Q: Is there a small portable printer that I can take with me to use with the ipad.

You will have to find an AirPrint enabled printer to print from the iPad and iPhone: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4356

Mobile printing. 

This blogger found one solution.

http://genuinely-original.blogspot.com/search/label/iPad%20Printing

Make Portable Printing Easier with Print n Share and the Brother RJ-4040

http://prmac.com/release-id-44494.htm

Use an airprinter with a power inverter

http://genuinely-original.blogspot.com/search/label/iPad%20Printing

see makethisstuffwork post in:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4987217?tstart=0

Brother PocketJet® 673

-- Prints on a variety of 8.5" wide thermal media.

-- Print PDF files from your iPhone and iPad with the PJ-673 Print app

http://www.brother-usa.com/Mobile/ModelDetail.aspx?ProductID=pj673-k&PG=26#.UeX0 Z18pDDJ

"Mobi Print gives its users the capability to use iOS devices to accomplis iOS mobile printing, such as iPads, iPhones, and other Apple products, to print with any of Zebra’s mobile, CPL, & ZPL printers. "

http://www.arrowheadphx.com/mobi-print/

Wearable printer

select the iMZ320 Mobile Printer.  Prints via an iPad app.

http://www.zebra.com/us/en/products-services/printers/printer-type/mobile/mz-ser ies.html

"Mobi Print gives its users the capability to print (bluetooth or wifi) PDF's, Images or Cloud based label formats to Zebra mobile or desktop printers on iOS devices."

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mobi-print/id701088704?ls=1&mt=8

Hi FernBchNole,

Please be advised that Citizen provide MFi mobile printers which will communicate with your iPad or iPhone via Bluetooth. You can contact Citizen for further information here: http://www.citizen-europe.com/en/contact-us?prod_cat=Mobile&printer=CMP-30

HP has released the HP 1200w Mobile Print Accessory. This allows you to use an HP 100 or HP 150 mobile with your iPad or iPhone. Both of those printers run on battery so they are perfect for travel.

Here is the setup video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zVfCpT4X84

I downloaded an app, I'm at starbucks on a macbook air. It let me print to my hp network printer no problem. I'm sure you could use that and a USB printer. The app recognized my HP and drivers immediately. I'll respond again when I get home, giving you the name of the app. Might do a search on iTunes. Was very inexpensive and invaluable. A little convoluted in instructions, but once understood, very easy.

If you want to do this the most reliable way, forget airprint as that requires a network and wont work with mfi bluetooth printers.

Get Mobi Print and a mfi certified bluetooth printer like imz320 for receipts or qln series for labels.

Mobi Print https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mobi-print/id701088704?ls=1&mt=8

www.mobiprintapp.com

forget airprint as that requires a network

Some printers provide their own networking router.  It's called adhock printing.

Robert

We have lots of clients running Adhoc.. however it is not very reliable and the fact that it takes up the device wifi network makes it challenging.  Adhoc was the only way to do this many years ago..but dual radio mfi BT printers are a much better option.

Check Brother Mobile Solutions.  The Brother RJ4040 supports AirPrint and ia a 4" receipt printer. For full page printing, the Brother PockJet 673 connects to iPad and IPhone via an adhoc WiFi connection.