Buyer's Guide for POS Receipt Printers

How Do Receipt Printers Work?

Receipt printers, when connected to a computer via a cable interface, receive data from the point of sales software application running on the computer. The data is interpreted through the printer's device driver and subsequently printed.

What Kind of Receipt Printer Do I Buy?

There are a variety of important considerations to factor in when choosing what type of receipt printer will work best for your Point Of Sale needs. These considerations include software requirements & device drivers, cable interfaces, receipt cutting, environment restrictions & additional functionality, and type of receipt printer.

Cable Interfaces:
A receipt printer will connect to your PC via a Serial, Parallel, USB, or Ethernet connection. It is important to know the types of cable interfaces available and what they look like. Use the following diagram to determine which connections are available on your computer so you can select the type of interface necessary for your receipt printer.

Below: Back of Computer View



Serial Cable and Printer Interface Examples



Parallel Cable and Printer Interface Examples



USB Cable and Printer Interface Examples

Receipt Printer Types:

Impact Receipt Printers: Impact receipt printers are the most flexible and economical of all receipt printers on the market. They use ink ribbons to impact the receipt like a standard dot matrix printer. They can print 2-ply receipts, with copies for both vendor and customer. Most impact receipt printers have the option to print up to two colors- the standard colors are black and red, but this requires purchase of separate ribbons. Receipts are not affected by heat.

Recommended Use: Kitchens/heat-intensive environments, or any retail Point Of Sale environment where duplicate receipts or two-color printing are required.

Models to Try: POS-X Xr200 or Epson TM-U220

Direct Thermal Receipt Printers: Direct thermal receipt printers use heat to create an image on paper. A direct thermal receipt printer does not use a ribbon to print the image on the paper- it uses special paper. The printer head activates the heat-sensitive coating on this paper to create the image. Direct thermal printers offer a low total cost of ownership, with no ribbon to replace, and are our most popular type of receipt printer. Direct thermal printers are fast, quiet, and you can upload images (such as logos) directly to the firmware for increased printing speed.

Recommended Use: Any Point Of Sale environment where exposure to heat is not a factor.

Models to Try: POS-X Xr500 or Epson TM-T88IV

Ink Jet Receipt Printer: Ink jet receipt printers are fast and quiet, and typically offer two-color printing; black and red. They provide an avenue for graphic-intensive designs, which can be used for printing coupons and logos for a one-of-a-kind look.

Recommended Use: Any Point Of Sale environment where direct marketing on receipts is desired.

Models to try: Ithaca POSJet 1000 or KitchenJet 1000

POS Multi-function Receipt Printer: Multifunction POS receipt printers offer combined features such as receipt printing, slip printing, MICR font reading, and check endorsement. These feature combinations vary by model, and the print methods range from Thermal and Inkjet to Impact. Combination receipt printers are more expensive than single-function receipt printers.

Recommended Use: In Point Of Sale set ups where slip printing or validation of checks or other documentation is required.