CD Label Printer Models Compared

Printing labels on compact discs you plan to sell (or otherwise distribute) gives them a more professional appearance, and prevents mistakes which may occur if a marker is used. Some CD label printers are stand-alone units, while others have to be connected to a computer like a regular printer. Here is a comparison of a few CD label printer models...

Casio CWL300: This stand-alone label maker and printer has a built-in keyboard and can run on battery or AC power. According to the OfficeMax website (item number 21019381, $129.98), the unit's thermal printer has a 200dpi resolution, prints up to 8 lines of text on CDs or labels, can be connected to a computer with a USB cable, and weighs just over three pounds. It is also available from ambientweather.com and business-supply.com. A similar unit, the Casio CW-K85, can print sixteen lines on a CD.

Epson Stylus R260/R320/R380: Epson printers in this series can print directly to inkjet-printable CDs, as well as printing text documents and photos. Click here for a brief video about the Stylus R320. The CompUSA website shows a price of $89.99 for the R380, and lists specifications indicating that it has a 3.5" LCD screen, it weighs almost sixteen pounds, and it has a dpi resolution of "5760 x 1440 optimized."

U-Print CDP78: This small thermal CD printer is offered by supermediastore.com for $99. Their website indicates that it has a resolution of 200dpi and it connects to the computer using a USB cable. It is also offered by an eBay Stores seller (sandyyang78) for just under $65.

Primera Signature Z: The Signature Z1 appears to be the most affordable in this series (usually $100-150), and is available from eBay.com, amamax.com ($159.79 with free shipping), and others. According to amamax.com, it only weighs 2.2 pounds and has a print resolution of 200dpi. The more advanced Signature Z6, on the other hand, usually costs at least $1,000. The costcentral.com website indicates that the Z6 features a 4800dpi resolution and weighs nine pounds. Click here for a Primera Signature Z review.

Generally, stand-alone units and CD-specific printers are lightweight and more convenient in some situations, while traditional printers with a CD label feature are more versatile. CD label printers can also be used to label DVDs. Be sure to consider the cost of replacement ink cartridges and/or ribbons before purchasing a particular CD label printer.

Prices and details were current as of 06/07/2007. Prices do not include shipping costs.