Tips for Choosing the Right Product Label Printer

Both small businesses and large factories print product labels like food barcodes, clothing tags, and logo stickers to showcase their brand, share key product info, and ensure traceability. Selecting the right label printer can make these tasks significantly more efficient and effective.

This post article provides some practical tips to help you choose the suitable product label printers for your needs, addressing various considerations and features.

Small Business vs. Factory Needs

The needs of small businesses and large factories for product label printers are quite different.

Factories often require robust and reliable printers that can integrate seamlessly into automated production lines, ensuring continuous and stable printing. As a result, factories typically opt for industrial barcode printers.

Let's take the HPRT Gala as an example. It has an industrial-grade print head and large ribbon capacities, allowing it to operate continuously for several days. It can print high-resolution barcodes, text, and graphics in monochrome on various label media, especially durable synthetic paper and BOPP, PP, and PET film materials.

The prints are durable, resistant to abrasion, alcohol wipes, and even chemical corrosion, perfect for labeling outdoor equipment, precision instruments, and electronic products.

The HPRT Gala offers a variety of interfaces, including standard USB HOST, serial, and parallel ports, as well as optional Wi-Fi and GPIO interfaces, which are ideal for IoT integration. 

Plus, this 4-inch industrial barcode printer comes with kit software that supports Windows, Linux, and iOS systems, allowing seamless integration with various ERP and inventory management software.

For small businesses, the choice of label printer can be more flexible. Generally, portable or desktop label printers are chosen based on product label printing volume and specific application requirements.

For instance, the HPRT SL32 3-inch thermal label printer is one the best product label printers for small business. It helps home businesses, DIY crafters, deli shops and drink shops, e-commerce businesses to easily print high-quality round logo stickers, clothing tags, food ingredients labels, deli labels, milk tea stickers and more.

Mobile and Wireless Printing Solutions

For food truck operators and vendors at temporary stalls or street shops, a compact and portable expiration date printer is suitable.

A common choice is a Bluetooth label printer, such as the HPRT T20 2-inch Thermal Label Printer, which connects directly to smartphone for easy printing on the go. 

The T20 uses thermal paper roll, so there's no need for ink or ribbons. Plus, paper loading and setup are a breeze, and you can easily adjust the paper width from 25 to 50mm.

It's incredibly versatile; you can labels with brand logos, product names, ingredient lists, and expiration dates on homemade food, bread, snacks, and drinks. Additionally, it's great for organization, printing file folder labels and labeling kitchen food, spices, and cosmetics with expiration dates.

For desktop label printers, you can also opt for models with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi interfaces. This allows for printing from mobile devices without the need for a computer, providing greater flexibility.

Key Product Parameters

Focus on Key Label Printer Parameters:

● Printing Resolution

● Printing Speed

● Printing Size

When choosing a label printer, pay close attention to printing resolution, as it determines how clear your labels will be. This is particularly important in industries like manufacturing, where product labels with barcodes are printed in bulk and must be easily scanned and read.

To ensure you get the right clarity and resolution like 203 dpi or 300 dpi, decide on the necessary printing precision based on your label size, and then pick a printer that meets those specs.

Compatibility with Label Materials

Many materials used for product labels, including thermal labels, paper labels, and highly durable PET and PP labels. It's essential that the product label printer you choose is compatible with these materials.

Generally, for standard waterproof and scratch-resistant labels, high-quality three-proof thermal paper is a good option. These can be used with direct thermal label printers, which don't require ribbons, making installation and printing straightforward.

For labels that need to remain stable and durable throughout the product's lifecycle, a thermal transfer label printer is more suitable. Depending on the specific environment where the product will be used, you might choose PET labels for excellent water resistance or PP labels for their resistance to UV, high temperatures, and chemical corrosion.

Then, select an appropriate ribbon and follow the manufacturer's instructions and installation videos for proper setup and printing.

It's worth mentioning that most thermal transfer label printers on the market today support both thermal and thermal transfer printing modes. This versatility allows businesses to print a wide variety of label materials based on their specific needs.

Label Designer Software

Do you need custom product label printing for branding purposes or packaging needs? Handmade candles, perfume, skincare products, and other small business and e-commerce sellers often require custom-printed labels for their products or packaging. Therefore, when choosing a printer, it is essential to consider the accompanying label design software.

HPRT's desktop and industrial label printers come equipped with BarTender software, renowned for its user-friendly interface, making it accessible even to those with minimal training.

The software supports a wide range of barcode symbologies, offering versatility in label creation. With robust integration capabilities, it seamlessly connects to various ERP systems and databases for efficient data management and label printing.

Additionally, for users who prefer printing from their mobile devices, you can download the free HereLabel app from the HPRT website.

This label designer app supports multiple languages and includes a wide range of preset label templates for various industries, such as retail, food and beverage, clothing, jewelry, shipping, and hazardous waste. The templates are regularly updated and allow you to easily insert different fonts, icons, lines, barcodes, and QR codes. It's simple and user-friendly.

Other Considerations

Space Constraints: For businesses with limited space, compact product label printers are an excellent choice. They provide the same functionality as larger models while occupying less space.

Reviews and Recommendations: When selecting a product label printer, it's crucial to consider user reviews and expert recommendations. Real-world feedback on performance and ease of use can guide you in making an informed decision.

Spare Parts and Support: Ensure that spare parts and reliable customer support are readily available. This is vital for maintaining your label printer's performance and longevity.

The right product label printer can make a world of difference in your business. Rather than focusing solely on the most expensive or feature-rich options, consider the printer that aligns best with your specific needs. Before making a purchase, take the time to research and compare various models. You may even want to request a demo to experience the printer firsthand.

With a thoughtful approach, you can find a thermal label printer that seamlessly integrates into your business and simplifies label creation. 

To learn more about HPRT product label printer models, detailed specifications, or case studies, please feel free to contact us.