In this guide, we go on the hunt for the best shipping label printer for business use. You also have the alternative of integrating the printer into a network,.
FedEx and UPS use basically the same printer it is a Zebra.. 450 or 2844. These are direct thermal printers (no ribbons). In our office we have two printers one loaded with each shippers stock. These two printers keeps us from having to change paper, plus we have multiple people printing to these printers so there is no way to know what stock is loaded if we only had one printer.
Plugged into one of these printer's parallel port we have an Axis 5550 print server. This print server is a parallel and usb print server. It supports up to 2 printers. One label printer is connected by USB and one is connected by parallel. This print server is attached directly to the back on one printer with a usb cable going to the second printer. There is an ethernet connection to connect this print server to the network. We have this print server connected to our office windows print server, this is where the printer drivers are loaded. From there we have the different shippers connect to this printer on the print server. Anyone at any time can print to either of these label printers.
To look at it a different way:
Label software -> Windows Print server -> Axis print server -> Zebra label printers.
In our case we did not buy the label printers but are renting them from the shipping carriers (Fedex and UPS) for a few dollars per month. That way it is their problem if the printer breaks, we just call them up and they send us a new one. Also by them supplying the printers there is no compatibility issues since THEY sent us the printer.
This is the same setup we did for a client. They ship about 30 packages per day. I'm sure this design would scale to several 1000 labels per day (dependent on the printer).
From Convenient to Mission Critical
When most people think of label makers—or label printers, labeling systems, barcode printers, or whatever each manufacturer calls its wares—those little handheld devices with small keyboards and one-line monochrome LCDs come to mind. Well, even though many of those are still available, at this point they are yesterday's technology.
In fact, these days, there are many types and levels of label printers (in terms of price, label quality, and volume) available—from inexpensive and convenient consumer-grade models for labeling containers and other articles around home, to the mission-critical machines for printing shipping labels, warnings (Stop, Caution, Fragile, and so on), barcodes, product labels, and so much more.
Color Choices Galore
Most consumer-grade—and lower-end small-business—labelers print only one color, usually black, although some models offer paper that will produce other colors, such as yellow on black, for example. In fact, some label printers offer a wide range of monochrome-color choices, including, say, white on dark green, or yellow on pink.
The point is that the color of the paper, which is infused with only one foreground shade that is activated by the printer, is the background color. And then there are commercial label printers—which are well beyond the scope of this round-up—that print labels in all shapes and sizes in full color. There are even commercial label machines that are big enough to take up a good portion of your living room.
We primarily review consumer-grade and professional-grade small-business label printers that range in price from less than $100 to just more than $500. Believe it or not, compared with the number of commercial- and enterprise-grade labelers out there, there just aren't that many lower-end consumer and small-business models available. The good news is that, for the most part, what is available is not only impressive but versatile, capable of printing many different types of labels at widely varying sizes.
How Label Makers Work
![Best Network Label Printer Best Network Label Printer](https://i1.wp.com/www.electricianmentor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/1.-Best-Label-Maker-for-Electrician-main.png?resize=400%2C400&ssl=1)
Perhaps all you need to label are some file folders, or you need to print mailing labels from a database. There are products that specialize in these tasks, but many of the most recent label printers support a diverse set of blank label tapes, or rolls, ranging in width and label types. Many of today's labelers support rolls of several different widths, as well as continuous-length rolls, or those consisting of fixed-length die-cut labels that allow you to peel each print off the roll one at a time. Many label printers support not only paper labels, but also plastic, and sometimes those made of fabric or foil.
In addition, all labelers have cutters of one type or another, ranging from simple serrated-edge blades where you tear your labels from the roll manually, as you would tinfoil, to manual guillotine-like blades that you deploy with a lever, to automatic blades that cut each label as it comes out of the printer. Many also come with built-in batteries that allow to you use them on the go, cable-less, without having to plug them in, and a few others support optional attachable batteries.
Nearly all label printers in the consumer- and small-business-grade class are thermal printers. This means that the blank label material itself contains the color (there is no ink in the printer), which is released (in specific patterns) based on the thermal heat released as the paper (or whatever material) passes through the printer. Also, some label printer makers, like Brother, have recently released two-color paper, such as black and red.
Today's labelers support more than just one width or length of rolls, increasing the diversity of label types you can create. If you plan to use your label printer for a wide range of projects—mailing labels, file folders, product barcodes, banners, and more—you should find a machine that supports several widths and other varying configurations of label rolls.
Connecting to Your Label Printer
An important factor in choosing a labeler is deciding how and where you're going to use it. In other words, what type of connection(s) do you need? Many label printers support several connection types, while some support only one or two, with USB being the most common. Not only is it used for connecting to your computer or mobile device, but for the many labelers that come with batteries, it's one of the more common ways to charge them.
The problem with USB is that the labeler must always be tethered to another device, making it more difficult to move around. In addition, printing devices that connect solely via USB do not connect to your network or the internet. Only the computing device connected to the printer over USB can access it.
Bluetooth, too, is supported by many label printers, as is Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct. Wi-Fi, of course, makes the printer part of your network, allowing all of the computers and mobile devices on the network—with the proper software installed, that is—access to the printer. Wi-Fi Direct creates a peer-to-peer network connection between a mobile device and the printer, meaning that neither the printer nor the mobile device requires a standard network connection or router.
Creating and Printing Labels
While yesteryear's label printers required typing on tiny attached keyboards to print, most recent models take their direction from some type of computing device, either a desktop PC, a laptop, or a smartphone or tablet. Many of today's labelers support all of these devices, which, among other things, provides a much easier and more versatile platform for creating and printing labels.
In most instances, the printer tells the software what type of label roll is loaded in the printer. In turn, the software displays predesigned templates for several different label types. You can then either fill in the blanks as-is, redesign the template, or start fresh and create your own custom labels. In many cases, in addition to using the symbols, borders, and other design options built into the software, you can also import clip art and sometimes even photos (which print in monochrome, of course) into your label layouts.
Cost of Ownership
If you plan to print a large number of labels, another critical factor is the cost per label, which is also often referred to as the cost of ownership. Most label printers support a vast collection of label types, as many as 30 or more, ranging in various widths and lengths and colors and material types.
Simple 1.5-by-3.5-inch die-cut labels typically cost about 2 cents to 4 cents per label. Buying the same labels in bulk (say, 50 to 100 rolls) could knock your running costs down by 25 percent or more. Fancier plastic, cloth, and foil labels will cost you significantly more, as will larger labels.
It's also important to remember that the cost per label can be significantly different from machine to machine, depending on what company makes the labeler, the type of labels you buy, how many rolls you buy, and where you buy them.
![The best network label printers The best network label printers](https://cdn.barcodesinc.com/images/models/lg/Zebra/zm400.jpg)
The list below includes the best label printers that we've recently tested. For a look at the top printers overall, check out our main roundup, as well as the best inkjet and laser printers you can buy right now.
Featured Label Printer Reviews:
Brother P-touch Cube Review
MSRP: $59.99Pros: Good print quality. Comprehensive, easy-to-use label design and print mobile app. Strong selection of label types in several color schemes, including fabric iron-on labels. Runs on AC or battery power. Good value for the price.Cons: Cannot use with Windows or Mac PCs. Requires replaceable (rather than rechargeable) batteries.Bottom Line: With excellent design and comprehensive print software, the reasonably priced Brother P-touch Cube prints several sizes and colors of good-quality plastic (laminated) labels from your iOS or Android mobile device.Read ReviewBrother P-touch Cube Plus Review
MSRP: $99.99Pros: Fast. Good print quality. Runs on USB or rechargeable battery. Automatic cutter. Large selection of label types in several colors and sizes.Cons: Expensive consumables.Bottom Line: With its quality output, speedy printing, and solid feature set, the Brother P-touch Cube Plus is an excellent-value label printer for homes and small offices.Read ReviewBrother QL-800 Review
MSRP: $99.99Pros: Fast output. Good print quality. Excellent label design, print software, and mobile apps. Prints two-color, black/red labels. Good selection of label types. Good value for the price.Cons: Per-label media cost is somewhat high. Ability to print in red limited to one label type.Bottom Line: The Brother QL-800 prints several sizes of high-quality label types from your PC, Mac, or Android mobile device via USB, making it an excellent value for its relatively low price.Read ReviewBrother QL-820NWB Review
MSRP: $199.99Pros: Fast print speeds. Good print quality. Multiple network and mobile connectivity options. Excellent label design. Great print software and mobile app. Prints in black and red. Operates as standalone label maker and printer with optional battery.Cons: Consumables somewhat costly on a per-label basis. Battery costs extra. Ability to print in red limited to one label type.Bottom Line: The Brother QL-820NWB is a feature-rich label maker capable of churning out professional-looking output quickly and efficiently.Read ReviewDYMO LabelManager 500TS Review
MSRP: $199.99Pros: Prints from a computer or as a standalone labeler. Automatic cutter. Bright touch screen. QWERTY keyboard.Cons: Hard to control scrolling through long lists, making it easy to skip over the items you're looking for.Bottom Line: The DYMO LabelManager 500TS label printer can connect to a computer to print labels, but its touch screen and QWERTY keyboard make it easy to print without one.Read ReviewBrother QL-810W Review
MSRP: $149.99Pros: Respectable print quality. Prints in black and red. Prints labels fast. Terrific label design. Great print software and robust mobile app. Wide selection of label types.Cons: Per-label cost is high. Battery costs extra. Ability to print in red limited to one label type. QL-820NWB offers much more for not a lot more money.Bottom Line: The Brother QL-810W label maker prints a wide variety of high-quality label types from your PC or mobile device, but its higher-end sibling provides significantly more features and versatility for just a little more money.Read ReviewBrother QL-1100 Review
MSRP: $179.99Pros: Reasonably snappy print speeds. Good print quality, for a label printer. Excellent label-design and -printing software.Cons: Consumables somewhat costly on a per-label basis. No internal battery.Bottom Line: A winning wide-body label maker, the Brother QL-1100 prints to a variety of label stock from your PC, Mac, or mobile device, and it comes with nifty label-design software and mobile apps.Read ReviewDymo LabelWriter 450 Turbo Review
MSRP: $199.99Pros: Comes with excellent label-printing program plus driver and add-ins for Word and Excel. Prints postage.Cons: Word add-in doesn't integrate smoothly with Word.Bottom Line: The Dymo LabelWriter 450 Turbo delivers fast speed for printing on a variety of labels, including postage labels by way of the Endicia Web site.Read ReviewDymo LabelWriter Wireless Review
MSRP: $149.99Pros: Reasonably fast labels. Good print quality. Strong selection of label types. Cost of consumables is competitively low.Cons: Cutter somewhat clumsy and low-tech. While decent, design and print software could be more modern and intuitive.Bottom Line: The Dymo LabelWriter Wireless churns out labels in numerous shapes, colors, and sizes at a competitive per-label cost.Read Review