How to Choosing a Receipt Printer

A receipt printer does exactly what it sounds like, it prints receipts! Whether it’s a sale at a supermarket, a meal at a restaurant, or an online purchase, these printers quickly produce a printed record for customers after a transaction.

Typically, the receipt will show what was bought, the total price, and maybe a thank-you note or a promotional offer. You can see a receipt printer everywhere, from retail stores to restaurants to e-commerce businesses.

Types of Receipt Printers

There are two main types of receipt printers you’ll find on the market: thermal receipt printers and impact receipt printers.

1. Thermal Receipt Printers

Thermal receipt printers are the most popular and are often the go-to choice for many businesses. They print by using heat to transfer an image onto special thermal paper. This means you don’t need ink or ribbons, making them low-maintenance and affordable.

However, most thermal printers print in black and white. Some advanced models can print in color (using special or colored thermal paper), but this usually comes with a higher price tag. One more thing to note is that thermal paper can fade over time, especially if it's exposed to heat or sunlight.

2. Impact / Dot Matrix Receipt Printers

Impact printers, also known as dot matrix printers, work a bit differently. They use a print head that strikes on ink ribbon to create characters on the paper. This process is slower and louder than thermal printing.

Impact receipt printers can print multiple copies at once, durable, reliable for rough environments. They're often used in kitchen.

How to Choose the Right Receipt Printer?

So, how do you pick the perfect receipt printer for your business? It's important to think about the specific application or environment the receipt printer will be used for. Here’s a breakdown of what to look for depending on your business needs:

1. For Retail Stores

If you’re running a busy retail store, speed and reliability are key. Customers don’t want to wait, so you’ll need a receipt printer that prints quickly without any glitches. Thermal printers are the best option for most retailers because they’re fast, quiet, and low maintenance. They’re perfect for high-volume receipt printing and can handle long hours of operation.

Key Features to Look For:
• Fast printing speed
• Low maintenance (no ink or ribbons)
• Space-saving design (if you’re tight on counter space)
• Compatibility with POS systems (USB, Wifi, Bluetooth, etc.)

2. For Restaurants and Food & Beverage Service

In a restaurant, you need a printer that’s both fast and durable. Impact printers are often used in kitchens or food service areas where you need multiple copies of the same order, like one for the kitchen and one for the bar. These printers can handle rough environments, like heat and grease, and are built for durability. However, they’re slower and noisier compared to thermal printers.

If you need fast service and don’t require multiple copies, a POS thermal printer might also work for your front-of-house operations.

Key Features to Look For:
• Durability to withstand high-pressure, busy environments
• Water blast resistance
• Multiple copies (impact printers) or fast, easy receipt printing (thermal printers)
• Quiet operation for the front-of-house
• High printing speed for quick service

3. For Ticketing Businesses

If you’re running a theatre, a stadium, or any other show business, you need something open framed and can store big roll of thermal ticket. A Kiosk receipt printer is ideal for these types of businesses.

4. For Mobile or Pop-up Businesses

If you’re running a food truck, a market stall, or any other mobile business, you need something compact and portable. A thermal receipt printer is ideal for these types of businesses. These POS thermal printers are lightweight, portable, and easy to set up with mobile POS systems. Many thermal receipt printers offer Bluetooth or wireless options, making them perfect for businesses on the go.

Key Features to Look For:
• Wireless connectivity
• Fast printing speed for mobile transactions
• Low maintenance and minimal paper requirements

5. For E-Commerce or Online Businesses

For e-commerce businesses that need to print shipping labels and receipts, thermal printers are typically the best choice. They print quickly, are cost-efficient in the long run, and work well with shopping platforms like Shopify, Amazon, or eBay. Additionally, thermal printers for shipping labels often come with a built-in cutter for easy label handling.

Key Features to Look For:
• Compatibility with shipping platforms
• Cost-effective (no ink required)
• Label printing
• Compact and easy to store

Best receipt printers to consider

There are a variety of high-quality thermal and impact receipt printers for a range of budgets. Epson, ECLine, Citizen, Zebra and Star Micronics are among the top brands for receipt printers of all kinds. While some are simple and offer basic features, others feature double-sided printing and grayscale graphic printing.

Thermal

• Epson TM-T88VII
• Epson TM-T82X-II
• Epson TM-M30III
• Star Micronics TSP143IV
• Star MCPrint3
• Star MCP31CI

Impact / Dot Matrix

• Bixolon SRP-275III
• Epson TM-U220IIB
• Star SP742