Printing calculators are electronic desktop calculators with a cash register-style paper-roll printer. The printer creates a permanent record of the calculations and their intermediate steps. This is useful for checking calculations and catching errors. The paper tape can also be used to print receipts at yard sales and flea markets.
A printing calculator is also called an adding machine, ten-key calculator, business calculator or accountant's calculator. They are used for accounting, tax preparation or sales planning. They aren't scientific calculators and do not have logarithmic or trigonometry functions.
Small consumer printing calculators can cost less than $20 to over $50. Larger heavy duty commercial models are over $100. Examples of brands are Victor, Aurora, Casio, Canon, Monroe, Olympia, TA Adler-Royal and Sharp.
Portable Handheld and Heavy Duty Commercial Printing Calculator
Displays with 12 digits are now common in consumer models. Commercial models can reach 14 to 16 digits. While this might seem excessive, it is often useful to make calculations to a precision of 6 decimal points (.000000) to reduce rounding errors in intermediate calculations.
The display itself should be bright and the numbers large and easy to read (including the decimal point and negative sign). Luminous or LED displays are preferred over lower contrast LCD displays. Most displays are single-color only but some displays will change color to indicate negative and positive numbers.
Most models are powered from the mains AC electrical supply. Models with a date/time display will have a small battery to run the internal clock when the power is off. A few models, especially small portable handheld units such as the Casio HR-8, have dual AC and DC or cordless operation. They can run entirely off AA or other batteries, for use in the field.
Large commercial models like the Canon CP1213DII have a big keypad for fast error-free data entry (good for people with long nails). A heavy machine also makes it easier to tear off a strip of the paper roll with one hand. Heavy duty commercial machines can take up as much as 8 x 10 inches of desk space. Additional keys (such as a 3 zeros key, enters "000" with one key press) are small refinements that make a difference in daily use.
Adding Machine Features
Switching between floating decimal point and fixed decimal point is a standard feature. The number of decimal points should be selectable. A date/time stamp allows the current date/time to be printed out to the paper roll. More advanced models can make time calculations to work out overtime costs.
Examples of standard features are:
- Cost-Sell-Margin (markup, profit margin)
- Tax
- Currency exchange
- Sub total, grand total
- Sales tax
- Memory plus, minus, recall, clear
- Round up/down/auto
- Item count
- Group add/subtract
Adding Machine Printers
Almost all printers use standard 2.25 inch wide rolls of paper. The last line printed should be easily seen. With some printers, the print head is located deep inside the machine and a few lines need to be printed before a line can be seen.
Most printers are impact printers. They do make noise but not as much as manual or electric typewriters. They sound more like sewing machines.
Advantages
- Uses standard plain paper rolls.
- Often available with two-color black and red printing. Negative numbers are automatically printed in red, positive numbers in black.
- Printouts are suitable for long term records.
Disadvantages
- Noisy.
- Ink rollers or ribbon needs to be regularly replaced.
- Relatively slow. Cheaper consumer models print at about 1 to 2 lines/second. Commercial models can reach 3 or 4 lines/second.
Thermal printers are less common but can be found.
Advantages
- Quiet.
- Fast. Up to 8 lines/second.
- No replacement ink rollers, ribbons or cartridges required.
- No ink to dry up. Can be put aside and then used again years later.
Disadvantages
- Single-color black printout only.
- Printout is lower contrast, harder to read.
- Special thermal paper is required.
- Printout fades over time. Not suitable for long term records.
Bubble jet or ink jet printers are found only in more expensive commercial models. They combine the print quality of impact printers with the low noise operation of thermal printers.
Advantages
- Quiet.
- Relatively fast, typically 5 lines/second.
- Printouts are suitable for long term records.
- Uses standard plain paper rolls.
Disadvantages
- Single-color black printout only.
- Ink cartridge needs to be regularly replaced.
The availability of consumables (ink, paper) should be checked before buying a calculator. They should be available from more than one shop. If replacement ink cartridges cannot be found, the printer becomes useless.
The Best Printing Calculator
Printing calculators aren't complicated machines. For occasional tax preparation, a simple consumer model will do just fine. Anyone who gets confused using a conventional non-printing calculator will benefit from being able to look back at the history of the previous values.
For daily office use the features, ergonomics and printer noise needs to be carefully considered.
Those who are not familiar with printing calculator keypads and their operation, should take a look at this brief adding machine introduction.
Yuen Kit Mun - Kit Mun is a self-confessed information junkie, reading an average of a book a week over the past two decades. His growing Internet ...
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