Top 5 Label Makers
A good label maker can be portable and portable, connect to your computer via USB or somewhere in between, but it should print good labels that are readable and durable, whether they’re in your filing cabinet, your pantry, or your freezer. This week, we’ll take a look at the top 5 based on your recommendations.
Earlier this week, we asked you to list your favorite label makers based on these criteria. You’ve given us a ton of great options to print everything from simple labels for plastic pantry containers to heavy mailing labels, but we only have room for the top five. Here they are, in no particular order.
DYMO Rhino Industrial 4200
If you need a label maker that can pump labels quickly, take anywhere, have a library of over 150 symbols, plus all the standard letters and numbers you need, and can do it all in an easy-to-work place. in using the QWERTY keyboard and LCD display, the DYMO Rhino 4200 is a good choice. It’ll set you back around $ 52 on Amazon , and while it’s a bit bulky, it’s capable of printing wires or cable wraps, label flags, wide and long labels, fixed-length labels, and more, no matter what you may need to organize. The Rhino 4200 can also print on more than just standard black on white or black on clear labels: you can also print directly on flexible nylon, polyester and vinyl, or even directly on heat shrink tubing. It’s also durable, with rubber bumpers at all four corners to protect it from drops, bumps, and falls. It also works with DYMO’s range of industrial labels, giving you a little more flexibility in choosing the type of material you use to label your products.
Those of you who have nominated the Rhino 4200 praised it for its ability to easily label heat shrink tubing, cables, and other items in the home (and workplace) that require more durable labels and labelers than you might need in your home. in the office or in the kitchen at home. However, some of you have noted that it works just as well in light conditions at home as it does when connected to an Ethernet network or working in a garage, and it isn’t too expensive for the features it offers. You can read more on his nominations thread here or on another thread about the Rhino series .
Epson LW-300
Epson LW-300 is a home label maker awarded top marks from The Sweethome (Wirecutter’s home furnishings cousin), capable of printing quickly in over 14 different fonts, 10 different text styles, over 300 built-in characters, 75 different lettering “Framework” and much more. The LW-300 has built-in memory that supports 30 different “files” or labels that you can recall and print quickly without re-entering the style, content and font of those labels. It’s comfortable to use with two hands, has a QWERTY keyboard, LCD screen and is completely free of charge from your computer, so you don’t need to plug it into your computer for anything. It is capable of printing double-liner labels, supports specialty labels such as reflective tapes, label iron and decorative tapes, and is small enough to take with you wherever you go, whether you use it in the kitchen to label containers or in the office. … marking of folders with files. Best of all, it’s available and will set you back only $ 26 on Amazon .
Those of you who nominated it noted that it has all the features that most people from a label maker want if they use it for organizational purposes, and that it’s cheap. The batteries last for a long time, the low-margin labels save paper (which obviously costs money), and The Sweethome notes that this was the most convenient label maker they tested. They also praised the LW-300 for having easy-to-press keys (as opposed to the very spongy and difficult-to-use keys that are common with many label makers), and for really allowing you to print complex labels with large the number of symbols and punctuation marks. light. Read more in the nomination thread here .
Brother PT90
The Brother PT-90 is a simple, easy-to-use label maker that won’t go bankrupt (only $ 17 on Amazon , but some of you reported lower prices at local office supply stores) and it gets the job done without a ton of extra bells and whistles … The simple screen is a one-line display and the labeler has a simple QWERTY keyboard that simplifies lettering and numbering of labels. It supports up to eight different types of custom labels, can print one or two lines of text in nine font styles, and about 200 different punctuation marks and symbols. It is designed primarily for the home office, although the labels can also be used to organize kitchen cabinets or pantries. It even supports some types of laminated and non-laminated tapes, so if you’re looking for a label that will stand the test of time, you can get one (assuming you buy the right tape). If you are looking for a more complex model with many symbols or functions, this model may be for you.
Those of you who have praised it have noted that while you get what you pay for in terms of features and complexity, many of you just don’t need all the extra stuff in a simple label maker – you just want to type in what you want. … label to say and press print. This is the ideal model for this. You can power it with AAA batteries, it’s easy to use with one or two hands, and it’s cheap. You praised the labels printed on it for being clean and crisp, free from smudges, and small enough to fit in a desk drawer without taking up a lot of space. Read more in the nomination thread here .
DYMO LetraTag Plus LT-100H
The DYMO LetraTag Plus LT-100H is a one-handed label maker designed for quick and easy one-handed use, with an alphabetic keyboard, and narrow enough to fit in a pocket or bag. Unlike the wider, more durable models, this model uses a simple top-loading replacement strap and bottom-loading replacement batteries and is specially designed for small office or home use. That said, the huge LetraTag LCD is a nice feature, and it uses its phaser shape to really expand that screen so you can see all the lines you type, the options available, and easily allow you to switch between them. five different built-in font sizes, seven print styles, various border and border styles, and internal memory with 9 labels. It can even print your date label or print in three different languages. LetraTag LT tape comes with plastic, metal, laminated and even magnetic labels and stickers, so you can choose a tape and load it quickly depending on what you need to do. It can even be printed on thermal paper. Best of all, it’s affordable – just $ 25 on Amazon .
Those of you who have nominated it praised it for being easy to use with one hand and for being portable – and while using it with two hands can be a little tricky (since most of us are used to QWERTY keyboards), you get used to to it quickly. It includes many features in a cheap and portable label maker, and while you probably won’t use it often in office environments where speed matters more than portability, or if you need labels of different sizes rather than types, this is a great option. buy for home office or just for home organization. You may even have noticed that it comes with a wall mount for easy storage. Read more in the nomination thread here .
Brother P-Touch PT-1230PC
If you need a labeler that connects to your computer and can print from almost any application, or you need to print barcodes, the P-Touch PT-1230PC might be a good option for you. This is a small and simple USB label printer that’s enough to fit almost anywhere near your computer. It’s powered by AAA batteries so you don’t need to plug it into a powered USB port, any hub will work with it, and you don’t even need any special software to use it – just plug it into your computer. , add it as a printer (if Windows doesn’t automatically detect it, and note Brother says it’s Windows only) and print from any word processor. (Although you can download Brother’s P-Touch Editor and use its software if you wish.) The printer itself prints 12mm laminated labels and prints them pretty quickly, so if you have a lot of organizing work to do or you label folders, storage containers or documents that are often used at work, you can do it without leaving your computer with this model. It can even print multiple lines, support TrueType fonts, and even print graphics. In short, if your computer can print this, the label maker might try it too. On Amazon, it’s $ 39 .
Those of you who nominated the PT-1230PC praised it for its ease of use and portability as a handheld labeler, and for giving you the ability to connect it to your PC and use fonts, languages and punctuation marks. , and the symbols available in Windows without limiting you to what the label manufacturer already knows. You mentioned that you used it to mark cables, computers, storage boxes and more, and it sits next to your computer monitor, next to the USB port. You also noted that you often used yours to print barcodes to track assets or organization, which is a boon that none of the others in our review support. Read more in the nomination thread here .
Now that you’ve seen the top five, it’s time to put them up for a general vote to determine the Lifehacker community favorite:
Honorable mentions
An honorable mention this week is for the Duralabel Pro graphics product series , which some of you have named specifically to be a natural step forward when you want a PC-connected label maker that can do it all and get it all done quickly. Whether you print mailing labels, office labels, durable weather-resistant or outdoor labels, simple storage container labels or whatever, this is a company that makes some of the most versatile label manufacturers in the business at affordable prices. for home office or business. In addition, they make printers, paper and tape that can be carried anywhere, including adhesive vinyl, heat shrink tubing, magnetic labels, laminated plastic and more. You can read his nominations thread here .
Do you have anything to say about one of the applicants? Want to substantiate your personal favorite even if it wasn’t on the list? Remember, the Top 5 is based on your most popular nominations from the Call for Applicants thread earlier this week . Don’t just complain about the top 5, let us know which option you like best and justify it in the discussions below.