Things to Consider when Buying a Receipt Printer for your Business

Clients often come to us asking for recommendations on what type of Receipt Printer they should buy for their business. Whether you are a one-man shop or a multi-shop operation, here are a couple tips that we consider before advising our clients.

Environment – Where will the printer be operating? By far, thermal printers are the most popular type of receipt printer on the market. They work by transferring heat onto a specially treated paper (instead of ink) to generate a print. In a hot, humid or caustic environment, the paper may prematurely turn black, reducing the effectiveness of the device. You may be better off with a traditional impact printer in this environment.
Speed – How fast do you need it to be? If your business experiences heavy traffic, then having customers standing in line waiting for a receipt does not add to the shopping experience. The speed here not only includes how quickly it prints, but also how quickly it can be reloaded. Anything over 20 seconds can become an issue for a waiting customer. Thermal printers tend to be a lot faster at generating receipts and reloading than the traditional impact printer.
Devices – What devices would the printer have to interact with? Some retail systems can operate on a Mac, Android/Linux or Windows operating system. A good printer should be able to connect to any system via Wi-Fi, Apple MiFi, or Bluetooth. Age is also an issue, please ensure that the age difference between the two systems is minimal. Older technologies may have issues connecting to and operating with the newer technologies. So while it may work, you may be able to optimally use all the features. Make sure to buy the printer that best interacts with the current systems and devices that you are using.
Costs – What’s the true cost of using this? The wireless versions of these printers tend to cost more than the wired versions. Also, always factor in the cost of consumables when considering the cost of ownership. The device may be cheap but is the paper / ink / ribbon costly and/or available? Who supplies the consumables locally, or is it something that I will have to continuously import? These questions carry a cost to them and should be answered before committing to a printer.

Here are some popular Amazon thermal receipt printers to be considered in your decision making (Please Note: As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases):

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LOSRECAL Thermal Receipt Printer

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About this item:

Compatibility – Multiple interfaces: USB/LAN/cash drawer. Support OPOS & JAVAPOS. Support Windows/Linux PC system based on ESC/POS command. (❌Square/iPhone/iPad/MAC/Square is NOT supported. DO NOT support Bluetooth /WiFi❌)

Powerful Functions – Support IAP online upgrade. Support black mark detection and printing status sound reminders to avoid order loss. The sound is on by default and can be turned off by yourself. Adopt the new technology of returning knife calibration, auto prevent paper jams.

Reasonable Design – Desktop or wall-mounted type for option, lets you use every space more rationally. With the humanized auto-cutter, the receipt will not fall to the ground after printing. One-button open cover and large paper warehouse design, easy to use & maintain.

Most Cost-effective – Do not need ribbon/ink cartridge, low operating cost. The printer has the function of overheating protection, long service life. Printing images and characters with high speed, reliable performance.

Buy with Confidence – LOSRECAL is a brand that is dedicated to offering the highest quality products and a good shopping experience for the customer. Have a professional technical team and engineers, provide customized technical assistance.

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Epson tM-T88VI T Thermal Receipt Printer

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About this item:

Epson, tm-t88vi, thermal receipt printer, Epson black, s01, Ethernet, usb & serial interfaces, ps-180 power supply and ac cable. Operating System: Microsoft Windows (APD OPOS OPOS for .NET JavaPOS) Mac OS X Linux (CUPS JavaPOS)|Microsoft Windows 8.1 / iOS / Android (ePOS-Print SDK); Power Consumption: Operating: Approx. 1.8A (mean)|Stand-by: 0.5W; Connectivity Technologies: Built-in USB Built-in Ethernet (10/100Base-T/TX) + UIB (Serial Parallel Powered USB)|Bluetooth 2.1+EDR (dedicated model)|Wireless (USB wireless dongle): OT-WL05 (802.11 a/b/g/n) or OT-WL02 (802.11 b/g/n)|Beacon (using Bluetooth Low Energy): Beacon dongle|3|(Epson-approved dongle: Laird model BT820).

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Star Micronics TSP143III USB Thermal Receipt Printer

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About this item:

High-speed printing of 43 receipts per minute (250mm/s) with easy to setup USB connection – just Plug and Print; USB serial number feature means the PC will detect the TSP143IIIU on its Windows platform using any USB port.
Includes PromoPRNT promotion printing service allowing you to automatically create printed promotions in addition to receipts.
“Drop-In and Print” clamshell design allows for fast and easy paper loading; patented “De-Curl” function always delivers a flat receipt.
futurePRNT Software allows you to customize receipts to keep customers coming back time and time again with professional graphics (logos, coupons), word-triggered advertising, and more.
The small footprint and embedded power supply saves precious counter space.