In-depth review
Canon SELPHY CP1500 Review (2027)
In-depth review of the Canon SELPHY CP1500: dye-sub print quality, media costs, app and battery portability for home printing.
Canon SELPHY CP1500
The dye-sub benchmark: borderless 4x6 lab prints with a protective coat.
Our verdict
The CP1500 is the mature peak of the SELPHY line: prints emerge dry, glossy and laminated, colour is pleasingly true, and it accepts photos from phones, SD cards and computers without arguing. It prints one size class brilliantly and pretends to nothing larger - and for the album-and-frame life most photos actually live, that focus is exactly right.
What we like
- Dye-sublimation prints are water-resistant and rated for long album life
- Wi-Fi, AirPrint, USB and SD card printing cover every source
- SELPHY app adds layouts, collages and QR-code prints
- Optional battery pack makes it a genuinely portable party printer
What to watch out for
- Maximum print is postcard 4x6 plus smaller sticker and square formats
- Print speed is about 41 seconds per 4x6, steady, not instant
- Paper and ink come in matched packs, so partial-pack waste is possible
What owners report: Canon SELPHY CP1500
Synthesized from recurring themes in long-term owner feedback.
Most praised
- Prints come out dry with a protective coat that handles album pages and fridge doors without fading worries
- Having WiFi, card slot and USB options means guests and family can print without hunting for one cable
- Layouts and collages in the Canon app make a single sheet feel more designed than a plain snapshot
Common complaints
- Postcard size is the ceiling, so owners wanting enlargements need a second printer
- Output is steady rather than quick when a stack of party prints is waiting
- Matched paper and ink packs can leave partial waste when a job stops mid pack
Who it is for
Families, scrapbookers and phone photographers who print 4x6 regularly and value durability and zero maintenance.
Print quality and durability
Dye-sublimation lays cyan, magenta and yellow in continuous tone, then seals the print under a clear overcoat. The result has no visible dot pattern, shrugs off water droplets and fingerprints, and carries Canon's 100-year album-life rating under proper storage. Skin tones and skies - the colours families actually print - are handled with flattering accuracy.
Workflow and connectivity
Wi-Fi with AirPrint and the SELPHY Photo Layout app cover phones; the SD slot covers cameras; USB covers computers. The app's collage, sticker and QR-print modes are genuinely used, not bloat. At about 41 seconds per print the CP1500 sets a metronome pace for party printing: plan the queue, not one-offs.
Costs and portability
Media maths is beautifully predictable: a KP-108IN pack is 108 prints of paper and ink, consumed together, so cost per print is simple division. The optional battery pack converts it into a cable-free event printer at roughly fifty-plus prints per charge class, and at 850 g the body itself travels in a tote without complaint.
Key specifications
- Technology
- Dye-sublimation thermal transfer, 300 x 300 dpi, 256 levels per colour
- Max print size
- Postcard 100 x 148 mm (4x6), plus card and sticker sizes
- Speed
- Approx. 41 sec per postcard print
- Connectivity
- Wi-Fi, AirPrint, USB, SD card slot, SELPHY Photo Layout app
- Size / weight
- 182 x 133 x 58 mm, approx. 850 g
Also consider
Liene 4x6 Photo Printer
A Wi-Fi dye-sub 4x6 printer that bundles generous starter media.
Why consider it: Similar dye-sub output with richer starter bundles and a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot for less.
- Technology: Dye-sublimation thermal transfer
- Print size: 4x6 in borderless
Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550
A 13-inch EcoTank photo printer with six inks and bottle-cheap colour.
Why consider it: Prints up to 13 x 19 with cheap bottle ink if your ambitions outgrow 4x6.
- Technology: 6-colour inkjet, Micro Piezo, 5760 x 1440 dpi optimised
- Max print size: 13 x 19 in borderless (A3-plus)
Research-based assessment. TrueGear has not hands-on tested this product; this evaluation synthesizes manufacturer specifications, retailer documentation, and published expert reviews.
Questions, answered
Does the CP1500 need ink cartridges?
It uses combined ink ribbon and paper packs: the ribbon is consumed in exact proportion to the paper, so a pack never strands you with paper and no ink. Buy the KP-series packs matched to your print size.
Can it print square and sticker formats?
Yes, with the matching smaller media cassettes and packs: square and credit-card sticker formats are SELPHY party tricks the app lays out automatically.
Is there a battery included?
The battery pack is an optional accessory. Mains power is standard in the box; event users should budget the battery into the purchase.