Markdown for agents
---
title: "Receipt printer and cash drawer: how to choose a pair that works together"
description: "Paper width, connection, Arabic printing and how the drawer opens — what to check before you buy a receipt printer and cash drawer for one counter."
canonical: "https://sandooq.app/blog/receipt-printer-cash-drawer"
locale: "en"
updated: "2026-11-02T00:00:00.000Z"
---
# Receipt printer and cash drawer: how to choose a pair that works together
Paper width, connection, Arabic printing and how the drawer opens — what to check before you buy a receipt printer and cash drawer for one counter.
**Tags:** guides, hardware, cash, retail
A receipt printer is a thermal printer that prints the customer's receipt on heat-sensitive paper with no ink; a cash drawer is a locked till box that [usually opens when the printer sends it an electrical pulse](https://starmicronics.com/blog/cash-drawer-considerations). Buy them as a pair: the drawer must match the printer's drawer port, and the printer must print your receipts clearly — in Arabic too.
Our [POS hardware guide](/blog/pos-hardware-guide-printers-scanners-terminals) covers every device on the counter in one pass. This article goes deep on these two: paper width, connection, Arabic printing, how the drawer is triggered and who should open it.
## What each device does, and why they are bought together
The **receipt printer** prints the customer's receipt, and often a shop copy, from a roll of thermal paper; counter models usually cut it with an auto-cutter.
The **cash drawer** holds notes and coins: a steel box, a lock and a solenoid (an electric latch). Star Micronics, a printer and drawer maker, calls the [printer-driven drawer the most common type: the printer's DK ("drawer kick") port sends a 24 V DC signal that opens it](https://starmicronics.com/blog/cash-drawer-considerations). The cable looks like a phone cable but is not one. Epson's [technical reference for one of its counter printers](https://files.support.epson.com/pdf/pos/bulk/tm-t20iii_trg_en_reva.pdf) — a documented example, not a recommendation — warns never to connect the drawer kick socket to a telephone line, and drives the drawer from the 24 V output on pin 4.
A drawer can also open through its own USB cable — some are sold [printer-driven or USB-driven](https://starmicronics.com/product/value-cash-drawer-cd3/), and a USB drawer opens only when software on the device commands it — or with a key, since [most drawers have both a drawer kick connection and manual key access](https://starmicronics.com/blog/cash-drawer-considerations).
### How the printer is told to open the drawer
The POS app can send the printer a command — in Epson's ESC/POS set, [generate pulse sends it to pin 2 or pin 5 of the drawer kick connector](https://download4.epson.biz/sec_pubs/pos/reference_en/escpos/esc_lp.html) — or the driver does it: Epson's [Windows driver can be set to open the drawer at the start or end of printing](https://files.support.epson.com/pdf/pos/bulk/tm-t20iii_trg_en_reva.pdf), with no command from the app. A driver setting opens the drawer for **every** document that printer prints — cash sale, card sale or reprint — and for nothing that is not printed.
**The takeaway:** match the drawer's cable and voltage to the printer, and the way the drawer is triggered to your POS. Choose them together.
## 58 mm or 80 mm paper: which width for your counter
- **58 mm** suits portable and Bluetooth printers, tight counters and short receipts.
- **80 mm** suits fixed counters: long product names, the tax line and a second currency fit more easily. On the Epson model above, the settings offer [48 or 42 characters per line on 80 mm paper, and 35 or 42 on 58 mm](https://files.support.epson.com/pdf/pos/bulk/tm-t20iii_trg_en_reva.pdf).
**If you use Sandooq, read this before you buy:** Sandooq's receipt is laid out for 58 mm paper by default. If you plan to buy an 80 mm printer, ask us to test your receipt on it first. And be careful with "convertible" printers: on the Epson model above, [switching from 80 to 58 mm is one-way](https://files.support.epson.com/pdf/pos/bulk/tm-t20iii_trg_en_reva.pdf), because parts of the head and cutter wear against the platen.
For a busy hour, also check the **auto-cutter** (no tearing while the queue waits), the **print speed** in the specification (time your own receipt, logo included) and the **roll diameter** (a larger roll means fewer changes mid-shift).
### Paper quality, storage and spare rolls
A&D, which makes printers and the rolls for them, tells users to [keep unused rolls sealed below 25 °C and 65% relative humidity, use them within about two years, and keep printed paper away from PVC, adhesive tape, solvents, hand cream and sweaty hands](https://aandd.jp/products/peripheral/pdf/storage_guidelines_thermal_paper_ax-pp147.pdf) — worth knowing when a customer brings back a receipt kept in a plastic sleeve or a hot car.
The European Union has [banned thermal paper with 0.02% or more bisphenol A by weight since 2 January 2020](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2016/2235), citing the risk to workers — "primarily cashiers" — who handle receipts. Ask your supplier for BPA-free rolls, and keep spares at the counter: running out mid-shift stops the queue.
## USB, network or Bluetooth: connecting the printer
One rule first: **the device that runs your POS must already be able to print to the printer.** Sandooq prints receipts through the device's normal print dialog, like any page, so the printer needs a driver (or built-in support) on that device. Epson's guide says to [install the driver before connecting the printer](https://files.support.epson.com/pdf/pos/bulk/tm-t20iii_trg_en_reva.pdf). Install it, print a test page, then print a real receipt.
- **USB** — one till, the printer beside a Windows or Mac computer. The simplest setup.
- **Network (Ethernet or Wi-Fi)** — a printer shared by several devices, or a tablet at the counter. On an iPad, printing goes through AirPrint: Apple says the [device must be on the same Wi-Fi network as the printer, and USB-only printers print driverless only from a Mac](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102895). For an iPad, plan on a network printer that supports AirPrint.
- **Bluetooth** — portable printers for phones; dropped pairings are the usual support call. Google's Chrome help tells Android users to [add a printer that can get data with Wi-Fi or a mobile network](https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/1069693?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid), so check that a Bluetooth printer appears in the phone's print dialog before you pay for it.
"ESC/POS" on a spec sheet is Epson's printer command system; the Epson model above lists its [command protocol as based on it](https://files.support.epson.com/pdf/pos/bulk/tm-t20iii_trg_en_reva.pdf). Sandooq does not send ESC/POS commands, so what matters for Sandooq is a working driver on your device.
## Printing Arabic receipts without broken letters
The Unicode Standard explains the root cause: [Arabic is written from right to left and is cursive even in print, so the same letter takes different forms depending on how it joins its neighbours](https://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode18.0.0/core-spec/chapter-9/#G20596).
A printer in text mode draws each character from a table stored inside it — on the Epson model above, [one of 43 pages, with PC437 (USA, Standard Europe) as the default](https://files.support.epson.com/pdf/pos/bulk/tm-t20iii_trg_en_reva.pdf). If software sends Arabic as plain characters and nothing shapes them first, each letter prints on its own: separated, and often reversed. Printing the receipt as an image avoids this, because the device draws the joined letters and the printer only prints dots; it can be slower, so time it.
Sandooq prints through the device's print dialog, so the receipt is laid out on the device before the driver passes it on. The printer's character tables do not decide how your Arabic looks, but the device's fonts and the driver still do. Test on the exact device and printer with a receipt that has:
- a long Arabic product name that wraps onto two lines
- a line mixing Arabic and English, such as a brand name
- prices, quantities, the date, a discount and the tax line
- a second currency, if you sell in two
Check that nothing is cut off at the edge. Thermal printers print one colour, so use a simple, dark logo; grey shading turns into speckles.
## Choosing a cash drawer: size, slots, lock and voltage
- **Size.** Star describes [a smaller drawer of typically 13 × 13 inches (about 33 cm) and a larger one of 16 × 16 inches (about 41 cm) and up](https://starmicronics.com/blog/cash-drawer-considerations). Measure the counter, or the space under it.
- **Note and coin slots.** Count the denominations you actually take, in every currency. A high-denomination local currency taken alongside dollars needs more note slots, wide enough for the largest note.
- **Media slots.** Front slots that feed a hidden space under the tray are meant for [checks and higher-value bills](https://starmicronics.com/blog/cash-drawer-considerations); they also keep card slips and expense receipts apart from the cash.
- **Mounting.** On or under the counter, heavy enough or fixed down so it does not slide when it springs open.
- **Lock positions.** One drawer range offers [locked-closed, electronic open, manual open and locked-open](https://starmicronics.com/product/value-cash-drawer-cd3/). Decide who holds the keys and where the spare lives.
- **Voltage and connector.** The cable must fit the printer's drawer port and the solenoid must match its output — [24 V on the Epson model above](https://files.support.epson.com/pdf/pos/bulk/tm-t20iii_trg_en_reva.pdf) and on [Star's printer-driven drawers](https://starmicronics.com/product/value-cash-drawer-cd3/). Test it before opening day.
## Who opens the drawer: controlling no-sale opens
The drawer should open for cash sales and recorded cash movements, not on demand. Two facts shape your rules:
1. **A driver-triggered drawer follows the printer.** It opens whenever that printer prints, card-sale receipts and reprints included, and stays shut when no receipt is printed. The key is part of your controls.
2. **A no-sale open may go unrecorded.** Some systems have a "no sale" button that logs who pressed it. Sandooq does not, so a no-sale open is a store rule: only the key holder opens it, the reason goes on a sheet (change for a neighbour, a stuck note), and the sheet is checked at shift close.
Then count: the drawer against the X report at a cashier handover and the Z report at day end. Our [X report vs Z report guide](/blog/x-report-vs-z-report-retail) explains each, and our [retail cash management guide](/blog/cash-management-retail-store) covers floats, drops and blind counts. Card payments stay out of the cash count and are matched against the card terminal's own report — see [POS machines versus POS systems](/blog/pos-machine-vs-pos-system). Cash paid for a bill must be recorded as it leaves, or it shows up as a shortage — see [paying expenses from the cash register](/blog/paying-expenses-from-cash-register).
## Buying checklist: printer and drawer
- **Printer:** 58 or 80 mm (with Sandooq, 80 mm tested with us first), auto-cutter, a connection your device supports, driver installed, test page printed
- **Arabic:** test receipt printed and readable, logo included
- **Paper:** spare rolls ordered, stored cool and sealed
- **Drawer:** slots that fit your notes, keys assigned, connector and voltage matching the printer's drawer port, cable included
- **Trigger:** confirmed whether your POS sends the open command or the driver opens the drawer
- **Fallback:** a second printer, or handwritten receipts if the printer fails on a busy day
## How Sandooq fits at the counter
Sandooq is software and does not sell or bundle hardware; it works with the printer your device can already print to. Still comparing programs? Our [cashier software checklist](/blog/cashier-software) covers the rest of the till. At the counter:
- **Receipts:** every completed sale has a receipt, printed from the sale screen, or automatically after each sale if the store turns that on — through the device's print dialog, laid out for 58 mm by default.
- **The drawer:** Sandooq sends no open-drawer command. A drawer wired to the printer opens on each printed receipt only if the printer driver is set to.
- **Cash sessions** open with a counted float and close with a counted drawer, so a difference shows per shift, not at month end. Card payments are their own tender and stay out of the cash count.
- **Expenses:** cash taken from the drawer to pay a bill is recorded against the session.
- **Voids** and other sensitive till actions can be set to need a manager's approval, and voids, returns and session opens go to a server-side audit log that cannot be edited afterwards.
- **X and Z reads** give shift and day totals to compare against the counted drawer.
Tell us which printer, drawer and device you have in mind before you buy, and we will tell you how it prints and how the drawer will open.
## Frequently asked questions
### Is a 58 mm or 80 mm receipt printer better for a shop counter?
For a fixed counter, 80 mm fits more on each line; 58 mm suits portable printers and small counters. Sandooq's receipt is set up for 58 mm paper by default, so if you use Sandooq, ask the team to test an 80 mm printer before you buy one.
### Why does my receipt printer print Arabic letters separated or backwards?
Arabic letters change shape with their neighbours and run from right to left. A printer in text mode prints each character from a table stored inside it, so Arabic sent without shaping comes out separated or reversed. Printing the receipt as an image drawn by the device avoids it.
### How does a cash drawer open automatically after a cash sale?
The drawer plugs into the receipt printer's drawer port, and the printer sends a short pulse that releases the latch. The instruction comes from the POS app as a command, or from a driver setting that opens the drawer whenever something prints. Sandooq sends no command, so with Sandooq it is the driver setting.
### Can a cash drawer work without a receipt printer?
Yes: a USB drawer opened by software on the device, or a drawer opened only with its key. A USB drawer needs software that supports it, and Sandooq sends no open-drawer command, so ask before buying one.
### How long does a thermal receipt stay readable?
It depends on the paper grade and how the receipt is kept. Paper makers state a figure per grade under their own storage conditions, so ask your supplier for the datasheet. Heat, sunlight, damp, plastic sleeves and hand cream all shorten it.
### Should cashiers be able to open the cash drawer without a sale?
Only with a reason, and ideally only a manager or key holder. Write down every no-sale open with the time and reason, and check the list against the drawer count at shift close.
## Sources
- [Star Micronics — What to Consider When Purchasing a Cash Drawer (24 October 2019)](https://starmicronics.com/blog/cash-drawer-considerations) — printer-driven drawers, the 24 V DK port, key access, media slots, sizes.
- [Star Micronics — Value Cash Drawer CD3](https://starmicronics.com/product/value-cash-drawer-cd3/) — printer- or USB-driven drawers, 24 V solenoid, lock positions.
- [Epson — TM-T20III Technical Reference Guide (PDF)](https://files.support.epson.com/pdf/pos/bulk/tm-t20iii_trg_en_reva.pdf) — drawer kick connector, driver drawer setting, characters per line, paper width change, code tables, ESC/POS, driver first.
- [Epson — ESC/POS command reference: ESC p, generate pulse](https://download4.epson.biz/sec_pubs/pos/reference_en/escpos/esc_lp.html) — the drawer pulse to pin 2 or 5.
- [The Unicode Standard 18.0 — Chapter 9, section 9.2: Arabic](https://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode18.0.0/core-spec/chapter-9/#G20596) — direction and cursive joining.
- [Apple — About AirPrint](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102895) — Wi-Fi network and USB-only printers.
- [Google Chrome Help — Print from Chrome on Android](https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/1069693?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid) — adding a printer on Android.
- [A&D Company — Storage Guidelines for Thermal Paper AX-PP147-S (29 October 2025, PDF)](https://aandd.jp/products/peripheral/pdf/storage_guidelines_thermal_paper_ax-pp147.pdf) — storing rolls and printed paper.
- [Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/2235 on bisphenol A in thermal paper (legislation.gov.uk)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2016/2235) — the 0.02% limit and the risk to cashiers.
## Next step
Before you buy a printer or drawer, [book a demo](/demo) and ask which setup works on your device — plan details are on the [pricing page](/pricing).
## Related guides
- [What is a POS system? Meaning, parts and how a sale flows](/blog/what-is-a-pos-system)
- [Grocery POS: what a supermarket till needs](/blog/supermarket-grocery-cashier-system)