With 22.6% of U.S. workers teleworking as of March 2026, and hybrid arrangements now the norm for most remote-capable employees, more people are working from wherever they land, not just a desk with a printer next to it. That shift makes battery-powered, pocket-sized printing worth understanding.
This guide breaks down the top portable printers of 2026 by category, overall pick, laser, color inkjet, pocket-sized, and budget, so you can match the right device to how you actually work.
TL;DR
- Portable printers are compact, often battery-powered devices for printing away from a desk, not mini desktops.
- Mobile professionals, field techs, real estate agents, and remote workers benefit most.
- Top picks: Epson WF-110 (overall), HP M15w (laser), Canon TR160 (color), Brother PJ-773 (pocket), NEWYES LD0806 (budget).
- Weigh battery life, running costs, and paper compatibility, not just size, before buying.
Overview of Portable Printers in the US Market
A true portable printer is more than a smaller desktop model. It should be:
- Lightweight enough to pack and carry
- Easy to use away from a fixed desk
- Battery-powered, not tied to a wall outlet
Remote and hybrid work remain widespread. Pew Research found 75% of workers with remote-capable jobs worked remotely at least sometimes, and Gallup puts hybrid arrangements at 51% of remote-capable employees.
That doesn't prove portable printer sales are climbing. It does confirm a large base of workers who move between locations and still need to print without a desktop nearby.
Below, we rank the top portable printers available in the US for 2026, organized by use case.
Top Portable Printers of 2026
Our picks weigh five factors: portability (size/weight), battery life, print quality, connectivity, and running costs. Here's how the top contenders stack up.
Epson WorkForce WF-110 (Best Overall)
Epson's WF-110 is a compact inkjet built specifically for mobile use, with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and Wi-Fi Direct connectivity baked in. It's the printer TechRadar has named its top overall portable pick.
What sets it apart is dual media support—plain documents and photo paper—while running fully on battery, something most competitors can't match without an add-on.
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Print Speed | ~6.7 ISO ppm black (AC), ~3.5 ppm on battery |
| Weight & Battery | 3.5 lb; built-in Li-ion battery rated for ~100 B&W or 50 color pages; USB charging |
| Best For | Professionals needing quality text and photo prints while traveling |
HP LaserJet Pro M15w (Best Laser)
Marketed by HP as "the world's smallest laser in its class" back in 2018, the M15w remains one of the fastest and cheapest-per-page mono options in the compact printer space.
Raw speed is the edge—nothing else on this list touches its print rate. The catch: it requires an AC outlet, so it's better described as transportable than truly mobile.
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Print Speed | Up to 19 ppm (Letter), 18 ppm (A4) |
| Weight & Power | 8.4 lb; mains-powered only, no battery option |
| Best For | Office-to-office moves and high-volume mono printing |
Canon PIXMA TR160 (Best Color Option)
Canon's TR160 is a compact color inkjet with an optional battery pack (the LK-72), launched in March 2025 with an MSRP of $249.99.
Color quality and flexible media support are the draws, including envelopes and photo paper, plus a foldable design that fits in a bag without a dedicated case.
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Print Speed | 9.0 ipm black, 5.5 ipm color |
| Weight & Battery | 4.5 lb (printer only); optional LK-72 battery rated for ~330 pages/charge |
| Best For | Users wanting color prints on the go without a mandatory battery upcharge |
Brother PocketJet PJ-773 (Smallest & Lightest)
The PJ-773 is a thermal, inkless printer designed for business travel. No cartridges, no toner, just thermal paper fed through a device that fits in a jacket pocket or briefcase side pouch.
Sheer portability is the pitch. At roughly 1 pound with its battery attached, it's the lightest full-page printer on this list—ideal for sales reps who need signed documents without carrying ink.
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Print Technology | Direct thermal, mono only, requires thermal paper |
| Weight & Battery | ~480g (1.06 lb) without battery, ~610g (1.34 lb) with PA-BT-002 battery (rated for ~600 sheets) |
| Best For | Sales reps and travelers needing quick mono prints without ink hassles |
NEWYES LD0806 (Best Budget Pick)
NEWYES calls the LD0806 "the world's smallest and lightest A4 inkjet printer," and while that's a manufacturer claim rather than an independently verified one, the specs back up the size claim on paper.
The appeal is practical: standard A4 paper instead of costly thermal stock, color and mono support, and a list price around $217.
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Size & Weight | 294 x 74 x 52.5mm; 750g (1.65 lb) |
| Running Cost | NEWYES claims ~$0.04 per B&W page (manufacturer figure, unverified) |
| Best For | Budget-conscious mobile users needing standard paper compatibility |
How We Chose the Best Portable Printers
Buyers commonly make three mistakes:
- Ignoring battery life until it's too late
- Underestimating ink and toner running costs
- Choosing the smallest device without checking paper compatibility
We weighed each printer against real mobile use cases:
- Portability: Actual travel weight, including any attached battery
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, and USB, tested against real device compatibility, not just "wireless" marketing language
- Battery availability: Whether power is built-in, optional, or absent entirely
- Print quality: Text sharpness, color accuracy, and photo capability where relevant
- Total cost of ownership: Cartridge yield, thermal paper cost, and cost-per-page where manufacturers actually publish it
We also compare speed ratings like-for-like. Manufacturer ISO ppm and draft ppm aren't the same metric, and mixing them up skews comparisons.
Conclusion
There's no single "best" portable printer. The right pick depends on your priority:
- Speed: HP
- Color quality: Epson or Canon
- Pocket portability: Brother
Before buying, check running costs and paper or ink availability in your area. A cheap printer with expensive proprietary thermal paper can cost more over a year than a pricier inkjet using standard sheets.
For Metro Atlanta businesses that need portable printing alongside reliable office equipment, Southern Office Machines has handled sales, service, and rentals of document management systems since 1985. We support fleet printers, desktop MFPs, and Managed Print Services—with a lowest price guarantee on equipment.
Call 770-919-8989 or email info@sominc.com to talk through what fits your setup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best small A4 printer?
The Epson WorkForce WF-110 is the strongest all-around choice, balancing battery power, print quality, and A4/Letter support. The NEWYES LD0806 is a solid budget alternative if you're mainly printing black-and-white text on standard paper.
Which printer is best for mobile printing?
Battery-powered inkjets like the Epson WF-110 handle full documents and photos on the go. If you only need quick text output, the Brother PocketJet PJ-773's thermal, cartridge-free design is lighter and simpler.
What is the smallest A4 size printer available?
The NEWYES LD0806 measures about 11.6 x 2.9 x 2.1 inches (294 x 74 x 52.5 mm) and weighs about 1.65 lb (750 g), making it one of the smallest A4 inkjet printers on the market, according to the manufacturer.
What is the smallest A4 laser printer available?
The HP LaserJet Pro M15w was marketed by HP as the world's smallest laser "in its class" (sub-$100 personal mono lasers) back in 2018. It's fast and compact, but requires an AC outlet, so it's not battery-portable.
What is mobile printing?
Mobile printing means sending a job wirelessly from a phone, tablet, or laptop to a printer over Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, AirPrint, or Mopria. You don't need a cable or installed drivers.
