As parents, we wear about 15 different hats on any given day. We have to learn new skills and take on unexpected administrative tasks. Sometimes, the smallest thing that can make those tasks easier is a lifesaver. That’s exactly what I realized about a label printer when I tested the Rollo Direct Thermal Printer.
Printing labels is not my specialty, but having the right tool can make all the difference. Printing PTO name tags? Christmas card mailing labels? Name labels for school supplies? It’s time consuming, and often ends in a paper jam or empty ink cartridges.
The Rollo Direct Thermal Printer only prints labels. It’s not a full-size printer, and is designed for a single task. Sure, it can print almost any size label, but labels only. It’s also thermal, which means it doesn’t use ink. Instead, it uses a heating element that “prints” to direct thermal labels using heat instead of ink. The specially designed thermal labels will change from white to black where heat touches them. It prints faster than most printers you’ve used before.
My favorite thing about the Rollo is that it recognizes the type of labels you’re using. Place the label into the printer and close the top. From there, the Rollo will intelligently scan the label to figure out the size and line it up properly. No adjustments. No hardware configurations.
The Rollo isn’t perfect. For instance, it only prints in black and white. The print quality is good, but in my testing, it wasn’t as dark and crisp as a good laser printer. Most software will know how to print with Rollo correctly but some might require adjustments. In my experience, though, the Rollo customer service team was responsive and helpful.
If you find yourself printing a lot of labels, $180 may be a small price to pay to make that task a lot easier.
