Monarch Pricing Guns which one Should I Use?
Introduction to Pricing Marking Guns
Pricing marking guns (also called labelers or price guns) are handheld tools used in retail, grocery, and other businesses to quickly apply price, SKU, date, or promotional labels to merchandise and products. These tools greatly speed up tagging tasks, reduce human error, and help maintain consistent pricing presentation across a store’s inventory. Monarch models from Avery Dennison are among the most commonly used and reliable options on the market.
Overview of Avery Dennison Monarch Pricing Guns
Avery Dennison Monarch pricing guns range from simple one-line price labelers for basic pricing to more advanced multi-position and two-line devices that handle pricing, codes, and dates. Each model has strengths suited to different business needs.
Below are the key Monarch models you asked about:
1. Monarch 1115 Pricing Gun — Two-Line Professional Labeler
The Monarch 1115 is a versatile and professional-grade pricing gun designed for more than just basic pricing:
Key Features & Benefits
- Two-line printing: Handles more information than single-line guns, such as price + SKU, comparison price, date codes, or promotional information.
- More characters per print: Often prints up to 12 positions (e.g., 8 on each line) depending on configuration, so you can encode detailed information.
- Cleaner labels: Features a covered label protector that keeps labels clean during operation.
- Great for stores needing comparison pricing, inventory codes, or multi-purpose labeling.
👉 Best for medium-to-large retailers that want both price and additional data on labels without switching tools.
2. Monarch 1110 Label Gun — Basic One-Line Marker
The Monarch 1110 is a traditional and reliable one-line pricing gun that suits many straightforward pricing tasks.
Key Features & Benefits
- One-line interface: Simple and intuitive for basic retail price marking.
- Prints up to 6 positions, making it suitable for standard dollar and cents pricing.
- Larger label footprint than older models, with clear, bold print.
- Lightweight design and easy pull trigger make it comfortable for extended use.
👉 Ideal for small-to-medium retailers who mainly price items and don’t require SKU or date coding.
3. Monarch 1130 Label Gun — One-Line Compact Labeler
The Monarch 1130 offers a similar one-line approach to the 1110 but with some refinements:
Key Features & Benefits
- 6 character capacity, same as the 1110, but part of the newer Monarch ‘1130 Series’ design.
- Slightly smaller label size (approx. 5/8″ × 7/16″), which is good for narrower tags or package spaces.
- ‘New Technology’ loading design makes it easier to load labels — no threading needed — saving time and reducing loading errors.
👉 Best choice if you want a compact gun that’s quick to reload and produces neat, uniform pricing labels.
4. Monarch 1131 Pricing Gun — Popular One-Line All-Rounder
The Monarch 1131 is one of the most widely used single-line pricing guns due to its balance of features, label capacity, and ease of use.
Key Features & Benefits
- 8 character printing capacity — more than the 1110 and 1130 — for expanded pricing info like unit prices or extended codes.
- Works with labels ~0.78″ × ~0.44″, giving good readability for price tags.
- Ergonomic grip and a large viewing window help the user monitor label usage and speed up refills.
- Easy to load and change ink rollers — reducing downtime.
👉 A great “workhorse” price gun for most businesses needing reliable, everyday labeling.
5. Monarch Model 1136 Price Gun — Two-Line Advanced Pricing & Coding
The Monarch 1136 builds on the one-line models by providing two-line printing, making it more suited to complex labeling jobs.
Key Features & Benefits
- Two lines of printing — ideal for price + unit codes, price + SKU, or date information.
- Up to 8 characters per line, providing flexibility for detailed information.
- The larger label format (~.78″ × .65″) accommodates more text.
- Heavy-duty build and reliable performance for environments that need more detailed product tagging.
👉 Best for retailers who need rich labeling data in a single label.
Key Differences at a Glance
| Model | Print Lines | Characters | Label Size | Best Suited For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1110 | 1 | ~6 | Small | Simple price tags, basic pricing |
| 1130 | 1 | ~6 | Compact | Easy-to-load, smaller labels |
| 1131 | 1 | ~8 | Standard | General pricing with extra character space |
| 1115 | 2 | ~12+ | Larger | Multi-info labels (price + codes/dates) |
| 1136 | 2 | ~16 (2×8) | Larger | Price + detailed information |
✔ Single-line guns (1110/1130/1131) excel at basic pricing and rapid throughput.
✔ Two-line guns (1115/1136) are ideal if you need to include additional data like SKU, dates, or promotions directly on the label.
Benefits of Using Monarch Pricing Guns
Across all these models, there are consistent benefits that make Monarch pricing guns a popular choice:
⚡ Faster Pricing & Tagging
Handheld trigger action lets you apply labels significantly faster than handwriting tags.
📊 Better Accuracy & Consistency
Pre-printed bands eliminate mis-entries and fading of handwritten prices.
🔄 Easy Label Loading
Many newer Monarch models offer no-thread loading systems that save time.
🪶 Lightweight & Ergonomic
Designed for frequent use without excessive hand fatigue.
🧰 Versatile Label Options
Wide range of label sizes and colors available — including fluorescent and tamper-proof — to match different tasks.
🛠️ Durable & Reliable
Made from rugged ABS plastic with good drop resistance and backed by manufacturer support.
Conclusion
Choosing the right Monarch pricing gun depends on how much information you need to display on your labels:
- Basic pricing (6–8 characters): go with 1131 for most needs, or 1130 if you want smaller labels.
- Compact and cost-effective: 1110 is a solid choice.
- More detailed labels: 1115 or 1136 deliver dual lines and versatility for SKU codes, dates, or promotional notes.
Regardless of your choice, using these pricing guns will help streamline your pricing process and make product labeling faster and more precise — a key advantage in busy retail environments.