What do you use?

[LilFirecracker]

Hi everyone! Long time, no post! 😃

 

I'd love to hear from as many as possible! What kind printer do you use for your product labels? Quality compared to the cost of it - are you happy with it? Also, one more thing, have any of you ever refilled your own cartridges? I read up a little on a couple of models and it seemed like something I could pull off, and in turn save lots of money!

 

I still haven't bought a good work printer yet. I had finally decided I was gonna go with one from the Epson EcoTank series, but because of the cost I would have to wait a while and find a cheap (but still good) alternative until then. I had finally decided on an Epson Workforce WF-2860. It had every feature I could want and then some - minus the cost efficient ink tank. I went back the other day to order it, only to find out they raised the price $40. I was crushed because I barely was able to hang on to the money I had saved for it and  now I have to wait longer. I'm running out of time. I'm afraid I'm gonna have to settle for something much cheaper than I was already. My main concern is quality because it'll mostly be for my product labels.

 

 

[TallTayl]

Zazzle was an online Print source used  by beloved member Trappeur. There was always a coupon code somewhere 😊

[Cross-stitch]

We got our HP Office Jet Pro 8715 printer from Costco a few years back.  It was on sale for around $70 originally around $120.  We refilled the ink there until they decided to stop doing refills anymore.  So, quite often we watch for sales in order to buy the cartridges now.  If you need to buy ink though, 2 black and 2 color will be almost as much as the printer.

But, for the most part it's been really good to me as far as label printing goes.  Nice thing too is that it will do copying and fax too if you have a phone line.  

[franu61]

I used to refill cartridges on my inkjet printers. I had a refill kit. It was pretty easy to do, just inject ink into the hole(s) on top of each cartridge.  It only worked a couple refills for each cartridge, but that was ok.  i'd buy a new one every now and then and keep refilling.  But guess what...the cartridges aren't refillable anymore!  No holes to inject the ink into.    I dont think they even sell the refill kits anymore.  I like canon ink jet printers,  I'm on my second one in 11 years.  They are workhorses and very inexpensive.  Of course the ink is pricey, but they all are. 

[bfroberts]

In previous years and older inkjet printers, I have refilled ink cartridges. Results were always mixed for me. Sometimes the cart wouldn't work after refilling, sometimes it would. It can be a messy business, too. Finally just got fed up with ink in general and I wanted a better end-product.
I now use an HP Color Laserjet & polyester weatherproof labels. May be a little bit more costly than a cheap inkjet and refilling carts but not much more.  The reliability, end results and lack of waste make it the better choice for me.

[asr]

When I was still involved with my friend's candle business I printed all of our labels on my very old HP CP1525nw. I also used the polyester weatherproof labels (from Online Label) and they always came out beautifully. And yes the laser cartridges are expensive but they last a very long time (depending of course on how much of the label you are printing. We did black labels for Halloween and it devoured the black toner lol). Check for used ones too...I see my model pop up quite a bit on Craigslist. 

 

[asr]

Just another thought to add since you had mentioned you are running out of time. Do you have any local printers that can print labels for you? It may be most costly than printing yourself, but if it gives you time to make a decision on a printer that is a good thing! Some of the local shops where I live offer better pricing and smaller minimums than online. 

 

But if not I can second TallTayl's suggestion of Zazzle. I used to use them for business cards and postcards and was always happy with the product.  

[LilFirecracker]

On 5/3/2022 at 9:32 PM, TallTayl said:

Zazzle was an online Print source used  by beloved member Trappeur. There was always a coupon code somewhere 😊

Awww... She was gone before I got here, but after reading probably close to half the posts that were ever made on this forum since 2005 - I felt like I still got to know her. Her personality, spirit, and willingness to always help someone was truly one of a kind 🥰. I wish I had been here back then. There's quite a few that I feel like I already knew here. 

 

About Zazzle...I did think about checking them out because of her posts about them - she should've been paid for her promotions! 🤣 But I'm really looking to print my own. I want the freedom to be able to change them up when I need/want to. I also like the freedom of being able to print 1 or 100 if needed, especially the labels with the scent names.

[LilFirecracker]

15 hours ago, asr said:

Just another thought to add since you had mentioned you are running out of time. Do you have any local printers that can print labels for you? It may be most costly than printing yourself, but if it gives you time to make a decision on a printer that is a good thing! Some of the local shops where I live offer better pricing and smaller minimums than online. 

 

But if not I can second TallTayl's suggestion of Zazzle. I used to use them for business cards and postcards and was always happy with the product.  

Unfortunately I live in the middle of nowhere, so my options are pretty much non-existent around here. The closest place I have is either 45 miles north or about 60 miles south of me. I'm lucky to even have a Wal-Mart nearby 🤣

 

It seems like quite a few have HPs and seem to be happy for the most part so I'll start looking around at some of those too. 

[BusyBee]

You might pay more upfront for Epson Eco Tank or HP Smart Tank printers, but you will save tons of money on ink costs.  So, actually one of those will cost less in the long run, and you are on right track about thinking of getting one.

 

The ink cartridges now days have chips which to stop us to do refills, but there are after market ink tank system similar to Eco Tank.  I use Epson WF-7110 printer with one of "Continuous Ink System", and it is saving me tons of money.  The print quality is little bit inferior to original Epson ink, but it does the job nicely.  

 

Below picture is one of those system for the Epson WF-2860. 

*These are not easy to install, and it requires occasional reinstalling and resetting because of the chip recognition function of the printer.  Sometimes, the printer will automatically assume that I am out of inks after certain amount of prints which would require resetting.  It needs to bypass chip recognition when it is installed, and it would require several(or up to 30 or 40 times) installations to get this done.  They have "Chipless Continuous Ink System" also which I haven't tried.  You might also want to check out on those too.

[NightLight]

I use a laser printer because not crazy with inkjet smears. I did use generic toner for awhile, but it wasn’t great for my printer. Some of the cartridges powder broke loose and then printer was a mess.

You can get printed labels cheap these days. Avery is one place you might find useful. You can design and print and they ship quickly.

They do not have all sizes but for melts I believe you would easily find labels. 

I would look on Amazon, they have all kinds of printers small ones that could be useful for you.

To start you could have one design label printed and the use a small printer for scent names.

[LilFirecracker]

23 hours ago, BusyBee said:

You might pay more upfront for Epson Eco Tank or HP Smart Tank printers, but you will save tons of money on ink costs.  So, actually one of those will cost less in the long run, and you are on right track about thinking of getting one.

 

The ink cartridges now days have chips which to stop us to do refills, but there are after market ink tank system similar to Eco Tank.  I use Epson WF-7110 printer with one of "Continuous Ink System", and it is saving me tons of money.  The print quality is little bit inferior to original Epson ink, but it does the job nicely.  

 

Below picture is one of those system for the Epson WF-2860. 

*These are not easy to install, and it requires occasional reinstalling and resetting because of the chip recognition function of the printer.  Sometimes, the printer will automatically assume that I am out of inks after certain amount of prints which would require resetting.  It needs to bypass chip recognition when it is installed, and it would require several(or up to 30 or 40 times) installations to get this done.  They have "Chipless Continuous Ink System" also which I haven't tried.  You might also want to check out on those too.

Interesting... I didn't know these even existed! I was wondering if the 2860 was one that could be refilled or not. That would've been my plan if I would get that one. I don't think I could handle the frustration of one of these conversions if it takes that much bypassing and tricking the system. I'm running in a very short fuse these days with all the pressure to get my little show on the road. Any idea how much one of these conversions cost? Just curious if it would be worth it to me 😃 Thanks so much for the heads up on everything!

[LilFirecracker]

5 hours ago, NightLight said:

I use a laser printer because not crazy with inkjet smears. I did use generic toner for awhile, but it wasn’t great for my printer. Some of the cartridges powder broke loose and then printer was a mess.

You can get printed labels cheap these days. Avery is one place you might find useful. You can design and print and they ship quickly.

They do not have all sizes but for melts I believe you would easily find labels. 

I would look on Amazon, they have all kinds of printers small ones that could be useful for you.

To start you could have one design label printed and the use a small printer for scent names.

Oh no!! Ugh.. I can just about imagine how much of a mess that busted cartridge made! 😭 Unfortunately, planning my designs way ahead of time kinda backfired on me. I'd have to redesign everything if I would need to go with another company to print my labels in order to have a basic label with the ability to attach a separate scent label to it. I'd actually prefer to wait a little longer if I have to in order to be able to do what I really want to. Now my business cards on the other hand - I was originally going to print my own, but I think right now that's something I'll definitely leave to a print company! Thanks for the advice. I'll still keep that in mind for my labels if all else fails 😃

[ShelleyF]

I have an Epson 4700 Ecotank. I use it a lot but haven't to replace ink yet. I print a lot of color too. I am going to buy the original tanks though because you can get it for like $30 for all the colors which shipping included. There's a trick to it you just look on eBay and put it in your cart and then they'll send you a discount. I get  discounts all the time because of that. I thought that was weird but my daughter said nope they usually will send you a deal. 

Edited May 6, 2022 by ShelleyF

[TallTayl]

No matter which printer (my hp laser jet, or primera label printer) labels are always a pain in the butt.  Every time. 
 

I wish I had stuck with monochrome type styling - it would have made this all so much easier.

 

in the past when printers got messed up, I had office max do the printing. Any waste was on them. I sent the print job via their web site and picked up at my convenience later.  I’ve also brought a thumb drive to the store and printed on site.  

 

online label sellers, like my local labelsbythesheet.com used to offer professionally printed labels from your graphic upload.  Many Etsy sellers still do. 
 

the nice thing about places like zazzle and other custom print services is you can totally customize short runs and change at will later without the upfront label and printer costs. Initially the cost per label appears higher, but once you factor in the cost of the labels, and shipping for the labels, and the ink and the printer, and the waste, the overall cost is a wash. 

if I had to choose between my two label printers now - one laser the other primera (ink) - I would go laser.  Ink cartridges dry out unless used frequently. They get those uneven lines when you need a pretty label the most. I have spent too many hours fighting with printers to count. 
 

[NightLight]

Laser is excellent and water proof that’s why I use it. Also looks more professional.

 

Here’s a mistake I learned early on. I designed labels and then realized they were all custom sizes.

FIND LABELS SIZES THAT ARE AVAILABLE FIRST! This is a biggie and will make you life much easier if you go with standard sizes, but go maximalist design. It will save you money and time.

 

and yes, black and white design is cheaper to produce. I have both those and color. 

 

I will say I use Avery print online for circle labels because they are a pain to do on my laser printer and get accurately centered.

Others I use my laser.

 

And speaking of printers then you need to get a thermal for labels  which will save you a fortune, there are tons of good ones now to buy. I got mine on Amazon I forget the brand but has amazing customer support in setting up.

 

[TallTayl]

I can’t WAIT for thermals to come out with decent color print ability. The label colors are limited, and sizes are being expanded all the time. 
 

double YES to picking normal label sizes. Odd sizes are so expensive. For a long while I used full sheet and cut to size. Gives a good chance to laminate labels that need extra protection. The BOPP material works well but $$$ 

[Kris10Tackles]

On 5/4/2022 at 2:33 PM, asr said:

When I was still involved with my friend's candle business I printed all of our labels on my very old HP CP1525nw. I also used the polyester weatherproof labels (from Online Label) and they always came out beautifully. And yes the laser cartridges are expensive but they last a very long time (depending of course on how much of the label you are printing. We did black labels for Halloween and it devoured the black toner lol). Check for used ones too...I see my model pop up quite a bit on Craigslist. 

 

I have this printer and it’s fantastic. When I had my jam company I used it and Online Labels to print in house for whatever fruit was available that week. Even now, I cannot imagine going back to an inkjet.

Edited May 7, 2022 by Kris10Tackles

[LilFirecracker]

8 hours ago, ShelleyF said:

I have an Epson 4700 Ecotank. I use it a lot but haven't to replace ink yet. I print a lot of color too. I am going to buy the original tanks though because you can get it for like $30 for all the colors which shipping included. There's a trick to it you just look on eBay and put it in your cart and then they'll send you a discount. I get  discounts all the time because of that. I thought that was weird but my daughter said nope they usually will send you a deal. 

I thought they just sold the ink to refill the tanks.... Didn't know they sold the whole tank with the ink for half the price. And it's original Epson tank & ink?

[LilFirecracker]

8 hours ago, TallTayl said:

No matter which printer (my hp laser jet, or primera label printer) labels are always a pain in the butt.  Every time. 
 

I wish I had stuck with monochrome type styling - it would have made this all so much easier.

 

in the past when printers got messed up, I had office max do the printing. Any waste was on them. I sent the print job via their web site and picked up at my convenience later.  I’ve also brought a thumb drive to the store and printed on site.  

 

online label sellers, like my local labelsbythesheet.com used to offer professionally printed labels from your graphic upload.  Many Etsy sellers still do. 
 

the nice thing about places like zazzle and other custom print services is you can totally customize short runs and change at will later without the upfront label and printer costs. Initially the cost per label appears higher, but once you factor in the cost of the labels, and shipping for the labels, and the ink and the printer, and the waste, the overall cost is a wash. 

if I had to choose between my two label printers now - one laser the other primera (ink) - I would go laser.  Ink cartridges dry out unless used frequently. They get those uneven lines when you need a pretty label the most. I have spent too many hours fighting with printers to count. 
 

Sounds like the kind of luck I'll probably run into with bad printing at the worst possible time! 🤣 I really might need to revisit the option of online printers again just in case. I'll look at some prices, plus I'll keep checking online for another surprise price drop or maybe the printer fairy will leave the one I want under my desk! 🥰

 

 

 

 

[LilFirecracker]

4 hours ago, NightLight said:

Laser is excellent and water proof that’s why I use it. Also looks more professional.

 

Here’s a mistake I learned early on. I designed labels and then realized they were all custom sizes.

FIND LABELS SIZES THAT ARE AVAILABLE FIRST! This is a biggie and will make you life much easier if you go with standard sizes, but go maximalist design. It will save you money and time.

 

and yes, black and white design is cheaper to produce. I have both those and color. 

 

I will say I use Avery print online for circle labels because they are a pain to do on my laser printer and get accurately centered.

Others I use my laser.

 

And speaking of printers then you need to get a thermal for labels  which will save you a fortune, there are tons of good ones now to buy. I got mine on Amazon I forget the brand but has amazing customer support in setting up.

 

Ok, I have noticed that a lot of sellers have 2 printers they work with. One for shipping labels and one for product labels/everything else. So what is the advantage of having 2 different printers, having to pretty much keep them both connected, & having to buy 2 different types of labels vs. Doing everything on ONE laser or inkjet printer & ONE type of label? I've always wanted opinions on this so now's the perfect time to find out!

[BusyBee]

9 hours ago, LilFirecracker said:

Interesting... I didn't know these even existed! I was wondering if the 2860 was one that could be refilled or not. That would've been my plan if I would get that one. I don't think I could handle the frustration of one of these conversions if it takes that much bypassing and tricking the system. I'm running in a very short fuse these days with all the pressure to get my little show on the road. Any idea how much one of these conversions cost? Just curious if it would be worth it to me 😃 Thanks so much for the heads up on everything!

I use one that has chip for my WF-7110 which needs chip bypassing trick.  But the one for WF-2860 are all chipless system, and they needs chipless firmware to be installed on your printer.  It should work, but I don't recommend doing this unless you have some computer software knowledge.  But FYI, these are the web links that sells them.

 

This is the one for WF2860.  It is around $90($50 for the system & $40 for the Pigment inks) with "Pigment Ink" which will last for very long time.  

*If you go down little bit of their web page, then it will explain how the chipless thing works.

https://www.inkxpro.com/INKXPRO-Chipless-CISS-for-Epson-WF2860-p/ciss-chipless-202.htm

 

They also have "Refillable Refill Ink Cartridge" which cost a lot less. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/294913103554?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110002%26algo%3DSPLICE.SOI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D238311%26meid%3Dfacdff9103404b75bf2f8a9caa854b48%26pid%3D101196%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D294874454699%26itm%3D294913103554%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DPromotedSellersOtherItemsV2WithMLRv3%26brand%3DUnbranded&_trksid=p2047675.c101196.m2219&amdata=cksum%3A294913103554facdff9103404b75bf2f8a9caa854b48|enc%3AAQAGAAABACtrZQ7uyU6NyRWMuc0OogoSa%2FUIDys%2F02w7jR10vOAtm9lp7JdLT7FGbmlI1Mu2NgpeGOI1V4LVMROE7ictagf1wqVog09y%2FsfdGHrZzxJ8C%2BqyAQveq2DHME2%2ByZWRbs6Y9PZFL0mNIgFEVz6Eww26iM7GDbUe7AXKhWse36a4zgDjzNnQEhV1qQ18achKEaPgXnAdWQAtgq3G2bmUSwqA1ytoNA7DG3hvg5b5%2FPJvGAd32UGiMW%2FFiW5pizZ79oZk1p5yLXNy0rHzp7js%2BGmtnenTBN%2FTSdLmUzvPO99%2Fb29hZx6WOsJ07ed1Awximpa5HXYSQeYPYhfr0oDIYbA%3D|ampid%3APL_CLK|clp%3A2047675

 

Inkjet printer's heads will clog up easily if not used in certain period of time.  It need to print something at least once a week to avoid clog up.  Also, these inks have shelf life of 2 years.  So, inks should be used within 2 years.

 

Printer type should be decided upon your label needs.  I use all three inkjet, color laser & black laser printers for my labels because I need all three printers for my different labels.  One printer could do the job, but quality is totally different.  When I need black & white labels, black laser printer will provide true black result than color laser printer.

 

My estimated ink costs for recharged after market ink cartridges was about 11 cents for letter size blank labels.  With factory cartridge, that would be close to 20 cents per page.  But using these continuous ink system, the cost would be less than 1 cent per page.  I am guessing it would cost 2 cents per page for the Eco Tank printer.  When you do 3,000 pages of labels with Eco Tank printer, then that would be $270 saving(or $540 saving comparing to the original).  Try to find refurbished Eco Tank printer even though you might have to spend little bit more than your original budget.  With these printers, spending more on hardware could be spending less in total costs.

*I have full graphics when I use inkjet printer which use a lot of inks.  

 

One more thing!  I laminate the labels which would cost 25 cents per page.  Labels become water proof, and it provides professional look.

 

Good luck on finding your printer that works for your need!

[BusyBee]

1 hour ago, LilFirecracker said:

Ok, I have noticed that a lot of sellers have 2 printers they work with. One for shipping labels and one for product labels/everything else. So what is the advantage of having 2 different printers, having to pretty much keep them both connected, & having to buy 2 different types of labels vs. Doing everything on ONE laser or inkjet printer & ONE type of label? I've always wanted opinions on this so now's the perfect time to find out!

One printer can cover all different types of printing needs.  But in order to get the best result, you will need more than one.

 

Black laser printer:  Invoices, shipping labels, contracts, and best for black & white labels.

 

Color laser printer:  Best for less graphic color labels where letters & logo need to stand out. 

*I do warning labels with color laser printer, but color inkjet will do the job also.

 

Color ink jet printer:  Best for full graphic color labels where pictures need to standout more than the letters.

[NightLight]

Yes two printers. Thermal for shipping labels if you plan on being direct to consumer/Etsy or elsewhere. Then label printer if you plan on printing your own labels. I started with just a laser printer, but its too costly with toner to print shipping labels. Thermal printers are great no toner or cartridges to replace and you can get the labels cheap Amazon, EBay, UPS.

[LilFirecracker]

On 5/6/2022 at 11:22 PM, BusyBee said:

I use one that has chip for my WF-7110 which needs chip bypassing trick.  But the one for WF-2860 are all chipless system, and they needs chipless firmware to be installed on your printer.  It should work, but I don't recommend doing this unless you have some computer software knowledge.  But FYI, these are the web links that sells them.

 

This is the one for WF2860.  It is around $90($50 for the system & $40 for the Pigment inks) with "Pigment Ink" which will last for very long time.  

*If you go down little bit of their web page, then it will explain how the chipless thing works.

https://www.inkxpro.com/INKXPRO-Chipless-CISS-for-Epson-WF2860-p/ciss-chipless-202.htm

 

They also have "Refillable Refill Ink Cartridge" which cost a lot less. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/294913103554?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110002%26algo%3DSPLICE.SOI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D238311%26meid%3Dfacdff9103404b75bf2f8a9caa854b48%26pid%3D101196%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D294874454699%26itm%3D294913103554%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DPromotedSellersOtherItemsV2WithMLRv3%26brand%3DUnbranded&_trksid=p2047675.c101196.m2219&amdata=cksum%3A294913103554facdff9103404b75bf2f8a9caa854b48|enc%3AAQAGAAABACtrZQ7uyU6NyRWMuc0OogoSa%2FUIDys%2F02w7jR10vOAtm9lp7JdLT7FGbmlI1Mu2NgpeGOI1V4LVMROE7ictagf1wqVog09y%2FsfdGHrZzxJ8C%2BqyAQveq2DHME2%2ByZWRbs6Y9PZFL0mNIgFEVz6Eww26iM7GDbUe7AXKhWse36a4zgDjzNnQEhV1qQ18achKEaPgXnAdWQAtgq3G2bmUSwqA1ytoNA7DG3hvg5b5%2FPJvGAd32UGiMW%2FFiW5pizZ79oZk1p5yLXNy0rHzp7js%2BGmtnenTBN%2FTSdLmUzvPO99%2Fb29hZx6WOsJ07ed1Awximpa5HXYSQeYPYhfr0oDIYbA%3D|ampid%3APL_CLK|clp%3A2047675

 

Inkjet printer's heads will clog up easily if not used in certain period of time.  It need to print something at least once a week to avoid clog up.  Also, these inks have shelf life of 2 years.  So, inks should be used within 2 years.

 

Printer type should be decided upon your label needs.  I use all three inkjet, color laser & black laser printers for my labels because I need all three printers for my different labels.  One printer could do the job, but quality is totally different.  When I need black & white labels, black laser printer will provide true black result than color laser printer.

 

My estimated ink costs for recharged after market ink cartridges was about 11 cents for letter size blank labels.  With factory cartridge, that would be close to 20 cents per page.  But using these continuous ink system, the cost would be less than 1 cent per page.  I am guessing it would cost 2 cents per page for the Eco Tank printer.  When you do 3,000 pages of labels with Eco Tank printer, then that would be $270 saving(or $540 saving comparing to the original).  Try to find refurbished Eco Tank printer even though you might have to spend little bit more than your original budget.  With these printers, spending more on hardware could be spending less in total costs.

*I have full graphics when I use inkjet printer which use a lot of inks.  

 

One more thing!  I laminate the labels which would cost 25 cents per page.  Labels become water proof, and it provides professional look.

 

Good luck on finding your printer that works for your need!

That's a lot of information to think about! Thank you so much @BusyBee for taking the time to give me all of that. I used to be up to date with everything in the tech world, but then my world got flipped upside down years ago and in all of that bs I lost touch with everything and now I feel like I'm 15 years behind in time. I'd rather go the "easier for my brain" route - at least until I get back into the swing of things and feel more comfortable re-learning everything.