The Kodak Mini 2 HD printer is easy to use and easy to carry on one's person. It develops surprisingly good photographs. In some cases, it was better than what we observed in top-tier photo printers, though it has the advantage of rendering in a smaller format. Our main gripe is that it uses a throwaway plastic paper cartridge that holds eight sheets — a bit wasteful by our estimation.
REASONS TO BUY
Relatively good image quality
Easy to set up
Useful app
REASONS TO AVOID
Wasteful paper refills
Limited dynamic range
Single size format
Editor's Note: We updated this review for the Kodak Mini 2 HD on March 28, 2022, with an unbiased take on value and suggestions for other products that may better suit your needs and budget.
Relatively good image quality, easy to set up, useful app
Consistent color, easy set-up, broad format options
Easy to use, decent resolution, prints common sizes
User-friendly, sharp images, affordable, playful
Convenient, simple, inexpensive, bluetooth connectivity
Cons
Wasteful paper refills, limited dynamic range, single size format
Microbanding in grayscale, relatively low definition in dark areas
Microbanding in larger formats, off skin tones, over saturation
Limited print sizes, limited tray capacity
Relatively low resolution, single print dimension
Bottom Line
This easy to use, portable printer has relatively few drawbacks and is a lot of fun
This low-cost, full-sized machine delivers high-end results
An easy to use mid-size printer at a good price
This portable printer kicks out quality 4" x 6" prints anytime, anywhere
This portable printer captures the fun of the old Polaroid cameras but with a fresh twist
Rating Categories
Kodak Mini 2 HD
Epson Expression HD...
Canon PIXMA TR4520
Canon SELPHY CP1300
Canon IVY
Color(35%)
3.0
6.0
6.0
6.0
4.0
Black and White(35%)
4.0
7.0
6.0
6.0
4.0
Print Capabilities(15%)
3.0
8.0
5.0
4.0
3.0
Operating Cost(10%)
4.0
7.0
5.0
7.0
6.0
Set up(5%)
9.0
5.0
6.0
5.0
9.0
Specs
Kodak Mini 2 HD
Epson Expression HD...
Canon PIXMA TR4520
Canon SELPHY CP1300
Canon IVY
Resolution (dots per inch)
Unspecified
5760 x 1440
4800 x 1200
300 x 300
314 x 400
Max photo dimensions
2.1" x 3.4"
13" x 44"
8" x 10"
4" x 6"
2" x 3"
Cost per print (4" x 6" or mini print)
$0.68
$0.45
$0.58
$0.43
$0.50
Machine dimensions
1" x 3" x 5.2"
6.3" x 18.7" x 14.5"
7.5" x 17.2" x 11.7"
2.5" x 7.1" x 5.4"
0.7" x 3.2" x 4.7"
Printing technology
Dye sublimation thermal transfer
Inkjet (Piezo DOD)
Inkjet (Theromal DOD)
Inkjet (Dye- sublimation)
In paper, thermal-activated dye
Print time per 4" x 6" (or mini print)
61 seconds
34 seconds
128 seconds
51 seconds
40 seconds
Color palette (ink cartridges)
N/A
Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Gray, Red
Black plus color cartridge
N/A
N/A
LCD screen
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Touch Screen
No
No
No
No
No
Battery
Yes
No
No
Yes (sold separately)
Yes
Memory cards supported
N/A
N/A
N/A
SD, SDHC, SDXC, miniSD, miniSDHC, microSD microSDHC and microSDXC
N/A
Ink type
N/A
Dye-based
Pigment (black) and dye-based (color)
Dye-based
N/A
Roller paper
No
No
No
No
No
Connectivity
NFC, USB Port, Wi-Fi Direct
iPad, iPhone and Android tablets, Alexa and smartphones; Ethernet networking, andard Connectivity:
Hi-Speed USB, USB Host, Wireless 802.11 b/g/n5, Wi-Fi Direct 5, Ethernet 10/100
Hi-Speed USB
Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n wireless networking, 2.4 GHz)
Wi-Fi (Wireless LAN, 2.4 GHz, IEEE 802.11b/g)
Memory Card Slot
PictBridge (USB) & Wireless PictBridge (Wireless LAN)
Hi-Speed USB (Cable not included)
USB Flash Memory
Blutooth
Operating system requirements
Android, iOS
Windows 10 8/8.1/Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit)
Windows Vista (32-bit , 64-bit)
Mac OS X 10.6.8 — macOS 10.12.x6
Windows:20 Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7 SP1, Mac:21
Mac OS X v10.10.5 - macOS v10.13 (High Sierra)
Mobile Operating Systems:22 iOS, Android, Windows 10 Mobile, and Fire OS (Amazon Fire) devices
Windows:12 Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, Windows 7 SP1
Mac:13 Mac OS X v10.10.x - macOS v10.12 (Sierra)
Mobile Operating Systems:14 iOS, Android™, Windows 10 Mobile, Amazon Fire devices15
Android, iOS
Scanner
No
No
Yes (bed and feed)
No
No
Show full specification detailsHide full specification details
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Kodak Mini 2 HD is about the size of a smartphone though a bit thicker. It renders both color and grayscale pictures with a surprising degree of fidelity to the original image for a mini printer. It has a good tonal range, though it drops off at the darkest blacks and the whitest
whites. The accompanying app is intuitive and has some beneficial features, such as a photo queue, that other machines lack. All and all, we were quite impressed with this affordable little printer.
Performance Comparison
The Kodak Mini 2 HD produces small prints with surprising definition.
Credit: Laura Casner
Likes
We liked the quality of the photos coming out of this instant printer and that there is no maintenance save refreshing the paper. We also liked that the printer is easy to use with a smartphone while on the move.
An ability to select and crop photographs makes it easy to hone-in on the part of the image you want to capture in print.
Credit: Laura Casner
Additionally, the Kodak's accompanying app allows the user to queue up five photos at a time. That way, you can set the machine aside and come back to photographs that you can hand out to your friends and family.
Dislikes
The main problem we have with this printer is that its photo paper comes in a heavy plastic cartridge. The cartridge is not reusable, and it only holds eight sheets of instant print paper. When you're done, you just throw it away. Additionally, the paper costs 68 cents a sheet, which is the high-end for instant paper.
The plastic cartridge seems pricey and wasteful compared to the system being used on other mini printers.
Credit: Laura Casner
We also had a problem with the machine turning itself off while printing multiple pictures. Perhaps it was a bug in the app that will be resolved. Regardless, it was annoying. The machine prints slowly (about a minute per print), but we liked being able to fill the queue with photos, so we didn't have to sit the machine while it worked.
Should You Buy the Kodak Mini 2 HD?
The Kodak Mini 2 HD is one of the better mini printers that we have had the pleasure to test. This machine renders fine prints in both color and grayscale. It's easy to use, convenient to carry, and the operating cost is manageable. Best of all, its ease of use will make it more likely that you get the images off your phone and into the hands of friends and family.
What Other Photo Printers Should You Consider?
Occasionally we review products worth exactly what they cost — the Kodak Mini 2 HD is just such a product. Interestingly, the award-winning Canon IVY offers more performance from a mini printer at the same price point. If you want more versatility in print size, the mid-sized Canon PIXMA TR4520 also costs the same amount but offers substantially better print capability than these mini-printers.
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