Functional label printer for address labels

[jjscruff]

Can anyone recommend a thermal label printer?

I have been using a DYMO 4XL but now it can't read labels. Starts printing halfway down a label then gives up and pumps out a ton of blank labels

Don't mind spending a bit and want labels that are 4" or 10cm wide. Would be good if i can use cheap (unofficial) labels for it. Any suggestions?

 

[nahosting]

Hi,

I can recommend the Brother QL-720NW (http://amzn.to/1WACB3A)

It's a great printer, we have used for a couple of clients to auto print labels from custom software.

You can also get third party labels that work well too. Worth a look.

Cheers

 

[jjscruff]

thanks so much for your reply

Looks like it only prints real small labels though?

is it not hard to see the tiny addresses?

 

[nahosting]

The depth/height of the label is 62mm max - but the width/length can be anything if you use a continuous roll.

The one we've installed do use the smaller labels, they are used as postage labels.

But I seem to recall the 62mm continues roll being quite large. They have been in place for 2-3 years as well and still working OK. So if these are too small for you perhaps if they made a larger model it may be worth looking at as they have been in daily use and going strong.

 

[Jon Neale]

Zebra GK420d

http://www.thebarcodewarehouse.co.uk/barcode-printers-label-printers/desktop/zebra-GK420d/

 

[kulture]

I second zebra. Have had one for 5 years. Has printed over 100,000 labels and still as good as new. Also compatible with Royal Mail stationary

 

[DavidWH]

Another Zebra user, got an 'open box' one from Misco... box didnt appear to be opened, and it was like brand new, but for a fraction of the price

 

[IanG]

I've got a Brother QL-570 which was about £35 delivered and I use these labels -

http://bit.ly/1KB3OCF

12p / metre is cheap enough given the average label is 100mm or thereabouts and that's with my logo on the left

62mm height but the writing is far from tiny - 5 lines with a margin you're still over 8mm high per letter which is sufficiently legible.

10cm wide seems overkill unless you're doing courier style with barcodes and that type of thing? I just have a regular laser for that with two to a page A4 and spin them round when they come out the first time.

 

[Page]

It depends on the volume

If doing volume then pay the extra for a zebra

 

[jjscruff]

thanks for replies. big volume and barcodes, so large labels essential

where can you buy labels for the zebra printers? do they work with any rolls that you might find on ebay? thanks

 

[kulture]

If you have a Royal Mail account you getthem for free. So I have never bought any. They seem to be fairly standard thermal label rolls.

 

[Jon Neale]

amlabels are the most competitive I've found so far, I've also used aalabels when I nee stock quickly.

 

[Gaz Walker]

I also love the Zebra GK420d but for print quality (especially if you are using barcodes) the Citizen CL-S series printers are so much better.

 

[Jon Neale]

We've used the zebra's to print hundreds of thousands of labels, all with bar codes (1d or 2d) and without any issue. That's not saying the CLS isnt better quality, as I've never used, just I've never had a problem with the zebra.

 

[SamStones]

Another vote for the gk420d, we've got 4 of them currently and they work well. For a few quid more you can get an in built peeler which is a god send if you're printing on demand.

 

[jjscruff]

Thanks for the tips

Got myself a GK420D. Has some promise but having an annoying issue to start with

The printer by default jumps a few mm up the label before it starts printing

You can change this in printer properties

But you have to change it every time, the printer won't remember the settings

I have tried changing in printers in the control panel but its the same

This is printing through firefox on windows 7

 

[RedOnion]

This is printing through firefox on windows 7

I don't have firefox, but in the instructions for my GK420D there are instructions for firefox users:-

"Click on the 3 horizontal lines in the top right hand corner of firefox and then select "Options""

"Select "Applications" and look for the "Portable Document Format (PDF)" on the left hand side. Directly to the right of that it will say "Preview in Firefox". In the drop down box select "Use Adobe Reader (default)" and press OK"

No idea if that works or what it does - so I will not be responsible if anything goes wrong