5 Best POS Receipt Printers for Retail Business in 2022

Receipt printing is the final stage of every purchase made in a retail store. Despite the popularity of e-invoices, manual bills are still quite popular, especially among businesses that use a designated point of sale (POS) system to process retail transactions. This is because many shoppers do not wish to share their email addresses and wish to receive paper receipts over e-invoices.

Reports state that “the global POS receipt printer market size is estimated to be worth USD 3372.5 million in 2022 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 5909.8 million by 2028 with a CAGR of 9.8% during the forecast period of 2022-28.”

While starting a new business, irrespective of its size, it is essential to invest in a receipt printer as a part of the point of sale (POS) hardware bundle. As the name suggests, receipt printers are used to print payment slips for customers that contain purchase-related information like the date and time of purchase, product name, price, and so on. Physical receipts not only serve as proof of purchase but are also beneficial for customers, should they wish to return/exchange any purchased product.

If receipt printing is a necessity for your business, then you need to ensure that you are equipped with the right receipt printing consumables along with the device. Providing excellent customer service is imperative for any business as it helps build a strong customer relationship. A robust receipt printer offering quality prints helps expedite the checkout process, without going through the hassle of waiting in long queues; and this provides customers with a seamless shopping experience, thus building a strong customer bond.

Nonetheless, just purchasing the ideal device isn’t enough. Setting it up correctly and integrating it with the remaining point of sale (POS) hardware components and software is important. In this blog, we have enlisted the best POS receipt printers of 2022 for you to pick the perfect device for your retail business set-up.

But, before doing so, let us discuss the

Different Types of Receipt Printers

When you decide to invest in a receipt printer, you need to consider the type of device you would invest in. There are different types of receipt printer models in the market designed to suit different environments, for example, mobile receipt printers that allow the convenience of printing receipts at any location within the store.

For a point of sale (POS) set up, ideally, there are two distinct types of receipt printers:

1. Impact/Dot Matrix Receipt Printers: These printers come with an ink ribbon and printheads comprise 9-25 pins. When the pins strike through the ink ribbon, it forms letters and graphics on the receipt paper. Usually, the prints are in black or red colour.

Advantages of Impact/Dot Matrix Printers

• These devices are less expensive and more durable.
• They offer simple and reliable function
• Capable of printing multiple copies at the same time
• Suitable for high-temperature settings too

Disadvantages of Impact/Dot Matrix Printers

• The printing process is noisy
• Offers slow printing speed
• The print quality is limited
• Susceptible to paper jamming

2. Thermal Receipt Printers: As the name implies, thermal printers function on a heat mechanism to create prints. These devices do not require any ink or toner, eliminating the hassle of dealing with moving parts. However, these are preferred more at retail setups or restaurants.

Advantages of Thermal Receipt Printers

• Offers faster speed
• Quieter printing process
• High resolution prints
• Durable
• Easy to maintain
• Comparatively lightweight

Disadvantages of Thermal Receipt Printers

• High upfront cost
• Limited colour print choices

Let us now discuss

The 5 Best POS Receipt Printers for Retail Business

1. Epson TM-T82III Thermal Receipt Printer Serial/USB: This smart design receipt printer is known to offer seamless performance, ensuring a great quality level, efficiency, and durability. This compact device can be set up anywhere and allows you to start your operations with minimal fuss. It supports features like

• Up to 250mm print speed
• Easy to use and maintain hardware
• All-in-one box with accessories for easy and quick setup
• Perfect for environments with low volumes of point of sale (POS) transactions

2. Epson TM-U220B Dot Matrix Receipt Printer Ethernet and Auto Cut: A space-saving receipt printer model, the Epson TM-U220B dot matrix receipt printer is known for its operational efficiency. This device is fully compatible with most point of sale (POS) systems, especially the ones using TM-U220B series printers.It supports features such as:

• 4.7 lps (at 40 columns, 16 cpi), 6.9 lps (at 30 columns, 16 cpi) print speed; 30% faster than the TM-U200 series
• Three impact printer model
• 9-pin serial impact dot matrix
• 0.06 to 0.085 paper thickness and flexible paper widths
• 6.29 x 9.76 x5.45” (160 x 248 x 138.5mm) printer dimensions

3. Star Micronics TSP143III USB Thermal Receipt Printer: Connectivity and communication are the two common challenges that modern-day retailers face. This receipt printer comes with a USB interface and is compatible with its previous version- TSP100 without the additional hassles of internal integration or development. It supports features like

• Eco-friendly design for smaller carbon footprints
• Up to 250 mm/s print speed
• A built-in guillotine auto-cutter with a capacity of 2 million cuts
• Drop-in and print paper loading function
• A large paper roll compartment
• Auto de-curl feature

4. Epson TM-M30II Thermal Receipt Printer USB Ethernet Bluetooth: This mobile point of sale (mPOS) receipt printer allows peripheral connection through advanced hub functionality. It supports exciting features including

• A simple, compact cube design with a small footprint
• Up to 250 mm/s print speed
• A paper near-end sensor
• Printhead and auto-cutter
• Compatible with iOS, Android, and Windows

5. Epson TM-M30 Bluetooth Receipt Printer: Boost your operational efficiencies with this fast, easy to use, and efficient receipt printer. This is one of the smallest and most compact receipt printers offering

• 200mm/sec print speed
• 203 x 203 dpi print resolution
• Drop-in paper loading
• Ethernet, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi connectivity
• iOS, Android, and Windows mobile operating systems

Wrapping Up,

While choosing your receipt printer, consider a few factors (other than just the printer type) that would make your overall business operations seamless.

• Print Speed: The print speed impacts your customers’ shopping experience directly. When a receipt printer prints a receipt per second, it is considered to be effectively fast. Slower print speed makes customers wait in long queues, leaving them frustrated, thereby impacting your customer service.
• Connectivity and Compatibility: Ethernet connection offers a stable connection with little delay in printing. But these devices are perfect for large facilities and large volumes of customers. Wi-Fi printers are also Ethernet printers without cables. These devices are connected to Wi-Fi routers to connect to the point of sale (POS) system. Bluetooth receipt printers connect with the point of sale (POS) system via Bluetooth and are perfect for small space environments. On the other hand, USB connectivity printers can be integrated with the point of sale (POS) system easily. But these printers require a wire and USB wires are usually short in length. This would hinder the portability option for your device.
• Dimensions: Aesthetics is an essential factor that you need to consider while purchasing a receipt printer. You would not want to purchase a device that would consume a lot of space on your checkout counter or desk. Therefore, make sure you consider the space and check the printer’s dimensions properly before purchasing.
• Receipt Customisation: Receipts act as a great marketing tool other than being just a proof of transaction. You can customise your receipt roll with your store’s logo, and add contact details, email addresses, and other essential information that you wish to share with your customers to keep them engaged with your brand.
• Roll Speed: As a retail store owner, you would not want to make your customers wait in long queues while changing the paper roll in your receipt printer. This leaves a negative impression on the customers. Ideally, your POS receipt printer should allow an easy drop-in feature that would expedite the roll change process and save you from all the hassles.
• Power Consumption: Thermal printers consume electricity as they work on a heat mechanism. On the other hand, other printers have other downsides, for example, a battery-operated receipt printer needs to be charged from time to time as the battery’s power would drain out after a certain time. Similarly, USB powered printers need to be attached to a computer, consuming power.
  
• Cost: Different models of receipt printers are available in different price ranges. Consider your budget before you make your purchase. The upfront cost of dot matrix printers is low but there are maintenance costs involved. Thermal printers are costly comparatively. But, the lack of moving parts minimises their maintenance cost.

If you are looking for affordable, high-performance receipt printers in Australia, browse through the POS Plaza website. We have all the bestselling receipt printers of 2022 available at competitive prices. Other than these, we are a leading online reseller of premium point of sale (POS) hardware, consumables, and accessories, all available at the best prices. Browse through our expansive inventory and make your purchase.