Everything You Need to Know About Label Printers

Reviewed by Peter Kendall, Technical Support Engineer (November 2024)

Label printers are indispensable tools that find applications across a multitude of industries. Whether it's for organising your files, labelling products, or enhancing workplace safety, these versatile devices offer a comprehensive solution. In this article, we delve into the variety of uses of label printers, the various printing methods they employ, the essential features to consider when choosing one, and how to select the right label maker tailored to your specific needs. 

Label printers serve a broad spectrum of purposes, making them invaluable to business owners, warehouse managers, and anyone aiming to stay organised. These devices streamline operations and boost efficiency in numerous settings. Here are some common uses for the best label printers: 

• Inventory Management: Label printers are crucial for managing inventory. By printing labels with barcodes or product information, you can efficiently track and identify items in stock. This facilitates the easy location of specific products, management of stock levels, and monitoring of expiry dates.
• Shipping and Logistics: In the shipping and logistics industry, label printers are widely used to print shipping labels that include vital information such as the recipient's address, tracking number, and other pertinent details. This ensures packages are properly identified and reach their intended destinations.
• Retail and Pricing: Label printers are commonly used in retail settings for pricing and product labelling. They enable quick and easy printing of price tags or labels with product information, aiding customers in finding what they need and assisting with inventory management and pricing updates.
• Asset Management: These printers are valuable for tracking and managing assets. By labelling equipment, tools, or other assets with unique identifiers, you can easily keep track of their location, maintenance history, and other relevant information. This helps prevent loss, improve maintenance schedules, and optimise asset utilisation.
• Organisation and Labelling: Label printers are also useful for general organisation and labelling tasks. Whether labelling files, folders, containers, or even cables, these printers make the task quick and efficient. You can customise the labels with text, logos, or symbols to suit your specific needs.

Label printers have numerous applications across various industries, simplifying operations, enhancing productivity, and improving organisation. 

The method of label printing significantly impacts the efficiency and quality of the printed results. Understanding the different printing methods available can guide you in selecting a label maker that meets your specific requirements. Two of the most common methods for label printing are thermal transfer and direct thermal: 

Thermal transfer printing is widely used across various industries. It involves applying heat to transfer ink from a ribbon onto the label surface. This method offers excellent print quality, durability, and resistance to chemicals and abrasion, making it ideal for labels requiring long-term readability, such as product identification labels, asset tracking labels, and barcodes. 

Direct thermal printing is a straightforward and cost-effective method that uses heat-sensitive paper to produce images without the need for ribbons or ink. The heat from the print head activates the special coating on the label, resulting in a clear and high-contrast print. Direct thermal printers are commonly used for short-term applications like shipping labels, receipts, and tickets. 

Besides thermal transfer and direct thermal printing, other methods include inkjet and laser printing. Inkjet printers use liquid ink droplets to create detailed prints, suitable for colour labels and photo-quality images. Laser printers utilise a laser beam to create static electricity on the label surface, attracting toner particles to form the printed image.