Things to Know When Choosing a Label Printer

With a label printer, you can print on self-adherent tag material or pasteboard. There are thousands of devices to everyone’s taste. They differ in type, size, features, quality and price. Of course, it is not easy to choose a device that will meet all your needs. But it is possible, we are here to help you!

First things first, you want to decide what type of printer you need. You can choose from handheld or desktop label printers, commercial devices, and industrial printers. For home use, buy a handheld or desktop device, it is usually compact (so you can save some space) and user-friendly (so you can save your time). Printers for commercial use are designed to meet more demanding requirements, they are suitable for factories, plants, and more. In case you are in search of a device for large-scale label printing, pay attention to industrial printers. They are powerful, rugged, and versatile.

There are also inkjet, laser, and thermal label printers.

Inkjet devices are suitable for simple tasks, that is why they are great for home or office. However, being affordable, these printers require ink that can be pricey.

With a laser label printer, you can easily print a clear and sharp image. The device is fast and powerful enough to cope with a bigger amount of work than its inkjet counterpart. It is also important to know that laser printers are slightly more expensive.

Thermal label printers have a number of advantages. They ensure excellent performance, perfect for printing large amounts of labels. Additionally, they are fast and require neither ink or toner. The only disadvantage is that they are high-priced.

You can find direct thermal and thermal transfer printers. What is the difference? Direct thermal printers are more compact, they work by applying heat to a printhead at the top of the device. As the labels pass under the hot printhead, the chemically treated material darkens, producing the image. Unfortunately, such labels can fade when exposed to excessive light or heat. Therefore, these printers are used for labels with temporary information (e.g. receipts). Thermal transfer printers are pretty large, they utilize thermal ribbons to print labels. How do they work? They apply heat to a printhead which melts the wax of a ribbon onto the surface of the label. As a result, you get durable and fade-resistant labels. They can withstand exposure to liquids and extreme temperatures. It allows you to use them for permanent applications (e.g. product identification).

In a nutshell, despite a huge variety of printers, choose the one that will fit your application and help you print the labels you need.