We get calls nearly every day from customers looking to purchase their first ID card printer. Many of them have the same goal
in mind: "I would like to get a good and cheap ID card printer."
"Good and cheap." Those two words actually contradict themselves. After all, in today’s technology market, you get what you pay for. And if you focus solely on the price tag – and do not research what you're purchasing – you will more than likely be disappointed with some aspect of your ID card system.
in mind: "I would like to get a good and cheap ID card printer."
"Good and cheap." Those two words actually contradict themselves. After all, in today’s technology market, you get what you pay for. And if you focus solely on the price tag – and do not research what you're purchasing – you will more than likely be disappointed with some aspect of your ID card system.
Before You Shop for an ID Card Printer
At the end of the day, we're all consumers, and no one wants to spend more than is necessary. But as ID Professionals, we urge anyone interested in their first ID card printer or system to do some homework. Every customer has different needs and requirements, but here are a couple of basic questions you should ask yourself before shopping for an ID card printer:- What type of card am I going to make? (e.g., employee ID card, visitor ID card, gift or membership card, etc.)
- What information do I want to print on the card?
- What will a finished card look like?
- Do I want to print on one or both sides of the card?
- Will this printer work with a single workstation?
- Or do I want multiple computers to be able to use this printer?
- Will I ever need my ID cards to work with my time clock?
- Will ID cards be used with a door access system or application?
- How important is it for me to be able to make cards on-demand?
- Would it be a problem if my printer was down for a few weeks?