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 a best printer for crafting and best printer for mac (for you designers out there). If you’re looking just to print memorable family photos, it’s probably a best 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
Why We Like It – Canon SELPHY CP1300
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 the thermal dye sublimation technology it employs is sure to last for decades to come!
- Consistent Print Time
- Comparable to Drug Store Prints
- Wi-Fi Direct
- No USB-Type B Cable Included
- Optional Battery is Expensive
Related: Still not convinced? Check our Canon TS6120 review
Speed
The Canon Selphy CP1300 Wireless Compact Photo Printer isn’t the type of printer meant to print monochrome pages of texts. 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, and in that regard, while printing on 4×6 photo paper, it’s able to 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.
Print Quality
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 and comparable to drug store prints and sometimes even better. Perfect for a home office or light work office use.
Efficiency
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.
Advanced Features
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.
Value
In a first we’ve seen for printers, Canon sells an optional battery pack which 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!
Canon SELPHY CP1300 Wrap Up
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.
