# Source: https://learn.adafruit.com/mini-thermal-receipt-printer/first-test.md

# Mini Thermal Receipt Printers

## First Test

The first test you should do will ensure that paper is loaded and power is wired up correctly and the printer is running.

First up, pull the little plastic tab up top to open up the paper holder. Then insert a roll of 58 millimeter (2 1/4 inch) thermal paper into the bay as shown in the image below.

To reiterate from the first page, the printer models and corresponding roll sizes are:

- **[Mini](https://www.adafruit.com/product/597):** [15m / 50 foot roll](https://www.adafruit.com/product/599)
- **[Tiny](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2751):** [10m / 33'](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2754)
- **[Nano](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2752):** [5m / 15'](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2755)
- **[Guts](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2753):** no paper bay; use any size roll

Make sure that the paper doesn't bind or stick in the bay, it should rotate freely.

![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/001/945/medium800/components_insertpaper.jpg?1396777672)

As described on prior page,&nbsp;power the printer using a&nbsp;5V to&nbsp;9V 2A or higher power supply, such as wiring up a 2.1mm DC power jack:

![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/001/946/medium800/components_poweradapt.jpg?1396777679)

## Print Test Page

Most of these thermal printers have a test feature providing basic diagnostics. You’ll then know that power is good, paper is correctly loaded, and have some configuration details of the particular unit.

On most **Mini** and **Tiny** printers: **hold down** the button on the top of the printer **while connecting power** to print a test page. In normal use, tapping this button feeds the paper by one line.

On most **Nano** printers and **printer guts** : **connect power first** , then **tap** the button on the control board to print a test page.

_Not all “printer guts” units have a button installed. If needed, you can make a temporary connection across the “J1” pads using a jumper wire or metal tweezers._

Occasional factory production changes occur…if you don’t get a test page using the method above for you model, try the opposite method. A few may even lack a test page feature, but the status LED provides an indication of good power.

![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/001/947/medium800/components_testprint.jpg?1396777687)

Info: 

If you don't get a printout, check that the paper is inserted correctly and not binding, that the power is correctly wired, power supply is plugged in, etc. Then try again.

Note the baud rate on the test page. This may be 19200 or 9600. We'll need this number later:

![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/001/948/medium800/components_test-baud.jpg?1396777693)

Info: 

- [Previous Page](https://learn.adafruit.com/mini-thermal-receipt-printer/power.md)
- [Next Page](https://learn.adafruit.com/mini-thermal-receipt-printer/making-connections.md)

## Primary Products

### Mini Thermal Receipt Printer

[Mini Thermal Receipt Printer](https://www.adafruit.com/product/597)
Add a mini printer to any microcontroller project with this very cute thermal printer. Thermal printers are also known as receipt printers, they're what you get when you go to the ATM or grocery store. Now you can embed a little printer of your own into an enclosure. This printer is ideal...

No Longer Stocked
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/597)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/597/guides)
### Tiny Thermal Receipt Printer - TTL Serial / USB

[Tiny Thermal Receipt Printer - TTL Serial / USB](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2751)
Add a _really small_ printer to any microcontroller project with this very cute thermal printer. Thermal printers are also known as receipt printers, they're what you get when you go to the ATM or grocery store. Now you can embed a little printer of your own into an enclosure. This...

No Longer Stocked
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2751)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2751/guides)
### Nano Thermal Receipt Printer - TTL Serial

[Nano Thermal Receipt Printer - TTL Serial](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2752)
Add a _really really small_ printer to any microcontroller project with this very cute thermal printer. Thermal printers are also known as receipt printers, they're what you get when you go to the ATM or grocery store. Now you can embed a little printer of your own into an...

No Longer Stocked
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2752)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2752/guides)
### Thermal Receipt Printer Guts

[Thermal Receipt Printer Guts](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2753)
Add printing capability to any microcontroller project with **just the innards of a thermal printer.** Thermal printers are also known as receipt printers, they're what you get when you go to the ATM or grocery store. Now you can embed a little printer of your own into a...

No Longer Stocked
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2753)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2753/guides)

## Featured Products

### Mini Thermal Receipt Printer Starter Pack

[Mini Thermal Receipt Printer Starter Pack](https://www.adafruit.com/product/600)
Hit the ground running (and printing!) with this starter pack that includes a thermal printer and all the extras and save a few dollars while you're at it.  
  
Includes:

- [A mini thermal receipt printer](http://www.adafruit.com/products/597) - with cables and...

No Longer Stocked
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/600)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/600/guides)
### Female DC Power adapter - 2.1mm jack to screw terminal block

[Female DC Power adapter - 2.1mm jack to screw terminal block](https://www.adafruit.com/product/368)
If you need to connect a DC power wall wart to a board that doesn't have a DC jack - this adapter will come in very handy! There is a 2.1mm DC jack on one end, and a screw terminal block on the other. The terminals are labeled with positive/negative assuming a positive-tip configuration...

In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/368)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/368/guides)
### 5V 2A (2000mA) switching power supply - UL Listed

[5V 2A (2000mA) switching power supply - UL Listed](https://www.adafruit.com/product/276)
This is an FCC/CE certified and UL listed power supply. Need a lot of 5V power? This switching supply gives a clean regulated 5V output at up to 2000mA. 110 or 240 input, so it works in any country. The plugs are "US 2-prong" style so you may need a plug adapter, but you can pick one...

Out of Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/276)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/276/guides)
### Thermal paper roll - 50' long, 2.25" wide

[Thermal paper roll - 50' long, 2.25" wide](https://www.adafruit.com/product/599)
A mini roll of thermal paper, this fits very nicely into our mini thermal printer. 2.25" wide (about 57mm) and 50 feet long (15 meters). BPA-free.  
  
[Perfect for use with our mini thermal printer!](http://www.adafruit.com/products/597)

No Longer Stocked
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/599)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/599/guides)
### Thermal Paper Roll - 33' long, 2.25"

[Thermal Paper Roll - 33' long, 2.25"](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2754)
A little roll of thermal paper! This fits very nicely into our&nbsp;[Tiny Thermal Receipt Printer](https://www.adafruit.com/products/2751). It's ~2.25" wide (about 57mm) and 33 feet long or about 10 meters.

No Longer Stocked
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2754)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2754/guides)
### Thermal Paper Roll - 16' long, 2.25"

[Thermal Paper Roll - 16' long, 2.25"](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2755)
A little roll of thermal paper! This fits very nicely into our [Nano Thermal Receipt Printer](https://www.adafruit.com/products/2752). It's ~2.25" wide (about 57mm) and 16 feet long or about 5 meters.

No Longer Stocked
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2755)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2755/guides)
### Adafruit METRO 328 Fully Assembled - Arduino IDE compatible

[Adafruit METRO 328 Fully Assembled - Arduino IDE compatible](https://www.adafruit.com/product/50)
We sure love the ATmega328 here at Adafruit, and we use them&nbsp;_a lot_&nbsp;for our own projects. The processor has plenty of GPIO, Analog inputs, hardware UART SPI and I2C, timers and PWM galore - just enough for most simple projects. When we need to go small, we use a <a...></a...>

Out of Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/50)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/50/guides)
### Breadboarding wire bundle

[Breadboarding wire bundle](https://www.adafruit.com/product/153)
75 flexible stranded core wires with stiff ends molded on in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, brown, black and white. These are a major improvement over the "box of bent wires" that are sometimes sold with breadboards, and faster than stripping your own solid core wires. Makes...

In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/153)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/153/guides)

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