values: a real one that the printer can guarantee with its internal mechanics and an “inflated” one that is achieved thanks to optimization and image enhancement systems.

The same can be said for scanners integrated into multifunction printers, which have two resolutions (always measured in DPI): one elementary, real, and one increased through various technologies for image improvement.

Wi-Fi Support

Most portable printers support Wi-Fi connection so that you can use it wirelessly with smartphones, tablets, and PCs using any Wi-Fi connection, but some only work via USB cable.

The most advanced models support Wi-Fi Direct technology, thanks to which the printer can communicate wirelessly with other devices (e.g., smartphones and tablets) without having a router or a Wi-Fi support network, and cloud printing services which allow you to order prints from any workplace via the Internet.

Supported Paper Sizes

Most document printers (inkjet printers) support sheets up to A4 size, while photo printers, as already mentioned above, generally stop at 10x15cm format.

That said, if you have special needs and want to print on particular formats of sheets, before opening the wallet, make sure that these are supported by the printer you would like to buy.

Remaining always on the subject of sheets, I advise you to check the presence of a component such as the ADF, which on the most advanced portable printer models allows you to load the sheets for printing automatically.

Power Supply and Autonomy

Portable printers are such as they can also work via rechargeable batteries. The batteries, however, are not all the same.

Before buying a portable printer, you would do well to evaluate the performance of its battery, that is, the autonomy that it can guarantee, and to understand if this is supplied “standard” with the printer or must be purchased separately.

Software Compatibility

Another essential feature to check before buying a printer is its compatibility with the smartphones, tablets, and computers that are used. Purchasing a printer and then finding yourself unable to use it due to the lack of compatible apps or drivers would be a shame!

Other Characteristics

Other features that I recommend you consider when choosing a portable printer are the presence or absence of a display to adjust print settings on the fly.

The availability of SD card slots and USB ports for uploading documents to be printed without going through a PC, smartphone, or tablet.

The cost of cartridges and spare paper for the printer; the automatic double-sided support to print the sheets on both sides automatically and, obviously, the weight and size of the printer, which can significantly affect its degree of portability.