Which Thermal Printer for me?

bobbyboucher · #1 10-28-2018

I think it is time i invested in a thermal printer.
I sell digital items but also household stuff.
I am about to sell my Vinyl collection on ebay too so will need lots of labels as selling them 1 by 1 :( .

I don't think i will be doing 30 labels pw. I want to be able to use systems from the Royal Mail and Ebay etc.

What would be the best bet for me? I was looking at the Dymo 450 label maker until i saw many posts about the Zebra LP2844 . Originally would love a wireless machine but my heart tells me it's not worth the price for my needs/usage.

I use a mac btw(but have windows 7VM).

13obby · #2 10-28-2018

I use zebra zd420 and labels are free with Royal Mail if you have a OBA account with them.

You cannot use zebra with Mac even though you have windows VMware it will only work on a windows machine but if you do work out how to use it with windows using vm please let me know because I’ve been trying to do this for ages.

Play · #3 10-28-2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by 13obby

I use zebra zd420 and labels are free with Royal Mail if you have a OBA account with them.

You cannot use zebra with Mac even though you have windows VMware it will only work on a windows machine but if you do work out how to use it with windows using vm please let me know because I’ve been trying to do this for ages.

Parallel workstation on Mac (to use Windows applications)? If you really wanted to use a zebra that is.

Or even bootcamp with windows, though in essence you'll be using windows then.

Play · #4 10-28-2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobbyboucher

I think it is time i invested in a thermal printer.
I sell digital items but also household stuff.
I am about to sell my Vinyl collection on ebay too so will need lots of labels as selling them 1 by 1 :( .

I don't think i will be doing 30 labels pw. I want to be able to use systems from the Royal Mail and Ebay etc.

What would be the best bet for me? I was looking at the Dymo 450 label maker until i saw many posts about the Zebra LP2844 . Originally would love a wireless machine but my heart tells me it's not worth the price for my needs/usage.

I use a mac btw(but have windows 7VM).

Regardless of how small your business is, I would ALWAYS recommend a thermal printer. It saves so much time, and as your business grows, its just one less hassle to deal with. Go for it!

bobbyboucher · #5 10-28-2018

I am deffo going for it. I am thinking the Dymo 450 will suit my needs.
I am probably going to use Royal Mail as most will be 12' Vinyl Records as well as 2nd class signed for letters for some digital sales .

Dymo seems to work on mac so that will be my choice unless anyone can tell me otherwise?

Play · #6 10-28-2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobbyboucher

I am deffo going for it. I am thinking the Dymo 450 will suit my needs.
I am probably going to use Royal Mail as most will be 12' Vinyl Records as well as 2nd class signed for letters for some digital sales .

Dymo seems to work on mac so that will be my choice unless anyone can tell me otherwise?

I purchased the dymo 4xl, and I'd recommend that. Only because you can use the smaller labels compatible with the 450, but if you ever need larger labels for larger parcels, you can do it all from the same printer.

bobbyboucher · #7 10-28-2018

£160+ ? Noooo lol
I am not a big seller and my items will be letters and 12' cardboard letters for the vinyl.
Did look at the Wireless Dymo just now...but even thats £110 . Nothings cheap in Stealth is it ?

Play · #8 10-28-2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobbyboucher

£160+ ? Noooo lol
I am not a big seller and my items will be letters and 12' cardboard letters for the vinyl.
Did look at the Wireless Dymo just now...but even thats £110 . Nothings cheap in Stealth is it ?

I only suggested it as you grow your business (if you have plans to), you'll end up probably needing one. So instead of having to buy another, may be more economical to buy the best one now.

I wouldn't go the wireless route. Personally I find wireless stuff don't always work as well as wired.

bobbyboucher · #9 10-28-2018

Cheers for all the info guys.
Head is pickled a bit now on what to get lol.
I use a mac and Virtual Box with win 7. USB sharing is a major issue(cant get it to use a usb pen drive let alone a printer) so I am gonna have issues there with 5 stealth accounts and trying to print .
Decisions !

Think i might buy Parallels for mac as i know it works for usb

Play · #10 10-28-2018

Either way, good luck! Let us know how it all pans out for you.

vettefever17 · #11 11-04-2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobbyboucher

Cheers for all the info guys.
Head is pickled a bit now on what to get lol.
I use a mac and Virtual Box with win 7. USB sharing is a major issue(cant get it to use a usb pen drive let alone a printer) so I am gonna have issues there with 5 stealth accounts and trying to print .
Decisions !

Think i might buy Parallels for mac as i know it works for usb

Dont worry about the hassle of Parallels. I am a MAC user and I just use a new user partition. Just remember to never connect anything and cross contaminant. An IPhone is usually fine, as long as you take proper steps to drag and instill the proper data.

As for your printer issue. I use a DYMO 4XL. You cannot beat this label printer. Hell, most of the bigger names are bulletproof. But I can vouch for mine, it has printed thousands and thousands of labels without fail. You can easily pay/ write off taxes for a unit within a few months depending on your sales. Good luck!

**SaiJin** · #12 11-04-2018

I love Zebra LPT printers.
It's super reliable and you don't run out of ink =)

phaz0rz · #13 11-04-2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by SaiJin

I love Zebra LPT printers.
It's super reliable and you don't run out of ink =)

I'll vouch for Zebra too. We use an LP-2844-Z purchased used off of eBay years ago. Never runs out of ink or needs any maintenance, the labels are 100% free, and it saves us hours each day compared to cutting/taping plain paper labels like we did when we were starting out.

If I remember correctly though Zebra's don't work so well with Macs. :(

**SaiJin** · #14 11-04-2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by phaz0rz

I'll vouch for Zebra too. We use an LP-2844-Z purchased used off of eBay years ago. Never runs out of ink or needs any maintenance, the labels are 100% free, and it saves us hours each day compared to cutting/taping plain paper labels like we did when we were starting out.

If I remember correctly though Zebra's don't work so well with Macs. :(

They don't have the driver for macs even if we use an LPT to USB adapter?

BigCJ · #15 11-04-2018

What the hell is with these spammers???

phaz0rz · #16 11-04-2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by SaiJin

They don't have the driver for macs even if we use an LPT to USB adapter?

Our 2844-Z has a USB output and that's how I connect to it. Mac users here say it doesn't matter how you connect the Zebra, the drivers just won't work to print shipping labels on a Mac. I'm just going by what I've heard Mac users here on the forum say over the years.

Seems like even in the worst case if Zebra's are completely incompatible with Macs, you could just run Windows 7 in VMWare with VMWare tools (USB sharing) enabled and print labels that way.

All I know is Zebra's are best for any USA sellers because you never have to pay for 4x6 Zebra labels.

@CJ - where? I'm not trying to spam for Zebra.

Play · #17 11-04-2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by phaz0rz

I'll vouch for Zebra too. We use an LP-2844-Z purchased used off of eBay years ago. Never runs out of ink or needs any maintenance, the labels are 100% free, and it saves us hours each day compared to cutting/taping plain paper labels like we did when we were starting out.

If I remember correctly though Zebra's don't work so well with Macs. :(

Never runs out of ink because the ink is embedded into the labels...

phaz0rz · #18 11-05-2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by Play

Never runs out of ink because the ink is embedded into the labels...

Well, kind of. More like the printer gets the labels hot and excited. I shouldn't have mentioned ink when discussing a thermal printer but I did because others had, lol.

ebaystealth1974 · #19 11-05-2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by phaz0rz

Never runs out of ink or needs any maintenance, the labels are 100% free, and it saves us hours each day compared to cutting/taping plain paper labels like we did when we were starting out.

(

I looked into getting one back when I was doing high volume. Never did, though.

I still have thousands of self-adhesive PP labels leftover from back then... be a while before I need anymore of those lol

phaz0rz · #20 11-05-2018

The kind for non-thermal printers? I can take them off your hands and put them to use..

ebaystealth1974 · #21 11-05-2018

I'm using them. Slowly, but surely...

How you gonna use them if they aren't what you use?

phaz0rz · #22 11-05-2018

I have a little HP Laserjet + the Zebra on a table next to my desk. I get free full-sheet labels from couriers every once in a while, so I might as well use them, y'know?

Plus we use the laser printer for printing anything other than shipping labels so it's not going anywhere any time soon.