Buy Label Printer - A Review of the Top Label Printers

Introduction

If you find yourself printing lots of labels, it might be time to consider purchasing a dedicated label printer. There are many different types of label printers available on the market today and most retail for under $200. Choosing the right one depends on the application(s) you want to use it for, the type of material you are going to print on, and the planned frequency of use.

Types of Label Printers

Industrial label printers are used in factories, distribution centers, warehouses and other places, where they need a heavy-duty printer for continuous operation. Desktop label printers are inexpensive and quiet, and work well in businesses where they get light to medium usage. The average roll of stock is less than five inches wide.

Label printers have the ability to print on card stock, self-adhesive labels and other materials. There are two main label printer types: thermal transfer and direct thermal printers. Label printers that are thermal transfer use heat to transfer the ink onto the label from the ribbon for a permanent print. They transfer images onto labels, using an ink ribbon, with the labels normally having a matt finish.

Direct thermal label printers print images right onto the label using a thermal print head. These printers use paper that is heat sensitive, with the printing lasting for up to twelve months before fading starts. Exposure to chemical vapors or direct sunlight often increases the speed of fading. This type of label printing is best for short duration applications, such as printing shipping labels.

Office Label Printers

For times when labels make sense, thermal black and white label printers such as the following examples from Brother, Canon and Seiko are well worth considering. All of these label printers are thermal USB devices that can create numerous kinds of labels without toner, ribbons or ink cartridges. Most work with Windows or Mac and have a maximum label width of 2-1/4".

Brother P-Touch QL-500 Thermal Transfer Label Printer

The Brother P-Touch QL-500 Label Printer Prints up to 50 labels per minute at 300 dpi resolution. Maximum label size is 2-1/4" wide (uses only roll label stock). Print using templates and layouts or design and store custom templates. The printer weights 2.9 lbs and includes a built-in label cutter. It is a Windows-only plug and play USB device. Price range: $40 - $160. Buy Now at Amazon - CLICK HERE

Designed for those who use a wide variety of labels, or those with large batch printing needs, this printer is perfect. The Canon Dymo LabelWriter 400 Twin Turbo is a small (1.5 lbs), fast and functional thermal label printer that offers the fastest print speed in its class. It is capable of producing over 40 label styles and sizes. The Dymo label software integrates easily with most of your favorite software applications to print labels for almost anything you can imagine: addressing envelopes, shipping packages, file folders, binders, CD/DVD, name badges and more. It also allows you to store addresses and design your own label layouts. This printer can print text in straight or circular orientation, and can also print graphic images. The 300 dpi resolution provides laser-sharp labels in seconds whether printing images, custom text or barcodes. It is a plug and play USB device that works with Windows or Mac. Price range: $120 - $195

The user-friendly Seiko SLP 440 Direct Thermal Label Printer makes it easy to mix and match fonts, graphics and bar codes all on the same label. Easily prepare customized formats with your own company logo complete with a post office approved bar code, without the hassle of using standard printers. The Smart Label Printer 440 weights 1.1 lbs and prints one label (up to 2-1/8" width) in two seconds at 300 dpi resolution. The USB connection and Smart Label software work with Windows and Mac OS X. Price range: $86 - $130. Buy This Printer at Amazon - CLICK HERE

Summary

If you're shopping for a dedicated thermal label printer these are some of the more popular models. User reviews of these printers are fairly consistent, describing them as easy to set up and use. Options, capabilities and prices will vary so doing some online research in advance is always a good idea before purchasing any printer.