Inkjet CD DVD label printer options

If you go the inkjet route, you can choose between a conventional printer that you will need to use with special pre-printed label sheets, or alternatively go for a conventional printer that also has a special tray that enables you to print directly on to a disc and so use it as a CD DVD label printer.

An example of this type of printer would be the Epson series.

This approach has the obvious benefit that when you are not printing labels, your printer can earn its keep doing other printing tasks.

The drawback is that the special caddy required can be very temperamental; some brands have a well-publicised need to be cleaned and restarted frequently if they are used for more than a few disc labels at any one time.   The caddy puts extra strain on the printer rollers, making them wear faster and affect the accuracy of the paper feed. 

If you don’t fancy the special tray route, then you are committed to stick-on labels using specially-designed label stock with pre-cut shapes and proprietary application systems to help you to apply the printed label accurately.

If you do go this route make sure you pick a brand with a special system to apply the label once it has been printed; trying to put a label on free hand is asking for trouble and possibly a damaged DVD or CD drive in very short order.

Other options include the choice between a printer with individual ink cartridges and those that have a single 4-color cartridge.

There are some drawbacks.  

The caddies can be a bit temperamental and can need careful handling.   If you prefer to keep away from stick-on labels, you could consider the type of  label printer that will print direct on to the face of the disc.  These machines are available either as inkjet printers or thermal CD DVD label printers.

You have to use special printable discs if you got the inkjet route, otherwise the ink will not stick properly and you will end up with a smudged design.

These  discs are a little more expensive, but of course you are saving the money that you would have had to spend on stick-on labels.

The print output is normally very good, and naturally you don't have to spend time mounting the printed labels on to the disks - and trying to make sure you do the job perfectly so that you don't have any peeling label problems in the future.

More compact 

Specialised direct to disc inkjet CD DVD label printers tend to be smaller than normal inkjet printers, which can be a real advantage if working space is limited. And of course they don’t have any accessories or trays that also take up storage space with conventional inkjet printers. 

Always remember that the cartridge or cartridges the inkjet printer requires is an expensive item.

There is a very sharp price divide in this category.  

While the Dymo Discpainter retails for less than $300, an automatic unit like the Primera Bravo SE Autoprinter is about $1000, and as you add features and speed the price climbs steeply past the $5000 mark.