Epson PictureMate 240

Epson’s PictureMate looks a bit like a bucket but it can print great-quality snaps from a reasonable range of sources including memory cards (SecureDigital, xD, Memory Stick and CompactFlash), your PC via a USB connection, or PictBridge from your camera. There’s no built-in wireless connection though, and the maximum printable picture size is 15 x 10cm.

Its pictures have a good depth of colour and detail to them, with a superior glossy finish on Epson’s supplied paper. Prints come down to about 20p each if you buy a bulk pack of a cartridge and 150 sheets of paper, making it one of the best-value photo printers in the long run, though it’s a tight-run thing. However, it doesn’t have the Bluetooth or larger photo options of its main, similarly priced HP rival, and it’s worth reiterating that you could make significant savings with professional printing if the novelty of instant printing lags behind in your priorities.

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