Thermal printers are quite different from all other printers. They do not use force to print on papers the way impact printers do. Instead, they use heat for printing.
These printers do not use ink and are thereby by far the eco-friendliest of all printers. They do not generate any waste, except the consumption of thermal paper.
Many people have a hard time choosing the right thermal printer. Most thermal printers on the market may look all the same, but they actually aren’t if you look close enough. You need to dig a little deeper to find out what thermal printers are best for your purposes.
What Should You Look For?
Here are some of the main things you need to consider while choosing a thermal printer.
- The Size of Labels
First, you need to decide what size of labels you will be printing with the help of your thermal printer. You need to go for a thermal printer that prints the perfect size labels that you need.
- The Type of Labels
You may need to label shipment boxes that last a short time. Or, you may need to print asset tags that need to last longer. In any case, you should decide the type of labels and buy your thermal printer accordingly.
You can either go for a direct thermal or thermal transfer printer, depending on your needs. Or, you can go for a thermal printer that works both ways.
- The Volume of Labels Per Week
If you are printing thousands of labels on your thermal printer, then you will need one according to that. In such cases, it is recommended that you go for industrial thermal printers.
Also, for large-scale thermal printings, you need to go for thermal printers that print fast. It is also recommended that you go for metal thermal printers instead of ones that are made of plastic because those can be really problematic if you push them beyond their capacity.
Figure out your volume of labels per week, and then buy a printer that can print that many labels easily.
- Fine Text Versus Small Barcodes
If you print small text or small barcodes, you should be very conscious of the dpi. Ideally, 300dpi can work best, but you can go for as high as 600dpi.
Get a sample in order to make sure the thermal printer is exactly working in accordance with your needs.
- Use High-Quality Supplies
In order to make sure your thermal printer works efficiently, always buy high-quality supplies, such as TSC thermal printer supplies.
Conclusion
Finding an ideal thermal printer can be very hard, but the key is to go for ones that are the right size, type, and quality. Always make sure you buy your thermal printer according to your business needs.
