One of the most important components of an electronic point of sale (EPoS) system is the receipt printer.

Retail shops, hospitality businesses and leisure facilities use receipt printers to print customer receipts, card payment records and order tickets. Restaurants, cafés and takeaways may also use printers to send orders to the kitchen or bar.

There are three main types of receipt printer: thermal printers, impact or dot matrix printers and inkjet printers. Each option has different strengths, so the right choice will depend on your business, your software and how the printer will be used day to day.

If you are already reviewing your wider setup, you can also browse our EPoS printers, EPoS systems and OpSuite EPoS software.

Thermal printers

Thermal printers are the most popular choice for many retail and hospitality businesses. They are fast, quiet and produce clear receipts without the need for ink or toner cartridges.

Direct thermal printers work by applying heat to specially coated thermal paper. The heated print head reacts with the paper to create text, logos, barcodes and QR codes.

Because they do not use ink or toner, thermal printers can be simple to maintain. The main consumable is the till roll itself. However, thermal paper can be affected by heat, sunlight and some chemicals, so receipts that need to be kept for long periods should be stored carefully.

Modern thermal receipt printers are available with a range of useful features, including auto cutters, compact footprints, logo printing, barcode support and connectivity options such as USB, Ethernet, Serial, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, depending on the model.

You can browse our range of thermal receipt printers online.

Impact or dot matrix printers

Impact printers, often referred to as dot matrix printers, are one of the oldest receipt printing technologies still in active use. They work by using small pins on the print head to press an ink ribbon against the paper.

They are slower and noisier than thermal printers, but they can still be useful in certain environments. For example, they are often considered for kitchen printing because heat and humidity can affect thermal paper.

Impact printers can also be useful where duplicate or multi-part paper is required, as the impact mechanism can help create copies in a way that thermal printing cannot.

For many modern hospitality environments, businesses may also consider kitchen display screens as an alternative or addition to kitchen printers.

Inkjet printers

Inkjet receipt printers use print heads that spray tiny droplets of liquid ink onto the paper.

They may be considered where high-quality colour printing is important, such as colour logos, coupons or promotional messages. However, they are much less common in EPoS environments than thermal printers, mainly due to slower print speeds and the ongoing cost of replacement ink cartridges.

For most retail and hospitality businesses, a suitable thermal receipt printer will usually be the more practical choice.

Things to consider when choosing a receipt printer

• Check with your EPoS software supplier that the printer is compatible with your software before purchasing.
• Consider the connection type your EPoS terminal supports. Common options include USB, Ethernet and Serial, with some printers also supporting Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
• Think about how many ports are available on your till system, especially if you also need to connect peripherals such as barcode scanners, customer displays or card payment devices.
• If you want to use a cash drawer, make sure the printer supports the correct drawer connection and voltage requirements.
• If you intend to print logos, barcodes or QR codes, choose a printer with suitable resolution and graphics support.
• Consider print speed. A busy retail counter, ticket desk or hospitality venue will benefit from a faster printer that helps reduce queues.
• Check whether the printer has a tear bar or auto cutter. An auto cutter can improve speed and convenience in busy environments.
• Make sure paper rolls are quick and easy to change. This is especially important where staff need to process customers quickly.
• Review ongoing consumable costs, including till rolls, ink ribbons or cartridges depending on the printer type.
• Consider energy efficiency, paper-saving features and whether environmentally friendly till rolls are available.

Which receipt printer is right for your business?

For most modern retail and hospitality businesses, a thermal receipt printer is the best all-round option. It offers fast printing, quiet operation, low maintenance and good compatibility with many EPoS systems.

Impact printers can still be useful in kitchens or environments where thermal paper may not be suitable. Inkjet printers are now a more specialist option and are usually only worth considering where colour receipt printing is a priority.

The right printer will depend on your EPoS software, counter layout, connectivity requirements, cash drawer setup and the environment in which the printer will be used.

Need help choosing the right receipt printer?

RMS can help you choose the right receipt printer, EPoS hardware or complete EPoS solution for your business.

You can call RMS free on 0800 138 0050 or complete our online enquiry form to speak with one of our team.