Printers: How to buy the best printer How to buy the best photo printer

If you want a printer only for printing 6x4 inch photos, you could consider a compact photo printer. However, your printing options with a compact photo printer are limited to just printing small photos.

If you want more functionality for your money a standard or all-in-one inkjet printer may suit you better and if you want to print photos at home there a few features you should look for.

Photo printing - borderless printing

The most basic feature you should look for is borderless printing. Most, but not all, printers will produce borderless prints.

Printers like the let you print 6x4-inch photos and A4 photo prints that fill the whole page. Check before you buy that the printer you're interested in produces borderless photos in the size you want to print.

PictBridge allows you to print photos directly from your digital camera

PictBridge

A PictBridge connection allows you to print photographs directly from your digital camera by plugging the camera into the printer to print.

This can save you time and is particularly useful for those that don’t like using computers.

To find printers that will operate using PictBridge, use the compare products feature in our full printers review.

Memory card slots on photo printers

Memory card slots are handy if you want to print a couple of photos quickly

Some printers come with memory card slots so you can plug your camera’s memory card straight in. If you think this sounds useful, make sure the printer you buy has a good-sized LCD screen on which to preview images – you can then easily select and print the digital photo you want without having to turn on your computer.

Not all printers with memory card slots take all types of card, so whether you have an SD card or memory stick, make sure the one from your camera fits the printer you want to buy. for example many printers do not take xD cards.

You can check if a printer will print directly from memory card in our full printers review.

Printers with extra paper trays

Additional paper trays on printers like the Canon Pixma MP630 are incredibly useful if, for example, you print on A4 and 6x4-inch paper regularly. You can switch from printing standard A4 text or graphics documents to printing photos without having to change your printer settings or the type of paper you’re using.

Branded photo paper can be expensive, but it’s possible to get good digital photo prints using some third-party printer papers. We’ve tested A4 photo paper for print quality and smudging – see our printer photo paper review to save on home printing costs.

Save money on printer ink, read about who sells the cheapest printer ink.

Negative and slide scanner

A transparency adaptor in the lid of some all-in-one printers enables you to scan 35mm film negatives and slides. This feature is generally available only on more high-end, expensive printers.

A negative slide scanner is great for those who have lots of old photographs that they want to digitize.

A standalone scanner will produce better scans than an all-in-one printer. But if you’re just planning to scan small 6x4-inch photographs, an all-in-one printer will be adequate. The has this feature.

Making your purchase

The most competitive prices for printers and inks are usually found online. Buying a few cartridges at a time may be cheaper, although you should be mindful that some cartridges have expiry dates.

When shopping online for a printer don’t forget your rights - you have from the day you order until seven working days from the day after you receive goods to change your mind and return them.

The seller is responsible for the goods until they’re handed over to you. So, if an item is damaged, you should be able to send it back (at no cost to you) for a replacement or a refund.

Take a look at our consumer rights guide to buying online.

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