A point-of-sale system is a vital tool for many small businesses, especially in the retail, food, and business industries. It houses many useful features, such as inventory management and sales reporting. 

However, a POS system cannot be completed without a cash drawer. A cash drawer is designed to store high-value currency safely and conveniently as it is strongly built and even comes with keys and enhanced security. With a cash drawer around, rest assured that you will securely keep your money.

In today's article, we have researched and gathered the top 7 best cash drawers of 2022 for your small business.  

How to Select The Best Cash Drawer

The cash drawer is an integral and highly-used, part of every POS system. It sees constant human engagement, often at the check-out counter, and is interacted with thousands of times over in a week, depending on how busy your business is. As a result, a cash drawer is an innovative hardware to have since it significantly improves the overall POS experience — making it an investment in a high-quality model more than worthwhile.

Buying the cheapest cash drawer may initially seem like it will save you a few dollars, but in the long run, it will often cause more frustration and dissatisfaction, making the entire system look and function poorly. 

A high-quality cash drawer will still be one of the least expensive components of a POS system, so we suggest you make your decision based on quality, instead of price to benefit you and your customer for a long time.

When considering the purchase of a cash drawer, there are a few criteria that should be taken into account to get the best fit for your small business needs. Here are a few:

Consider your size and needs - What is the environment in which you’ll be using this? Where will it be located? Determining which best suits your business requires an assessment of your specific needs.

Durable Hardware - Cash drawers range from basic to full-featured models and offer different levels of durability. A fast-food environment, where drawers are opened and closed frequently, demands a heavy-duty model with an all-steel case while a boutique store selling clothes or specialty items has more modest requirements. A durable and sturdy material is essential in a good cash drawer since it will be used frequently.

Connecting Interface - It's essential to make sure your cash drawers work with your POS system. The most widely used connection interface for cash drawers is the RJ12 or RJ11. It is considered the “standard” connection for almost all cash drawers. 

The RJ11/RJ12 may also be known as a Drawer Kick interface or DKD. It might also be referred to as an Epson, Star or Citizen interface as these are the most common brands of receipt printers to which the cash drawer might be connected. However, the RJ11/RJ12 will work with almost any receipt printer brand, as long as it has an RJ11/RJ12 socket.

7 Best Cash Drawers for Small Businesses 2022

MMF Cash Drawer Val-u Line 

The MMF Val-U line cash drawer merges a durable and reliable design in a compact footprint, making it an excellent choice for medium-duty environments. While not as tough as the MMF Advantage line, the Val-U line cash drawer still features an all-steel structure and roller-bearing suspension rails for enhanced sturdiness. The high-impact ABS cash tray and bill weights hold up to a full day of use of cash easily making the Val-U line a versatile solution for small businesses.

 Its steel metal finish has a smooth powder coat in either black or white. This cash drawer is available in three popular sizes, with the two larger sizes accommodating five bills and eight different coins. 

The MMF Val-U Line cash drawer is one of the best options for customers looking for an economical, manual drawer. This new technology enables the user to touch the front panel for an easy, smooth opening.

It is compatible with most major receipt printers and has a contemporary black-matte finish that coordinates well with other POS equipment.

 

Vasario Series Cash Drawer

Vasario Series combines durability and reliability, making it one of the best cash drawers for bars, restaurants, medium volume retailers, or just about any small business looking for secured cash storage. Available in black and beige color, the Vasario can meet the needs of retailers of all kinds.

It has a roller-bearing suspension system feature that allows a smooth opening and closing of the drawer. Multiple till styles enable the Vasario to meet various currency requirements, including international bill storage. 

It features a built-in four-level lock that offers multiple levels of security and can be keyed randomly or alike depending on your shop’s needs. An additional till cover is provided to give users peace of mind and added security when taking the till back to the office for counting

The Vasario series cash drawer has a USB, serial, printer-driven interface options, and a latch mechanism at over 1,000,000 cycles.

 

MMF Advantage Manual Cash Drawer

The MMF Advantage Manual Cash Drawer offers high security and excellent durability and is designed for businesses that need a safe yet easy-to-use cash drawer. Being a manual cash drawer, the MMF Advantage can be installed anywhere you need it, making it a savvy choice for mobile money handlings, such as at farmer’s markets or retail conventions. 

The Lockit cash drop compartment is an added security feature that puts a lock on top of one of the media slots to ensure items such as large bills stay safe all day long. This cash drawer model gives you the high security and sturdiness line without requiring a PC or receipt printer to activate the drawer.

The MMF Advantage Manual Cash Drawer is available in black and putty and in two sizes, featuring three media slots, two standards, and one Lockit cash drop.

 

Volcora 5 Bill 6 Coin Cash Tray, Removable Coin Compartment, 24V, RJ11/RJ12 Key-Lock, Media Slot

This is one of the most affordable cash drawers in our list of the best cash drawers, starting at a retail price of $59.90. This model is specifically designed for small businesses with basic POS cash drawer features. This is a durable choice for commercial use, thanks to its microswitch and heavy-duty metal structure.

The money box has a built-in cash tray with a removable coin compartment to maximize the partitions to 5 bill slots and six coin slots. The front panel has one media slot for large bills, checks, and receipts storage without opening the drawer. 

Its key features include a 3-position key lock: 1-manual open, 2-auto open printers/POS, 3-lock, and it is compatible with most major receipt printer brands such as Epson, Citizen, JAY, etc.

 

Star Micronics CD4

The Star Micronics CD4 is available in 14” x 16,” and 16” x 16” sizes and comes in either glossy black or matte white finishes, with optional stainless-steel front designs. The cash drawers in these series are usually some of the most in-demand among small businesses. Featuring standard till sizes, the 14” x 16” cash drawer has a 4 Bill-5 Coin till, and the 16” x 16” model features a 5 Bill-5 Coin till, with additional sizes available to fit a business's specific needs.

It boasts a reinforced top for added durability and has a reliable roller assembly design and operation. It features a single-key drawer and till operation with a premium foldable hinged key design. For added security, it has over 10 different lock option sets.

 

Bematech CD415

The Bematech CD415 is a highly reliable cash drawer for retail and hospitality environments. The narrow footprint (16inx16in) minimizes the counter-space required for your Point of Sale system. The deep under-till storage compartment can hold many coin rolls and media. With steel ball-bearing slides and a durable powder coat finish, you can see and feel the quality of this top-of-the-line cash drawer.

Some of its main features include supporting all major brands of Point of Sale printers. It has a high-security design with all metal construction and a three-position lock for maximum cash security. Some cash registers pose the risk of sliding off, but the CD415 has rubber feet for a good grip and added stability.

 

APG Series 4000

Exceeding customer and industry expectations, the APG Series 4000 is the ultimate heavy-duty cash drawer. It features industrial-grade steel ball bearing slides to ensure effortless performance and durability for every busy small business. Its robust latch mechanism and a proven four-function lock assembly offer reliable levels of security. Special features such as flexible storage space, various sizing, color and customized options easily make the Series 4000 another reason for APG’s reputation as the preferred choice for small businesses.

It also has dual, beveled media slots with dual media trays below. This is also ideal for rugged and demanding environments because of its solid steel construction that is tested to last beyond four million transactions.

 

Conclusion

With more customers relying on digital payments and fewer companies manufacturing cash drawers, it can be challenging to find a cash drawer for your small business. If you are willing to expand your search to include POS-driven drawers, you’ll have more options. 

It is quite a common phenomenon to be confused over which is the best cash drawer to buy. This dilemma arises due to the existence of various types of cash drawers in the market. To reduce your conundrum, we hope that this comprehensive guide of how you may pick the best cash drawers has helped you.