Editor
There have been a lot of great articles that compare the pros and cons of thermal printers for shipping labels. However, far less has been written about printers that produce 4-line address labels, or labels that aren’t generated by shipping and eCommerce services. Some sellers prefer these labels as they are easily customisable; also, if you are selling small products like jewellery or pins, a 4×6 shipping label won’t fit on the packet. Thermal printers are the best way to efficiently, quickly and cost-effectively print address labels at scale, allowing you to spend more time on other areas of business like product development, branding and more. Yet it can be hard to know which printers will perform best, and for which purpose. That’s why we’ve looked across the market to find you the best thermal label makers, in the areas that really matter: speed, print quality, value for money, specifications and ease of connection. Here are our top five recommended best address label printers for shipping in 2022.
Product Comparison Table: Best Address Label Printer for Shipping
| Title | Price | Rating (Amazon) | Best in class | Buy | |
 | JIOSE JH500BT Thermal Shipping Label Printer | $$$ | 5 stars | Best Bluetooth | Amazon |
 | MFLABEL DT426B Thermal Direct Label Printer | $$ | 4.5 stars | Best Value | Amazon |
 | Brother QL-700 Professional Label Printer | $$$$ | 4.5 stars | Best Premium | Amazon |
 | Phomemo M110 Thermal Label Printer | $$ | 4.5 stars | Best Portable | Amazon |
 | DYMO LabelWriter 550 Thermal Label Printer | $$$$ | 4.5 stars | Best Overall | Amazon |
JIOSE JH500BT Thermal Shipping Label Printer
The Jiose JH500BT Thermal Shipping Label Printer is designed to work in harmony with your smartphone, allowing you to interface with the printer via the free LePrinter app. With this app, you get access to a host of customisation options on labels ranging from 31-100mm in width, and 30-150mm in height. This means the machine can print both four-line address labels and conventional 4×6 shipping labels. It can also connect with laptops and PCs via USB, and is compatible with Windows XP and newer, or Mac OS 10.9 and newer. It is not compatible with ChromeOS, Surface tablets or iPads, though. As for print statistics, the imported ROHM printhead achieves speeds of up to 162 mm/s, with a consistent resolution of around 103dpi. Any generic thermal direct label roll is compatible.
Pros
- Works with smartphones and desktop computers
- Prints a wide range of label sizes
- Fast and efficient printing speed
Cons
- Can’t connect to tablets
Verdict
The Jiose JH500BT Thermal Shipping Label Printer makes it easy to produce your own custom address labels, printed directly from your smartphone. It works with any generic label, too, so it won’t cost a lot to run. Being compatible with desktop computers via USB alongside the mobile Bluetooth is quite an uncommon feature; however, it is unusual to have no support for tablets.
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MFLABEL DT426B Thermal Direct Label Printer
The MFLABEL DT426B Thermal Direct Label Printer prints a wide range of label sizes, from 1.57 to 4.25 inches in width. This makes it ideal for printing both 4×6 shipping labels, 4-line address labels and bulk mailing labels. Plus, automatic label identification automatically catches whichever size of label you feed in and detects its dimensions, so you don’t have to manually calibrate the machine when switching between label sizes. There is no wireless connection option, however, either by WiFi or Bluetooth. Connection is only available with a USB cable, and drivers will need to be installed using the included CD. The print speed is 127 mm/s, enough for around one 4×6 label per second. Lastly, the machine is compatible with Windows XP, 7, 8, 10 and newer and Mac iOS.
Pros
- Great value low price
- Automatic label identification feature
- Prints a variety of label types and sizes
Cons
- Only connects by USB with drivers
Verdict
The MFLABEL DT426B Thermal Direct Label Printer retails at a bargain price for a desktop model. On top of this, it supports any generic thermal direct label rolls, so you can easily run the machine at a very low cost. However, not being able to use your smartphone with the printer means it isn’t portable, and the drivers can be fiddly to install – especially on computers without a CD drive.
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Brother QL-700 Professional Label Printer
With the Brother QL-700 Professional Label Printer you can make professional-looking, convenient and cost-effective paper labels for anything from packages to envelopes, file folders, disks, small packages and more. The print speed is also the fastest on this list at 93 labels per minute! Unfortunately, the only compatible labels are Brother’s own-brand DK-1201 Die-Cut Standard Address Labels, although 100 are included at no extra cost. An automatic cutter also means cuts are precise when printing small runs. The resolution is an incredible 300 x 600 dpi, which rivals some monochrome inkjet printers, which generally operate at a similar print quality. Best of all – although it only connects by USB – the printer comes with a Plug & Label capability, wherein you become able to print instantly on plug-in.
Pros
- High resolution for clear prints
- Fastest print speed (93 per minute)
- Prints a wide range of label sizes and types
- Instant printing with Plug & Label
Cons
- Only connects via USB
- Only works with Brother’s own labels
Verdict
It might not seem like a big deal for a printer to only support its own-brand labels – after all, brands like Brother are known for their excellent quality. However, when comparing the cost of running a printer on generic or proprietary labels in the long term, you’ll always find the generics cut into your profits much less. However, the excellent quality and performance you get from the Brother QL-700 Professional Label Printer make it a perfect choice for larger businesses that can offset these costs with volume.
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Phomemo M110 Thermal Label Printer
Although the Phomemo M110 Thermal Label Printer is small, it can handle a big range of label types: from 10mm to 48mm. This is enough for clothing labels, price labels, cable labels, logo labels, and crucially address labels. It’s not big enough to print 4×6 labels alongside these, however. It comes with an adjustable paper holder and automatic label detection feature, meaning less paper jams and misprints that waste labels; however, using generic labels means you wouldn’t be losing too much anyway. Lastly, the PrintMaster app provides the interface to control the printer, and design labels from your smartphone. You can even use your smartphone as an OCR scanner, so you can upload text and instantly make it editable in-app.
Pros
- Prints a wide range of label types
- Portable compact design
- Automatic label identification and OCR features
- Supports generic labels
Cons
- Only prints narrow small labels
Verdict
If you’re looking to exclusively print 4-line small address labels, the Phomemo M110 Thermal Label Printer is a perfect choice. Being portable and compact also means it would be great to use on-the-go, or if your business tends to move around a lot. However, make sure you have a smartphone at hand, as this machine is completely incompatible with desktop and laptop computers.
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DYMO LabelWriter 550 Thermal Label Printer
The DYMO name is known as one of the best and most established brands in the thermal printing market, providing an unmatched level of quality and performance. With the DYMO LabelWriter 550 Thermal Label Printer, you can expect fast, accurate and simple printing; automatic label recognition auto-calibrates the machine, while you can also ascertain the size, type and number of remaining labels at a glance (even though they’re fed from within the machine)! In turn, you can print precise quantities. Printing is 20% faster than the previous DYMO 450 model, at 62 labels per minute; this may be slower than the Brother, but the quality is just as high. Connection is only available via USB, but you do get the included DYMP Connect for Desktop software which allows you to customise 60+ label types from your computer. Finally, the printer only accepts genuine BPA-free, FSC Certified DYMO Authentic LabelWriter labels.
Pros
- Free software, large range of customisation options
- High resolution for clear prints
- Automatic label identification feature
- Fast printing speed
Cons
- Can only print via USB
Verdict
It may not be portable. It may not have the fastest speed, and it may not have Bluetooth connectivity. Yet the DYMO LabelWriter 550 Thermal Label Printer performs beautifully in all our key criteria: speed, print quality, value for money, specifications and ease of connection. Even the proprietary labels can easily be circumvented by using generics in the same housing; however, DYMO labels are known for being the best in the business. This is our best overall address label maker for shipping in 2022.
