Which Industrial Desktop Label Printer Do I Need? 5 Printers Compared

In this blog post, we are comparing industrial desktop label printers that have the capability to print on several media types up to 4” wide. Note, there are many kinds of desktop printers and brands and this is a sampling of our customer favorites.

 

Desktop label printers all have several common traits:

 

• They are best for printing larger quantities.
• They have no keyboards.
• They must be connected to a computer for operation using software or apps (exception being the cab with standalone capabilites).
• The print media and print ribbon must be installed separately (exception is the Epson LW-PX800 which uses cartridges).

 

Why Go Desktop Over Portable Label Printers?

 

Desktop label printers are definitely the number one choice when it comes to printing labels for large projects or when there is a need for high performance printing. Desktop label printers have faster speeds and are able to print on a larger variety of materials with larger sizes than portable printers. Most organizations that have to print in industrial settings, whether that be printing wire wraps, cable labels, pipe markers or patch panel labels, use a combination of desktop and portable label printers. The desktop printers do the majority of printing for projects ahead of time from an office and the portable printers take care of corrections or on-the-fly labeling in the field.

 

For a quick side-by-side of what each desktop label printer has to offer, check out this comparison chart of our customer favourites.

 

Industrial Desktop Label Printer Comparison Chart

 

 

cab SQUIX 4/300M Desktop Label Printer

 

The cab SQUIX 4/300M is the workhorse for industry. This is the printer you want for your jobs when the volume is high and you want the best quality.

 

This unit has an extremely high duty cycle. It has “Middle” alignment to allow for narrow supplies. Parts are easily removed for servicing, replacement or adding options (cutters, label applicators).

 

This is a precision, high quality, reliable, customizable printer.

 

With this printer, you can print:

 

• Continuous label material (vinyl, poly, paper, etc.) for unit numbers, equipment identification or instructions.
• Die cut labels for product identification, barcodes, etc.
• Continuous flattened or un-flattened heat shrink sleeves for wire and cable identification.

 

This printer is typically stationed in the manufacturing production shop and operated by technicians specifically trained in its operation and maintenance.

 

Pros

Speed, accuracy (great registration on tiny labels) and narrow materials (including round shrink tube). Printing on round heat shrink tubing makes this unit unique and the best for electrical panel shop manufacturers.

 

Cons

The steep price. It is a well-made German product used for specialty printing.

 

 

Epson LW-PX800 Desktop Label Printer

 

The Epson LW-PX800 is a compact printer that simplifies operation by using cartridges that contain the print ribbon and media all-in-one. Drop in a cartridge, enter your message, press print and you are done.

 

The limitation is the width of the media. Maximum label width is 36mm (1.5”) which is adequate for shelf/bin tags in a warehouse or basic pipe markers, but small for marking cable tray labels or creating information signs.

 

Cartridges can contain label tape, heat shrink sleeves, magnetic tape, self-laminating wire wrap and die cut labels along with the suitable print ribbon.

 

Anyone who needs some portability with ease of use all in a small compact package should look at this unit. With all the free software options, it will print for all your needs.

 

This printer would be stationed at, or near, the work site for users’ convenience.

 

Pros

Easy to load and works with multiple operating systems. The cartridges make changing supplies effortless and quick. Can be used with PC, Mac, iOS and Androids.

 

Cons

Not made for high volumes. The maximum length of material in a cartridge is 30 feet.

 

 

Kroy K4350 Desktop Label Printer

 

The Kroy K4350 is the oldest model of all the desktops. This printer will print on continuous labels, heat shrink tubing and die cut labels.  This is the only printer that still offers a parallel port; an adapter is available to go from the parallel port to USB.

 

Our electrical contractor customers have told us, “We like it and will continue to use it as long as we can.” Because of its low cost and 300 DPI printhead, the Kroy is a champion at printing continuous, flattened heat shrink and continuous vinyl label material often used for cable tray labels.

 

This printer is commonly used with a laptop at the work site or in a trailer. Labels are often prepared and printed for the workers in advance and sorted for them to be most efficient.

 

Pros

Reliable, high quality, vinyl label printing and ability to print flat heat shrink tubing as narrow as ⅛” wide.

 

Cons

Ribbon and media changing are slow as the printhead assembly does not open very wide. Having a serial port only can cause some issues with driver installations (we can help you with that).

 

 

Impact AWMS-245 Plus Desktop Shrink Tube Printer

 

The Impact 245 Plus is great for printing electrical markers such as ladder style heat shrink sleeves, flame retardant cable tags, self-laminating wire wraps and die cut labels.

 

Anyone who needs a reasonably priced, full-featured printer that offers free software making data input easy and straightforward, this is the one for you. Or, if you are a panel builder and must identify your terminations, this is your printer.

 

This Impact  245 Plus is commonly used with a laptop at the work site or in a trailer. Wire markers are often prepared and printed for the workers in advance and because the heat shrink sleeves are precut and mounted on a paper backing, there is no requirement for sorting.

 

Pros

Consistent wire marker printing for electrical panel manufacturers. Because the heat shrink sleeves are precut and mounted on a card backing, there is no requirement for sorting, saving you time.

 

Cons

No cutter.  The ladder-style heat shrink tubing interferes with an auto cutter attachment so, you must cut manually.

 

 

 

TSC TTP345 Desktop Label Printer

 

The TSC TTP345 is used for printing on continuous material and die cut labels. The included free Bartender Ultralite software gets most jobs done, but if you wish to use database functions (such as importing from an Excel sheet), you must upgrade to the professional version.

 

Anyone who needs a reasonably priced printer with an auto cutter should look at this model. With this printer, print continuous label material (vinyl, poly, paper, etc.) for electrical panel labels, unit numbers, equipment identification, instructions for product identification, barcodes or asset marking.

 

This printer can be used at the work site, in a trailer or in the production shop or plant.

 

Pros

Extremely versatile, low cost. No proprietary supplies allowing any label manufacturers material to be used and any size of label up to 4″ in height can be created.

 

Cons

External holder does not enclose label material inside the body.

 

 

 

Summary

 

These five desktop thermal label printers all work very well but all have different strengths. There is no one printer that will excel in every task assigned to it. It is very common for a business to have two or more of these thermal printers dedicated to specific printing duties. While this may sound extravagant, think of your tool box—you have open and closed wrenches in addition to the universal crescent wrench.

 

Many of these thermal printers are used in specialty areas; heat shrink printing, cable tray marker printing, equipment marking and warehousing identification labels. No one printer does everything the best. If you are unsure what printer, or printers, will best suit your situation, give us a call at 780-434-9152 or Toll Free at 1-800-268-7636. 

 

Labels not working for you?

 

Have you looked into a handheld inkjet printer? To learn more about some of our inkjet printing solutions such as the Reiner jetStamp, check out this video, or visit our handheld inkjet printer section of our online store.