Printer for A4 self adhesive labels.

[Dragster2]

Hello all,

I would like to buy a machine that is capable of printing A4 colour images onto waterproof self adhesive labels.( in relatively small annual volumes of approx 500-600 per year.) I've done a little research into the pros and cons of various options and have narrowed things down to laser machines v pigment inkjets .........

I think those are the two best options but really have no idea to be honest and am hoping there may be a PH member with some experience of similar waterproof label printing that might be able to help. I have outsourced this printing work in the past but would like to bring things in house if possible.

Up to this point I've been using Avery waterproof A4 laser as the label stock.

Thanks in advance for any help / advice.

[JoshSm]

What quality of colour image?

[Dragster2]

JoshSm said:

What quality of colour image?

Relatively low quality. Certainly not high res photo images.

Typically the image is health and safety information so they are usually very simple 2 or 3 colour images. ( Red, white and Black for prohibition.........Yellow and black for hazard warning,.........Blue and white for mandatory actions )

Edited by Dragster2 on Monday 28th September 16:45

[JoshSm]

I'd have thought in that case that a laser is probably going to be the better (cheaper) option than a pigment printer?

If you're just doing simple block colour a fairly basic laser is more than capable. Also I'd suspect easier to use for other tasks.

[Chocmonster]

We use an Epson Ecotank to print onto A4 sheets of glossy permanent inkjet labels which are then applied to tins of sweets for our customers.

Whichever printer you get one thing to consider is how the labels are fed into the machine. The printer we have is a base model ET-2830 as the sheet feed is at the back in a straight line to the front rather than from a paper tray inside. That way I've found you don't get as many feed problems with the labels getting stuck.

Have had this printer for a couple of years now and it's been hammered doing thousands of labels (full colour and black on white) in that time. Easy to refill with the large ink bottles and has windows on the front to the tanks so you can see the levels.

[Dragster2]

Thank you both.......

I'd been looking at online reviews of the Canon Megatank units earlier.............but it's good to hear that you mention how well the Epson unit has coped with some pretty hard use.. Good value too......

I have an Epson C3500 colour label printer that's been flawless for 7 years.......so I think it will be an ET-2830 / ET-2850

Thanks again.

[biggiles]

I run Avery labels here through a Brother colour laser, no problems at all. We don't do thousands, but they are treated just like a piece of paper and I put them in the normal paper tray.

Given the volume, I'm happy to pay more for Avery in the hope they are high quality and don't do anything silly inside the machine.