What Are The Disadvantages of Thermal Printers?

What are the disadvantages of thermal printers?

Even though thermal printers are very useful, and an amazing technological development, there are downfalls to every product. We will be going over them so you can decide if a thermal printer is for you.

Disadvantages

The biggest disadvantages of thermal printers are that they tend to be more expensive than regular printers, you need to purchase thermal paper, they have color limitations, thermal labels fade overtime, and print heads can get damaged by heat and they are expensive to replace.

Higher Cost

One of the biggest disadvantages of a thermal printer is that it can be more expensive than regular printers and you need to purchase paper which is more expensive than regular printing paper. On top of that, because of the high heat, there is a chance of damage to the print head overtime which results in additive costs.

This seems like a big disadvantage but when it comes to cost, other things have to be taken into perspective. Thermal printers do not use ink or toner, which saves so much cost over time. The savings from that will justify the higher price and cost of thermal paperAlso there are printer like the FreeX WiFi SuperRoll thermal printer which are compatible with any direct thermal label, meaning you can find cheaper options online.

As for the possibility of repairing your printer. Thermal printers do not break as often as regular printers due to their simple design and no moving parts, so the chance it breaks and you'll have to replace it is much lower.

Color Limitations

Another disadvantage of thermal printers is the color limitations they have. Usually thermal printers do not have as many color options and they ones they do have are less vibrant and pigmented.

This shouldn't be a huge issue if you are printing shipping labels, receipts or barcodes. This will only be a problem if you are trying to print high definition pictures which most people wouldn't do on a thermal printer.

Labels

The last disadvantage of thermal printers is the labels themselves. Thermal labels remain heat-sensitive after printing which means if there is enough heat exposure the printer paper will get darker over time. Also, the thermal labels can degrade from human touch. The warmth of the human body will damage the print and can cause imprints.

Conclusion