Label Printers

Not all label printers are created equal! Be sure to learn which label printing features you need for your application.

Direct Thermal or Thermal Transfer

There are two common types of label printing technology to choose from: Direct Thermal and Thermal Transfer

• Direct Thermal

  Direct thermal label printers use temperature sensitive paper stock to produce fast low cost labels.

• Thermal Transfer

  Thermal transfer label printers use more durable paper stock with a printer ribbon to produce more durable labels at a slightly higher cost.

Label Printer Interface

Label Printers are available with many different interfaces. The common choices include USB, Serial, Parallel, Bluetooth Wireless and 802.11 Wireless.

• USB

  USB is the most common interface for direct connection to a computer.

• Serial

  Serial interface is the predecessor to USB and is no longer used except to work with legacy point of sale equipment.

• Parallel

  Parallel ports were designed specifically for printers and were used by many other peripherals for many years. The Parallel port has also been replaced by USB.

• Bluetooth Wireless

  Bluetooth Wireless is used primarily on mobile printers for use with mobile terminals.

• 802.11 Wireless

  802.11 Wireless is used to connect printers to a company network without a wire. This may be connecting to a server, a computer or another wireless device device.

Label Printer Loading

Better label printers will have a clam shell design for easier loading. This kind of label printer will open in the center. Loading new media is as easy as laying it over the roller and closing the lid. Cheaper label printers will have a feed through design. For feed through label printers, you need to feed new label stock through a small slit on the inside of the case each time you load new media. These feed through mechanisms are cheaper to produce, but a little more of a hassle to use.