Buying a Sticker Printer: 5 Things to Check First

A sheet of colorful printed stickers

Sticker printers range from pocket thermal printers to full-size inkjets. These five checks point you to the right machine for your projects.

5 things to check before you buy

  1. Decide on color or black and white. Thermal printers only print black and white. For color art and photos, choose dye-sublimation, ZINK or inkjet.
  2. Decide who does the cutting. Print-and-cut machines trim each sticker for you. With an inkjet, plan on scissors, a craft knife or a cutting machine.
  3. Check the sticker size. ZINK prints are 2 x 3 inches and thermal labels are about 2 inches wide. Inkjets print full sheets.
  4. Look at the cost per sticker. Refillable ink tanks give the lowest cost per sheet. Proprietary paper packs are simpler but cost more per sticker.
  5. Check durability. Laminated dye-sublimation stickers resist water and scratches. Inkjet stickers last longer on waterproof vinyl.

Three picks to start with

  • Best Overall: Liene PixCut S1, which prints laminated 300 dpi color stickers and cuts around them in one machine, with no subscription.
  • Best for Crafters: Cricut StickerPix Print + Cut, a push-button machine that prints, laminates and cuts stickers.
  • Best for Sticker Sheets in Bulk: Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550, a 6-color tank printer for full sheets up to 13 x 19 inches.

All eight picks and a side by side table are in our guide to the Best Sticker Printers.

Want to compare more options? See all our guides on sticker printers.

#ad As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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