Primera's Signature Z1 disc printer is one of those products that you don't really need, but you want to have anyway. If you only create a few CD or DVD a year, then you probably can't justify the cost. However, if you churn out lots of CD and DVD, whether for backups, to mix and match songs, to organize a burgeoning digital photo collection, or to finally get all your home movies onto permanent media, then the Z1 deserves a place on your desktop. It's easy to use and is not overly expensive. In addition, printed information looks much nicer on CD and DVD than something scrawled with a marker.

The Z1 can print directly on standard CD and DVD, unlike most other CD/DVD printers that require special printable media. The downside is that unlike other CD/DVD printers, the Z1 can't print flashy multicolor labels. You're limited to one ink color, be it black, red, green, or blue. A black ribbon is included in the package.

The label design software is easy to use. You can use any font, image, or logo you currently have on your computer, so even though your color choice is limited, your design choices are not.

Each disc is divided into four print areas, and it's up to you which of the four areas you want to print. Printing times are a little slow, about 25 to 30 seconds per print area, but not unbearable. If you print all four areas, the label may cost more than the media did. However, if you're picky about how your disc collection looks, what's a few extra cents?

The package includes a power adapter, a USB cable, the black ribbon and a CD with label design software. Replacement ribbons are about $20.


Pros: Compact, lightweight, and easy to set up. Doesn't require printable CD or DVD. Includes label design software that can work with your existing fonts and images.
Cons: Can only print one ink color at a time. The printing process is a little slow if you want to do a batch of CD or DVD at a time. Per-label cost is often higher than the cost of the media.

Warranty
1 year