[Technology] Printer Advice - Thermal vs Ink ?.

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nevergoagain

Well-known member

Jul 28, 2005

1,606

nowhere near Burgess Hill

• Oct 30, 2024

• #1

Just to get away from Politics for a minute. My printer has died this week so need to replace. I mainly use it for printing eBay labels (a lot of them) so waste a lot of paper at the moment so wondering if anyone has a view on Thermal label printers vs traditional ink from a reliability/cost of paper etc.

 

JetsetJimbo

Well-known member

Jun 13, 2011

1,175

• Oct 30, 2024

• #2

I'm not sure if they have a model that does what you want, but I wouldn't buy a printer from any brand other than Brother nowadays. Everyone else is obsessed with restricting your ability to use aftermarket consumables and forcing you to buy new ink cartridges even though you're only running low on one colour. Brother still makes printers that just print.

This is from last year, but it sums things up nicely: https://www.theverge.com/23642073/best-printer-2023-brother-laser-wi-fi-its-fine

Edit: And the subscription fees, god I forgot about the subscriptions. How can it be legal for a company to charge you a subscription fee to use a printer that you've bought? The whole market is a scam, with the singular exception of Brother.

 

RandyWanger

Je suis rôti de boeuf

Mar 14, 2013

6,817

Done a Frexit, now in London

• Oct 30, 2024

• #3

Few years back now but I worked in retail IT on POS systems. Thermal printers go on and on and only ever saw issues with them if it was in a super cold location (think by a goods in door in the winter)
The price of a thermal printer is about the price for some ink.

 

Driver8

On the road...

NSC Patron

Jul 31, 2005

16,294

North Wales

• Oct 30, 2024

• #4

I bough a cheap HP laserjet printer a few years back and it’s great. Never jams and the cartridge lasts for ages. Can connect via WiFi too so can print direct from your phone. No good if you want colour of course.

 

hart's shirt

Well-known member

Jul 8, 2003

11,169

Kitbag in Dubai

• Oct 30, 2024

• #5

Thermal is 100% the way to go for Ebay labels.

Picked up a 2nd hand Zebra GX430T printer for £48 inc postage in an Ebay auction last year from a office clearance company.

It's been over a year now and I haven't needed to change the ribbon yet after 1000+ labels for Ebay. Very fast printing with high DPI.

Ultra-reliable - one of the best things I've ever bought. So if you can get a cheap 2nd hand Zebra (awaits zoo jokes), it won't let you down.

If you can't, other decent options are Dymo 5XL, Brother or Munbyn.

 

Coldeanseagull

Opinionated

Mar 13, 2013

8,416

Coldean

• Oct 30, 2024

• #6

Even the cheap chinese 4"x 6" thermal label printers are reliable. Labels are about £7 for a roll of 500 and sent via an app on your phone...or straight from the pc.
You could even pick up a cheap second hand one for about 30 quid

 

Albion my Albion

Well-known member

NSC Patron

Feb 6, 2016

19,937

Indiana, USA

• Oct 30, 2024

• #7

JetsetJimbo said:

And the subscription fees, god I forgot about the subscriptions. How can it be legal for a company to charge you a subscription fee to use a printer that you've bought? The whole market is a scam, with the singular exception of Brother.

Click to expand...

Oh, Brother!

 

Official Old Man

Uckfield Seagull

Aug 27, 2011

9,193

Brighton

• Oct 30, 2024

• #8

INK
For what it's worth, I print just the odd document and pictures, I found Lifor ink on Amazon to be as good as the original HP cartridges for my printer. And a fraction of the price.

 

S

Shropshire Seagull

Well-known member

Nov 5, 2004

8,823

Telford

• Oct 30, 2024

• #9

I bought an HP colour laser jet about 4 years ago after a lifetime of faffing about with ink. Cost £300 from memory. Earlier this year the black toner ran low. Genuine HP toner was £150 but i got a non HP one from Yes Cartridges for £30. I was worried about compatibility, but no need. Prints at up to 12000 DPI just fine, no messy ink and I've no idea what a printer subscription is.

I've had Epson, Brother and now HP printers over the last 40 years. HP is best from my experience. I only print about 1 ebay label per week mind.

 

Weststander

Well-known member

NSC Patron

Aug 25, 2011

69,966

Withdean area

• Oct 30, 2024

• #10

I've an HP Smart Tank all in one colour printer, it's used a great deal.

A couple of years on I haven't spent anything on consumables, it came with large bottles of ink, it's so frugal.

 

Blues Guitarist

Well-known member

Oct 19, 2020

623

St Johann in Tirol

• Oct 30, 2024

• #11

JetsetJimbo said:

I'm not sure if they have a model that does what you want, but I wouldn't buy a printer from any brand other than Brother nowadays. Everyone else is obsessed with restricting your ability to use aftermarket consumables and forcing you to buy new ink cartridges even though you're only running low on one colour. Brother still makes printers that just print.

This is from last year, but it sums things up nicely: https://www.theverge.com/23642073/best-printer-2023-brother-laser-wi-fi-its-fine

Edit: And the subscription fees, god I forgot about the subscriptions. How can it be legal for a company to charge you a subscription fee to use a printer that you've bought? The whole market is a scam, with the singular exception of Brother.

Click to expand...

Agreed. Brother make great printers and don't try to screw you.