Review: Epson PictureMate PM-400

Introduction and design

I was never much of a photo-taker. Most of the snaps I took were of important moments with family and friends, or vacation landscapes that I wanted to remember later. I usually just fired off a few pics, loaded them onto Facebook and returned to them from time to time, to reminisce. There was no real effort, no attention to detail and I didn't really think anything should happen to these images outside of their digital files.

That all changed this past March when my wife and I had our first child – a baby girl we named Mila. Mila's birth didn't turn me into a shutterbug. I still use the automatic setting on my DSLR and I can't tell you the difference between my aperture and ISO settings.

But having a baby made me want to take a million photos and turn them into something. Putting them on Facebook and forgetting them just didn't seem right. I wanted to print them, send them to family members, hang them on the walls and carry them around to show off.

Unfortunately, most printers are tedious to use, especially if you're using them for work and play, which typically requires you to switch between paper types and sizes. I wanted an easy way to roll off a bunch of small prints without having to switch back and forth between my work and home settings.

The $249.99 Epson PictureMate PM-400 (about £200, AU$205) is a dream come true for anyone who has a similar need. This small format wireless printer produces only 4 x 6 and 5 x 7 prints, and it's the simplest printer you'll ever use.

Design

At just 4 pounds (1.8kg), the PM-400 is an incredibly lightweight printer that won't give you any portability issues. It's a tiny machine that measures 9.8 x 15.1 x 7.9 inches (W x D x H), a size that can easily fit into most backpacks and messenger bags should you need to bring it with you outside of your home.

Unlike most printers, which are designed with inconspicuous glossy black plastic, the PM-400 is a gorgeous bone white with gray lettering and blue and red buttons. Although the top flap that is used to protect the tuckaway, 2.7-inch screen is a glossy white plastic, it won't smudge like other units, and it will look neat and tidy on any desktop.

Like the screen, the receiving tray folds into the body of the printer, so the device can be stored as a tidy little rectangle. The tray is a bit flimsy, so I don't suggest you slap it closed or yank it open. As you would when taking the photos you'll print on this device, you'll want to be thoughtful and caring when you handle it.

Rather than include a touchscreen, Epson chose to go with button navigation, which simplifies the user experience. Unlike Canon printers, which mostly utilize a difficult-to-scroll touchscreen, Epson opted for a direction pad, home, back, power and help buttons. This is exactly the amount of buttons you need on a printer, especially one that doesn't come with fax capabilities. I never spent more than a few seconds getting from one option to the other, thanks to this intuitive navigation.

Setup, specs and performance

The genius aspect of the PM-400 is that it's fool-proof. In order to begin using the printer, I plugged it into the wall, I inserted the four-pronged ink cartridge – that fits only one way, so you can't screw it up – and I waited four minutes for the printer to initialize.

Setup

You can print via Wi-Fi, microSD and SD cards, as well as through a USB 2.0 drive. Cards and drives are self-explanatory: you insert the device, you scroll to "print photos" and voila.

Wi-Fi is a bit tricker, but still very quick and easy. To set up Wi-Fi on the machine, I had to click into Wi-Fi settings. From there I was asked to find my network, which I was able to do with no issue.

After my Wi-Fi was connected, I downloaded the Epson Connect app on my iPhone. Once I was in the app I was asked to select the PM-400 as my printer of choice. Once the printer is recognized by the app, I was asked to choose between Google Cloud Print, Apple AirPrint and a host of other services. I chose AirPrint.

Next, I found a photo of Mila playing with her buddy Silas. I selected it, I clicked print, loaded my 4 x 6 paper and, boom, the printer began doing its thing.

Specifications

As easy as the PM-400 is to use, it's equally one-dimensional. If you want something that can print double-sided images at a quick pace, fax, make photocopies and run off CDs for your next album release, you've come to the wrong place.

Here is the PM-400 configuration that was sent to techradar for review:

• Print speed: 90 seconds for 1 color image
• Print resolution: 5,760 x 1,440 dpi
• Paper sizes: 4 x 6, 5 x 7
• Paper capacity: 50 plain, 20 glossy
• Print options: USB 2.0, Wireless 802.11 b/g/n, Epson Connect, Epson Email Print, Epson iPrint Mobile App, AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, Android Printing, Remote Print
• Dimensions: 9.8 x 15.1 x 7.9 inches (W x D x H)
• Weight: 4 pounds

The PM-400 features a wide variety of printing options, especially for a device this low-brow. Unfortunately, it doesn't hold much paper, its print resolution won't offer professional-level prints and color images take awhile to run off.

But if you're just looking for something that can turn your selfies into refrigerator-door material or something to frame and put on your desk, you don't need much more than what Epson is offering.

Performance

Therein lies the rub. Because the PM-400 isn't industrial strength, you're not getting the fastest print speeds or the highest-quality prints.

It took me about 90 seconds to print each of my iPhone photos, which is a long time. Epson says you can print each image in about 30 seconds, but I was only able to achieve speeds of 45 seconds after lowering the print quality.

If you're looking for dramatic print complexity, don't expect to find that here. This printer wasn't built for professional photographers. However, the images I printed were solid and true to the quality of the camera on which I took them. As you'd expect, iPhone photos were a bit grainy and washed out, while photos taken by my wife's friend – a professional photographer – were much more detailed and vibrant.

If you're looking for something that prints quickly and a bit more professionally, try the Canon Pixma MG7520.That model can print full-color 300 dpi images on glossy 8.5 x 11-inch paper in about 85 seconds.

Verdict

If you've made it this far into the review, you're probably like me: you want a printer that's fun to use, convenient to store, doesn't require an engineering degree and won't print blurry garbage. The Epson PM-400 fits the bill, but is it worth your money?

We liked

There's nothing more enjoyable than purchasing new technology, opening the box and getting set up without any major hiccups. You'll be hard-pressed to find anything easier to use than the PM-400. It has an intuitive installation process that even the most tech-challenged person can navigate.

Once you've got the PM-400 up and running, you'll have a ton of fun running off image after image. Although the print quality won't win you the Arles Photo Festival, you'll be proud to hang any of these prints on your wall or sit them on your desk.

The PM-400 is a delight to look at – not that this should heavily factor into which printer you should buy. It's got a pretty bone white frame that tucks away neatly, and the 4-pound printer can be easily transported wherever you go.

We disliked

Let's start with the obvious: $250 is a lot of money. I have a hard time justifying the cost of this printer. You can buy a professional-grade photo printer for less than the cost of the PM-400. So, you're paying a lot of money for something that doesn't do very much.

Additionally, the print speeds and low paper capacity are deterring factors. I don't personally mind waiting 90 seconds to print a 4 x 6 image (because I'm at a desk all day), but if my goal is to turn prints out at a fast clip, there are printers available that can double this print speed without reducing the image quality.

Verdict

I thoroughly enjoyed using the Epson PictureMate PM-400. What better way to make use of the photos on my phone than to print one after another and hang them around the house? In a few hours I was able to set up the PM-400 and relive the first six months of Mila's life. I printed 125 photos and enjoyed every second of the process.

Isn't that what tech is all about – creating fun experiences that will last (physically and emotionally) for the rest of our lives? If this is what you're after, money isn't an object and you don't require professional prints, then the PM-400 is a worthwhile purchase.

Unfortunately, most people don't have $250 to spend on a niche printer. If you're looking for something in that price range, you can buy something that's faster and more powerful.

But here's the thing: I've used those printers. They're heavy, ugly and much more complicated to use. They come with a bunch of ink cartridges, they jam, their setup processes require much longer than four minutes, and oftentimes they do way more than you actually need them to do. (When's the last time you sent a fax or made a photocopy?)

So, if you happen to come across $250 – or if you want to wait a few months for the price to drop – I highly recommend the Epson PictureMate PM-400. It's a great printer for small images that were taken with large amounts of love.

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