POS Receipt Printers: What’s the Right Option?

Your POS system is made up of several components. One is the receipt printer you use. Since these units are found in retail environments for printing customer receipts and credit card slips, you want an option that is accurate and reliable. Restaurants also rely on receipt printers to print off orders in the bar and kitchen.

The primary options for receipt printers include inkjet printers, dot matrix printers, and thermal printers. Getting to know more about each one can help you decide the right option for your needs.

Dot Matrix Printers

A dot matrix printer, which is also referred to as an impact printer, is the most affordable option available. These are extremely reliable and the operating costs are low. These printers use tiny pins mounted on the print head and an ink ribbon to create a series of dots that create the letters that show up on the paper. In some cases, these options print in two different colors with red and black being the most common. This type of printer typically ranges between $175 and $150 and popular for kitchen environments since the temperatures are often high, which means that it is not an ideal environment for thermal printers.

Thermal Printers

Thermal printers are more expensive than the dot matrix printers, ranging between $300 and $500, but are much more popular because of the many benefits they offer, including quieter operation, faster speed, and higher print quality. Thermal printers work by a direct contact between the thermal heat, which is what generates heat, and the thermal paper, which was specially coated to be sensitive to heat. As a result, thermal printers don’t require toner or ink. As a result, when you purchase printers, such as the Epson POS thermal printers, you can save money over time. Also, the paper and printers themselves continue to be updated, with some of the most recent innovations including:

• Double sided printing on the thermal paper

• Multi-colored thermal printing paper

• BPA-Free printing paper

Ink Jet Printers

An ink jet printer has print heads that shoot small amounts of ink onto the paper. This type of printer is worth considering if you are trying to print high-quality coupons, color logos or other multi-color images on your receipts. However, the cost to replace the ink cartridges is significant.

What’s the Right Option for You?

The right option for one person, may not be the right option for another. A person needs to carefully consider how and where the printer is going to be used to find the most viable option. Also, considering factors such as budget and whether or not you need to take the printer on-the-go is important.

When you take the time to consider the options, you can easily find the right printer for your needs. Thermal printers are, by far, the preferable option for many businesses. Keeping this in mind can help ensure the desired results are achieved.