Thermal printer: what matters
Not every receipt printer works with every program. Here are the four things to check before you buy.
Paper width: 80 mm almost always
The standard in hospitality and retail is 80 mm wide. The 58 mm ones are cheaper and smaller, but the receipt comes out cramped and the price columns pile up. If you sell a lot and want a readable receipt: 80.
Connection: USB direct, better than network
Over USB it works anywhere and does not depend on wifi. Network printers are handy when printing from several devices, but they add a point of failure and configuration. For a till where you print from the same computer or tablet, USB.
Does it open the cash drawer?
The drawer does not open by itself: the printer sends it a pulse through the RJ11 connector almost all of them carry. Check your model supports it, or you will be opening the drawer with a key on every sale.
Speed and memory
Look at millimetres per second: below 200 mm/s the receipt drags and it shows in the queue. And check it has memory for the logo: if not, the software resends the image on every receipt and everything slows down.
What not to buy
Be wary of printers with no documentation, no drivers for your system, or that only work with one specific program. And of very cheap label-and-receipt hybrids: they tend to fail at the worst moment.
Our advice
An 80 mm USB thermal from a known brand, between 90 and 180 €, with drawer support. You do not need more. And if they offer it with a rental contract, ask what it costs to buy outright.
Already have a printer?
Tell us the model and we will check whether it works with Web TPV before you start.