Should you get a Cash Drawer for your Mall?
Your store is successful and presumably you still handle cash today – so where are you going to store all that money while you wait for that armored car to come collect your daily deposit?
You have several choices to consider to secure your daily receipts:
- Cigar Box
- Manual Cash Box
- Use a cash register (new, used or antique) simply as a device to store your money
- Use a drawer built-in into your counters
- Purchase Steel M-S Cash Drawer that interfaces with your computer and automatically opens @ Sale
The cigar box and manual drawers should only be considered for temporary startup purposes as neither option is very secure.
The cash register and the built-in drawer options are about as safe as the Steel M-S Cash Drawer interface option, but carry the inconvenience of opening the drawer with a key.
You can choose to setup the Steel M-S Cash Drawer on top of your counter or mount the drawer underneath you counter.
About 80% of our customers today purchase both Star Receipt printers and M-S Cash Drawers.
Although cash drawers can be connected to your computer using USB ports, serial ports, and parallel ports – the vast majority of cash drawers (opened by a computer) are actually connected directly to a receipt printer and it is the receipt printer pops open the cash drawer when it prints a receipt with the appropriate code. AMAS allows you open the cash drawer either before or after the receipt prints.
We only sell cash drawers manufactured by M-S Cash Drawer and have been doing so for over 25 years. To keep things simple, we only sell 2 different cash drawer models: EP-125K and the CF-405. Ninety-five percent of the cash drawers we sell are the EP-125K model.
| Model: | EP-125K | CF-405 |
|---|---|---|
| Picture: |  |
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| Pricing: | $225 | $150 |
| Material: | Thick Steel constructions with Stainless front | All Steel constructions with Stainless front |
| Dimensions: | 18.8″ (W) x 15.2″ (L) x 4.58″ (H) ** 4.10″ (H) without rubber feet | 15.9″ (W) x 16.7″ (L) x 4.46″ (H) ** 4.08″ (H) without rubber feet |
| Colors: | Available in Black, Off-white and brown powder coated Finish | Available in Black and Off-white powder coated Finish |
| Locks: | Manual release key-lock on right side | Three function center key-lock (Manual release, electronic release, and Drawer locked) |
| Money Trays: | Standard 5-bill; 5-Coin//Optional 5-bll; 6-Coin//Optional Locking Lids | Standard 5-bill; 5-Coin//Optional 5-bll; 6-Coin//Optional Locking Lids |
| Shipping Weight: | 26 lbs | 20 lbs |
| Warranty: | Two Years | Two Years |
| Interfaces: | Receipt Printer Interface is Standard (Preferred). Optional USB, Parallel and Serial (We do not normally sell these today) | Receipt Printer Interface is Standard (Preferred). Optional USB, Parallel and Serial (We do not normally sell these today) |
There are many competing Cash Drawers that are made of plastic or thinner gauge steel.
The EP-125NK is sturdier drawer than the CF-405.
The EP-125NK is consider the Industry standard.
The EP-125NK is about 3 inches wider and thus provides a little more room for your bills – not as tight as the CF-405.
Both drawers can be mounted under the counter (EP-125NK is 3″ wider and 1.5″ smaller in depth) and you can order optional mounting brackets.
You have several choices when Picking a Cash Drawer:
Model: EP-125NK – ($225, Heavier Steel, wider bill slots and smaller depth – Best choice for Under Counter) or ;
CF-405 – ($150, thinner steel, tighter bills – best for counter top)
Color: Black (most popular), Off-white (ugly after a few years exposed to UV light, brown (EP-125NK only)
Media Slot: yes or no
Interface: Receipt Printer Interface is the way to go but must have receipt printer. USB is available but rarely chosen.