Best 4×6 Photo Printers Under Budget
In recent times, digital photography has been in fashion. There used to be a time when Polaroid cameras were a thing, but today, they hardly exist. People now believe in purchasing multipurpose devices instead of spending money on a device that performs only a specific task.
There are numerous 4×6 photo printers in the market that work on different printing techniques like dye-sublimation, dot-matrix, inkjet, or Zink paper. It gets hard to choose the best photo printer for 4×6 photos as a customer.
To make things simpler for you, we have curated a list of the best 4×6 photo printers available in the market.
Contents
Best 4×6 Photo Printers Reviewed
1. Kodak Dock Plus 4×6″ Portable Instant Photo Printer
The first printer on our list of the best 4×6 photo printers is the Kodak Dock Plus. It is a wireless printer that can also be connected directly to your smartphone via a dock.
The USP of the Dock Plus is its print quality. Manufactured to print photos, this printer can deliver professional-grade photographs with excellent color precision and a high amount of detail. You get stunning pictures almost immediately. You can print polaroids, posters, and so much more with the Kodak Dock Plus.
Another reason why the Kodak Dock Plus is one of the best photo printer for 4×6 printing is that it works on the dye sublimation method and uses a four-pass printing technique. Under this technique, each photo is printed with layers of ink ribbons. Lamination is also performed side-by-side.
Thus, you get excellent quality printouts that are durable and water-resistant. Also, the Dock Plus produces smudge-proof photographs so you can be assured of long-lasting quality.
The Dock Plus is a compact and portable printer. You can print photos instantly via Bluetooth, or you can dock your phone and print directly. Sadly there is no support for wireless printing via WiFi. However, the Bluetooth connectivity is excellent. So, you can use Bluetooth to print wirelessly.
The cost of printing photos on the Kodak Dock Plus is relatively low. It can be reduced further by purchasing the printer bundle. In the package, you get 90 sheets of glossy photo paper along with ink ribbons.
The Kodak Dock Plus can print both border and borderless type photos. With the Kodak Photo Printer application, you can print from any place. It also provides you with multiple editing options.
Overall, the Kodak Dock Plus is one of the best portable 4×6 photo printers on the market. You get high-quality and long-lasting photographs at an affordable price.
Pros:
- The print quality is excellent.
- You can print both border and borderless type photos.
- You get long-lasting photographs.
Cons:
- This printer can not be used for anything else.
- The battery backup is relatively low.
- There is no support for WiFi printing.
2. HP Sprocket Studio Photo Printer
Next on our list of the best 4×6 photo printers is the Sprocket Studio printer. Manufactured by HP, it is a network-ready wireless photo printer meant to print 4×6 photos.
Like the Kodak Dock Plus, the HP Sprocket printer works on dye-sublimation technology to produce high-resolution photographs. The print quality is astonishing. The photos look close to real-life figures, and you get your memories captured and preserved for a long time.
HP claims that the photos printed by the Sprocket printer last up to a hundred years long. Since it uses glossy photo paper, you get shiny pictures with vibrant colors. Because of the dye-sublimation technique, the printer prints fingerprint-proof and water-resistant photographs.
The HP Sprocket printer works on Bluetooth and is network-enabled. It is compatible with all primary cloud services. You can print directly via your smartphone using the free HP Sprocket application.
Thus, the HP Sprocket is one of the best wireless 4×6 photo printers on the market. In terms of portability, this printer is excellent because of its lightweight and compact nature.
Being a fast printer, just plug in the printer, and it is ready to print. Thanks to the 20-sheet input tray, you can always be prepared to print.
Also, if you use the HP Sprocket application, you get an option to edit your photos right before printing them. You can add funny stickers, filters, and whatnot by this application.
Overall, the HP Sprocket Studio Photo printer is one of the best portable 4×6 photo printers with so much functionality.
Pros:
- The images produced are of high resolution.
- You can edit your photos before printing.
- It uses the dye-sublimation printing technique to produce long-lasting printouts.
Cons:
- There is a yellow hue on your photos sometimes.
- It uses a lot of ink. Thus, you will have to replenish ink frequently.
- The cost of printing is relatively high.
3. Liene DHP513 4×6″ Photo Printer, WiFi Picture Printer
The Liene DHP513 is a wireless photo printer is modern printer that was launched in 2021. Since its release, the DHP513 has been a member of all the best 4×6 photo printers list.
The unique selling point of the Liene DHP513 photo printer is the number of features it provides at such a minimal cost. Being a 4×6 photo printer, it is portable and lightweight. It also has an in-built WiFi hotspot, among other features.
The printing quality of the Liene DHP513 printer is excellent. Being modern, it uses a high-quality thermal dye-sublimation technique to produce stunning photographs. Your prints dry out instantly, and because of thermal printing, the ink reaches deep into the layers of paper. You achieve vibrant pictures with excellent color saturation.
In terms of durability, the printouts last long because of the protective covering added as the last layer. The photos produced are water-resistant, scratch and fade-proof.
When it comes to connectivity, the DHP513 works on WiFi 5.0. You can connect it to your home or work network and print your photos from any Android or iOS device.
You can even connect it to a PC via a USB cable. If you find it a hassle to connect your printer to your home network, Liene has introduced an in-built WiFi hotspot.
Overall, the Liene DHP513 is one of the best portable 4×6 photo printers because of the numerous features and the quality of print it can provide.
Pros:
- It provides professional-grade photographs.
- You get a lot of features for minimal cost.
- It has an in-built WiFi hotspot, reducing dependence on external WiFi networks.
Cons:
- The build quality of the printer is disappointing.
- This printer is looked upon as a threat to your privacy.
4. Kodak Dock KOD-PD450WUS WiFi Portable 4×6″ Instant Photo Printer
Next on the best 4×6 photo printers list is the Kodak Dock KOD-PD450WUS. It is a portable photo printer with wireless and dock capabilities.
It belongs to the Dock series of printers from Kodak. The Dock KOD printer can print excellent quality photographs and images with great accuracy and color precision. The blacks have depth while other colors are vibrant. Because it prints on glossy photo paper, you can print shiny polaroids and postcards.
The printer works on the dye-sublimation technique and uses D2T2 thermal transfer technology. There is minimal fading and color bleed, and you get long-lasting prints.
You can connect the Kodak Dock KOD directly to your smartphone via Bluetooth or dock. You also get an iOS lightning adapter included in the package. Thus, it is compatible with both Android and iOS devices.
Another reason why the Kodak Dock KOD is one of the best photo printer for 4×6 photos is that the dock has five different pins to connect various devices like smartphones, iPad, digital cameras, or a pen drive. You can even use the port to charge your printer, in addition to providing it with the image to print.
Overall, the Kodak Dock KOD-PD450WUS is one of the best 4×6 portable photo printers in terms of print quality and affordability. Since it is compatible with almost every smartphone because of the multi-port dock. It can also be regarded as one of the best smartphone 4×6 photo printers.
Pros:
- The print quality is good.
- You can connect many devices through the dock.
- You get an iOS lightning connector in the box.
Cons:
- The build quality is not up to the mark.
- The interface of the Kodak app is disappointing.
5. Kodak Dock Premium 4×6″ Portable Instant Photo Printer (2022 Edition)
The penultimate printer on our list of the best 4×6 portable photo printer is the Kodak Dock Premium 2022 edition photo printer. It is an upgrade over the above-mentioned Kodak Dock printer.
The Dock Premium 2022 edition can print even more crisp and sharper photos because of four-pass technology. Under this technology, each image is printed in layers of ink ribbons to increase the life of your print and prevent fading. There is a laminating mechanism, which makes our photos fingerprint-proof and water-resistant.
You can print real-life photos instantly because of its improved dye-sublimation process. The quality has increased, manifolds and images have become vibrant and colorful. Color separation and saturation have improved.
In terms of connectivity, the Dock Premium 2022 edition still works on Bluetooth and USB, in addition to the multi-port dock. You can connect your printer to almost all kinds of USB devices. You also get an iOS lightning connector inside the box. However, we expected the 2022 edition to work on WiFi, which it does not.
You can edit your photos before printing them with the free Kodak application. It allows you to add filters, stickers, and frames to your pictures. It even tunes your printer to the best settings for a particular photograph.
Inside the package, you get a starter cartridge and a set of fifty sheets of glossy photo paper. The Kodak Dock Premium 2022 edition is a satisfactory improvement over the previous Dock printers by Kodak. It is amongst the best 4×6 portable photo printers.
Pros:
- The print quality is outstanding.
- There are many improvements over the previous version.
- You get fifty sheets included in the box.
Cons:
- After-sales services are not good.
- The Kodak application has a boring user interface.
- There is no support for WiFi printing.
6. Canon SELPHY CP1300 Wireless Compact Photo Printer
The last printer on our list of the best 4×6 photo printers is the Canon SELPHY CP1300 photo printer. It is a compact and wireless printer that works on dot-matrix technology. Marketed by NEEGO, you get the NEEGO protective pack with the printer.
The printing quality of the Canon SELPHY is excellent. You get instantly dry photos that look vibrant and colorful. The print is not as refined as compared to a high-end inkjet printer, but the results are in no way disappointing. The blacks look intense, while the color saturation is good.
You get long-lasting photos with the Canon SELPHY. The printer prints smudge-proof and water-resistant photos. Canon guarantees that your prints will last for nearly a century.
In terms of connectivity, you can connect your SELPHY printer to any smartphone via the Canon PRINT application. You can use the application to print directly from your smartphone. It also provides USB cable compatibility to connect your printer to a computer. There is also a slot supplied for your camera’s memory card. Thus, you get diverse printing options.
One more reason why the Canon SELPHY CP1300 is one of the best portable 4×6 photo printers is the printing experience. You get a fluid printing experience because of excellent connectivity methods and the inclusion of a 3.2 inches LCD screen. You also get an additional battery back, ensuring that you are always ready to print.
Overall, the Canon SELPHY CP1300 is an excellent package. It is undoubtedly one of the best 4×6 portable photo printers on the market. With Canon’s trust, you have another reason to buy it.
Pros:
- The print quality is good.
- There are excellent connectivity modes.
- The overall printing experience is fluid.
Cons:
- You get a dot-matrix printer at a high cost.
- The printer does not provide good value for money.
- The print is not as refined as an inkjet printer in the same range.
Things to consider while buying 4×6 photo printers
Size and Portability
Size and portability become essential factors when looking for the best 4×6 photo printers because you might have to carry the printer from place to place in your office.
If you need a printer for home, size might not be an essential factor. But more often than not, people look for portable photo printers.
Print Quality
The print quality is why you are looking for the best 4×6 photo printers. A photo printer should deliver excellent quality photos with high detailing and sharpness. If you are a professional photographer, you need a printer to print professional-grade photographs consistently.
The durability of the print
Photos are meant to be kept as a memory, and the best 4×6 portable photo printer should be able to print long-lasting images that do not fade away. Ideally, a photo printer should print photos that last up to sixty-seventy years.
It is an added advantage if your printer puts a lamination or a protective covering on your photograph.
Also, most modern photo printers print water-resistant and smudge-proof pictures. Thus, the best 4×6 photo printers should be able to provide long-lasting printouts.
Cost of printing
The following essential aspect of a printer is the cost of printing. You need to have a printer that is efficient and provides low-cost printing.
Ways of saving money on printing can be either by reducing ink usage or by allowing the use of generic inks. For professionals, the best 4×6 photo printers need to be cost-efficient to increase their margin and not put a lot of financial pressure.
Verdict
In my opinion, the best 4×6 portable photo printer is the Liene DHP513 photo printer. You get a feature-loaded photo printer that can print excellent quality photographs at a minimal cost. It ticks almost all the boxes when searching for the best 4×6 photo printers.
The only major concerns while buying the Liene DHP513 photo printer are privacy and build quality if you need a cheap photo printer that provides you with features like WiFi printing, an in-built WiFi hotspot, and thermal dye-sublimation printing, along with printing long-lasting smudge-proof and water-resistant photographs.
Overall, the Liene DHP513 photo printer is the best photo printer for 4×6 as it appeals to a wide range of customers.
Related Printers
