Top 10 Best Thermal Printer Cleaning Pens

Thermal printers are an excellent tool for speeding up labeling tasks, but they can be costly and require proper maintenance, regular cleaning, and upkeep. Frequent cleaning of the thermal printer is mandatory for extending the printer's useful life - this is why many companies and people actively invest in a cleaning kit for their printer.

There are a number of cleaning kits available in the market for regular cleaning of your printer corresponding to the cleaning method that you'll be using. For example, you can use a cleaning card or a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol to gently wipe your thermal printer clean.

But today, we will be discussing the thermal printer cleaning pen, a useful yet quick tool for effectively cleaning your thermal printer printhead to prevent paper jams and improve label or print quality.

Our list of the top 10 best thermal printer cleaning pens will help you make the right choice for your printer. 

What Are Thermal Printer Cleaning Pens?

Thermal printer cleaning pens are used to remove ink, dirt, and contamination built up on a thermal printer's print head.  Using them for the cleaning process can also prevent any unnecessary contact or damage caused by static electricity.

As a general rule of thumb, the thermal printer cleaning pen is used for cleaning the print head of a printer each time you change the paper or label roll for smooth thermal printing. 

 

What Is The Best Thermal Printer Cleaning Pen? 

The best cleaning pen is one that will clean your printhead thoroughly and not leave behind any residue, ribbon particles, paper dust, or debris. It's also one that is easy to use and handle. 

You'll find the market swarming with a wide range of cleaning pens, each offering a unique capability when it comes to cleaning printheads. Generally, a good cleaning pen, when used properly will leave your thermal printhead completely clean and produce good quality prints. 

Additionally, a premium cleaning pen can improve the readability and quality of your prints. 

Making the right choice when it comes to a cleaning pen will increase the lifespan of your thermal printer along with quality, and reliability of the output. 

Today, we have compiled the list of the best ten cleaning pens for your printers. 

So before you go on the hunt for cleaning kits for your thermal printer, explore the wide range of best pens we have reviewed below. 

 

The Top 10 Best Thermal Printer Cleaning Pens 

 

1. Ci Kyan Thermal Print Head Cleaning Pen

This cleaning pen is a top choice on Amazon because of its high customer ratings and budget-friendly price. It is known to be compatible with all types of thermal printers and can effectively remove all kinds of debris and dust from the thermal print head. One pack contains 3 pens. 

2. Primera Thermal Print Head Cleaning Pen

The best thing about this pen is that it contains 99% isopropyl alcohol. Long-lasting and effective, this pen can be used 10-20 times for the cleaning process. 

The pack contains 5 pens and if you do the math, you can hope for it to last you a good 5 years!

3. Zebra Cleaning Pen 

This brand is known for its premium quality products and is specifically made for zebra thermal printers but can also be used for other types. It offers complete protection and ensures smooth operations for printer performance. It is designed to remove all the common contaminants from your printhead. 

4. Zetek Thermal Printer Cleaning Pen

Another top-quality pen that uses 99.7% isopropyl alcohol, all you need to do is swipe the pen across the exposed printhead. The diagonal cut stiff rugged nib makes it an excellent tool for cleaning the printer. 

5. Evolis Thermal Printhead Clean Pen

This pen has been designed to consistently produce high-quality labels by wiping the printhead clean of debris, dust, and other buildups that may damage your printer's paper paths.

6. Jumbo Thermal Printhead Cleaning Pens

The innovative design of this pen allows it to work for both, thermal printers and card readers. It is effective and reliable for cleaning the printheads thoroughly to improve print quality. 

It only takes a few swipes to remove the dirt, burnt-on debris, and contaminants from the printer. 

Every box comes complete with 12 pens.  The jumbo pen is also handy for streamlining the printing process to correct poor print quality and restore legible prints. 

7. Xligo Thermal Printer Alcohol Cleaning Pen

The Xligo pen is a universal thermal printing pen. It is compatible with almost any brand of thermal printer including Zebra. With this lightweight pen, you can safely clean your thermal printer’s print head.

8. Yoton Thermal Printer Alcohol Cleaning Pen

Infused with 99.9% isopropyl alcohol, this pen can effectively clean all the electronic parts of your printer including the printhead.

Using this pen regularly will improve the quality of printed graphics and make your thermal printer run for longer.

9. Wasp Thermal Printhead Cleaning Pen

The Wasp pen is useful in increasing the lifespan of your printer by effectively removing dirt, dust, and other buildups on your printer. It works great for wasp barcode printers and other brands as well. 

More importantly, you can use it for cleaning both original and replacement print heads.

10. Miwaimao Thermal Printer Alcohol Cleaning Pen

This cleaning pen is compatible with most thermal printers. As long as you apply just enough pressure when you swipe the cleaning pen over your printer’s print head, you won’t damage it. It will also remove all the dirt and burnt-on ribbon debris from your printer. The barrel of this pen contains 99.7 percent isopropyl alcohol (IPA).

How Do You Use A Thermal Printer Pen?

To use a thermal printer pen, hold it like a regular pen and swipe it across the entire surface of the printhead. As you use it, the pen will clean out clogs and contaminants from the print head. To get the best printing results, apply gentle pressure when moving the pen back and forward across the print head.