Need a compact printer that actually keeps up with your on-the-go shoots?

I’ve taken the Canon PIXMA TR160 Printer on location to see how it performs, and it’s built for mobility without skimping on photo potential.

If you’re a photographer, event pro, or traveling creative, you’ll want portability and reliable photo prints.

In this review you’ll see how it handles speed, photo output, connectivity, and everyday usability, plus battery and paper handling in real-world use.

I’ll focus on field reliability and the trade-offs between document speed and photo quality; make sure to read the entire review as I put it through real-world tests — keep reading.

Canon PIXMA TR160 Printer

Sleek, ultra-compact inkjet designed for on-the-go printing, delivering vibrant color and sharp documents with wireless connectivity, easy setup, and borderless photo capability—perfect for travelers and small-home offices.

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The Numbers You Need

How It’s Built

In my testing the Canon PIXMA TR160 felt like a true travel companion — compact and light enough to toss in a carry bag and set up fast at a client meeting or hotel table. That ease of carry means less hassle when you’re juggling camera bags and prints on the go. For real-world work, it simply makes mobile printing painless.

The build surprised me for such a small printer; it feels solid and the panels line up cleanly. One thing that could be better was the paper hatch — opening it in cramped spaces sometimes needs two hands and a little patience. Still, the hinges held up fine when I loaded different papers in cars and cafés.

The tiny status screen shows the essentials, but I found myself using my phone for deeper control. One thing I really liked was the battery integration and USB-C charging, which keeps the unit neat and easy to pack for all-day shoots. That setup means you can go untethered when you need to.

Quiet mode actually helps when you’re printing in shared spaces, which I appreciated during client meetings. Paper feeding was mostly reliable across plain and photo stocks, though I recommend keeping the printer level and carrying extra paper when you travel. For beginners, it’s straightforward: charge, load paper, and use the app for finer tweaks.

In Your Hands

Used on assignment, the Canon PIXMA TR160 Printer handles routine document needs with a confidence that mirrors a reliable assistant: single-page itineraries and contracts pop out quickly enough to keep a client meeting moving, while longer color jobs naturally demand a more patient rhythm. If you’re printing lots of color pages back-to-back it’s noticeable, but for mixed photo-and-text workflows it strikes a practical balance between speed and quality.

In the field the optional rechargeable battery is a game-changer — I reach for it on location shoots and pop-up sales where outlets aren’t guaranteed. Battery life is sensible for typical short bursts of work, and when I’m parked at a café or hotel a USB‑C tether provides both power and stability without fuss.

Mobile printing is where the TR160 really shines: Canon’s app plus AirPrint and Mopria made device discovery and tap-to-print from phones and tablets painless during client checkouts. Image scaling and cropping are handled predictably, though I still preview on the phone to avoid unexpected trims on borderless photos.

Desktop setup on Windows and macOS is straightforward for routine use, but deeper print profiling is easier from a laptop than the printer itself; the small status screen is clear enough for ink and paper checks. For quick troubleshooting and status reads you’re covered, but complex adjustments require the computer app.

Field reliability was strong — misfeeds were rare and glossy photos dried cleanly when handled with care, though humid or cramped environments can invite minor smudging if you rush. Quiet mode meaningfully lowers noise for hotel lobbies and shared workspaces, and swapping ink tanks on the go is intuitive, making consumable packing a simple part of a travel kit.

The Good and Bad

• Highly portable footprint (approx. 302 x 188 x 63 mm; ~1.6 kg without battery)
• Optional built-in rechargeable battery for true untethered printing
• Solid mobile ecosystem: Canon PRINT app, AirPrint, Mopria support
• Borderless photo printing up to 8″ x 10″

• Color speed (approx. 5.5 ipm) may feel slow for multi-page color jobs
• Battery is optional, not standard (adds cost/weight to the kit)

Ideal Buyer

If you’re a photographer who sells prints at client meetings, events, or pop-up galleries, the Canon PIXMA TR160 Printer fits the bill. It delivers borderless 8″×10″ photos with rich color from its five-ink system. Its compact footprint slips into a camera bag without eating precious space.

Mobile professionals who need crisp contracts, itineraries, or proof pages will appreciate the reliable text output and USB‑C tethering. You trade a bit of throughput for portability, but the TR160’s quiet mode and consistent mono prints keep workflow smooth in cafés and shared workspaces. Setup is quick and drivers behave on macOS and Windows so you can print from a laptop when needed.

Students and creators who live on their phones will love AirPrint, Mopria, and Canon’s app for fast phone‑to‑print simplicity. The machine makes it painless to turn a phone edit into a gallery‑ready print without a laptop. It’s also forgiving with casual paper choices so you can proof prints on plain stock before committing to glossy.

Frequent travelers who want optional battery‑powered freedom and low noise will find it a sensible companion. If you prioritize on‑the‑spot photo quality and compactness over bulk speed or built‑in Ethernet, this is the one to pack.

Better Alternatives?

We’ve already dug into the Canon PIXMA TR150 and what it does well for photographers on the move: good photo color, borderless prints up to 8×10, and a small footprint that fits into a travel kit. Still, no single printer is perfect for everyone, so it helps to look at other options that trade off size, battery life, speed, or plain-paper output in different ways.

Below are three real-world alternatives I’ve used in the field. I’ll point out where each one beats the Canon PIXMA TR160 Printer and where it falls short, and who I’d recommend them for based on actual shooting and printing situations.

Alternative 1:

HP OfficeJet 200 Printer

Portable business-grade printer offering reliable, high-quality text and color output with fast mobile printing, long-lasting battery options, intuitive controls, and compact design for professionals working away from the office.

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In the field the HP OfficeJet 200 shines for plain-paper work. Compared to the Canon PIXMA TR160 Printer it usually gives you sharper, darker black text and prints documents faster. If you’re printing contracts, itineraries, or long sets of forms between shoots, the OfficeJet feels more robust and the battery options tend to last longer when you’re doing lot of pages.

Where it loses to the TR160 is photo output. I found color photos from the HP to be a tad softer and less punchy than the TR160’s prints. Skin tones and subtle gradients didn’t pop as much, and edge-to-edge borderless photos aren’t as clean. The HP is also a bit heavier and louder in operation, so it’s not as stealthy in quiet client meetings.

Pick the OfficeJet 200 if your day is mostly documents with the occasional proof photo — traveling agents, event check-in crews, or anyone who needs long battery life and fast, reliable text printing. If you prioritize on-the-spot gallery-ready photos, you’ll likely prefer the TR160’s color and fine-detail handling.

Alternative 2:

Epson WorkForce WF-100 Printer

Featherweight, ultra-slim printer built for mobile professionals, producing crisp documents and vivid photos with wireless connectivity, easy app integration, and compact footprint for travel-ready productivity.

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The Epson WF-100 is all about being tiny. Compared to the Canon PIXMA TR160 Printer it’s easier to toss in a small camera bag — it’s lighter and less bulky, which mattered to me on long travel days. For single-page prints and quick contracts it’s fine, and the basics work reliably from a phone app.

On the downside, the WF-100 doesn’t match the TR160 for photo richness or long-term reliability if you print photos infrequently. Color photos are decent but feel a little flatter; I also saw more risk of nozzle drying when the printer sat unused for several days on a trip. Paper capacity is smaller, so you’ll be refilling more often during busy shoots.

This is the pick for ultra-light travelers who need a printer only occasionally — bloggers, landscape shooters on the move, or anyone who values weight over photo-fine detail. If you need richer photo prints or plan to print often between sessions, the TR160 will give you better, more consistent photo results.

Alternative 3:

Epson WorkForce WF-110 Printer

Next-level portable printing delivers dependable, sharp results on the go, featuring wireless convenience, simple setup, efficient ink usage, and a lightweight chassis ideal for frequent travelers and remote workers.

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The WF-110 feels like an upgraded version of the WF-100 for real travel use. Versus the Canon PIXMA TR160 Printer, the WF-110 gives you a steadier battery-included experience and fewer hiccups when you need many prints without wall power. It’s a solid choice when you want a reliable workhorse that still fits into a carry-on.

That said, the WF-110 still usually trails the TR160 in photo quality. Colors are respectable for proofs and client handouts, but the TR160’s five-ink approach and borderless photo handling produce smoother gradients and richer skin tones. The Epson is better at long plain-paper runs and can be more forgiving on mixed document jobs, but it won’t replace the TR160 if top photo output is your goal.

I recommend the WF-110 for photographers who travel a lot and need dependable battery-backed printing for documents and proof prints — wedding assistants, mobile studios, or remote event techs. If your priority is gallery-style, client-facing photos with the deepest color and edge-to-edge quality, stick with the TR160 for those moments.

What People Ask Most

Conclusion

The Canon PIXMA TR160 Printer is a practical travel companion for photographers and mobile pros who value true portability and capable photo output. It nails the portable workflow with reliable wireless options, edge-to-edge photo printing up to large sizes, and a color system tuned for richer snapshots. The optional battery and compact chassis make it easy to carry and set up on location without fuss or extra gear.

That usefulness comes with trade-offs worth noting. Color page throughput is modest for heavy multi-page jobs, and the tiny status screen limits on-device control when you don’t want to reach for a phone. Wired LAN requires an adapter, and the battery is an add-on that raises the kit cost and weight, and occasional connectivity quirks can appear.

For travel-focused creatives who prioritize borderless photo quality and a small footprint, the TR160 is a smart, confidence-inspiring choice that balances image quality with real-world portability and solid color rendering for client-facing work. If your days demand rapid multi-page color output or built-in enterprise networking, you’ll find better fits elsewhere. For most photographers on the road, though, this printer delivers the right mix of convenience, color fidelity, and packability.

Canon PIXMA TR160 Printer

Sleek, ultra-compact inkjet designed for on-the-go printing, delivering vibrant color and sharp documents with wireless connectivity, easy setup, and borderless photo capability—perfect for travelers and small-home offices.

Check Price