Thermal Printer – Types, Color Printing, Pros & Cons

In today’s fast-paced digital world, printers remain essential tools for both personal and business use. Among the various types of printers available, thermal printers have carved out a niche for their speed and efficiency. From retail receipts to shipping labels, they power many everyday printing needs behind the scenes. This article explores what thermal printers are, how they work, and how they compare to other printers.

Definition: Thermal printer

A thermal printer is a type of printer that uses a heated printhead to produce images or text on paper. Unlike traditional printers, thermal printers don’t require ink or toner. Instead, they rely on heat-sensitive printer paper or a ribbon coated with wax-like material. Thermal printing is commonly used in environments where fast, reliable, and low-maintenance printing is essential.

Types

In our label printer article, we’ve already scratched the surface when it comes to the two types of thermal printing: direct thermal and thermal transfer printing.

Direct thermal (DT) printers apply pressure and heat directly onto specially coated thermal paper, which darkens when it passes under the thermal printhead. As a result, the printed sheet or roll media is more sensitive to light and heat compared to other paper types and can fade if overexposed.

This is why they are typically used for short-term applications like receipts or shipping labels. The lifespan of direct thermal prints can span from 6 months to several years, depending on the environment.

Thermal transfer (TT) printers use a wax-coated ink ribbon (or ribbons) to transfer ink onto paper or other materials using heat and pressure. The wax coating on the ribbon is melted, exposing the ink, which is then pressed against the printing material and left there to dry. This specific technique is called thermal wax printing; however, the ribbons can also be coated in resin or a mixture of wax and resin.

The result is more durable and suitable for long-term or outdoor use, such as product labels or barcode tags. For professional print quality and long durability, ribbon and label media must be compatible.

Which one should you choose?

In the image below, we’ve listed both benefits and drawbacks of each thermal printer type.

Color printing

Unlike traditional printers, thermal printers (especially portable printers) do not use printing ink. Instead, they rely on heat to produce prints. Because no ink or toner cartridges are involved, thermal printing is generally cleaner and requires less maintenance than ink-based printers.

In direct thermal printing, the heat from the printhead is applied directly to thermal paper, causing the paper to darken in specific areas. This method is used for monochrome prints, although color thermal paper can be used as a color printing alternative.

There are, however, specialized thermal printers that make color printing possible. This technology is called dye sublimation, which is also known as dye diffusion thermal transfer (D2T2) printing. These printers are equipped with a dye-coated ribbon that contains cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK) dyes. The printhead heats the ribbon ink, causing the dyes to sublimate (transition from solid to gas), and transfers onto the coated paper layer by layer.

Printer paper

The printer paper type used depends on the printing method and the intended application. Each type of thermal printer requires a compatible material to produce professional printing results.

Differences

In this section, we’ve compared thermal printers with laser and inkjet printers.

Inkjet printers are known for high-resolution images and color printing. They spray tiny droplets of liquid ink directly onto paper and can print on numerous paper types, including photo paper.

When it comes to printing, inkjets are generally slower than thermal printers and also require higher maintenance. This clears up the main differences between thermal and inkjet printers.

Laser printers, similar to thermal printers, don’t use printing ink; instead, they use toner cartridges and a heated drum to fuse images or text onto paper. They also have a high printing speed, which makes them ideal for bulk printing tasks.

Laser printers are usually the number one choice when it comes to document printing since they, like thermal printers, excel in creating black and white copies and prints. However, similar to inkjet printers, laser printers are higher maintenance than thermal printers.

For a comparison between inkjet and laser printers, click on the button below.

To inkjet vs. laser printer

Benefits & disadvantages

Below, we’ve listed common benefits and disadvantages that come with thermal printers in general.