The Epson PictureMate PM-400 is a compact printer that creates good-quality 4 x 6 and 5 x 7 photos and has a design that makes printing convenient and easy. Large-format printers may have more print-size options and robust media support, but the PM-400 matched their quality when we printed standard 4 x 6 images. If you want the best home photo printer for simple snapshots, the PictureMate PM-400 might be it.
Epson PictureMate PM-400: Setup
This printer is designed to operate independently, so it doesn't need a PC. It has a built-in preview display, so you can easily navigate through settings. You can connect to the printer via Wi-Fi Direct using Epson's iPrint app from your smartphone, tablet, USB storage, and SD media cards. Additionally, PictBridge-enabled cameras can be directly connected, making it easy to use right out of the box.
Epson PictureMate PM-400: Design & features
The PictureMate PM-400 uses a single ink cartridge containing black, cyan, magenta, and yellow ink. It’s sold almost exclusively in package deals with photo paper, and the combination of ink and paper is estimated to yield 100 prints. Refill packs sell for $32.99, which works out to a cost of about 33 cents per photo. It isn’t as affordable as a standard inkjet with multiple cartridges, but it is the lowest per-photo cost among snapshot printers. This estimate may not be correct since photo printing is so ink intensive and use varies widely based on the individual photos, but the fact that Epson pairs the cartridge with 100-sheet packs of photo paper means there’s a pretty high likelihood you’ll get roughly 100 prints.
One problem with multicolor cartridges is that you need to replace them all when one color runs dry. For example, printing black-and-white images chews through black ink rather quickly, and even if the other inks are unused, you have to replace all four colors simultaneously.
This is the only portable photo printer that prints photos larger than 4 x 6. It also prints 5 x 7 photos, so you can enjoy slightly larger prints, suitable for small frames. The printer works with other brands of photo paper, but since the ink refills are almost always bundled with the necessary photo paper, you will unlikely need to buy any separately.
The printer measures 9.8 x 15.1 x 7.9 inches and weighs just 4 pounds, so you can take it on vacation to print photos after sightseeing. However, it’s not built for use on the go because it doesn’t have a battery.
This compact printer has a built-in preview display because it’s made for standalone printing without a PC. You can connect to the printer over Wi-Fi Direct from your smartphone or tablet using Epson’s iPrint app and print from USB storage or an SD media card. You can also plug a PictBridge-enabled camera directly into the printer.
Epson PictureMate PM-400: Performance
Of the photo printers we tested for our review, the PictureMate PM-400 produced some of the best high-quality photos. Like its larger siblings from Epson, the printer has 5760 x 1440 resolution, surpassing other small photo printers. Limited to smaller 4 x 6 and 5 x 7 photos, everyone we printed had superb quality, sharp detail under high magnification, bright colors, and true-to-life skin tones. The prints were almost entirely error-free, with a single pinprick-size ink void in one photo. It’s also one of the fastest printers, with 4 x 6 photos printing in an average of 39 seconds each – this is faster than all but one model in our review.
Would I buy the Epson PictureMate PM-400?
Although it doesn't have all the features of larger printers, the Epson PictureMate PM-400 is a great compact printer. With its superior print quality, user-friendly controls, and diverse connectivity options, it has positioned itself as the best personal photo printer among those we reviewed. The PictureMate PM-400 is a great photo printer for simple snapshots.
