This HP Sprocket Select review looks at a portable photo printer for iOS and Android users who want larger sticky-backed snapshots from a phone or social media.
Sprocket Select Review Summary
The quick verdict
25,000+ ratings
Read Amazon ReviewsHP Sprocket Select
A phone-connected printer for buyers who want larger adhesive-backed snapshots and app-based personalization for travel, keepsakes, or casual sharing.
- Prints 2.3 x 3.4-inch photographs from a smartphone or social media.
- Works with iOS and Android devices over Bluetooth 5.1.
- Uses ZINK sticky-back photo paper, with colors embedded in the paper and no toner or ribbon replacements.
- The HP app offers frames, filters, augmented-reality features, and custom sticker creation from doodles.
Pros
- Prints larger 2.3-by-3.4-inch photos from your smartphone or social media.
- Sticky-backed paper suits journaling, scrapbooks, and display surfaces without a separate adhesive.
Consider before buying
- The printer is tied to sticky-backed ZINK paper, which may not suit buyers who want conventional loose photo prints.
- Several personalization and social-printing options depend on using the HP app.
Read the full review summary
The Sprocket Select makes sense for casual printing when you want a physical keepsake without a separate ink cartridge workflow.
Its ZINK paper has adhesive backing, and the printer pairs phone connectivity with editing tools in the HP app for customizing images before printing.
It is best suited to travelers, scrapbookers, and social-photo users who value portable printing and sticker-like prints.
The tradeoff is a dedicated paper format and reliance on the app for several personalization and social-printing features, so it is a better fit for occasional creative prints than for buyers seeking a broad paper-and-ink workflow.
The buying factors
Sprocket Select Scorecard
Editorial scores reflect listed features and buyer fit; they are not laboratory measurements or customer ratings.
Print format flexibility
The 2.3 x 3.4-inch sticky-backed format is larger than a compact pocket snapshot, with adhesive backing useful for journals and displays, though it is a single named format.
Ink-free convenience
ZINK technology avoids toner or ribbon replacements, which simplifies the consumables routine for casual printing.
Phone connectivity
Support for iOS and Android alongside Bluetooth 5.1 makes phone-based printing central to the design.
Creative tools
The HP app includes filters and frames, plus options for augmented reality and turning doodles into custom stickers.
Travel practicality
A slim, pocket-sized rechargeable design and magnetic lid support taking it along, although its use still depends on carrying the printer and paper.
Print durability features
The glossy paper is designed to resist water, smudges, and tears, a useful feature for handled keepsakes; buyers should still treat prints as small-format paper photos.
Key Features and Specifications of Sprocket Select
- Prints 2.3 x 3.4-inch photographs from a smartphone or social media.
- Works with iOS and Android devices over Bluetooth 5.1.
- Uses ZINK sticky-back photo paper, with colors embedded in the paper and no toner or ribbon replacements.
- The HP app offers frames, filters, augmented-reality features, and custom sticker creation from doodles.
- A hashtag-to-print feature can route tagged social photos to printing in the HP app.
- The printer is pocket-sized, rechargeable, and includes a removable magnetic lid.
Pros and Cons of Sprocket Select
Pros
- Prints larger 2.3-by-3.4-inch photos from your smartphone or social media.
- Sticky-backed paper suits journaling, scrapbooks, and display surfaces without a separate adhesive.
- ZINK printing avoids toner and ribbon replacements.
- App-based frames, filters, and sticker tools add creative options before printing.
Consider before buying
- The printer is tied to sticky-backed ZINK paper, which may not suit buyers who want conventional loose photo prints.
- Several personalization and social-printing options depend on using the HP app.
- For frequent outdoor printing, check whether carrying enough compatible paper fits your plans.
Who Should Buy Sprocket Select?
Good fit
Buy it if you want phone photos turned into portable, adhesive-backed keepsakes for journals, travel memories, or casual sharing.
The format and app tools are aimed at making individual snapshots more personal and ready to stick onto a page or surface.
It also fits buyers who prefer ink-free printing and want a rechargeable device that can travel in a pocket or bag.
The water-, smudge-, and tear-resistance language is useful for handled prints, but it should not be treated as a promise that photos are indestructible.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you need standard loose prints or expect to choose among multiple paper formats; this printer is built around sticky-backed ZINK paper.
It is also a poor match if you want a workflow that avoids a companion app, since its editing and hashtag-to-print tools are tied to the HP app.
Sprocket Select: What Matters for Everyday Photo Printing
Print size and placement
The 2.3 x 3.4-inch size gives a bit more room than a wallet-style snapshot while remaining compact.
Sticky backing makes each print convenient for scrapbooks, journals, and quick displays, but less suited to buyers who want a traditional loose photo.
Paper and upkeep
ZINK embeds colors in the paper and removes the need for toner or ribbon replacements. That is appealing for casual users who do not want to manage printer ink, though the ongoing supply remains a dedicated paper format.
App-led creativity
The HP app is part of the experience: frames and filters let users adjust a photo, while augmented-reality and doodle scanning features extend the creative side.
Hashtag printing may help users bring social photos into that workflow without searching manually through a phone gallery.
Portability and expectations
A slim, rechargeable pocket-sized body with a magnetic lid is designed for travel and home use. Treat it as a convenient way to make small keepsakes rather than a replacement for larger photo output or a general-purpose printer.
Alternatives to Sprocket Select
Sticker-print alternative
25,000+ ratings
Read Amazon ReviewsHP Sprocket Portable Photo Printer (2nd Edition)
Choose the Select if you prefer its larger 2.3-by-3.4-inch print format; choose the Sprocket 2nd Edition if 2-by-3-inch photos suit you and simultaneous connections for multiple devices are useful.
- The Sprocket Portable Photo Printer (2nd Edition) makes 2-by-3-inch sticky-backed photos and can connect multiple devices so friends can print at the same time.
- The Sprocket Select prints 2.3 x 3.4-inch sticky-backed photos from a phone, a larger format for buyers who want extra room for a keepsake.
Laminated-print alternative
12,000+ ratings
Read Amazon ReviewsKODAK Mini 2 Retro 2x3 Portable Photo Printer
Choose the HP Sprocket Select for glossy sticky-back photo paper with colors embedded inside and no toner or ribbon replacements.
Choose the KODAK Mini 2 Retro if you prefer prints with a clear protective lamination layer and a bundle with 4 cartridges and 38 sheets of photo paper.
- The KODAK Mini 2 Retro 2x3 uses 4PASS dye sublimation, and each photo gets a clear protective lamination layer.
- The bundle includes 4 cartridges and 38 sheets of photo paper.
- The Sprocket Select uses ZINK sticky-backed paper with colors embedded in it, which avoids toner and ribbon replacements and leaves an adhesive-backed print.
Is Sprocket Select Worth It?
The HP Sprocket Select is worth considering if your priority is turning phone photos into larger sticky-backed keepsakes with a portable, ink-free printer.
Its strongest fit is casual creative use: travel memories, scrapbook pages, and social snapshots that benefit from the HP app’s editing tools.
Choose it with clear expectations about the format: it is centered on 2.3-by-3.4-inch adhesive-backed ZINK paper, not a general photo printer.
If that size and sticky finish suit your projects, the portable design and app features make a practical combination; if you need different print media, look elsewhere.
Your review at a glance
25,000+ ratings
Read Amazon ReviewsHP Sprocket Select
A phone-connected printer for buyers who want larger adhesive-backed snapshots and app-based personalization for travel, keepsakes, or casual sharing.
- Prints 2.3 x 3.4-inch photographs from a smartphone or social media.
- Works with iOS and Android devices over Bluetooth 5.1.
- Uses ZINK sticky-back photo paper, with colors embedded in the paper and no toner or ribbon replacements.
- The HP app offers frames, filters, augmented-reality features, and custom sticker creation from doodles.