For very occasional photo printing, the best answer is often not a home printer at all, but an online photo printing service.

The main issue you described is infrequent use, which is exactly where inkjets become frustrating: dried ink, clogs, cleaning cycles, and wasted consumables. A laser printer avoids drying issues, but the per-page figures usually quoted are for normal document coverage on plain paper, not photo-heavy prints on photo paper. Real photo printing costs on a laser will be much higher, and photo quality still generally won’t match a true photo printer or lab print.

So if the goal is good-looking family photos with minimal hassle and waste, an online lab is likely the most economical and reliable option. The money that would go toward buying and maintaining a printer can go a long way in paid prints, with no clogging or upkeep to worry about.

If they truly need instant prints at home, then a dedicated photo printer may be worth considering, but for infrequent use, outsourcing is the safer recommendation.