Are you considering printing your own labels? You could save a lot of time and money printing labels for your business. It’s not just big enterprises, SMEs can also use the best color label printer to print high-quality labels for their products.
Labels are very important as far as sales are concerned. Even high-quality products sometimes fail to do well because of bad packaging. A colorful, glossy, and high-quality label can attract more customers, ultimately increasing your sales.
Having a color label printer will give you the freedom and flexibility to print timely while also saving money. No more running after vendors to provide labels for your finished products.
Best Color Label Printer Reviews.
The following are some of the best color label printers, especially for small businesses. These are standalone printers that offer qualities and speeds comparable with enterprise-level printers.
Comparison Of 5 Best Color Label Printers – In 2022
| Image | Product Name | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Primera AP362 Label Applicator |
| |
 | Primera LX500 Color Label Printer |
| |
 | Primera LX910 Color Label Printer |
| |
 | Primera LX500C Color Label Printer |
| |
 | Epson C31CD84011 Series TM |
|
1. Primera AP362 Label Applicator Review.
The Primera AP362 Label Applicator is a semi-automatic label printer that can print colored labels on cylindrical objects, including bottles, cans, and jars. You can use it to apply just a single or both front and back labels on a container.
Although it works best with labels printed with Primera LX-series label printers, you may be able to use it with labels printed with other printers. This is one of the best label printers for small businesses as it can stick labels on 1200 containers in just an hour.
Primera is a leader in printing technology and strives for sustainability. They recycle cartridges for free all over the world. Also, the products are high-quality, making them efficient for businesses dependent on time.
Using this applicator is pretty simple; you just put the container in position and press the footswitch that applies the label. The machine also has a built-in LED label counter and ensures there are no screw-ups in your label printing process.
The AP362 weighs 23.2 pounds, which is not too heavy. It requires a 240 voltage, and it works with both Imperial and Metric measurement systems. You will have to clean it regularly with some acetone to keep it running efficiently.
- Easy to set up
- Fast operation
- Applies front and back labels both
- High-quality construction
- Easy and quick maintenance
- Only applies the labels
- No warranty
2. Primera LX500 Review.
The Primera LX500 Color Label Printer is one of the top color printers, providing flexibility and speed. The quality of printing is up to 4800 DPI full-color, so your labels will have accurate coloring and overall quality look.
What makes this the best color label printer is that it can work with thousands of label sizes and materials. Labels can be 24 inches long and 4 inches wide, so there’s a lot of flexibility as far as the size of your product’s label is concerned.
The LX500 comes with one dye-based color cartridge that you can recycle easily. You also get BarTender UltraLite Primera Edition Software, drivers for Windows and macOS, USB 2.0 cable, and a manual with instructions.
The starter roll is the printer is a 4×3 inch Tuff-Coat High-Gloss Inkjet Label Stock. Of course, you can use a roll that meets your specific label size and material needs. The number of labels you can print with a single cartridge varies by label sizes and designs. However, you can print hundreds of them with a single cartridge.
This Primera color label printing machine only weighs 7 pounds, so it’s easy to move too. The software, as well as the printer itself, is easy to set up and use. You will not have to go through complicated manual instructions.
- Lots of size and material choices
- Efficient printing
- Easy to use
- High-quality built
- High-quality labels
- Not ink-efficient
- No warranty
3. Primera LX910 Review.
The Primera LX910 is the best printer for label printing if you want something sturdy and long-lasting. This is a single cartridge printer, but the cartridge offers interchangeable pigment and ink. You can work with a wide range of label materials and sizes.
The maximum label width this printer can support is 8.25 inches, whereas the minimum width is 0.5 inches. As for the speed, it takes about a second to print 4.5 inches in a second. That makes it a high-volume printer, giving you over a thousand labels in just an hour.
This one also has a built-in pizza-wheel style cutter to cut the labels to size. Also, it has built-in print heads for the cartridge, which ultimately saves money. This is a heavy-duty color label printer, so weighs 36.5 pounds.
The overall quality of the LX910 is truly unrivaled, as its a steel case. Virtually scratch-resistant, it features an industrial-grade powder coating. It will stay brand new even if it’s used quite heavily every day in your company.
- High-speed printing
- Heavy-duty construction
- Supports many sizes and materials of labels
- Easy to use
- Ink lasts long
- Very expensive
- No warranty
4. Primera LX500C Review.
The Primera LX500C Color Label Printer is the variant of the standard LX500 with a built-in cutter. This makes it even more efficient printer for color label as it removes the need to manually cut labels out. As the labels get printed, they are ready to be applied to the containers you printed them for.
The print resolution of the LX500C is the same i.e., 4800 x 1200 DPI. At this rate, you will be printing high-quality labels, regardless of the type of material you choose. As for the size, you can print labels as small as 0.5 x 0.5 inches, or as large as 24 x 4 inches. That gives quite a lot of room for custom label sizes.
This comes with all the things you need to set it up with your PC or Mac. The drivers are included, as well as a BarTender UltraLite Primera Edition Software. You can hook it up with your computer using the USB 2.0 cable.
Basically, it’s the exact same LX500 printer, just with a cutter. The price difference between LX500 and LX500C is not that significant, so if you’re not constrained by the budget, you could get this version for printing ready to apply labels even faster.
You can work with a wide array of label materials and sizes, available to purchase from Primera or any other vendor. As for the ease of use, you’ll master it in a matter of days. The instructions are quite detailed, so you can find all the information you need to get started.
- Many sizes and material choices
- Fast printing and cutting
- Easy to use
- High-quality built
- High-quality labels
- Not ink-efficient
5. Epson C31CD84011 Review.
This is an inkjet color label printer from Epson that produces high-quality labels at a fast speed. The Japanese company is known for its printers and scanners, so it remains one of the most popular choices for printers in offices, schools, and even businesses.
This is a heavy-duty label printer that can print vividly colorful labels at 12 inches per second. Thanks to the smudge-resistant ink, it’s able to produce high-quality labels. This works best with non-glossy labels, so if you’re specifically using glossy labels, you might want to get a similar label printer that works best with glossy labels.
The high-end label printer features a built-in nozzle verification technology. This ensures that nozzles are clean at all times and that the printing of labels does not stop. You can program the machine to add more colors.
As far as the width of the label is concerned, the maximum measure is 4.1 inches. This is more appropriate for medium to enterprise-level companies that print thousands of labels each day. It’s quite heavy, and therefore, pretty durable.
What makes it stand out is the print quality. With PrecisionCore Inkjet technology, it’s able to produce true colors, correct barcodes, and overall, great quality.
As soon as you type the color label printer, you’ll come across a sea of choices. While there are familiar names as well, some are relatively new. That can make choosing the best color label printer a bit difficult.
Here’s what you need to consider:
- High-speed printing
- Uninterrupted operation
- Low-cost printing
- Durable built
- Easy to work with
- Very heavy
- Does not work with glossy label stock
Type of Color Label Printers.
There are two basic types of color label printers:
Inkjet
Inkjet printers are the most common printers, not just for home or office use, but also for label printing. These use tiny jets that spray droplets of ink onto the label. Dots per inch or DPI determines the quality of the print.
These printers are best for producing color prints as the quality and preciseness of the colors are great. You can find both affordable and high-end options in inkjet color label printers.
Thermal
Thermal label printers have further two kinds: direct thermal and thermal transfer. In direct thermal, the printer applies heat to the label, which has some kind of chemical on it. In thermal transfer, the printer uses heat to activate pigments and print the labels.
Thermal label printers are not capable of printing very vivid colors. As a result, they are a better option for receipts and shipping labels that mostly require black ink.
Workload/Speed
This is more like an analysis of your business needs. You need to consider how much workload you will need to complete in terms of label printing. Simply put, how many labels will you need to print in a day.
This will help you decide which printer offers the most optimal speeds. For instance, if you’re printing thousands of labels in a day, you want a printer that can go hundreds of rounds. It should ideally print at least a thousand labels in an hour.
Size of the Labels
One very important consideration is the size of the labels the printer can support. There are thousands of sizes when it comes to labels for bottles and cans. Most color label printers provide a generous range of label sizes.
Still, you should keep your business needs in mind. Are you going to be producing larger containers in the future? Those would require larger labels, so try to find a label printer that can print both small and large labels.
Printing Cost
Printing costs for a label printer can be very hard to determine. This is because labels vary so much in size. Also, some materials may absorb more ink than others. As a result, you may never be able to find the exact printing costs until you have printed a few thousand labels.
You can keep in mind the cost of refilling the ink. That could be an indicator of whether the label printer is cost-effective. If the refills are too expensive, you’ll be paying a higher cost per print. Ideally, you want the ink to last long and print at least a thousand labels before needing a refill.
Useability
You do not want a machine that’s too difficult for someone to work with. If a new person is operating the printer, they should be able to learn the ins and outs of it in minutes. The overall ease of use can remarkably improve your label printing operations.
Customer Support/Replacement Parts
A lot of people do not consider customers to support this when buying machines, especially for businesses. Machines can stop working; it’s just a reality of life. However, that should not affect your business.
You want to look into a brand that provides good after-sale services. If you run into problems, the support services should be there to help you. Also, replacement parts should be easy to find.
For this reason, it’s smarter to go for a well-known brand, which may even have a global presence. Also, it does not hurt if the printer has some kind of warranty.
FAQ
How Much Money Can I Save With In-house Label Printing?
There are a couple of things that can help you determine exactly how much you can save by having your label-printing in-house. While you will definitely save money in the long run, it depends mainly on the label needs of your company.
You should take into account the number of labels you will need to print on a typical day, but also during peak sales periods. If the color label printer can print that many labels in a single day, you could save a considerable amount of money.
For many business owners, it’s not about the money they will save, but the money they will make by having an operation as crucial as label printing and applying in-house. If your vendor fails to deliver labels within time, your inventory will keep sitting, eventually missing out on sales.
For a quick calculation, you can estimate the cost of printing a thousand labels with an in-house printer. Then subtract it from what a vendor would charge you. If the number is big enough to pay off the printer itself in a few months, you should go for it.
Do Color Label Printers Come With Software To Design Labels?
Some of the color label printers come with software that you can use to design labels. This type of software makes it easy to design labels, in comparison with Photoshop or Illustrator, where you might have to work around the size and resolution.
This is usually an additional feature, and you will not find it with every label printer. However, you can always buy a specific label designing software online or stick to Adobe Creative Suite.
Are There Any Regulations Regarding Labels?
Yes, FDA has some regulations regarding ingredients and nutrition facts for labels on medication and food. You have to adhere to these regulations to avoid recalls or, worse, lawsuits. These are usually regarding font size, calculation of calories, and allergen disclaimers.
With an in-house label operation, you have the opportunity to make sure that these regulations are followed correctly. This is a rather underrated benefit of having a color label printer for your business.
Conclusion:
The best color label printer can give your business many benefits. You can streamline production and save costs. Since you have the printer on your premises, you can print labels, as many of them as you need, and whenever you need them.
