As a business, you need to have all the right equipment to do your job as well as possible. If you need a professional handheld printer and are looking into labels by portable printer, having the right one can be the difference between a successful workflow and things not working as they should. Not all professional handheld printers are built the same, and depending on what you need, whether this is labels for shipping, receipts or barcodes, the wrong machine can cost you both time and money.
In this article, we take a look at the key differences between the different types of handheld printers to help you pick the best one for your needs. Keep on reading to find out more about warehouse labels and handheld printers.
The main types of professional handheld printers
There are several types of handheld printers available, each with its own advantages and limitations. Three of the most commonly used in the industry are:
Inkjet Handheld Printers
Compact and portable, handheld inkjet printers offer versatile and reliable printing on a variety of surfaces, including metal, plastic, wood, and textiles. Their lightweight design makes them ideal for remote use, allowing for fast application of text, barcodes, and logos even while on the move.
Handheld Laser Marking Machines
Handheld laser marking machines use laser beams to engrave or mark surfaces permanently, offering high precision and durability. They’re more expensive than inkjet printers, but offer longer-lasting results and are more durable.
Handheld Thermal Printers
Handheld thermal printers use heat to either transfer ink (thermal transfer) or darken specially coated thermal paper (direct thermal), making them efficient for printing on labels, receipts, and adhesive tags. With this in mind, they are used a lot in retail stores as well as healthcare for the labels they have to constantly create.
Each type of printer is designed to be used in certain environments for specific projects, so understanding what these are is vital for picking the right one for your company.
What to consider when selecting your printer
There are a few main things to consider when selecting your handheld portable printer, as these can impact how suited they are for your company and what you need them for. For example, being portable, you may want it to have a good drop test, as they are bound to be dropped at one point. Below, we look into this:
We just mentioned the drop test, as this is something you may want to take into account. The reason for this is that, being portable, there are going to be times when your employees are going to drop the device. You want the device to be as robust as possible, so that it can withstand the impact. Different devices are resistant to different heights, from 1.2 metres to 1.8 metres. But, remember to tell your employees to be careful, as the drop tests are advisable and they could still break if dropped 1.8 metres, especially the more they are used.
Another thing you need to think about with your portable printer is how it should connect. Some come with Bluetooth, while others have USB. Bluetooth as a whole tends to be more useful, but it can sometimes cost a little more, which, if you are buying a lot of devices, you will have to take into consideration.
The next thing to consider is the display. Having a monocoloured display is very useful as you can see what’s happening on the screen. Some of the colour screens will be touchscreen, whilst others will be controlled by buttons on the device itself. There are some devices that come completely without a screen, which are still extremely good, but not having a screen may be something you are wary of.
When looking for the right professional handheld printer for your business, you need to consider the above points and work out what’s best for your company. Think about the size of your business, what industry you are in and who is going to be using the handheld printer. Think also about how you’ll scale yourself up in the future, and that your printing choice will suit those needs as well as your needs now. By weighing up things like the speed, cost and connectivity of the printer, it should help you make the best decision that will cover you both in the short and long term.
If, when looking into handheld printers, you get stuck, the best thing to do is to get in touch with the provider. Their sales team should be on hand to answer any questions you have, no matter how big or small. Their expertise will allow them to point you in the right direction for the right product for your needs – you may not have even thought of their suggestion.
