Canon PIXMA TR160 Portable Inkjet Printer

74%

26%

Print Quality

Portability & Form Factor

Wireless Connectivity

Setup & Ease of Use

Photo Printing Performance

Ink Efficiency & Running Costs

Text Document Output

Media Versatility

Build Quality & Durability

App & Software Experience

Print Speed

OLED Display Usefulness

Value for Money

Duplex Printing

Energy Efficiency

Overview

The Canon PIXMA TR160 Portable Inkjet Printer occupies an interesting spot in the portable printer market — compact enough to slip into a laptop bag, yet capable of handling full letter-size and even legal-size documents. At a mid-to-premium price point, it targets mobile professionals, students, and travelers who won't compromise on print quality while away from a desk. That said, this isn't a desktop replacement — it's a specialized mobile tool. With both wireless and USB connectivity on board, it covers most on-the-go scenarios without requiring extra gear. Just keep in mind that at 4.5 pounds and over 12 inches deep, calling it pocket-sized would be a stretch.

Features & Benefits

What makes the TR160 stand out technically is its 5-Color Hybrid Ink System, which combines pigment and dye inks to handle both crisp black text and photo-quality color in a single device. Print resolution reaches 4800 x 1200 dpi — competitive for a printer this size. The Wireless Direct Mode is a genuine differentiator: you can connect your phone or laptop directly to this compact inkjet without a Wi-Fi router, which matters in hotel rooms or client offices. Compatible with Canon PRINT, Apple AirPrint, and Mopria, it works with most devices. A small OLED status display lets you check ink levels without digging through an app.

Best For

This portable Canon printer makes the most sense for remote workers and consultants who regularly need to hand over printed documents during meetings or site visits. Students in dorms or shared housing will appreciate a compact unit that doesn't consume desk space. If you shoot photos and want borderless prints on the go — from 4x6 up to 8x10 — this compact inkjet handles that well. It also supports legal-size paper, which is surprisingly rare at this form factor. What it isn't suited for is heavy daily printing or two-sided work; the absence of duplex printing and the modest output tray make that limitation clear.

User Feedback

Many users come away impressed by photo print quality, noting colors appear richer than expected from a portable device. Text documents also tend to earn solid marks for sharpness. On setup, most find the app-based workflow reasonably straightforward, though a handful of Android users have flagged occasional connectivity hiccups. The weight and footprint draw mixed reactions — some find it slim and travel-friendly, while others feel 4.5 pounds is noticeable in a bag. Ink cartridge yield comes up frequently as a concern, with buyers suggesting costs feel high relative to the printer's price. The lack of double-sided printing is the most commonly cited limitation among professional buyers.

#Portable Photo Printers

#Printers & Scanners

#Camera & Photo

#Electronics

Pros

Produces sharp, professional-quality text documents that are genuinely client-ready.
Borderless photo printing in multiple sizes, including square formats, is rare at this form factor.
Wireless Direct Mode lets you print without any router, which is a practical lifesaver in hotels and classrooms.
Legal-size support in a portable printer is an uncommon capability most competitors skip entirely.
The 5-Color Hybrid Ink System handles both text and photo jobs without switching cartridge setups.
Compatible with Apple AirPrint, Canon PRINT app, and Mopria — covers nearly every device a user might carry.
The onboard OLED display lets you check ink status without unlocking your phone or opening an app.
Slim 2.6-inch height profile slides into a laptop bag without adding significant bulk.
Energy Star certification means responsible standby power draw for users who leave it plugged in frequently.

Cons

No duplex printing — manually flipping pages for two-sided output is impractical in most mobile scenarios.
Ink cartridge yield is low for the price tier, making ongoing running costs a recurring buyer complaint.
Color print speed of 5.5 pages per minute becomes a bottleneck when printing multi-page color jobs.
Cartridges can dry out faster than expected during extended periods of non-use.
The Canon PRINT app interface feels dated and buries advanced print settings behind multiple menu layers.
Android users report occasional connectivity drops that require app restarts or printer reboots to resolve.
At 4.5 pounds and over 12 inches deep, it is noticeably heavier and larger than many buyers anticipate.
No battery option means you are always dependent on a power outlet, limiting truly untethered use.
Switching between paper types requires manually swapping media in the single tray, which disrupts busy print sessions.

Ratings

The Canon PIXMA TR160 Portable Inkjet Printer has been evaluated by our AI system after processing thousands of verified global user reviews, with spam, bot-generated, and incentivized submissions actively filtered out to ensure reliability. Scores reflect a balanced picture — where this compact inkjet genuinely delivers and where real buyers have run into friction. Both strengths and recurring pain points are transparently represented across every category below.

Print Quality

88%

Most users are genuinely impressed by how sharp text documents come out, particularly for contracts and reports printed on the road. Photo output earns consistent praise too — colors read as accurate and vivid, especially on glossy media, which surprises buyers who expected portable-printer compromises.

A portion of users note that color accuracy can shift slightly depending on paper stock, and achieving the best photo results requires using Canon-branded media. At default settings, some prints show minor banding on large color fills.

Portability & Form Factor

73%

27%

The slim profile — just 2.6 inches tall — means the TR160 slides into a laptop bag without dramatically altering the bag's shape. Travelers who regularly carry it between client offices describe it as a practical companion when checked luggage isn't an option.

At 4.5 pounds and over 12 inches deep, this is not a slip-into-a-backpack-pocket device. Several users expected something closer in scale to a tablet and found the footprint larger than anticipated, particularly when traveling light with carry-on bags only.

Wireless Connectivity

84%

Wireless Direct Mode stands out as a feature buyers actually rely on — printing from a laptop in a hotel room or a classroom without hunting for a shared network is a meaningful convenience. iOS users in particular report a smooth, near-instant connection experience via AirPrint.

Android users occasionally encounter inconsistent behavior with the Canon PRINT app, requiring app restarts or printer reboots to reestablish connection. A handful of users on older Android versions reported the app failing to detect the printer entirely on first setup.

Setup & Ease of Use

81%

19%

Unboxing to first print tends to go quickly for most buyers, especially those using Apple devices. The OLED display helps navigate basic settings without needing to open an app, and Canon's setup guide is described as clearer than average for inkjet printers.

Users less comfortable with mobile apps occasionally struggle with the initial wireless configuration, and the instruction manual offers limited troubleshooting depth. A small but vocal group found the app-dependent workflow frustrating when they just wanted a straightforward USB print.

Photo Printing Performance

86%

The 5-Color Hybrid Ink System earns real credibility here — buyers printing 4x6 and 5x7 borderless photos report results that hold up well compared to drugstore prints. The range of supported photo sizes, including square formats, is a notable plus for photographers sharing prints on the go.

Photo print speed at 5.5 pages per minute for color means printing a batch of vacation photos takes longer than many expect. Ink consumption for photo-heavy use runs noticeably higher, and a few users feel photo quality drops when ink levels dip below half.

Ink Efficiency & Running Costs

54%

46%

The hybrid pigment and dye ink approach does serve dual purposes well — pigment for text longevity, dye for photo vibrancy — so you are genuinely getting two ink functions in one system. Users who print infrequently find a single set of cartridges lasts a reasonable amount of time.

This is the most consistently raised frustration among buyers. Cartridge yield is considered low relative to the printer's price tier, and replacement costs add up quickly for anyone printing more than occasionally. Some users report cartridges drying out faster than expected during extended periods of non-use.

Text Document Output

87%

Monochrome text prints at 9 pages per minute and the output quality consistently earns praise — crisp, clean, and readable even at smaller font sizes. Users printing contracts, invoices, and academic papers find the results professional enough to hand directly to clients or professors.

Some users notice very slight graying on dense text blocks when the black cartridge approaches low levels. There is no draft mode prominently surfaced in the app, so ink-conscious users may burn through cartridges faster than necessary on routine documents.

Media Versatility

82%

18%

Support for legal-size paper in a printer this compact is genuinely uncommon, and users who need to print legal documents while traveling specifically call this out as a deciding factor. Envelope and square-format compatibility adds flexibility that most competitors in this size class skip.

The single paper tray means switching between media types — say, photo paper and plain copy paper — requires manually swapping out the loaded stock, which some users find disruptive during busy work sessions. There is no automatic media detection.

Build Quality & Durability

76%

24%

The overall construction feels considered for a travel device — no sharp edges, and the paper tray mechanism holds up well to repeated use in transit scenarios. Regular travelers report no notable wear after several months of bag-in, bag-out use.

The exterior plastic feels more functional than premium, which draws comment given the price. A few users mention the paper tray cover feeling slightly loose over time, and the overall chassis flexes more than expected when handled with one hand.

App & Software Experience

71%

29%

Canon PRINT covers the essentials well — print, check ink levels, and manage basic settings — and for straightforward jobs it works without fuss. Users who primarily print standard documents from their phones report the app workflow is acceptably intuitive.

The app interface feels dated compared to competitors, and advanced options like print quality adjustments are buried in menus. Users wanting fine-grained control over color output or print settings often resort to USB-connected desktop printing to get the results they need.

Print Speed

67%

33%

For black-and-white documents, 9 pages per minute is adequate for the occasional printing needs this device is designed around. Users printing a handful of pages at a time — boarding passes, meeting agendas, short reports — rarely flag speed as an issue.

Color printing at 5.5 pages per minute becomes a noticeable bottleneck when printing multi-page color presentations or photo sets. Buyers coming from mid-range home printers tend to feel the difference immediately, and impatient users have flagged this as a genuine friction point.

OLED Display Usefulness

78%

22%

Having a physical display on a printer this size is a practical touch that users appreciate more than expected. Checking ink levels without opening a phone app — especially mid-meeting or while traveling — is cited as a small but genuinely useful convenience.

The 1.44-inch monochrome screen is functional but limited. Navigation involves cycling through menus using minimal physical controls, and some users find the interface sluggish. There is no color differentiation on the display, which makes reading ink level distinctions less intuitive.

Value for Money

63%

37%

Buyers who specifically need legal-size portable printing or reliable router-free wireless printing acknowledge that few alternatives offer the same combination at any price. For those exact use cases, the premium feels more justified.

For general users, the price-to-output calculation is harder to defend — especially when ongoing ink costs are factored in. Several buyers feel the lack of duplex printing and relatively modest print speed do not align with the premium positioning, and express that the value proposition weakens over time.

Duplex Printing

41%

59%

For users with truly occasional printing needs — a few pages here and there — the absence of automatic two-sided printing is simply a non-issue. Some buyers explicitly state they never needed it given their light print volumes.

At this price point, the lack of duplex printing is the most frequently mentioned deal-breaker among buyers who work with multi-page reports or want to reduce paper use. Manual double-sided printing requires reflipping and reinserting pages, which users find error-prone and impractical in a mobile context.

Energy Efficiency

83%

The Energy Star certification translates into tangible behavior — the TR160 powers down quickly when idle and does not draw much standby power. Travelers using it in hotel rooms note they feel comfortable leaving it plugged in overnight without concern.

Warm-up from a cold start takes a few seconds longer than some users prefer when printing urgently. There is no battery option, meaning you are always tethered to an outlet — a constraint that limits truly untethered mobile use despite the portable form factor.

Suitable for:

The Canon PIXMA TR160 Portable Inkjet Printer is a strong fit for anyone whose printing needs follow them out the door. Consultants and field-based professionals who regularly need to hand over printed contracts, proposals, or invoices during client visits will find it genuinely useful — especially since the Wireless Direct Mode removes the dependency on a host network entirely. Students living in dorms or shared apartments get a capable, space-conscious printer that handles everything from essays to borderless photo prints without occupying a full corner of a desk. Travel photographers who want to produce physical prints on location — in multiple sizes, including square formats — will appreciate having a device that keeps up with their creative workflow on the road. Anyone who has ever needed legal-size output from a portable printer and come up empty will find that capability alone sets the TR160 apart from most competitors in this class.

Not suitable for:

The Canon PIXMA TR160 Portable Inkjet Printer is not the right call for buyers expecting a true everyday workhorse or a desktop replacement. If you regularly print double-sided reports, study packets, or multi-page office documents, the absence of duplex printing will slow you down and waste paper in ways that become genuinely frustrating over time. Heavy-volume users will also find the ink running costs hard to justify — cartridge yield is modest, and replacement expenses accumulate quickly if this becomes your primary printer. At 4.5 pounds and over 12 inches deep, it is also not the device for someone who wants something truly pocket-sized or ultralight for backpacking or minimalist travel. And if your workflow demands fast color output — batch printing presentations or photo sets against the clock — the 5.5 pages-per-minute color speed will test your patience.

Specifications

Dimensions: The printer measures 12.7″ deep, 7.3″ wide, and 2.6″ tall, making it slim enough to fit in most laptop bags without taking up excessive space.
Weight: At 4.5 pounds, the TR160 is portable but not ultralight — it is best carried in a bag rather than held in one hand for extended periods.
Print Technology: The printer uses inkjet technology combining both pigment-based and dye-based inks to handle text sharpness and photo color vibrancy through a single system.
Ink System: A 5-Color Hybrid Ink System uses separate cartridges for black, cyan, magenta, yellow, and a dedicated photo black to deliver accurate tones across document and photo print jobs.
Color Resolution: Maximum print resolution reaches 4800 x 1200 dpi for both color and monochrome output, producing fine detail suitable for professional documents and photo prints.
Print Speed: The printer outputs up to 9 pages per minute in monochrome and up to 5.5 pages per minute in color under standard conditions.
Max Media Size: The largest supported paper size is 8.5 x 14 inches (Legal), an uncommon capability for a printer in this size and weight class.
Paper Capacity: The input tray holds up to 100 sheets of plain paper, while the output tray accommodates up to 50 sheets at a time.
Supported Media: Compatible media types include plain paper, glossy photo paper, envelopes, borderless prints, and square-format sheets in sizes ranging from 3.5″ x 3.5″ up to Legal.
Display: A 1.44-inch monochrome OLED screen on the printer body shows ink levels, printer status, and basic settings without requiring a connected device.
Connectivity: The printer supports USB, standard Wi-Fi, and Wireless Direct Mode, which enables a direct device-to-printer connection without requiring a wireless router.
App Support: Compatible printing apps include Canon PRINT, Apple AirPrint, and Mopria Print Service, covering iOS, Android, and most modern mobile operating systems.
Duplex Printing: The TR160 does not support automatic duplex (two-sided) printing; all output is simplex, requiring manual page flipping for double-sided documents.
Hardware Interface: One USB Type-B port is included for wired connection to a computer, in addition to the wireless connectivity options.
Number of Trays: The printer has a single paper tray, meaning users must manually swap media when switching between paper types or sizes.
Certification: The TR160 carries Energy Star certification, indicating it meets established standards for energy efficiency during operation and standby modes.
Warranty: Canon provides a limited warranty with this printer; buyers should verify the specific terms and duration through Canon's official warranty documentation for their region.
Included Components: The printer ships with inkjet cartridges included in the box, allowing users to begin printing without a separate cartridge purchase immediately after setup.
Model Series: The TR160 belongs to Canon's PIXMA lineup, a series focused on home, student, and portable printing applications rather than high-volume office environments.
Availability Date: The TR160 was first made available in March 2025, making it a recently released model within Canon's portable inkjet range.

Related Reviews

Canon PIXMA TS3720 Wireless All-in-One Printer

71%

Ease of Setup

Print Quality – Documents

Print Quality – Photos

Ink Cost & Cartridge Yield

Wireless Connectivity

Canon PIXMA TS9520 Wireless All-in-One Printer

74%

Print Quality (Documents)

Print Quality (Photos)

Wide-Format Capability

Ink System & Running Costs

Auto Document Feeder (ADF)

Canon PIXMA TR4527 All-in-One Inkjet Printer

71%

Print Quality

Ink Efficiency & Cost

Wireless Setup & Connectivity

Automatic Duplex Printing

Scan Quality

Canon SELPHY Square QX10 Portable Photo Printer

83%

Print Quality

Ease of Use

Portability

Print Speed

Battery Life

Zoolion P831 Portable Printer

69%

Portability

Print Quality

Setup & Connectivity

Battery Life

Duplex Printing

Rongta PN81 A4 Portable Thermal Printer

74%

Portability & Form Factor

Print Quality

Ink-Free Running Costs

Bluetooth Connectivity

App Experience (SoPrint)

Brady M210 Portable Label Printer

85%

Ease of Use

Build Quality

Durability

Portability

Label Print Quality

PhoFuta Portable Bluetooth Thermal Printer

84%

Portability

Print Quality

Battery Life

Ease of Use

Wireless Connectivity

Canon IVY 2 Mini Photo Printer

76%

Portability & Form Factor

Print Quality

Ease of Setup & Use

App Experience

ZINK Ink-Free Technology

Canon SELPHY CP1500 Compact Photo Printer

76%

Print Quality

Portability & Size

Ease of Setup & Use

Smartphone Connectivity

Value for Money

FAQ

Yes, and this is one of the TR160's most practical features. Wireless Direct Mode lets your phone or laptop connect directly to the printer without needing a router at all. It is genuinely useful in hotel rooms, client offices, or classrooms where you do not have access to a shared network.

It works with both. iPhone and iPad users can print via Apple AirPrint, which requires no app installation and tends to be very reliable. Android users can use the Canon PRINT app or Mopria Print Service. Most Android devices connect without major issues, though a small number of users on older Android versions have reported occasional app hiccups during initial setup.

It measures 12.7 inches deep, 7.3 inches wide, and just 2.6 inches tall, so the slim profile is genuine. Most 15-inch laptop bags will accommodate it. That said, at 4.5 pounds, you will feel it in your bag — this is more of a carry-in-a-bag printer than a toss-in-a-backpack one.

Yes, it supports paper up to 8.5 x 14 inches, which covers Legal size. That is actually uncommon for a portable printer this compact, and it is one of the reasons professionals who deal with contracts or legal documents tend to choose this model over smaller competitors.

This is the most honest concern to raise: ink running costs are on the higher side relative to the printer's purchase price. Cartridge yield is modest, so frequent users will go through ink faster than they might expect. If you print heavily and regularly, the ongoing cost is worth budgeting for before you buy. For occasional printing, it is less of an issue.

It genuinely handles both. The 5-Color Hybrid Ink System includes a dedicated photo black cartridge alongside the standard color inks, and it supports borderless photo printing in sizes from 4x6 up to 8x10, plus square formats. Photo output on glossy paper earns solid praise from users, though results are noticeably better with Canon-brand photo paper than generic alternatives.

No, automatic duplex printing is not supported. If you need two-sided pages, you will have to manually flip and reinsert the paper. For occasional double-sided printing it is workable, but if two-sided output is a regular part of your workflow, this limitation will get old quickly.

It can be an issue. Inkjet printers in general are prone to nozzle clogging or ink drying during extended idle periods, and this compact inkjet is no exception. Running a quick nozzle check and print head cleaning cycle after any long break is a good habit. If you only print sporadically, factor that in when thinking about ink costs.

It requires a power outlet — there is no built-in battery or battery accessory option. For most travel scenarios this is fine since you will have power nearby, but if you were hoping to print somewhere entirely off-grid, this is a hard limitation to work around.

For most people, setup is reasonably straightforward. The printer comes with ink cartridges included, the physical setup takes only a few minutes, and the Canon PRINT app walks you through the wireless connection process step by step. iPhone users connecting via AirPrint tend to have the smoothest experience. The process is a bit more involved for Android users, but the majority get through it without needing technical support.