Today’s label printers range from simple handheld devices for labeling files and folders to industrial-grade models for marking cables in high-tech equipment. This is everything you need to buy the right product, as well as the top models we have tested.
When most people think of label manufacturers (or label printers, label systems, bar code printers, or whatever each manufacturer calls their goods), they think of handheld devices with small keyboards and single-line monochrome LCDs. Although many of them are still available, at the moment they are basically yesterday’s technology.
In fact, nowadays, you can find many types and levels of label printers (price, label quality and quantity). They range from cheap and convenient consumer-grade models for labeling containers and other items at home, to printing shipping labels, warnings (stop! Be careful! Fragile!), barcodes, product labels, etc. Mission critical machine. . This is a summary of how to navigate the label printer market and a selection of our tested products.
Most consumer-grade (low-end small business) labels print only one color, usually black, although some models of paper provide other colors, such as yellow on black. In fact, some label printers provide a variety of monochrome options, such as dark green for white and pink for yellow.
The key is that the color of the paper is the background color, and in most cases, the paper stock only injects a foreground shadow, which is “activated” by the printer during the printing process. Then there are some commercial label printers, which are beyond the scope of this review and can print labels of various shapes and sizes in full color. There are even some commercial label machines that are large enough to occupy a large part of your living room.
We mainly review consumer-level and professional-level small business label printers. Their prices range from less than $100 to just over $500. Believe it or not, compared with the current number of commercial and enterprise-grade labelers, there are not many low-end consumer and small business models available, and these models have been in the market for a long time. (You will find that some of these favorites have been in use for more than five years.) The good news is that in most cases, what is available is not only effective, but also versatile, capable of printing many different types of labels. Various sizes.
Maybe all you need to mark are some folders, or you need to print mailing labels from the database. It is easy to find products dedicated to these tasks, but many of the latest label printers support blank label tapes or rolls of varying widths and materials. Many of today’s labeling machines can accept rolls of several different widths, continuous length rolls, or fixed length die-cut label rolls, which can be stripped once at a time. Many label printers not only support paper labels, but also plastic labels, and sometimes special stickers made of fabric or foil.
In addition, all labeling machines have one or more types of paper cutters, from simple serrated edge blades (like tinfoil paper you need, you can manually tear off the label from the roll) to tape Manual guillotine blades with levers, to automatic blades used to cut each label when the label comes out of the printer. Some also come with built-in batteries, allowing you to use them anytime, anywhere, wireless charging, and some support optional connectable batteries.
Almost all label printers designed for consumers and small businesses are thermal printers. This means that the blank label material itself contains color (there is no ink in the printer) that is “printed” (displayed in a specific pattern) based on the heat released from the print head or element when the paper (or any material) passes through. . In addition, some label printer manufacturers (such as Brother) provide two-color paper, such as black and white paper.
Because today’s label machines support more than just one roll of width or length, it increases the variety of label types you can create. If you plan to use the label printer for a wide range of projects (mailing labels, folders, product barcodes, banners, etc.), you should find a machine that supports label rolls of multiple widths and other different configurations.
An important factor in choosing a labeling machine is deciding how and where to use it. In other words, what type of connection do you need? Many label printers support more than one connection type, but some only support one, the most common being USB. It is not only used to connect to your computer or mobile device, but is also a common charging method for many labelers that come with the built-in battery.
The problem with USB is that the labeler must always be bundled with another device, making it more difficult to move. In addition, printing devices connected only via USB will not connect to your network or the Internet unless they act as a print server through other devices.
Many label printers also support Bluetooth, such as Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct. Of course, Wi-Fi makes the printer part of the network, allowing all computers and mobile devices on the network (with the correct software installed) to access the printer. Wi-Fi Direct creates a peer-to-peer network connection between the mobile device and the printer, which means that neither the printer nor the mobile device requires a standard network connection or router.
In the past, label printers required typing on a connected mini-keyboard to print, while the latest models get guidance from some type of computing device (whether it’s a desktop PC, laptop, smartphone, or tablet). Nowadays, many labeling machines support all these devices, which, among other things, provide an easier and more versatile platform for creating and printing labels.
In most cases, the printer will tell the software which type of label roll is loaded in the printer. In turn, the software will display pre-designed templates for several different label types. You can then fill in the blanks as-is, redesign the template, or start over and create your own custom labels.
In many cases, in addition to using the built-in symbols, borders, and other design options in the software, you can also import clip art or even photos (of course, monochrome printing) into the label layout. Check the authoritative reviews of label printers to learn more about the features of the bundled software (if any).
If you plan to print a large number of labels, another key factor is the cost of each label, also commonly referred to as the cost of ownership. Most label printers support a large number of label types, as many as 30 or more, including different widths, lengths, colors, and material types. Moreover, the price range of this stock can also be the same.
The price of a simple 1.5 x 3.5 inch die-cut label is usually about 2 cents to 4 cents. Buying the same labels in bulk (for example, 50 to 100 rolls at a time) can reduce your operating costs by 25% or more. More expensive plastic, cloth, and foil labels will cost more, while larger labels will also cost more.
It is also important to remember that the cost of each label, even for the same size and the same material, can vary greatly from machine to machine. It depends on the company that makes the labeling machine, the type of label purchased, the number of rolls purchased, and where to buy it. Therefore, you need to carefully check the label cost before installing the printer. In the long run, these labels will eventually cost you more than expected. From the equipment point of view, the cheapest labeling machine may not provide the cheapest long-term operating costs.
The following guide outlines the best label printers we have tested in recent years, and these label printers are still available on the market. Keep in mind that general-purpose printers can also print label paper. If you only print labels occasionally, this is a very viable option. To see our overall preferred printers, check out our overview of the most important printers, as well as the best inkjet printers and laser printers you can buy right now.
William Harrel is a contributing editor dedicated to printer and scanner technology and reviews. Since the advent of the Internet, he has been writing articles about computer technology. He has written or co-authored 20 books, including the popular “Bible”, “Secret” and “Fools” series of books, involving digital design and desktop publishing software applications such as Acrobat, Photoshop and QuarkXPress, and prepress imaging . technology. His latest title is mobile development of HTML, CSS and JavaScript for Dummies (manuals for creating websites for smartphones and tablets). In addition to writing hundreds of articles for PCMag, he has also written articles for several other computer and business publications over the years, including Computer Shopper, Digital Trends, MacUser, PC World, The Wirecutter and Windows Magazine, and he has served as Printer and scanner specialist at About.com (now Livewire).
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Post time: Mar-02-2021