What Is the Best Printer to Hire for a Business Event

If you’ve searched for the best printer hire option for an upcoming event, you’ve probably noticed most guides just list printer names without explaining which one actually fits your event. The honest answer is that “best” depends entirely on what you’re printing, how many people are attending, and how quickly you need output produced. This guide breaks that down properly.

There Isn’t One Best Printer, It Depends on the Job

Business events typically need printing for one of two very different purposes: identifying people, or delivering content. Registration badges, name tags, and receipts are short, structured, and printed continuously throughout check-in. Documents, handouts, and certificates are longer, often need colour, and are usually printed in smaller batches at set points during the day. Trying to use one printer type for both jobs almost always ends in a bottleneck somewhere.

Best Printer for Registration Badges and Name Tags

For check-in desks, exhibition badges, and name tags, a thermal label printer is the standard choice across the events industry, and models like the Zebra ZD500 and Zebra ZD620 are built specifically for this. They print labels, receipts, tags, and badges quickly, connect over Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB, or serial, and can even print directly from an iOS device.

One detail worth understanding before you book is print resolution. Thermal printers are typically available in 203 DPI or 300 DPI. Higher resolution improves clarity for small text, dense barcodes, and detailed logos, while 203 DPI is faster and perfectly adequate for straightforward name badges. If your badges include a QR code for check-in or lead capture, ask your supplier which resolution is fitted before the event, not after.

Pairing a badge printer with an iPad-based registration setup is a common combination for conferences and trade shows, since guests can be checked in and have a badge printed in the same motion without a separate manual process.

Best Printer for Documents, Handouts and Certificates

When the job is printing agendas, handouts, contracts, or certificates rather than badges, a standard office printer makes more sense than a label printer.

The HP OfficeJet 200 is a compact, portable inkjet, printing around 20 pages per minute in black and white and 7 pages per minute in colour. It’s a solid choice for smaller meetings or events where print volume is modest, and portability matters more than raw speed.

The HP Color LaserJet Pro is the better option for higher volume events. It prints around 21 pages per minute in both black and white and colour, making it a more consistent choice when handouts or certificates need to be produced steadily throughout the day rather than in short bursts.

What to Consider Before You Book

A few practical questions make the printer choice much easier:

• What are you actually printing? Badges and labels need a thermal printer. Documents and handouts need a standard inkjet or laser printer.
• How many attendees are you expecting? Higher footfall usually means a faster print speed matters more than it would for a smaller meeting.
• Do you need colour? Branded materials or certificates often need colour output, while badges and receipts usually don’t.
• How will it connect? Confirm Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or direct device printing support matches your event setup, particularly if printing ties into a check-in app or iPad.
• Do you need more than one printer? Larger events often run a badge printer at registration and a document printer at a separate business centre or press area.

Bulk Printer Hire for Larger Events

For conferences, trade shows, and multi-day business events, it’s common to need several printers running at once, sometimes a mix of thermal badge printers at registration and standard printers elsewhere on site. Bulk hire also usually works out more cost-effective per unit than hiring devices individually, and a good supplier will help plan quantities based on expected footfall rather than a guess. If you’re also planning the wider stand or booth setup, this piece on making your trade show booth capture attention covers useful ground alongside your printing plan.

How The Tekk Group Helps You Choose the Right Printer

At The Tekk Group, we stock both thermal label printers and standard document printers, so you’re not stuck trying to make one device do two different jobs. Our team asks what you’re actually printing before recommending a model, then arranges delivery, setup, and 24/7 support for the full hire period, whether that’s a single day or a full month.

If your event also needs registration devices, screens, or other event technology, our wider range means the whole setup can come from one supplier.

Not sure which printer suits your event? Get Your Printer Hire Quote Today.

Frequently Asked Questions

What printer is best for event registration badges?

A thermal label printer such as the Zebra ZD500 or ZD620 is the standard choice for badges, name tags, and receipts, since they’re built for fast, continuous label printing.

Can I hire a printer for just one day?

Yes, most suppliers, including The Tekk Group, offer daily, weekly, and monthly printer hire depending on how long your event runs.

Do I need a colour printer for handouts and certificates?

Only if your materials include branding, graphics, or colour design elements. For plain text documents, a black and white printer is usually sufficient and faster.

How many printers do I need for a large event?

This depends on expected footfall and whether you need separate printers for registration badges and general documents. A supplier can recommend quantities based on your attendee numbers.

Can a printer connect directly to an iPad for event check-in?

Yes, models such as the Zebra ZD500 and ZD620 support direct printing from iOS devices, which works well for iPad-based registration setups.