9 Best Compact Color Printer | Color Prints That Slip Into a Bag

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Fast start, automatic double-sided printing, and a crowd-pleasing price.

This Canon jumps into action in just 9.5 seconds from hitting print — over twice as fast as most entry-level printers. It prints 14 pages per minute in black and 9 pages per minute in color, which beats the HP DeskJet 2955 (7.5 ppm black) by a wide margin. The automatic duplex (two-sided printing) cuts your paper use in half without any manual flipping. Buyers sum it up: “This printer was bargain priced and is working well, both with color and black and white.”

Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz) keeps the connection stable across the house. The integrated scanner handles copying and scanning jobs. One honest trade-off is that the starter ink cartridges are small, and replacement cartridges (the PG-295/CL-286 series) can be pricey over time. A few owners note that quality-control issues appear after a couple of years, so this is a great starter printer but maybe not a decade-long investment. It also works with Linux from the start, which is rare for budget printers.

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An all-in-one that uses AI to strip ads and clutter from your web prints.

The DeskJet 2955 is a basic three-in-one — print, copy, scan — with a clever trick: HP AI that automatically removes unwanted content from web pages and emails so you get clean prints without extra steps. It prints up to 7.5 pages per minute in black and 5.5 in color, which is the slower side of this list (compare to the Canon TS4320 at 14 ppm black). The 60-sheet input tray handles everyday loads, and the icon LCD panel keeps controls simple.

Wireless printing runs on dual-band Wi-Fi that HP claims can auto-detect and fix connection issues. A 3-month trial of HP Instant Ink is included, which sends you new cartridges before you run dry. The body is made with at least 70% recycled plastics and is ENERGY STAR certified. Buyers report that the first setup can be fussy — some find the Wi-Fi pairing finicky and the paper-output tray extension confusing. The print quality for documents is crisp and vibrant, though color photos come out slowly.

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The one with an auto document feeder — good for multi-page scanning and copying.

The DeskJet 4355 adds a 35-sheet automatic document feeder (ADF) on top of the usual print, scan, and copy functions. That means you can stack a batch of documents and walk away while it scans them, rather than feeding each page by hand. It prints at 8.5 pages per minute black and 5.5 pages per minute color — slightly faster black speed than the 2955 model. The 60-sheet input tray and dual-band Wi-Fi with self-healing round out the spec set. As buyers describe it, “setup was straight forward and I’m pleased with the quality of the prints.”

The AI web-printing feature works the same way as on the 2955 — it strips ads and clutter from your printouts. The HP Smart app gives you control from your phone. The unit weighs 6 pounds and is compact enough for a home desk. The main drawbacks are the high cost of replacement cartridges (HP 68 series) and the fact that the tri-color cartridge wastes any used color when one color runs out. The scanner is basic and not meant for detailed photo scanning. A few reviews mention that color photo printing is slow at around one minute per page.

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Credit-card sized prints from your phone in about a minute.

This is a different kind of color printer — it makes 2×3-inch photo prints using dye-sublimation (called 4PASS), which layers three colors plus a clear protective coat. The result is smudge-proof, water-resistant, and fade-resistant. It connects via Bluetooth to your iPhone or Android through the KODAK Photo Printer app, where you can edit, crop, and add frames before printing. The size is tiny — 5 inches wide, 3 inches deep, and 1 inch tall — so it truly fits in a pocket or bag.

Each print takes roughly 55 seconds. The bundle includes 38 sheets of photo paper and four ink cartridges to get you started. The main limitation is the print size: these are 2×3 photos, not full letter-size documents. The app has some quirks — users report that certain filters can cause pixelation, and the battery level drains relatively fast. Despite that, owners use it heavily for journaling, scrapbooking, travel albums, and party photo booths. As many buyers put it: “absolutely love this printer. I use it for journaling and the pics are a good size.”

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The productivity-focused machine — fast, duplex, and low operating costs.

Speed is the headline here: up to 16 pages per minute in black and 9 pages per minute in color. The first page prints in just 6.2 seconds (black) or 9.6 seconds (color), so there is almost no wait. It includes a 20-sheet automatic document feeder (ADF), a 150-sheet paper tray, and automatic duplex for both sides. The 1.8-inch color display makes navigation simple. Cloud-connection support covers Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, and OneDrive, so you can scan directly to those services.

The real draw, according to owners, is the affordable replacement ink — the LC501 series cartridges are reasonably priced and each delivers over 200 pages before replacement. The Brother Mobile Connect app lets you print, scan, and check ink levels from your phone. The body measures 13.5 by 15.4 by 7.2 inches, which is a touch larger than the ultra-compact models but still fits a home office shelf. The main complaints revolve around setup instructions that some found less clear, plus an occasional early paper jam. Overall, the ink cost and reliable performance win over budget-conscious home offices.

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Fill it with bottled ink once and forget cartridges for years.

The EcoTank ET-2800 replaces the whole cartridge system with refillable ink tanks. The bundled ink set is rated for up to 4,500 black pages or 7,500 color pages — equivalent to roughly 90 individual cartridges, according to Epson. For anyone who prints regularly, this kills the constant cycle of cartridge replacement. Setup, according to owners, takes about 10 to 15 minutes, and the ink bottles are designed to drip cleanly into the tanks without squeezing. The printer uses Micro Piezo Heat-Free Technology to produce vivid color prints and documents at 10 pages per minute black and 5 pages per minute color.

It is a true all-in-one: print, scan, and copy. The unit is compact enough for a home shelf. A few owners note that after a month or two, some units develop print-head issues requiring cleaning cycles that waste ink — a recurring theme in the mixed reliability feedback. The connectivity is also a mixed bag: some buyers connect smoothly via the app, while others hit repeated disconnections. That said, the ink longevity is the star — after hundreds of photos, owners mention the tanks still look mostly full.

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Three years of ink in the box — the definition of low-maintenance.

HP’s Smart Tank 5100 comes with enough bottled ink to cover up to 6,000 color or black pages, which HP says should last roughly three years of typical home use. That eliminates the need to buy cartridges for a long stretch. Refilling is mess-free — the bottles plug into the tank and drain on their own. The printer is an all-in-one (print, copy, scan) with a 100-sheet rear feed, a 30-sheet output tray, and a small LED screen for monitoring. Print speeds hit 12 pages per minute black and 5 pages per minute color.

The AI-driven HP Smart app simplifies setup and lets you print from anywhere. Some customers note that setup is fast and clear — one owner called it “the best printer I’ve ever had.” Others disagree, describing a slow interface and trouble with wireless defaults. Manual duplex is supported by the driver, so you can flip pages for two-sided printing but there is no automatic document feeder. The color output is vivid for documents and decent for photos, though not at the level of a dedicated photo printer. Noise levels are low during operation.

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Color laser speed — 26 pages per minute in both black and color, with no ink to spill.

If speed is your priority, this Canon is a rocket. It prints 26 pages per minute whether the page is black-and-white or full color — identical speed for both, which is extremely rare at this size. The first page appears in about 10.3 seconds. It uses Canon’s 075 / 075h toner cartridges, which deliver high page yields and consistent output. The 250-sheet standard cassette plus a 1-sheet multipurpose tray handle most paper types. Dual-band Wi-Fi, USB, and Ethernet give you flexible connection options, and support for AirPrint and Mopria Print Service covers mobile devices.

The trade-off is significant: this is a print-only machine — no scanner, no copier, no fax. It is also noticeably heavier than the inkjet options here. Reviewers point out that the setup can take about 30 minutes and that the printer is fast but loud. One owner called it “amazing” and noted zero paper jams, while another’s unit broke after two weeks. The 1-year limited warranty provides some confidence. The 5-line LCD screen makes navigating settings straightforward, but remember you need a separate scanner if you ever need to digitize a document.