Taking your label printer on the go opens up a world of opportunities. Instead of traipsing back and forth to the office, you can use it anywhere, provided you have a fresh roll of labels and the label maker is charged up.
However, with so many portable label printers on the market, hundreds of machines from dozens of brands, it isn’t easy to spend your money wisely. Today we’re going to point you in the right direction, and help you to maximise the effectiveness of your portable printer.
What is a Portable Label Printer?
Unlike their desktop counterparts, a portable label printer is a much smaller machine. Label printers come in all shapes and sizes, from ones of a similar size to an Inkjet printer you’ll find in an office to these portable models that fit easily in your hand.
Despite the differences, they all do pretty much the same thing. Thermal label printers are great for barcodes, shipping labels, and receipts, which can be printed on to adhesive paper and attached to packaging or documents.
The size difference affects the amount you print at once, but as long as you keep them topped up a desktop label printer is just as effective as one much larger and more expensive. However, more advanced machines have more features, so make sure you know exactly what you need your printer for before you settle on one.
What is a Portable Label Printer for?
A portable label printer is beneficial for a number of industries. The most common is in logistics. If you need to print labels for your warehouse, it’s much easier to do it on the warehouse floor than up in the office, as you can print them as and when they’re needed.
One of the best parts about a portable label printer is its speed. Specialist models can attach labels and stickers directly to packaging, saving you a lot of time. Some can also scan QR codes and barcodes, helping to check stock/information before you print.
Another popular application is in retail. Product labels need to be printed quickly, so having your machine on hand makes it easier. If you run a small business, you can print your shipping labels at any time, or include your printed label receipts in the packaging, all without having to move.
They can be handy in any office too. There will always be a use for your thermal printer, so you might as well choose a handheld one that has all the benefits we’ve talked about.
Your portable label printer doesn’t need to be portable either. It can work perfectly well sat on your desk, ready to go when you are. This versatility is something you simply can’t get with larger models.
The Best Portable Label Printer
Once you understand what you need your label printer for, you can start looking around for the best model. These range from basic machines that print labels, but don’t do much else, to specialist printers that are designed for your work/industry.
You can also find portable label printers with specific features. This includes Bluetooth connectivity, a specific print rate, or some that print on certain materials as well as standard labels.
Charging is also an important factor. You might have a machine that does all you need it to, but can’t survive a long shift on a factory floor. Some portable label printers have an extra long battery life, so they work for as long as you need them to, and only need charging occasionally to keep it that way.
Portable Printer Servicing and Maintenance
If you rely on your portable printer(s) for work, you need to make sure it’s taken care of. You can improve the lifespan of a printer with some basic cleaning and maintenance, clearing out jams and cleaning the print head between uses.
However, there is only so much you can do yourself. Although small, these are still complicated machines, and dismantling them to try and solve an issue is more trouble than it’s worth. That’s where we come in.
We specialise in servicing and printer repairs for all machines, no matter their size or purpose. If your label printer has started to let you down, we’ll send out an engineer to take a look. The process is nice and simple; they’ll take your machine apart, finding the source of the problem and checking all parts for wear and tear. Then they can either fix it then and there, or return on a different day with the spare parts you need. This is a much faster process than other companies guarantee, as we have a warehouse packed with spare parts for printers from all leading brands, and plenty of the more obscure ones.
You can also prevent these issues by arranging for regular servicing. At a time that suits you, we’ll come to your base of operation and give your machines a proper checkup. This won’t just be your portable printers, but any machines covered by the agreement. If our engineers find anything that could become a fault, we’ll get it sorted ASAP, and will even give your printers a thorough clean to keep them working at their best.
If you have any questions about portable printers or any of our services, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you!