If you want the short answer: buy the NIIMBOT B1 if you mainly need clear text and barcodes at the lowest price, the NIIMBOT B1 Pro if you want 300dpi, red-and-black dual-colour and photo-quality grayscale in a compact body, and the NIIMBOT B21 Pro if you reload rolls constantly and want the fastest, most foolproof paper loading. All three print the same 20–50mm label widths, and none of them use ink.
What all three have in common
The B1, B1 Pro and B21 Pro are all 2-inch direct thermal printers. They print by heating the label surface, so there is no ink, no toner and no cartridge to replace — the running cost is the label roll and nothing else. All three support 20–50mm label widths, connect over Bluetooth to the NIIMBOT app on iPhone and Android, and take the same rolls from our B1 & B21 label collection. If you already own one of these printers, your existing label stock will work with the others.
NIIMBOT B1 — the budget workhorse
At S$47, the B1 is the most affordable way into 2-inch labelling. It weighs 293g, measures 13 × 9 × 6cm, and its 1500mAh battery runs about 4 hours per charge — the largest battery of the three, which matters if you print away from a power point. It auto-sleeps after 15 minutes to save power.
What you give up is resolution and colour. The B1 prints crisp text, barcodes and QR codes perfectly well, but it is not a photo printer and it does not do dual-colour. For kitchen and pantry labels, cable tags and file labels, that is all you need. It is our recommendation for most home organisation buyers.
NIIMBOT B1 Pro — 300dpi and colour, still compact
The B1 Pro (S$56) is the 2026 upgrade and, for only S$9 more than the B1, it is the best value of the three. You get a 300dpi printhead for sharper small text and more reliably scannable barcodes, red-and-black dual-colour printing on compatible rolls, and 16-bit grayscale so logos and photos print with real shading instead of flat blocks.
It also connects to up to 10 devices at once (3 iOS + 7 Android) and supports Bluetooth printing from Windows, which makes it genuinely practical for a small team. Print length runs from 8mm to 350mm — the longest of the three — so it handles tall labels and small banners. It is slightly bigger at 355g. If you run a boutique or print cafe price tags, this is the one to get.
NIIMBOT B21 Pro — built for constant reloading
The B21 Pro (S$86) matches the B1 Pro on 300dpi, dual-colour and 10-device sync, so you are not paying extra for print quality. What the higher price buys is workflow. Its no-paper-core design lets you slide the clip open, drop the roll in and close it — two steps, no spindle. An RFID chip in every roll auto-detects the label size, so the app configures itself. Smart paper-retract auto-aligns the first label on startup and wastes 30mm or less per roll.
None of that matters much if you change rolls once a month. It matters a great deal in warehouse SKU management or any retail and office setting where someone swaps between label sizes all day. Its print length maxes out at 200mm, shorter than the B1 Pro.
Which should you buy?
Choose the B1 for the lowest cost and longest battery. Choose the B1 Pro if you want the best quality-per-dollar and the longest labels. Choose the B21 Pro if reload speed and size auto-detection will save you real time every day.
If you need labels wider than 50mm, step up to the B31, which handles up to 75mm. If your labels must survive sunlight, solvents or freezing without fading, direct thermal is the wrong technology — look at our thermal transfer printers instead, which print onto PET with a ribbon.
Still deciding? Our D11 vs D110 vs D101 comparison covers the smaller 12–25mm models, and the B21 label size guide lists every roll that fits. Every printer here ships from our Singapore warehouse with a 1-year local warranty.