If you are looking for the best thermal printer for shipping labels, then you have come to the right. Although labeling isn’t difficult, it can become time consuming and monotonous, especially if the items that need to be labeled are in huge amounts. Labels are excellent for organizing and tracking inventory, be it that they are in their raw material state, work in progress, or finished goods.
Labeling can be done using a label printer or a label maker that’s handheld. However, label printers are the best as they make it easier and faster to get the job done. Besides, writing labels by hand is not only a hassle, but it is time consuming. This is where thermal label printers come in handy. A thermal label printer uses thermal technology, so you don’t have to worry about ink cartridges.
Besides, some thermal printers can print on various media such as plastic labels, polyester, and nylon. To help you find the perfect thermal printer, we have reviewed some of the best thermal printers for shipping labels below.
Rollo Shipping Label Printer
There are several reasons why the Rollo shipping label printer us an excellent choice. This thermal printer is very convenient and has an innovative technology that doesn’t need you to buy ink or toner. This saves you the trouble of buying or refilling ink regularly.
Pros
- Easily save money as this printer works with just about any Thermal Direct Label plus free UPS labels
- This Rollo thermal printer has high printing speeds of 150mm/s – it’s a lot faster than most printers in our review
- Features the advanced thermal direct technology that enables you to print without needing ink or toner
- This thermal printer is compatible with the major shipping platforms such as Stamps.com, ShipStation, Shippo, Endicia Dazzle among others
- This Rollo printer results in quality prints that are the standards required by major couriers such as DHL, FedEx, UPS, USPS among others
- Compatible with specific versions of Windows and Mac operating systems
- Comes with short how-to videos that allow for an easy setup
- Excellent thermal printer choice for shipping labels, barcode labels, bulk mailing labels, warehouse labels, ID labels and much more
- This printer easily keeps track of the number of printed labels
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a label holder which you can get at your own cost
Zebra ZP 450 Thermal Shipping Label Printer
The Zebra ZP 450 thermal printer has a similar operational process to a toner or laser printer even though it uses heat. The use of heat by this printer, in the long run, make it cost-efficient.
Pros
- The use of heat instead of laser or toner makes it cost-efficient
- It’s easy to use and has a speedy pace
- This printer helps you save both time and effort as it can print 5-inches per second
- Has an easy setup process that will take you a few minutes to get done
- The drivers needed for setting up this printer can easily be found online making it cost-efficient and convenient considering that some competitor drivers cannot be found online
- Similar to the Rollo printer, you don’t have to purchase ink or toner seeing that this printer uses heat
- It has a sturdy construction and a practical design
- Excellent shipping label printer for businesses that are slightly bigger
- Unlike other thermal printers, the Zebra ZP 450 printer doesn’t jam often which means you can get your labeling done without any unnecessary inconveniences
- Comes with a 90-day limited warranty
Cons
- Built for use with UPS WorldShip labels making it a challenge for businesses that use different software
DYMO LabelWriter 4XL Thermal Printer
The DYMO LabelWriter thermal printer is another great option for those looking to buy thermal printers. It’s not only convenient but versatile as well and can be used to directly print labels from platforms such as Card Scan, MS Excel, Word, and Outlook.
Pros
- Can be used to print labels as well as create folders, badges, markers or even printing down addresses
- This printer allows you to print labels of 300 dpi
- Excellent quality printer that results in a crystal-clear resolution
- It’s versatility helps to print high-quality texts, graphics or barcodes
- It has a small size and is compact which means it can fit or sit in the smallest of office spaces
- Easily print a wide range of labels that measure up to 4.16-inches
- Comes with a very useful instruction manual and is compatible with Windows, XP and Windows Vista as well as certain versions of Mac operating system
- It’s a convenient printer as it can be used to directly print labels from various platforms such as Card Scan, MS Word, Excel and Outlook
- Allows you to only print the exact number of shipping labels needed which prevents wastage
Cons
- Tends to reject new rolls every so often and doesn’t have a very supportive customer support
Brother QL-820NWB Thermal Printer
The one thing that we love about the Brother QL-820NWB thermal printer is that it has multiple connectivity options. In addition, Brother is a very well-known brand when it comes to the manufacture of different printers for various printing needs.
Pros
- It’s a small and compact printer which means it can nicely fit on your desk
- This thermal printer features flexible connectivity options like Bluetooth, Ethernet and Wireless interfaces
- Has a USB host interface that can be used with a peripheral like a scanner
- It’s fast as it can do 110 standard address labels every 60 seconds at 300 dpi for black text
- Can be used as a standalone thanks to the monochrome LCD screen that is easy to read
- Has distictive technology that allows you to print your labels in black and red that are highly visible
- Effortlessly pick the settings – size adjustments, template changes, etc. – that suit you thanks to the user-friendly design
- Boasts of high-quality prints that are bold and clear cut
- The dual-color label printing feature helps you differentiate between different labels
- Easily portable with the use of a Li-ion battery
- This printer is easy to install and use
Cons
- This thermal printer may not be the most user-friendly as some users have encountered difficulties while using it
Brother QL-810W Thermal Printer
If you’re searching for a small printer that is compact, then the Brother QL-810W thermal printer might be a decent choice. Weighing just about 2.4lbs, this printer is quite lightweight, which means you can take it with you anywhere you need to.
Pros
- It’s a small, compact and lightweight printer
- Being a lightweight printer – weighs roughly 2.4lbs – means you can take it with you anywhere
- Like the Brother QL-820NWB featured in our review, this Brother printer also comes with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity
- The Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity means you can easily and effortlessly print labels directly from your tablet or smartphone on the go
- Enjoy fast printing speeds of 110 labels per minute
- Boasts of a print resolution of 300 by 600 which means your prints will be clear and of good quality
- It’s versatile as you can integrate it into a network using Brother’s software development and network management tools
- You will love the full portability of this small thermal printer with the use of Li-ion battery
- Compatible with Windows and Mac operating systems
- Comes with a two-year limited manufacturer warranty
Cons
- The set-up instructions aren’t as comprehensive and using wireless connectivity can be a bit challenging
MUNBYN Thermal Shipping Label Printer
The MUNBYN thermal shipping label printer has an easy configuration process, thanks to the one-click feature for setup. In addition, it’s compatible with major couriers such as Amazon, FedEx, eBay, UPS, Shopify, USPS, Etsy, among others.
Pros
- This printer has an easy and quick set up process thanks to the one-click set up feature that saves you time and money
- It has a USB support that allows the printer to be used to generate barcodes and labels
- It’s compatible with major sales and shipping services such as Amazon, FedEx, Etsy, UPS, eBay, USPS, Shopify, ShippingEasy, ShipStation, Poshmark among others
- It has an inbuilt label identifier that only requires you to inlay the label, and the device will then fetch and feed it to the printer
- Easily create labels directly from Mac and Microsoft Address Book
- It’s versatile hence suitable for direct label printing of shipping labels, warehouse labels, Amazon FBA labels, food nutrition labels among others
- Doesn’t require any ink or toner
- Has an excellent printing speed of 150mm/s
- Comes with a two-year warranty and after-sales support
- Unlike most of the printers in our review that are only available in one color, this thermal printer is available in two colors – brown and white
Cons
- Some customers have complained about frequent jamming and wastage of labels
Final Thoughts
The market is full of thermal printers that seem to offer similar benefits. However, when looking to buy one, you need to find a way of narrowing down your choices. This will ensure that you make a sensible purchase. That said, when looking to buy a thermal printer, you need to consider your printing needs, printing workload, performance, resolution, as well as customer support and product warranty. Depending on your printing needs, you can also decide on how much you want to spend on a thermal printer. All said and done, ensure you pick a printer that suits your shipping label printing needs.