Thermal label printer - is Dymo the only option?

[DSLiverpool]

Stupidly bought a Munbyn for basic duties and its rubbish and faded despite everything! I am reluctant to pay for the Dymo version as I think its paying for the name - anyone recommend a machine - 4 * 6 usual stuff. Cheers

[mmm-five]

I believe the only 2 brands we use where I work (large multi-national) are Dymo and Zebra...well they're the only two brand listed for purchase in our internal hardware catalogue.

There's some cross-over in what they print, but the Dymo tends to be for portable use at smaller end (up to about A5-ish), the Zebra for desktop printing at A6-A4 sizes.

[DSLiverpool]

Cheers - looks like I’m going to have to spend

[plasticpig]

Honeywell E-Class Mark III or Zebra ZD420. I am not a fan of direct thermal printers and have always found thermal transfer to be superior for most uses.

[geoffd]

Seiko do small label printers, they look similar in size to the Dymos.

You more or less have to use Dymo's own labels in their printers, which can make them expensive to run if you print lots of labels.

Geoff

[droopsnoot]

Brother used to do thermal label printers, have they stopped now? Like the Dymo, the labels were hellishly expensive because they come on plastic spools that contain some means of telling the printer what the labels size is.

We used to sell Star label printers, but the model we used (TSP700 series) might not have done 6x4 - maybe sideways on. They didn't have the same kind of non-technical software that I think the Dymos have.

[andym1603]

We use a system from http://www.waderlabelling.co.uk/ at work. They supply the labels, printer and heat press. Never had a problem with them. Quick to deliver also a bonus.

[DSLiverpool]

Ta guys - stuff to look at.

[wheelerc]

Can't fault the Dymo LabelWriter 450 we have.

Paid £43 for it in 2016 but I see they are £91 now! It does work with unofficial labels which aren't quite as nice as the genuine ones but are much cheaper.

[DSLiverpool]

wheelerc said:

Can't fault the Dymo LabelWriter 450 we have.

Paid £43 for it in 2016 but I see they are £91 now! It does work with unofficial labels which aren't quite as nice as the genuine ones but are much cheaper.

They are £220 plus for the 4*6 version hence the reluctance

[pharmvrs]

I use several Zebra GK420d in the Pharmacy and they get a hammering, never had an issue - a Royal Mail business account used to get you a discount code for barcode warehouse.

[anonymous-user]

I've used Sato printers in a few jobs now. No idea if they do the size you want, but they seem the be the industry standard for the retail business.

[impetuous]

Use a few Dymos, totally reliable.

However with cheap compatible labels - we like "Cartridges Kingdom Dymo"

[DSLiverpool]

impetuous said:

Use a few Dymos, totally reliable.

However with cheap compatible labels - we like "Cartridges Kingdom Dymo"

Looks like a dymo it is - thanks on labels

[fellatthefirst]

You need a Zebra GK420. They are absolutely solid for the money. How’s the e-commerce club going, have you got many subscribers yet?

[DSLiverpool]

fellatthefirst said:

You need a Zebra GK420. They are absolutely solid for the money. How’s the e-commerce club going, have you got many subscribers yet?

Need the website / discord up, about 2/3 weeks. Pleased with it but launching a bit of ecomm as well to keep my hand in.

[russy01]

15-20 zebra gk420 here, each do thousands of 7x4 labels weekly.

Not had a failure in years...

[DSLiverpool]

Cheers Russ can you share the labels you use please.

[loafer123]

We also use GK420d printers. If you have trouble with the 3D barcode print quality, install the free Barkeeper driver software.

Labels are free from Royal Mail if you are a business customer.

What’s this about an e-commerce club....?!

[DSLiverpool]

loafer123 said:

What’s this about an e-commerce club....?!

I’m not ready to go “public” with it yet until the websites finished (this month) but it’s a closed subscription club for anyone selling online. Prompted by the hoards of crap courses and dropshipping wonder kids I went onto TikTok in July to spread a little realism.
I didn’t foresee the huge demand for info admittedly at mainly starter / launched level but we have a few volume members as well.
It’s my main gig now along with some sniper e-commerce and I’ll do a new “starting again” once I launch it properly and change my Linked In.