Receipt printers are essential tools for any small business owner. They help you track inventory, keep receipts organized, and even save time by printing your bills automatically.
But there are tons of different types of receipt printers available today, and choosing the right one can be overwhelming.
So what should you look for when buying a receipt printer for your business?
The biggest thing to watch out for is thermal vs impact:
There are two types of receipt printing: thermal and impact. The thermal printer uses heat to create images on special paper. Impact printers use tiny pins to strike an ink ribbon to create images.
While impact printers tend to be more affordable than thermal printers, they are slower and noisier. A thermal printer is a better choice if you are looking for a printer with high quality that produces quiet, fast prints.
Jump to our buying guide below, or check out our five favorites:
Table of Contents
The 5 Best Receipt Printers
#1. The ROLLO Label Receipt Printer
The ROLLO Label printer is a commercial-grade direct thermal high-speed wireless barcode label printer compatible with Etsy, eBay, Amazon, etc. The rugged design ensures exceptional quality for years of trouble-free printing.
4×6 inch labels are inexpensive enough to give away but rugged enough to hold up when given exposure to the elements or handled by customers.
The 4×6 Label printer prints 150mm/s. Thermal printing technology provides low-cost labels without expensive ink or toner cartridges that clog or dry out, requiring replacement.
This wirelessly connected Direct Thermal High-Speed Printer is easy to set up, use and maintain. Overall, the ROLLO Label printer has a rugged design that ensures exceptional quality for years of trouble-free printing.
4×6 inch labels are also inexpensive enough to give away but rugged enough to hold up when given exposure to the elements or handled by customers.
Pros:
- Mac (10.9 and newer) Windows and (XP and more recent) Compatibility
- Direct Thermal High-Speed Printer
- Commercial Grade
- 4×6 Inch Labels
- Rugged Design
Cons:
- No mention of a warranty
Video overview
#2. The iDPRT Thermal Label Printer
The iDPRT thermal label printer is a well-built, rugged, easy-to-use, and affordable printing solution. This high-speed printer works with any Windows, Linux, or Mac computer with USB connectivity.
The SP-410 prints at 150mm/s high-speed printing technology, at speeds up to 5 inches per second (ips).
The iDPRT print engine uses Precision Core technology. Precision Core delivers the sharpest text and barcodes with outstanding print quality for all media types, including single-ply stock like paper labels, specialty stocks like recycled paper, Tyvek, and even high-strength plastics.
The SP-410 prints 4″ wide labels at up to 6″ per second, the fastest print speed in its class.
Pros:
- Precision Core Technology for Sharpest Text and Barcodes
- Compatible with Windows, Linux, and Mac Computers
- 150mm/s high-speed printing technology
- 4″ Wide Labels at up to 6″ per second
- Direct Thermal Printing
- Rugged Design
Cons:
- No mention of a warranty
Video overview
#3. The Star Micronics Thermal Receipt Printer
The Star Micronics Receipt Printer is ideal for hospitality and retail industries looking for flexible POS configurations.
This durable, stylish, and lightweight printer supports Ethernet connection to compatible devices such as point of sale systems, cash drawers, bar code scanners, etc., with minimal setup requirements.
The thermal receipt printer is designed to function flawlessly in environments where heat and humidity can erode the type on the kitchen order or damage other sensitive electronics.
This printer’s resistance to heat and water means that you can safely use it in virtually any environment, including restaurants, bars, or kitchens, without special considerations for heat, moisture, exposure to the weather outside, or exposure to water.
You can use this printer for years without ever worrying about it slowing down or becoming damaged by exposure to external elements.
The Star’s built-in interface means that you never need to struggle with finicky pairing or lack of an available network connection; instead of struggling, plug right into your Ethernet port and enjoy fast, reliable connectivity of up to 300 meters with no extra configurations required! This saves time and money so you can better serve your customers.
Pros:
- Ethernet (LAN) Thermal Receipt Printer
- Durable, stylish, and lightweight
- Drop-In and Print design
- Ethernet cable included
- Built-in interface
Cons:
- A little slow to print
Video overview
#4. The MUNBYN Direct Thermal Receipt Printer
The MUNBYN Receipt Printer , is a high-speed and cost-effective POS thermal receipt printer. It isn’t as fast as some printers on the market but is still an excellent choice for any small business looking for a reliable, affordable printer.
This printer has been tested by MUNBYN technicians and works perfectly with all current Windows Operating Systems (Win7-10).
This printer is straightforward to use and install your PC correctly, making it excellent at fitting seamlessly into any point of sale environment.
The best part about this printer is its cost; it is one of the most affordable printers on the market. This makes it a fantastic choice if you’re looking for a cheap but still reliable POS thermal receipt printer.
If the MUNBYN P068 doesn’t work with your system due to compatibility issues or some other technical problem, you are covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 1-year warranty on parts.
Pros:
- Money-Back Guarantee/Warranty Included
- Supports based on POS/ESC command
- Tested by MUNBYN technicians
- High speed and cost-effective
- Very easy to use
Cons:
- No Ethernet connection available as of now.
Video overview
#5. The Epson Receipt Printer
The Epson Receipt Printer is perfect for any POS system. This small, lightweight printer can fit anywhere and offers fast, quiet printing of high-quality text and graphics.
It’s built with a 3-inch core, making it compact enough to place under counters or in tight spaces, allowing it to adapt quickly to different environments.
The Epson TM-T20III also features an interface cable that will enable you to connect your printer directly to your point of sale system without extra wires, making it easy to install in virtually any environment.
Because this little guy packs such a considerable punch, thanks to its incredible print speed that goes up to 250mm per second, it comes with an impressive 4-year warranty that includes all parts, service, and labor.
This is the kind of warranty you want to have with an expensive device like this one.
The Epson TM-T20III comes with a built-in USB interface that allows for fast plug-and-play installation and saves you valuable space on your countertops or wherever you place it.
You can connect it directly using the included USB cable, which provides both power and data connectivity between the printer and your POS system, meaning no extra cables are necessary.
Pros:
- Ethernet/LAN available as of now
- Impressive four-year warranty
- Built-in USB interface
- Fast printing speed
- In & Print design
- USB powered
Cons:
- None that we could find!
Video overview
Buying Guide: How To Choose?
When looking to buy the best receipt printer for your business, there are a few factors you’ll want to keep in mind.
#1. Printer Type
There are two types of receipt printers – thermal and impact. Thermal printers use heat to produce an image on special paper, while impact printers use small pins to hit an ink ribbon and create an image.
Impact printers are generally cheaper than thermal printers but slower and noisier. If you’re looking for a high-quality printer that will produce fast, quiet prints, then you’ll want to opt for a thermal printer.
#2. Print Speed
The print speed is crucial to ensure that your customers aren’t waiting too long for their receipts. Most printers have a print speed of around 150mm per second, but some can print as fast as 250mm per second, so be sure to check the print speed before you buy.
#3. Printer Size
Printers come in all shapes and sizes, so you’ll need to decide how much space you have available for your printer. If you’re tight on space, you’ll want to opt for a compact printer that doesn’t take up too much room.
Conversely, if you have plenty of space available, you can choose a larger printer that offers more features.
#4. Interface
The interface of a printer is the way that it connects to your computer or POS system. USB and Ethernet are the most common interfaces, but some printers also offer wireless connectivity.
If you’re not sure what type of interface you need, then USB is probably the best option.
#5. Power Source
Not all printers have built-in power supplies, requiring external power sources. If your POS system doesn’t have an available outlet, then you’ll want to opt for a printer that has its power supply.
This will mean that no extra cables are necessary to connect the printer to your system; however, it will increase the cost of the printer.
#6. Number of Sheets
The number of sheets each paper tray can hold is also essential if you frequently print large batches of receipts at once. Some trays can hold up to 500 sheets, so be sure to check how many sheets each tray can hold before you buy.
Additional Information (FAQs)
#1. What is a receipt printer?
A receipt printer is a device that prints receipts for customers. They are primarily used as cash registers in retail stores; however, they can also be housed as part of an electronic point of sale system (EPOS).
#2. What does a receipt printer look like?
Receipt printers come in all shapes and sizes, and many even come with built-in casings that make them look like small desktop printers or larger fax machines.
Most printers have their print heads and paper trays exposed, but some will offer fully enclosed designs that protect the inner workings from dust or damage.
#3. How long do receipt printers last?
Receipt printers are generally designed to last for a minimum of 1 million lines, equivalent to around ten years’ worth of use.
If you want your printer to last for much longer than this, you should consider investing in a more expensive printer with built-in self-diagnostic features.
#4. Are receipt printers complicated?
Receipt printers are often regarded as difficult to set up or install, but this isn’t the case at all if your POS system already has drivers available for your printer.
To install most printers, all you have to do is plug them into an available USB port on your computer and follow the installation steps displayed on the screen.
#5. Do I need drivers for my receipt printer?
Receipt printers require software known as drivers to operate correctly. If your POS system already has drivers available for your printer, you won’t need to buy more software.
However, if it doesn’t, then you’ll need to purchase the correct version of the driver from the manufacturer or supplier before you can begin using your new printer(s).
#6. Do receipt printers need paper?
Most printers will come with a roll of thermal paper pre-installed, but some will require separate rolls bought separately.
The amount of time each roll of paper lasts depends on many factors, including how frequently receipts are printed and how long they are each printed for.
Some rolls can last up to 2 years when printing at least once per day, while others only last around one month when printing once per day.
Conclusion
A receipt printer is a device that prints customer receipts for products or services. These printers can produce single receipts or multi-part receipts as needed to track the inventory and sale of items.
While standard desktop printers may be used for this task, receipt printers are specially designed to handle the demands of the retail environment and provide high volume, low-cost printing speeds.
There are a few key factors to consider when purchasing a receipt printer. Speed, quality of printing, connectivity options, and price are all important considerations.
This article will look at five of the best receipt printers on the market and what makes them stand out from the competition.
Thank you for reading the best receipt printer review. We hope this article has been informative and provided you with valuable information on what to look for when buying a new receipt printer.
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