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The Canon Selphy CP1300 Compact Photo Printer provides fast, consistent printing throughout all devices and is comparable, and sometimes even better, than drug store prints. It’s for this reason we consider it the best printer for crafting and a solid printer for Mac (for you designers out there). If you’re looking just to print memorable family photos, it’s probably a top-rated printer for art prints too! So, what makes this top-tier printer popular? Let’s take a closer look at its features in our review.
Related: For those who want to explore other options, read the Canon Pixma TS8320 review
The Canon Selphy CP1300 may not be the printer you’re used to, but it’s definitely the printer you’ll be most stunned by. It can print photos with stunning and bright colors in a minute, and its thermal dye sublimation technology is sure to last for decades to come! The HP DeskJet 2622 is another compact and easy-to-use printer you can check out.
Related: Still not convinced? Check our Canon TS6120 review
The Canon Selphy CP1300 Wireless Compact Photo Printer isn’t the type of printer meant to print monochrome pages of text. If that’s what you’re looking for, consider the HP OfficeJet 3830. What the Selphy is used for is more of a photo printer; in that regard, while printing on 4×6 photo paper, it can churn out images in about a minute. Less if you’re printing a black and white photo. The good news? This printing speed is consistent throughout all modes of printing, give or take a few seconds.
The technology the Selphy CP1300 uses is thermal dye sublimation. This technology generally provides a high-quality print job with the added benefit of the print being long-lasting because the color ink dries instantly. But if this brand-new technology isn’t really your thing, check out the Silhouette Crafting Printer. But overall, the print quality for the CP1300 is fantastic, comparable to drug store prints, and sometimes even better. Perfect for a home office or light work office use. Although, you can invest in one of the best envelope printers if you’re doing a lot of mailing in your home business. Alternatively, the Epson Artisan 1430 is another option if you need high-quality photo prints.
The running costs of using the Canon Selphy CP1300, factoring in the cost of an ink cartridge and paper, should be around 35 cents per 4×6 photo print. While this may sound like a lot compared to other printers, like the Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000, bear in mind that the printer is meant specifically for photos, and those are always much more costly to print. In fact, compared to other photo-only printers, this one runs almost four cents less per print. You can even stock up on ink by buying Canon KP-108, a compatible Selphy printer ink, bundled with the CP1300. Moreover, understand how you save money with toner vs ink cartridge prices. Check out the Canon PIXMA TR8520 for another efficient printer.
The CP1300 has a USB flash drive and SD Card slot for direct printing from memory devices. However, it does not include a mini USB Type B cable, even though it does include the port. Good luck trying to find a decade-old USB cable in your house. But you can also connect the printer via Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi direct. Wireless printing requires the Canon Print App, which it comes with, and mobile device printing is an option as long as the device is PictBridge compatible.
In a first we’ve seen for printers, Canon sells an optional battery pack that it says is good for 54 prints per charge. This is a good safety feature to lean on in case something goes wrong, and you still need to print. It’s a shame the battery is sold separately and costs $90.00. Another cool feature is party shuffle, which enables you to print collages with friends from multiple devices!
The bottom line, the Canon Selphy CP1300 provides stunning prints for such an inexpensive printer. It also comes with back-ups just in case something goes wrong, such as the ability to print wired or with wi-fi direct. The optional battery is a nice touch too, but it’s sold separately and is a little on the expensive side, running a little more than half the cost of the printer itself.
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