Best Laser Printer for Waterproof Labels : HP M479fdw [Why?]

If your business makes products, then a label printer is a piece of essential equipment for your organization. Having this device is so beneficial because you can easily customize your stickers and labels.

Generally, labels are bright and colorful and help attract customers’ attention to your products.

However, labels must stay dry and fresh if they are to continue to attract attention. In order words, your labels must be waterproof and adequately shielded from moisture damage.

To get perfect labels, you must employ a printing technique as well as printing materials that produce a waterproof print. Inkjet printers utilize water-based inks meaning that they will run or smudge if exposed to liquids like water.

In contrast, laser printers use pressure and heat to bond toner in place thereby producing a waterproof print. This post will highlight and compare the best printers for waterproof labels available so you can select the most appropriate for your needs.

Best Laser Printer for Waterproof Labels : HP Color LaserJet Pro Multifunction M479fdw

If you are seeking the best laser printer for waterproof labels, then the HP Color LaserJet Pro M479fdw is the way to go.

Aside from doing an excellent job of printing waterproof labels, this all-in-one tool is also capable of copying, faxing, scanning, and printing documents and graphics.

The major reason this printer works so superbly for waterproof labels is that it can print on a wide variety of paper stocks and multiple paperweights.

The printer comes loaded with several advanced features. The regular connectivity comprises USB, W-Fi, W-Fi Direct, and Gigabit Ethernet. You will love the HP Smart Tasks that come with the device.

Smart Tasks will enable you to automate tasks as well as save complicated workflows. For mobile connectivity choices, the M479fdw offers Google Cloud Print, HP Smart App, Apple AirPrint, Mopria, and Mobile Apps.

The print speed of the M479fdw is 28 pages per minute for monochrome prints and 17.7 pages per minute for color prints. This makes it a fantastic printer for home offices and medium-level businesses where a large amount of printing is done daily.

The HP laserjet printer is configured to print duplex (two-sided) pages and comes with a 300 sheets paper input capacity. The main drawer is designed to hold up to 250 sheets while the override tray can hold 50 sheets.

If this is not enough for you, you can install an optional paper tray with a capacity of 550 sheets. The laser printer can print on paper sizes of 3 x 5 inches, 8.5 x 14 inches, Envelope, letter, and legal, and more.

Specifications

• Connectivity technology: USB, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth
• Compatible devices: PC, laptops, and smartphones
• Printer output: color
• Print speed: up to 28 ppm for monochrome prints, 17.7 ppm for color prints
• Sheet size: 3 x 5 inches, 8.5 x 14 inches, letter, legal, and envelope
• Type: All-in-one
• Printer input capacity: 300
• Monthly duty cycle (Max): 50,000
• Recommended duty cycle: 4000
• Number of ink tanks/cartridges: 4
• Duplexing print and scans
• LCD preview screen
• Compact design
• 600 by 600 DPI

Pros

• Several mobile connectivity choices
• Decent print speed
• Prints high-quality waterproof labels, photos, and graphics
• Dependable security
• Single-pass auto-duplexing ADF

Cons

• Running cost is a bit high

User feedback

The M479fdw has 3241 verified buyers on Amazon and more than 70 percent of these buyers gave the product a 5-star rating.

There were some complaints regarding the unit’s cooling fan being too loud, but overall, most buyers agree that the unit is reasonably quiet for a laserjet printer.

Few Other Top Rated Laser Printers for Waterproof Labels

1. Canon imageClass MF741 Cdw
2. Hp Color Laser Jet Pro M452dw
3. Lexmark C3326dw Color Laser Printer
4. HP Color Laserjet Pro M255dw

How to Select the Best Laser Printer for Waterproof Labels?

When shopping for a reliable printer for waterproof labels, there are some vital features you need to look out for. Listed below are some of these features:

1. Print Resolution

Printer resolution dictates the sharpness or quality of printed text and images. A good quality label printer must have a high resolution to ensure your printouts are clear, sharp, and detailed.

Print resolution is measured in dots per square inch (or simply DPI). Most printing experts agree that the lowest possible resolution you should employ when printing labels is 300 dpi.

However, if you plan to print high-resolution images with your device, then you should consider getting a printer that has at least 600 DPI. On the whole, printers with high DPIs have higher resolutions.

Considering the HP Color LaserJet Pro Multifunction M479fdw, the Canon Color imageClass MF741Cdw, the HP Color LaserJet Pro M452dw, the Lexmark C3326dw Color Laser Printer, and the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw, there is not much difference here regarding print resolution.

All these printers have a resolution of up to 600 x 600 DPI, which clearly exceeds the recommended minimum of 300 DPI.

2. Print Speed

Speed is a vital element that you should not overlook if you wish to attain a specific level of output daily. Generally, faster print speeds mean a reduction in image resolution. For this reason, opt for printers that offer fast print speeds while preserving resolution.

Print speeds are typically measured as pages per minute (PPM). The higher a printer’s PPM, the higher the printing speed. Therefore, if you plan to print lengthy batches of waterproof labels or stickers, be sure to choose a device with a high print speed.

The HP M479fdw is rated at 28 ppm for monochrome prints and 17.7 ppm for color prints. The Canon MF741Cdw also has a 28 ppm rating for monochrome documents.

However, its 18.7 ppm rating for color prints is slightly higher than that of the HP M479fdw. For the HP M452dw, print speed happens to be one of its strongest points. The device is rated at 28 ppm both for monochrome and color pages.

The printing speed of the Lexmark C3326dw is 24 ppm for both monochrome and color documents. The HP M255dw is rated at 22 ppm for monochrome pages and 14.3 ppm for color pages.

Therefore, the HP M452dw is the winner concerning print speed while the Canon MF741 is the second runner-up.

3. Running Cost

A printer’s initial cost may be extremely low in recent times for some models; however, you also need to be alert to the running costs associated with using the printer.

This includes things like the toner replacement cost, the toner yield, as well as the cost of other consumables associated with the device.

These days, many laser printers have only one consumable – the toner. It is always best to choose a printer that offers low running costs while delivering maximum profitability.

When you purchase the highest yield toner replacement cartridges for the HP M479fdw, your running cost should approximate 2.2 cents/page (monochrome) and 14.2 cents/page (color).

In comparison, if you opt for the highest-volume toner replacement cartridges of the Canon MF741Cdw, your running cost should be about 2.2 cents/page for monochrome and approximately 13 cents/page for color.

For the HP M452dw, the running cost is approximately 2.2 cents/page for monochrome and 4 cents/page for color. The Lexmark C3326dw has a running cost of approximately 3 cents/page for monochrome documents and 15 cents/page for color.

That is if you purchase Lexmark’s highest volume ‘returnable’ toner cartridges. For the HP M255dw, its highest-yield black toner cartridge approximates to 2.6 cents/page while the highest-volume color toner cartridge approximates to 14 cents/page.

Thus, the Canon MF741Cdw is the winner if you are seeking a laser printer for waterproof labels that offers low running costs.

4. Versatile size options

For versatile label printing, choose a printer that will let you print on a range of paper sizes and weights. This will enable you to print any label size you want.

The HP M479fdw, Canon MF741cdw, HP M452dw, Lexmark C3326dw, and the HP M255dw all offer versatile size printing and are appropriate for printing labels, stickers, and more.

All the same, the HP M479fdw should top your list of choices because it can print on a broad range of paper sizes including Letter, Legal, Executive, Office, and more.

Supported paper types include plain, light 60 to 74 grams, mid-weight 96 to 110 grams, intermediate 85 to 95 grams, heavy 111 to 130 grams, cardstock 176 to 220 grams, labels, bond, heavy rough, opaque film, and more.

Hence, the recommended option is HP M479fdw for versatile features.

5. Connectivity

A laser printer that offers both wireless and wired connectivity can be very useful when printing documents including waterproof labels. With this type of printer, you will not be left with just one option in the event of an emergency.

These days, you can find many laser printers that have wireless functionality choices like Wi-Fi, Cloud Printing, Bluetooth, Ethernet, NFC, together with USB connection.

With wireless connectivity, you can easily pair your printer with your tablet or mobile device. Ultimately, you want a wireless or wired printer that will give you a hassle-free printing experience.

The traditional connectivity for the HP M479Fdw includes Gigabit Ethernet, USB, Wi-Fi, and Wi-Fi direct. The printer’s mobile connectivity options comprise Google Cloud Print, Apple AirPrint, and HP Smart App.

The Canon MF741Cdw also offers several connectivity options. Standard interfaces comprise USB, Wi-fi, Wi-fi Direct, and Ethernet. Other mobile connectivity systems include Mopria Print Service, Canon Print Business, Google Cloud Print, and Apple AirPrint.

The Lexmark C3326dw, HP M452dw, and HP M255dw all offer similar connectivity options, which are Wi-Fi, USB, and Ethernet.

Overall, the HP M479Fdw offers the best connectivity options.

6. Multiple functionalities

These days, there are several laser printers that offer all-in-one capabilities. This means that aside from printing, these devices can do scanning and copying as well.

Some can also do faxing. Therefore, if your company will be doing other tasks aside from waterproof label printing, you should consider purchasing a printer with a print, scan, copy feature.

The HP Color LaserJet Pro M452dw, Lexmark C3326dw Color Laser printer, and the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw all come with only print capability.

The Canon Color imageClass MF741Cdw offers Print/Scan/Copy feature while only the HP Color Laserjet Pro Multifunction M479fdw offers Fax along with Print/Scan/Copy features, which makes it the winner here.

7. Type of printer

When you need to print waterproof labels or documents, it is always best you print them using a laser printer. This is because laser printers in general perform better compared to inkjet devices on waterproof sheets.

The toners employed in nearly all laser printers are non-water-soluble pigments. The toner fragments enter tiny pores inside the paper or sheet thereby making your prints completely waterproof.

The toner particles cannot be dissolved or washed out and the only way to remove them completely is by scraping the paper.

All the printers recommended in this article are laser printers and are thus great for printing waterproof labels.

Comparison of Top 5 Best Laser Printers for Waterproof Labels

Final Comments:

With the right equipment, printing labels or stickers is a hassle-free and exciting process. You will find a broad variety of laser printers in the market; however, the devices recommended in this article perform wonderfully regarding printing waterproof labels.

Take some time to consider the features of the various products presented here and use your findings to select the most suitable option for your requirements.