Canon Selphy CP1500 review: light and neat (sort of) portable printer

The Canon Selphy CP1500 is the successor to one of our favourite photo printers, but is this small and light device worth investing in?

Canon Selphy CP1500 printer on desk
(Image: © Tom May)

Our Verdict

In a sea of samey photo printers, the Canon Selphy CP1500 stands out as something different. Like its predecessor, the CP1300, it's small, light and compact, making it a good choice for travel or anyone wanting to save space. Its use of dye-sublimation technology saves you from the clogged nozzles typically associated with inkjet printers. And the quality of the prints themselves is decent enough for photos of family and friends. Just a shame that there's no Bluetooth functionality, and if you want to disconnect it from the mains, you need to buy a (very expensive) rechargeable battery.

For

  • Good quality prints
  • Compact and lightweight
  • Less messy than inkjet cartridges

Against

  • Doesn't come with battery
  • No Bluetooth option

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Canon Selphy CP1500 review: Key specs

Type: Dye-sublimation
Functions: Photo printing (postcards, stickers, mini stickers)
Print sizes: 22 x 17.3 mm to 100 x 148 mm
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, USB-C port, SD/SDHC/SDXC slot
Double-sided printing: No
Print speed: 41 seconds (100 x 148 mm)
Paper capacity: Takes packs of 108 sheets (100 x 148mm)
Print quality: 300x300dpi
Apple AirPrint: Yes
Built-in battery: No
Display: 3.5-inch LCD
Ink: Comes in pack with paper
Dimensions: 182 x 58 x 133mm
Weight: 850g

If you're looking for a colour photo printer that's small and light, the newly released Canon Selphy CP1500 is worthy of your attention. It's very compact and weighs less than a kilo. It uses dye-sublimation technology, so you won't get ink over your fingers or need to worry about clogged nozzles, like with an inkjet printer. And it's affordable too, coming in at just $139/£134 on Amazon at the time of writing.

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The Verdict
8

out of 10

Canon Selphy CP1500

In a sea of samey photo printers, the Canon Selphy CP1500 stands out as something different. Like its predecessor, the CP1300, it's small, light and compact, making it a good choice for travel or anyone wanting to save space. Its use of dye-sublimation technology saves you from the clogged nozzles typically associated with inkjet printers. And the quality of the prints themselves is decent enough for photos of family and friends. Just a shame that there's no Bluetooth functionality, and if you want to disconnect it from the mains, you need to buy a (very expensive) rechargeable battery.

Tom May

Tom May is an award-winning journalist and editor specialising in design, photography and technology. Author of the Amazon #1 bestseller Great TED Talks: Creativity, published by Pavilion Books, Tom was previously editor of Professional Photography magazine, associate editor at Creative Bloq, and deputy editor at net magazine. Today, he is a regular contributor to Creative Bloq and its sister sites Digital Camera World, T3.com and Tech Radar. He also writes for Creative Boom and works on content marketing projects.