There are more options than ever when it comes to selecting the right thermal printer. Thermal printers that are good quality are lighter than standard home printers, more reliable, and often smaller because they are designed for professionals, hobbyists, and crafters.
This process involves heat to transfer pigments onto surfaces. The coating becomes black in areas heated.
A good thermal printer is also easier to maintain and more affordable to run. These factors make cheap thermal printers a great choice for making labels for general use and shipping – these are a must-have tool for those running their own business, printing in bulk or those artists and crafters who sell through sites like Etsy.
There are plenty of great thermal printer brands out there – I’ve included products by Brother, MUNBYN, and others. This guide also includes a small-sized thermal printer that can be used to make labels. You can also find our guide to the top label printers for smaller labels. This is a great way to organize your home and office.
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The Dymo LabelWriter 4XL is one of the highest-rated thermal label printers for e-commerce sellers – that’s everyone from Etsy sellers to those with small shops and websites. It’s simple to set up and compact in size, producing crisp and clear labels every time with its high resolution of 300dpi.
The printer is small enough to fit on your desk. It is compact in size thanks to its black cover and silver edges. This allows it to blend well into any environment. Although the Dymo 4XL printer can print labels in a variety of sizes, it is best equipped to print shipping labels larger than 4 inches. This is due to the printer’s compatibility with most major online marketplaces or shipping platforms.
It also allows you to print shipping labels from major selling platforms such as Amazon and eBay. You have access to over 60 label styles and formats. There are also many fonts and styles available. The printer prints around 29 labels per minute and has fast print speeds. This is an ideal choice if you have large printing jobs to complete.
The Rollo Wireless Printer X1040 has a sleek design and is predominantly white, with purple highlights and is aimed at individuals and businesses who need to print 4×6” shipping labels.
The Wi-Fi connection is what makes this thermal printer stand out from the rest. Although, it does have a USB port as well as a Wi-Fi connection but there’s no reason to purchase this if you plan to print wirelessly.
Another important feature that I love is the ability to connect with the Rollo Ship Manager cloud-based software. This allows you to track and manage all of your shipping requirements via tablet or phone. Rollo Ship Manager also offers shipping discounts which are great for businesses.
Accessing the online video on the Rollo app will allow you to quickly set up your Rollo Wireless Printer. The wireless printer offers a significant advantage over other thermal printers due to its simplicity of use. You don’t need to install a driver. The Rollo label printing machine is a popular choice. If you are responsible for a large daily printing job, this printer will be a good fit.
The Brother PT-710BT thermal printer is small and sleek. It can also be used to make narrow plastic labels. Brother’s TZe tapes are required, but they work well. They come in 60 colours and sizes that range from 6 to 1 inch.
The printer is compact and easy to use, but it has a low resolution at 180 dpi. This printer is great for printing small labels.
The Brother PT-710BTBT is compatible with both mobile and desktop devices. In fact, its design and size are optimized for use with Android and Apple devices. It can be used via Bluetooth, but it is also possible to connect the USB 2.0 as a backup. A big plus point is the app that offers icons, images, barcodes, logos and more – there’s even a spellchecker.
If you are looking for a thermal printer that can print in full color, the Brother VC500W is my favourite. It’s a great choice for printing labels. Available in sizes from 9-50mm and up to 50cm, it can print labels of any length.
Print quality at 313DPI is excellent. The printer can be used from all devices and operating systems. It also allows printing directly from social media platforms. The Colour Label Editor app is free and can be downloaded to your phone. This allows you to edit photos and select from thousands of personal features like borders, text and emojis.
This thermal printer has one major drawback: the printing rolls can be expensive to buy, making it very costly to use. The Brother VC500W is a great choice for colour label printing, provided that your labelling tasks don’t exceed a certain volume.
A desktop-sized thermal shipping label printer from MUNBYN is ideal for small businesses. It is one the most widely used and economical printers. You can choose from green, pink, and white.
The printer measures 7.6×4.1×3.9 inches and is therefore smaller than many desktop printers. This makes it easier to fit in your workspace. It works with many of the most popular software and platforms, including Adobe, Microsoft Etsy, eBay, and Microsoft. The MUNBYN Label Printer is quick to print, but the quality of the printed labels remains excellent. The MUNBYN label printer can print up 72 labels per hour, increasing your work efficiency.
You can make your own stickers for business with the MUNBYN printer. It has the ability to print stickers of other sizes as well as the 6 x 4 inch standard. You will also find a USB with detailed instructions and a driver to help you get started quickly.
For anyone looking for a simple, but accessible thermal printer, the Arkscan 2054A will suit you. You don’t need a fancy printer if you want one that is easy to set up and leaves you with no problems.
This printer is not very fancy, but it’s perfect for small businesses that need to print shipping labels measuring 6×4 inches on a daily basis. The printer prints approximately 5-inches per minute and is quick and time-saving. It is slightly larger than the other options but it has the ability to print on label rolls.
The printer is compatible with Zebra LP2844. This means it can support software that Zebra printers cannot usually handle. BarTender UltraLite Label Making software, which includes features for graphics and text, is included with the printer. However, this is only available for Windows users so if you use a Mac then not all of these printers’ features will be accessible to you.
I like this versatile thermal printer. There is also the option to purchase a LAN model (at an additional cost), so you can print wirelessly rather than via USB. This printer is ideal for anyone who needs a simple thermal label printer.
Phomemo PM-246 Pro can be compactly printed, but you may need extra space for the label holder. This is relatively easy to set up, coming with a USB containing how-to videos, quick guides and drivers so you shouldn’t have any issues with connecting to your printer. However, there is no Bluetooth connectivity so you won’t be able to print directly from your smartphone or tablet.
Labelife software, which allows for the customization of labels, is included in the printer. However, just like some of the other printers’ software, this is only available for Windows users currently and cannot be used on a Mac OS.
That being said, it is still extremely versatile when it comes to printing, with the ability to print labels from 1 x 1-inches up to 6 x 4-inches, covering the majority of most commonly used labels – it also comes with a free label holder and some 4 x 6-inches fan-fold labels to get you started.
The Phomemo PM-246 Pro is a great printer for everyday labelling and printing as it’s built for high volume with its ability to run for up to 12 hours straight. Although it doesn’t offer Bluetooth connectivity, as long as you want your printer hooked up to a computer, it would be a great choice.
It’s easy to make receipts with the Epson TM-20II, a great thermal printer. This is the ideal thermal printer to make receipts.
Because it is durable and consistent, the EpsonTM-T20II thermal printer for receipts is a favorite among small businesses. It can print at 200mm per second and is reliable. Although it can be used on Windows and Mac, there is no support for Android or a mobile app.
You can print on this printer at paper lengths up to 230 in. The Epson TM-20II is a popular choice for small businesses looking for a reliable printer to print receipts.
The Zebra 4 thermal printer is modern and can print larger labels up to four inches in size. It also has a 4.25′ per sec speed so you don’t miss a deadline. If you are looking for a reliable and fast thermal printer, this is it.
It is a sleek and modern machine with a compact design. Cartridges can easily be replaced. The machine looks great on your desk, and it is very easy to use the app once you have it up and running. It can be frustrating to set up the machine. The app is not compatible with this printer, so you will need a good internet connection and another device (laptop or tablet, phone, etc.) to get it working.
The Brother QL-600B thermal printer comes with a blue and white housing. It is the most affordable. You can design labels with its free Ptouch Editor software. This is a basic program, but it’s great for beginners. It has all you need to create and print custom labels.
This printer has a unique feature that allows you to print multiple sizes of labels without having to change the roll. The printer can print any type of label, including die-cut labels or postage labels. This thermal printer is the right choice if you only need the basics.
I recommend the Brother Cube Plus PT-710BT if you are looking to print narrow labels at home or in the office. This printer is great for printing labels for folders, supply cupboards, and other items. It’s also very affordable. The compact and lightweight design of the printer makes it easy to move around and saves space.
It is possible to print from your desktop or mobile device via Bluetooth and USB. This makes it simple to print on-demand. You can create custom labels using the software that is included with the printer. It works on Windows as well as Mac. Alternatively, you can connect to your Apple or Android device and use Brother iPrint&Label or P-touch Design & Print apps to create and print labels from your smart device too. The Brother PT-710BT is a wireless printer that can be used on a variety of devices.
There are many colour options and sizes available for labels. The widths of the labels range from 6-24 mm. Admittedly, the 180DPI resolution isn’t the highest, especially when you compare it to other thermal printers, but with the size of the label this isn’t a major issue.
The P-touch CUBE Plus includes a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery that can charge via USB. This reduces the cost of standard alkaline cells and makes it possible to print wherever you are.
How to pick the right thermal printer
You need to take into account several factors when choosing the right thermal printer.
Some people might choose to purchase a thermal printer for their small business, while others may need one to run a commercial business. Some people might just need one to organize and label their home.
Some people might care more about whether the thermal printer can be connected to the internet or wireless. Wireless is the best option if you need to print from your smartphone or tablet. Wireless connectivity and portability are not free. However, it is worth paying more.
Also, consider how fast the printer can print and whether your label size is compatible. A thermal printer is required to print shipping labels for businesses. However, a smaller printer can be used to label and organize small-scale items.
This guide includes a variety of products, so you can highlight the important factors such as the size, efficiency, compatibility with OS, and cost.
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