I'm looking to upgrade our ID card printer for a mid-sized K-12 school district and would love to hear about any reliable setups others have used. My main priorities are reliability (with low maintenance issues), decent speed since we run batches at the start of each year, and supplies and software that aren't overly complicated. I'm also open to bundled packages that include badge design software, and it would be a nice bonus if the printer is compatible with access control or NFC technology. I'd appreciate any real-world recommendations or advice from mistakes you've made in the past. Thanks a lot!
5 Answers
You might want to consider HID Fargo printers. The DTC 1000 and 1250 models I've used work really well with HID or Desfire cards. They're pretty reliable for school setups!
I know this is UK-based, but Easy Badge works well for printing cards, and using Paxton for access control with NFC cards has been great too. Might want to look into options that could work in the US!
We have both Fargo and Zebra ID printers at our district, and both have been fantastic workhorses. I recommend checking both brands out.
We've been using Bodno's ID printer bundles for a while now, and they’ve been great! They are very B2B-friendly and the software is easy for non-tech staff to operate. We started with their Magicard model, and it’s handled everything we've thrown at it. Plus, they ship quickly and make managing supplies and support a breeze. Definitely check them out if you're upgrading!
Lifetouch provides solid solutions as well. If you're looking at companies that handle school yearbooks or photos, they usually have ID card solutions that are worth considering.
I've had a good experience with the 1250 model as well. It handles our volume nicely and hasn't given us any major issues.