By Stephanie Manning

Label printers are extremely useful devices and can be used both at home and at work. At home, they can be used in the kitchen for labelling food products, cans, and bottles. In the garage they can be used for labelling tools, drawers, boxes and more. For professional use, or in an office environment, they can be used for labelling wires, office equipment, files and even office doors or desk name plates.

When thinking about buying a label printer, there are a number of aspects one wishes to bear in mind. There are various brands and types of label printers on the market, each offering their own benefits, or made for specific kinds of labelling applications, but in pretty much all cases there'll be some common aspects to think about when choosing a label printer acceptable for your requirements.

1. Initial cost and ongoing consumable costs.

When comparing label printer costs, it isn't just enough to have a look at the outright once-off value of the label printer itself. Obviously, everybody wants to get the best value for their money, so the initial cost is vital for short-listing label printer's that you may be thinking about, but should not be the only cost you take into account.

There are label printer kits that will provide top value for cash, since they frequently include a carrying case and some consumables too. However, you should usually observe the cost of further consumables, since you will need to buy replacement label printer tapes, batteries or even replacement AC adapters at some stage.

These things can add to the final cost of possession and can sometimes be more expensive than the label printer itself. Think about this when selecting your label printer, to get the maximum benefit from your label printer investment.

2. Specific applications for the labels you need.

Not all label printers and labels are made the same, or made for a similar applications. When having a look at varied label printers, you need to make sure that the label printers you are considering will perform well for your labelling wants. In some cases, high speed labelling is significant. In others, top quality labels could be more critical than the rate at which they're printed.

If you have express needs, make a listing of these and use your list to judge the assorted label printers that you are considering. It may be better to pay a little more for a particular kind of label printer, especially if it was designed for your personal printing requirements.

3. Guaranties and after-sales service.

One often overlooked aspect when buying a label printer is the product guaranty and after sales service. It's correct that some label printers are cheap enough that they can easily be replaced without much fuss, if they happen to break, but for pro label printers that cost much more, the warranty and after-sales service will be quite important. If your business relies on label printing, any down-time due to broken label printers might be problematic.

If, for instance, you are in the business of network cabling and reticulation, labels will be extremely vital. If your label printers don't function properly, it can cause delays with jobs. Always enquire what the procedure is for warranty claims and repairs. Also ensure you find out what time frames are concerned with repairs, and if spares are always readily available. The very last thing you need is to wait months for your pricey label printer to get repaired.

If you are in the market for a label printer, be certain to ask these questions and consider these aspects before committing yourself, to make sure you get the best value for your cash and that you get the right label printer for your label printing wishes.

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