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Although some of us may settle for saving our favorite images on our phones or computers, Pinterest has never been so full of photo decorations and wall designs. Not to mention, many enterprises are based on photo printing.
Do you need to find the best 5×7 photo printer? Are you looking for one that’s easy to connect to many devices and won’t cost you a fortune? Well, you’re lucky you stumbled upon our website because we have 5 great printers that will certainly get the job done, so keep reading for more surprises!
In this section, we’ll review our top 5 picks and discuss their best features and the downsides to using such printers. This way, you can make an informed decision and choose the printer that meets your expectations.
The HP Envy Photo 7855 has what it takes to produce stunning 5×7 photos, thanks to the high resolution of the prints and the vivid and saturated colors. In addition, the new ink formulation takes things even further, especially when it comes to shadows.
Like all HP printers, you can subscribe to HP Instant Ink and take advantage of their offers. This includes saving a lot on the original HP ink and having it delivered to your house before it runs out, so the printer will always be ready.
The printer features dual-band Wi-Fi with reliable wireless connectivity in addition to Bluetooth Smart which is easily set up using the Smart app.
Also, you can use the app to scan documents from your camera, iCloud, Google Drive, social media, and more. Not to mention, it supports Ethernet connectivity, so you can print your favorite pictures regardless of the device you’re using.
Moreover, it comes with a 35-sheet Auto Document Feeder (ADF), so you can print, copy, or even fax multiple pages at once without having to place them into the printer manually. Also, the interface is user-friendly, with a colorful touchscreen so that you can instantly use the printer.
Also, there’s a one-year limited warranty on hardware, and the support team is extremely helpful. Finally, we’d say that the printer’s ink can be expensive if you don’t subscribe to instant ink.
Pros:
Premier quality photos
Wide range of connectivity options
Features an automatic duplexer and an ADF
Affordable HP Instant Ink subscription
One-year limited warranty
Cons:
Ink expenses are pretty high if you don’t subscribe to instant ink
Bottom Line
The HP Envy 7855 is such a powerful printer. You can use it for printing, scanning, copying, and even faxing. Additionally, it can print different photo sizes and formats, including borderless photos and 2-sided prints.
2. Epson Expression XP-15000 – Best for Professional Photographers
The Epson Expression XP-15000 inkjet is tweaked to enhance the photo quality, which is mainly attributed to Epson’s Claria Ultra HD inks. This makes it a better option for professional photographers than the XP-4100 we’ll talk about in a few.
Moreover, the Claria range includes six ink cartridges, which replace the light magenta and cyan colors with grey and red inks. As stated by the company, this significantly enhances the greyscale and the color gamut, resulting in a spectacular photo output.
Moreover, the printer utilizes twice the standard nozzles (180 instead of 90 in other models), which increases the color accuracy and produces much more vibrant samples without any noticeable banding.
Furthermore, you can print various paper finishes and sizes from cardstock and 4×6 images to 13×19 inches photos. And as hinted above, the controls are exquisite, whether it’s paper handling, connectivity, or running the printer itself.
Unfortunately, Epson didn’t prioritize speed in this model. It isn’t bad for monochrome photos, but the multicolored ones may take some time to be printed out.
With that being said, we’d like to point out that the XP-15000 is only for printing. Even though that may be a little disappointing, it makes the navigation through the LCD screen pretty straightforward because the printer doesn’t require much control; it’s as simple as it gets.
Pros:
Highly detailed images
Bright and vibrant colors
Multiple connectivity options
A user-friendly control panel
Cons:
High running costs
Could be faster
Bottom Line
The Epson Expression XP-15000 is a competent printer that offers you various printing options with different paper sizes and formats, making it an excellent choice for experienced and professional photographers.
The Epson Expression Premium XP-7100 is one of our top choices for home-based photo printers. It has many unique features, such as the high-end configuration and large touchscreen control panel with only one physical button (the power toggle).
In addition, the printer accommodates different office requirements, including scanning, copying, and faxing. It also features an auto-duplexing automatic document feeder, offering the user a smoother experience while working on double-sided photos.
Moreover, the connectivity is highly stable. You have the basic Wi-Fi connection, Ethernet connection, a Wi-Fi direct for routerless connections, and more mobile connections. You can also print through multiple platforms and apps, including Epson Email Print, iPrint, and Remote Print apps.
What strikes you most while using the Premium XP-7100 is the low running costs of printing large volumes and higher running costs if you’re printing large volumes. This is another reason why we recommend keeping it for basic printing needs and small businesses rather than heavy printing projects.
Also, the graphics come out looking crisp, but they aren’t as good as the text. Still, they’re beyond what you’d expect from a home printer. Last but not least, if we’re nitpicking, we’d say there’s some occasional banding.
If you’re looking for an above-average home printer, then the Epson Expression Premium XP-7100 is the printer for you. It’s suitable for multiple superior office applications, produces an outstanding and rich photo output, and has many convenient features.
The Epson PictureMate PM-400 is one of Epson’s fastest models, and that’s what we appreciate most about it. It’s a compact mid-size printer that offers top-notch output with a broad dynamic range on par with many full-size printers. The images are of excellent quality, especially 5×7 photos.
Moreover, it connects to computers, phones, and tablets and prints directly from your camera. It has a memory card slot as well as a USB key. Accordingly, you can print your photos on the spot.
In addition, Epson was aiming at a more portable option, especially since this printer is made for home use and connects to Wi-Fi, so you can easily plug it into the nearest outlet.
Despite its many perks, the printer’s quality for 4×6 photos could be better because it slumps a little with dark grey transitions. Also, it was a bit too expensive. And while the printer’s output is mind-blowing when using high-end paper, that can be considered an additional cost.
Pros:
Great tones
Excellent color quality
Fast printing
A variety of connectivity options
Relatively portable
Cons:
Hefty price tag
Bottom Line
The Epson PictureMate PM-400 is a mid-size printer designed for snapshot pictures with portability in mind. It packs more features than most models and has a fantastic printing speed.
5. Epson Expression Home XP-4100 – Best Value for Money
We’re typically skeptical about plastic printers, but the Epson Expression series never fails to impress in both build quality and print quality. And the Epson Home XP-400 is no exception. For one, the printer’s buttons are highly responsive, and the printer is easy to navigate for both printing and scanning.
As for the cartridge system, the printer functions best when using Epson cartridges, and they’re pretty affordable and easy to replace. Moreover, the printer has multiple color cartridges, so you’ll be good to go for a long time.
Lastly, the printing speed of the Epson Expression Home XP-4100 is good for its price range and the type of projects the printer targets. That’s especially evident when you compare it to many other options.
Nonetheless, it’s worth mentioning, though, that this isn’t the most dependable printer in terms of scanning, so keep it for occasional, basic scanning needs. Also, you’ll notice that the colors aren’t that accurate, but the photos come out colorful and flattering, after all.
Finally, the black color runs out more often than we would’ve liked and creates an undesirable contrast when it’s running low.
Pros:
Reasonably priced and affordable cartridges
Colorful pictures with stunning colors
Cons:
The output tray lid is a bit flimsy
Not the best scanning capabilities
Stops printing if one color runs out
Bottom Line
The Epson Expression XP-4100 is the home printer for you if you want to print out your favorite photos with your friends and family. It’s also a good choice if you’re going to start a small business.
With all this information, things can get pretty confusing, so we’ve decided to highlight some key features that will help you find the best printer.
Image Quality
Even if you don’t take fancy high-quality photos, the last thing you’d want is for the printer to worsen the image quality. This is why it’s best to check the maximum printing resolution of your future printer, whether you’re a professional photographer or you like to print your favorite photos to decorate your room or save them for your photo albums.
Printer Type
As you already know, most printers are capable of more than just printing. For example, will you be scanning or copying any photos? Do you need to print other documents rather than images? Perhaps an all-in-one printer is a better option for your home office. Not to mention, it’ll save you the costs of buying a copying machine or a dedicated scanner.
Running Expenses
The costs associated with having a printer exceed the price of the printer itself because you’ll constantly have to replace the ink cartridges and buy paper sheets to keep printing your photos.
This is why we believe that running expenses should always be in mind when you’re picking a new printer. For instance, HP offers “HP Instant Ink” with excellent deals and offers on ink cartridges.
Alternatively, some printers only work best with high-end paper, which means you can’t settle for average-price paper. This can be quite an issue if you’re on a tight budget.
Printing Speed
The printing speed shouldn’t be much of a concern if you occasionally use the printer and aren’t bound to any deadlines or workload. However, keep in mind that the printing speed differs according to the paper material, size, and printing color.
To elaborate, black and white photos are printed faster than colored ones, and 4×7 photos won’t be printed as fast as 5×7 or standard paper-size photos.
Compatibility
Having multiple connectivity options is always a bonus. However, it’s critical to ensure that the printer can connect to the device you usually print your photos from. Some printers are best for PCs and Macbooks, whereas others do a far better job with cameras, phones, USB keys, and memory cards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Photo Printers Also Print Documents?
It depends on the printer’s type. For example, some photo printers are only dedicated to printing photos. Others can print graphics and text documents, and you can use all-in-one printers for other purposes like faxing copying, and scanning.
What’s the Difference Between a Regular Printer and a Photo Printer?
There are a lot of differences between these two types of printers. However, what you’ll notice is the final output because printers that are optimized for printing photos can produce the glossy finish photos have, while traditional ones can’t. Also, photo printers tend to cost more, and they’re more expensive to run.
What’s Better for Photos, Inkjet or Laser?
Inkjets tend to do a better job with photos and image-heavy documents because they can blend colors smoothly. And they can print on a variety of paper types, including textured materials and fabrics. Laser prints, however, are faster, but they tend to produce fuzzy, unflattering images, and they can be used with fewer paper types.
Final Verdict
As challenging as finding the best 5×7 photo printer can be, we’re sure this guide will put you on the right path because now you know what to look for. From where we stand, the HP Envy Photo 7855 is the most suitable for different types of consumers and the most convenient. Meanwhile, Epson Expression XP-15000 produces superior photo quality, so it’s the way to go if you want to print amazing photos with premium quality.
