Checklist · 10 picks · 4 categories
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Scrapbookers always need fresh supplies, so this list covers the album, the tools and the prints.
Totocan's self-adhesive album is TechGearLab's best scrapbook style album, with large pages that fit up to four photos each, and the Pioneer magnetic album had one of the best size-to-photo ratios in its test. Sakura Micron fine-liners and Tombow dual brush pens are YPen picks for bullet journal supplies, good for captions and lettered page titles, and a 30-roll washi tape set handles borders and ticket stubs. For cutting, the Firbon is Bob Vila's best paper cutter for scrapbooking and the Carl rotary cutter its best bang for the buck, with a fully enclosed blade, plus an X-Acto knife for curves. The splurges are photo printers: the Canon Ivy 2, Digital Camera World's best Zink printer, with sticker-backed prints, and the Polaroid Hi-Print, Reviewed's best portable photo printer.
Who this is not for. Skip this if they'd rather write than paste in photos; the stationery gifts page fits better.
| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mr. Pen Washi Tape Set (30 Rolls) | budget | under $15 | borders and taping in ticket stubs | Limited evidence |
| Sakura Pigma Micron Pens (6-Pack) | budget | under $15 | captions and dates next to their photos | 1 outlet |
| Tombow Dual Brush Pens (10-Pack) | mid | $15-25 | hand-lettered page titles | 1 outlet |
Top pickbudget pick · Compact
Best for borders and taping in ticket stubs
Decorative paper tape for borders, captions and taping in ticket stubs.
Heads up. No outlet has reviewed this set yet; patterns vary, so check the photos on the listing
Limited evidence. No outlet has named this one yet. It is here as a reasonable option, not a reviewed one.
under $15
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budget pick · Compact
Best for captions and dates next to their photos
Archival ink fine-liners in several tip sizes, for captions, dates and doodles that don't bleed through.
Heads up. Fine tips can fray if pressed hard
1 outlet. YPen best bullet journal supplies.
under $15
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mid pick · Compact
Best for hand-lettered page titles
Brush tip on one end and fine tip on the other, for hand lettering headers.
Heads up. Can bleed on thin paper
1 outlet. YPen best bullet journal supplies.
$15-25
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Best scrapbook albummid pick · Large
Best for a memory book for photos, tickets and notes
TechGearLab's best scrapbook style album: its testers were impressed by its versatility and large pages that fit up to four photos each.
Heads up. Too big for a bookshelf, and you cannot add pages
1 outlet. TechGearLab best scrapbook style album.
$25-50
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budget pick · Small
Best for a scrapbook that grows as they add pages
TechGearLab tried it as a small scrapbook album: self-stick pages you can add or remove, and one of the best size-to-photo ratios in its test.
Heads up. Cheaply built, and the pages are small
Limited evidence. No outlet has named this one yet. It is here as a reasonable option, not a reviewed one.
$15-25
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firbon A4 Paper Cutter | budget | $15-25 | trimming photos and card stock at their desk | 1 outlet |
| Carl Professional Rotary Paper Cutter | mid | $25-50 | clean, straight cuts with a safer blade | 1 outlet |
| X-Acto #1 Precision Knife | budget | under $15 | cutting out curves and small shapes | Limited evidence |
Top pickbudget pick · 12 in
Best for trimming photos and card stock at their desk
Bob Vila's best paper cutter for scrapbooking: a simple, light cutter that handles card stock and photos and fits in a tote bag.
Heads up. Not for heavy-duty use, and edges got ragged past eight sheets
1 outlet. Bob Vila best paper cutter for scrapbooking.
$15-25
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mid pick · 18 in
Best for clean, straight cuts with a safer blade
Bob Vila's best bang for the buck paper cutter: clean, precise cuts on paper, card and photos, with a fully enclosed blade.
Heads up. No magnet bar, and not built for big stacks
1 outlet. Bob Vila best bang for the buck paper cutter.
$25-50
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budget pick · Compact
Best for cutting out curves and small shapes
A classic pen-style hobby knife for trimming photos and cutting shapes the trimmer can't.
Heads up. No outlet has reviewed this one yet; use it on a cutting mat and keep the cap on
Limited evidence. No outlet has named this one yet. It is here as a reasonable option, not a reviewed one.
under $15
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Best photo printerbudget pick · Compact
Best for sticker-backed prints they can stick straight onto a page
Digital Camera World's best Zink printer: small 2x3 prints with a peelable back that it calls great for scrapbooking.
Heads up. The battery runs down quickly, and image quality is not great
1 outlet. Digital Camera World best Zink printer.
$50-100
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mid pick · Compact
Best for sharper mini prints from their phone
Reviewed's best portable photo printer: the most well-rounded phone printer its testers tried, with good prints and a pleasant app.
Heads up. Prints are on the small side, and there is no Wi-Fi or USB option
2 outlets agree. Reviewed best portable photo printer. Digital Camera World most compact portable printer.
$100-150
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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me
A new album or a mini photo printer. The Totocan album is TechGearLab's best scrapbook style album, and the Canon Ivy 2 is Digital Camera World's best Zink printer, with small 2x3 prints and a peelable back that it calls great for scrapbooking.
Bob Vila's best paper cutter for scrapbooking is the Firbon A4, a simple, light cutter that handles card stock and photos and fits in a tote bag. Its best bang for the buck, the Carl rotary cutter, has a fully enclosed blade.
USPS's recommended last send dates for December 25 in the contiguous US are December 17 for Ground Advantage, December 18 for Priority Mail and December 19 for Priority Mail Express. Retailers set their own order-by dates, so check at checkout.