What Makes an ID Printer Cheap?
Single or dual sided
Single-sided ID printers are less costly than printers that print on both sides of the card, but that doesn’t necessarily make them bad printers. Partnered with pre-printed card stock, a single-sided card printer can print high-quality cards quickly and efficiently.
Low or high-volume printing
How many cards are you printing each year? Most low-end printers can only print up to 500 cards per year, and that’s pushing it. It’s important to consider how many cards your organization needs each year to ensure you get a printer that doesn’t fall apart due to over-printing.
Print speed
Although a slower printer may cost less at the beginning, you’ll spend more of your valuable time waiting for cards to print. There are a lot of cheap printers out there with impressive print speeds but this is due to the low quality nature of the cards they produce. A high quality printer will print longer lasting cards at a faster rate compared to any low-end option.
Adaptability
What if you decide you want to start laminating your cards after a year? Or what if you need to start encoding cards? More often than not, quality printers have the ability to be upgraded at a later time to include higher-end features. The ability to add features as you go can be incredibly cost-effective compared to purchasing a completely new printer.
Reverse transfer or direct to card
When it comes to quality looking cards, reverse transfer is the way to go. With a reverse transfer printer you get high-end graphic cards that are durable and more difficult to reproduce. Your designs are printed on a thin film that bonds to the card. Attempts to remove the film will ruin the card, making it difficult to alter names and information.
Graphic quality
A higher-end printer creates a higher-end card. Card printers that print with a high DPI (dots per inch) will print professional cards that add to the authority of your organization. As something that everyone in your organization carries with them, your cards are a high-level representation of your brand.