Best Printer for Photos at Home 2026

I’ve been printing photos at home for years now, and honestly? The quality you can get from a decent printer in 2026 is ridiculous. I printed some holiday shots from Greece last summer on my six-ink Canon, and my mate genuinely thought I’d had them done at Boots. They cost me about 30p each.

But not every printer can do this. I’ve wasted money on cheap two-cartridge printers that turned every sunset into a muddy orange mess. I put together this guide to save you from making the same mistakes I did.

What Makes a Good Photo Printer?

The difference between a proper photo printer and a standard home printer comes down to a few things. Get these right and you’ll be printing gallery-worthy stuff. Get them wrong and you’ll wonder why your photos look like they’ve been through a washing machine.

The number of inks makes the biggest difference. Budget printers use 2 cartridges (one black and one tri-colour). Dedicated photo printers use 5 or 6 individual inks, adding light cyan, light magenta, and sometimes grey or photo black. Those extra inks improve skin tones and gradients. They can make the difference between a convincing photo and an obvious printout.

Dye vs pigment inks affect both quality and how long your prints last. Dye inks give you more vibrant colours and are standard in most photo printers. Pigment inks resist fading and water better, so they’re the ones you want for prints going on the wall. Some printers use both, which is the sweet spot.

Resolution needs to be at least 4800 x 1200 dpi for decent photo output. Higher is better, though honestly I can’t tell the difference above 5760 x 1440 dpi. I’ve tried, squinting at prints with a magnifying glass like a right muppet.

Paper handling matters too. Look for borderless printing, support for thick photo paper (200-300gsm), and ideally a rear feed tray for speciality media. Nothing is worse than feeding expensive photo paper through a printer that mangles it.

For a broader comparison of printer technologies, see our guide on laser vs inkjet printers. Spoiler: lasers are absolutely rubbish for photos.

Best Photo Printers 2026: Comparison Table

Printer	Ink System	Max Photo Size	Borderless	Price	Cost per 6x4 Print
Canon PIXMA TS8750	6 individual inks	A4	Yes	~£115-125	~30p
Epson EcoTank ET-8550	6 refillable tanks	A3+	Yes	~£650-700	~5p
Canon SELPHY CP1500	Dye-sublimation	6x4” / Postcard	Yes	~£125-140	~25p (inc. paper)
HP Envy Inspire 7921e	2 cartridges	A4	Yes	~£90-100	~35p
Epson Expression Photo XP-8700	6 cartridges	A4	Yes	~£135-145	~25p
Canon PIXMA TS7650i	2 cartridges	A4	Yes	~£90-100	~40p

1. Canon PIXMA TS8750: Best Overall Photo Printer

Price: ~£115-125 on Amazon UK | Ink system: 6 individual inks | Functions: Print, scan, copy

This is my top pick and the model I recommend most often. The TS8750 is Canon’s dedicated photo-focused all-in-one, and it punches well above its price. The six-ink system uses a dedicated photo blue ink alongside the standard CMYK and pigment black. It produces vivid colours, smooth gradients, and natural-looking skin tones.

I printed a batch of 6x4s from a family christening on this. The difference between these and the prints I’d been getting from my old two-cartridge HP was night and day.

Key photo features:

• Borderless printing up to A4
• 4800 x 1200 dpi resolution
• CD/DVD/Blu-ray disc printing with included tray (niche, but dead handy if you need it)
• Rear tray for thick photo paper up to 300gsm
• 3.0-inch touchscreen for easy setup and memory card printing

The TS8750 accepts SD cards directly, so you can print without a computer. That is handy when you just want to pop the card out of your camera and crack on. WiFi, AirPrint, and the Canon PRINT app are all supported.

Running costs are moderate. Canon’s XXL-size ink cartridges bring the cost per A4 colour page to around 7p, though dedicated 6x4 photo prints cost roughly 30p in ink alone. Not cheap, mind, but cheaper than Boots.

Replacing all six cartridges at once adds up. I’ve had a £45 bill on Amazon UK for a full set of XXLs, which stings a bit.

Verdict: The best balance of photo quality, features, and price. If you print a mix of documents and photos, this is the one to get. For a comparison of Canon against its competitors, see our Epson vs Canon printers guide.

Buy the Canon PIXMA TS8750 on Amazon.co.uk

2. Epson EcoTank ET-8550: Best for High-Volume Photo Printing

Price: ~£650-700 on Amazon UK | Ink system: 6 refillable ink tanks | Functions: Print, scan, copy

This is the one for anyone who prints photos seriously. You might be running an Etsy shop, preparing for an exhibition, or printing every photo from every holiday. The refillable ink tank system brings per-print costs down to roughly 5p per 6x4 photo. Five pence is remarkably cheap.

The ET-8550 prints borderless photos up to A3+ (13x19 inches), which means proper wall art. I helped a photographer friend set one up last year, and she’s now printing and framing her own work instead of paying a lab £8-15 per A3 print. It paid for itself in about three months.

It uses six Claria ET Premium inks: cyan, magenta, yellow, black, photo black, and grey. The grey ink improves black-and-white photography by producing smooth tonal gradations without the blue or green colour cast that can appear when printers mix CMY into grey.

The included ink bottles provide enough ink to print approximately:

• 2,300 A4 colour pages, or
• Hundreds of A3+ photo prints

Print quality genuinely rivals what you’d get from a professional lab. Resolution is 5760 x 1440 dpi, and Epson’s Micro Piezo print head produces exceptionally fine droplets.

The main downsides are the price and size. At £650-700, it is a big investment, and it takes up serious desk space. You’ll want a dedicated shelf or table for it. The nozzles can also clog if you leave it unused for a few weeks. It is still an inkjet, after all.

Verdict: If you print photos regularly, this is the smartest investment on this list. The running costs are unbeatable and the A3+ output is a proper job. Just make sure you’ve got the space and the budget.

Buy the Epson EcoTank ET-8550 on Amazon.co.uk

3. Canon SELPHY CP1500: Best Portable Photo Printer

Price: ~£125-140 on Amazon UK | Ink system: Dye-sublimation | Functions: Photo print only (6x4” max)

The SELPHY CP1500 is a different kind of printer: a compact, dedicated photo model that uses dye-sublimation technology instead of inkjet. It heats layers of dye onto specially coated paper, producing vibrant, water-resistant, smudge-proof prints with a protective overcoat. I took one to a family BBQ last summer and printed photos on the spot. Everyone wanted one. It was like having a Polaroid that produced genuinely good prints.

Each 6x4-inch print costs approximately 25p, including both the ink ribbon and the paper. Canon sells them as a combined pack. The KP-108IN kit contains 108 sheets plus ink for about £27 on Amazon UK, which keeps things simple.

The SELPHY prints only postcard-sized photos (up to 148 x 100mm) or square/card formats. It can’t print documents or A4 pages. That is the trade-off: it does one thing, but it does it brilliantly.

Key features:

• Dye-sublimation printing: the 300 x 300 dpi output looks far sharper than inkjet at the same resolution
• Overcoat protection: prints are water-resistant and fingerprint-proof
• USB and WiFi connectivity, plus SD card slot
• Compact and portable: weighs just 850g
• Battery pack available (sold separately) for printing on the go

Its limitation is print size. It cannot handle A4, documents, or anything beyond 6x4. If that is all you need, it does the job brilliantly.

Verdict: Perfect for printing holiday photos, party photos, or creating physical prints from your phone. It is not a document printer, but I genuinely love this little thing for what it does.

Buy the Canon SELPHY CP1500 on Amazon.co.uk

4. HP Envy Inspire 7921e: Best for Casual Photo Printing

Price: ~£90-100 on Amazon UK | Type: 2-cartridge inkjet | Functions: Print, scan, copy

The Envy Inspire 7921e is HP’s attempt at a photo-friendly home printer without going to six inks. It uses two cartridges (HP 303 or 303XL) and prints borderless photos up to A4. The results are surprisingly decent for a two-cartridge printer. They do not match the Canon TS8750, but most people would be happy putting them in a frame.

HP has paid attention to photo output here. The 4800 x 1200 dpi resolution combined with HP’s thermal inkjet technology produces clean, colourful photos that look proper on glossy paper. It handles photo paper up to 300gsm via the rear tray.

The dual paper tray is especially useful, with photo paper in the rear and plain A4 in the front. There is no faffing about swapping paper when you switch between printing an essay and printing holiday snaps. I wish more printers did this.

HP Instant Ink is available, and they’ll push it at you during setup, offering plans from 100 photos/month for £4.49. If you print regularly, it can save money. If you cancel, though, HP disables the cartridges remotely, which I think is frankly outrageous. If you’re weighing this printer against an Epson equivalent, our Epson vs HP for photo printing comparison breaks down which brand produces better prints.

The main drawback is that two cartridges can produce banding in gradients that the six-ink printers handle smoothly. Those HP cartridges aren’t cheap either: £22 for a 303XL black.

Verdict: A decent all-rounder for families who want occasional photo printing alongside everyday documents. Just go in with your eyes open about the ink costs and HP’s subscription pressure.

Buy the HP Envy Inspire 7921e on Amazon.co.uk

5. Epson Expression Photo XP-8700: Best Six-Ink Alternative

Price: ~£135-145 on Amazon UK | Type: 6-cartridge inkjet | Functions: Print, scan, copy

The XP-8700 is Epson’s answer to the Canon TS8750, and it’s a cracking printer. It uses Epson’s Claria Photo HD inks: six individual cartridges including light cyan and light magenta. The skin tones on portrait photos are excellent, and sky gradients come out smooth as butter.

Print resolution reaches 5760 x 1440 dpi, the highest on this list for a cartridge printer. I’ve compared its prints side by side with those from the Canon TS8750, and the choice is a coin toss. Epson’s colours lean slightly more natural. Canon’s are slightly punchier. Both are brilliant.

Like the Canon, you get:

• Borderless printing up to A4
• CD/DVD disc printing
• Rear feed for thick photo paper
• SD card slot for direct printing
• Duplex printing for documents

The XP-8700 is also surprisingly compact for a six-ink printer. It fits on a standard desk shelf without hanging over the edge.

Running costs are comparable to the Canon. Epson 378XL cartridges bring the cost per 6x4 photo to roughly 25p. If you want to slash those running costs, look at the EcoTank ET-8550 above instead.

Epson’s Claria inks are rated for up to 300 years on certain Epson papers when framed behind glass. That claimed longevity is a genuine selling point over Canon if you’re printing photos for posterity.

The downside is the same as with any cartridge printer: six cartridges means six things to replace. They don’t all run out at the same time, which is mildly infuriating.

Verdict: Superb photo quality in a compact package. I’d pick this over the Canon if you value ink longevity or prefer Epson’s more natural colour rendering. Read our full Epson vs Canon printers comparison for a detailed breakdown.

Buy the Epson Expression Photo XP-8700 on Amazon.co.uk

6. Canon PIXMA TS7650i: Best Budget Photo-Capable Printer

Price: ~£90-100 on Amazon UK | Type: 2-cartridge inkjet | Functions: Print, scan, copy

Not everyone needs or wants to pay for a dedicated photo printer. Fair enough. The TS7650i is a capable £90-100 all-rounder that handles photos well enough. It uses two genuine Canon ink cartridges and prints borderless photos up to A4.

I’ll be honest: photo quality is fine rather than spectacular. Put a TS7650i print next to one from the six-ink models above and you’ll see the difference. Gradients are a touch rougher, and shadows are a bit less detailed. But it is absolutely fine for printing 6x4 family snaps to stick on the fridge or pop in a card. My parents have this printer and they’re happy as anything with it.

The TS7650i adds automatic duplex printing and support for Canon’s Creative Park templates. WiFi, AirPrint, and Canon PRINT app connectivity are all included.

The downside is the cost per print. At roughly 40p per 6x4, you’re paying more per photo than on any other printer here. If you print lots of photos, those costs add up quickly.

Verdict: A sensible choice if photos are something you do now and then, not every week. Solid document printer with passable photo capabilities at a decent price.

Buy the Canon PIXMA TS7650i on Amazon.co.uk

Photo Paper: What to Use

People often overlook the paper, but it matters just as much as the printer. I’ve seen people buy a £200 six-ink printer and then feed it 80gsm copy paper. Madness.

Glossy photo paper (200-260gsm) is the standard choice for vibrant, reflective prints. It works best for family photos, holiday snaps, and anything with bold colours. Canon Photo Paper Plus Glossy II (PP-201) and Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper are both excellent. You can grab either on Amazon UK for about £10-15 for 50 sheets.

Semi-gloss / lustre paper (200-260gsm) is slightly less reflective than glossy and offers better fingerprint resistance. This is what I use for any print going in a frame because it tends to look more professional.

Matte photo paper (170-230gsm) has no reflection, which suits art prints, black-and-white photography, and prints behind glass. Canon Matte Photo Paper (MP-101) is a cracking budget option at about £8 for 50 sheets.

Fine art paper (280-350gsm) is heavyweight, textured paper for gallery-quality prints. It is best suited to the Epson ET-8550 or XP-8700 with their rear feed trays. It is not cheap, with Hahnemühle paper costing £1-2 per sheet, but the results are stunning.

Third-party paper can save money, but quality varies wildly. For best results, stick with the printer manufacturer’s paper or a reputable brand like Hahnemühle or Ilford. I’ve tried cheap Amazon Basics photo paper and the colours just look… flat.

Tips for Better Photo Prints

Use the correct ICC profile. When printing from Lightroom or Photoshop, use the ICC profile that matches your specific printer and paper combination. Download the profile from the manufacturer’s website. This step made the biggest difference to my print quality. Colours went from “close enough” to spot-on.

Select the right print quality setting. Use “Best” or “High Quality” in the print driver. “Standard” mode saves ink but produces noticeably worse photos. Don’t bother printing photos in draft mode. Ever.

Calibrate your monitor. If your prints look different from your screen, your monitor is lying to you. A hardware calibrator like the Datacolor SpyderX (currently around £130 on Amazon UK) ensures what you see on screen matches what comes out of the printer. It’s a bit of an investment, but if you’re serious about printing, it’s essential.

Let prints dry fully. Inkjet prints need 15-30 minutes to set. I learned this the hard way after stacking a batch of fresh prints. The top one stuck to the back of the one above it. Allow at least fifteen minutes of drying time.

Store prints properly. Keep them out of direct sunlight and away from humidity. For long-term storage, use acid-free photo albums or archival sleeves. A box in the loft doesn’t count.

Which Photo Printer Should You Buy?

For the best photo quality at around £115-125: Canon PIXMA TS8750. This is my go-to recommendation. The Epson Expression Photo XP-8700, at around £135-145, is equally good, so pick whichever brand you prefer.

For the lowest cost per print: Epson EcoTank ET-8550 at around £650-700. The upfront cost is steep, but running costs are pennies per print, and you get A3+ for wall art. If you print more than 50 photos a month, this pays for itself shockingly fast.

For portable/party printing: Canon SELPHY CP1500 at around £125-140. It is compact, dead easy to use, and produces instant dye-sub prints that you can hand out on the spot. It is a brilliant little gadget.

For occasional photos alongside documents: HP Envy Inspire 7921e or Canon PIXMA TS7650i, both at around £90-100. Neither matches the six-ink printers, but both handle casual photo printing well enough alongside everyday stuff.

Still undecided between brands? Our HP vs Epson vs Canon comparison breaks down the key differences across the entire product range.