A good label printer is an essential in every office, and in the majority of homes too. You never know when you’re going to need one, but the reality is that there will come a time when you could probably do with a label maker to make things easier.
They are different reasons for wanting a label maker, whether you just want a label printer for stuff around the house, or you need one because you’re thinking of starting your own e-commerce store. You’ll want to think about its print speeds, cost and the type of printing technology that it uses.
The good news is that there’s definitely a label maker to suit your needs, and they tend to be pretty cheap too. So, let’s look at some of the options currently available.
Best Label Printers for Home Use, Shipping & More
| Product | Image | Style | Get More Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| DYMO LabelWriter 450 |  | Desktop | Check Price at Amazon |
| Brother P-Touch H101C |  | Portable | Check Price at Amazon |
| Brother PT-D600VP |  | Professional | Check Price at Amazon |
| Dymo LetraTag LT-100H |  | Portable | Check Price at Amazon |
| Brother QL-800 Label Maker |  | Desktop | Check Price at Amazon |
DYMO LabelWriter 450
Dymo are quite a big name in the office supples sector, and this Labelwriter is one of their best selling products. If you’re looking for a desktop label printer, then this is one of my favourite options.
This label maker can print up to 51 labels per minute, so almost one every second. You can easily customize whatever labels you want on your computer or laptop, and it works with all the major softwares you can think of like Excel and Word.
It works fine with anything newer than Windows 7, and it’ll work fine with the Mac OS too. The barcodes are high quality and easy to scan, with a 600×300 dpi resolution.
Like all thermal printers, one of the best things about the Dymo Labelwriter is that you won’t need to worry about high printing costs due to using a ton of ink.
I should mention that to use this label maker effectively, you’ll likely need to do a little online research if you’ve never used one before. Though you can figure it out pretty easily if you have experience with something similar, the printing technology can be a little confusing for first timers.
So if you’re looking for a proper desktop label maker, then this is definitely one of the best out there. For most people, it’s going to be the best option as it provides very fast print speeds along with good customization options too.
Pros
Cons
Verdict: This DYMO LabelWriter 450 is a solid pick when it comes to desktop label makers, although you’ll need to do a little research to make use of it properly.
Brother P-Touch H101C
Some people might not be looking for a desktop label maker. If you just want something cheap and easy to carry around with you, then a portable label printer will be the better choice. One of the better options out there is this Brother H101C, which can print at around 3cm per second.
Another positive about this label maker is that it has the ability to store up to 10 different labels at once, and you have the ability to use 170 different symbols on your labels, meaning you can use both upper and lower case letters.
It comes with clear tape and works best with clear tape, however you can also use it with different colours too. But, you’ll need to pick that up as an extra (it’s relatively cheap!).This model uses 6 AAA batteries, which might seem like quite a lot. However, they will last for a long time, so you won’t need to worry about changing them too often.
All in all, if you’re after a portable laser maker, this is a really good option. It will give you a low cost introduction into label printing without having to outlay a significant amount of cash, and it’s still capable of printing at a fairly high speed too.
Pros
Cons
Verdict: If you’re looking for a cheap Brother label maker, this is one of the best selections you can make.
Brother PT-D600VP
If you’re looking for a professional label maker that’s easy to use, then the Brother PT-D600VP would be a good choice. It’s the perfect addition to a small business, and it’s one of the best label makers out there.
Why is this model so good? Well, it comes with a full QWERTY keyboard, making it very easy to create labels. You can easily create different types of label with this device, and it’s very good for those looking to create laminated labels that will last.
For those that don’t have time to spend ages waiting for your label maker to print, then this is definitely a good option. It prints very quickly, and you can easily connect it to your computer via USB cable if you want to print data from an Excel document (this works perfectly for shipping labels).
It also has an LCD display that’s perfect for easily being able to tell what’s on the label itself. It will make things a whole lot simpler when you’re actually creating your own labels, but you do sacrifice portability a little bit.
So, this option definitely won’t suit those looking for a handheld label maker. But if you’re looking to create high quality labels, then this desktop label maker is one of the best options available.
Pros
Cons
Verdict: Although expensive, this is definitely one of the better label makers on the market.
Dymo LetraTag LT-100H
Another good option if you’re looking for a portable label printer is this LetraTag LT-100H. You might have heard of LetraTag before, as they’re well known as one of Dymo’s best ranges of label printers.
This label maker weighs around a quarter of a kilo, so it isn’t too heavy to carry around with you. It uses two AA batteries, so make sure you bear this in mind if you do decide to get it (it won’t come with batteries included!).
It has memory capabilities of up to 9 different labels, so you’ll probably know yourself whether this will be enough for you, or you might need to for something with greater capacity.
Although it’s not the most customizable label printer, it does have the choice to pick between five different fonts, and seven different printing styles. So if you’re looking for something basic to help you print labels, then the LT-100H is going to be a pretty safe choice.
Pros
Cons
Verdict: Whilst not one of the top models on the market, the LetraTag LT-100H isn’t a bad choice.
Brother QL-800 Label Maker
This is another good desktop label printer made by Brother, and it has everything you would need from a basic label printer. It prints up to 6.2cm in width, and you can easily connect it to your computer or laptop (works well with any OS).
One benefit of this label maker is that it can print extremely long labels up to a metre in size. So, if you have the need for longer labels, then this would be a wise choice. This might come in handy if you need a label maker for an office environment, which is what it’s going to be most suited to.
Also, there’s no need for hassle setting up any software to use with this printer, as it’ll work right off the bat. This can typically be a bit of a hassle with label printers, so having a good software is key.
Much of the decision will depend on what kind of label printer you’re looking for. If you’re looking for a proper desktop label maker, then I’d advise that you look at this option. It’s probably the best choice if you want to print address labels.
Pros
Cons
Verdict: It’s no surprise that another Brother label maker makes it only our list, with the QL-800 being pretty good for the price.
Common Questions about Label Printers
What should I look for in a label maker?
If you’re looking to get a label printer and you’re not sure what you need to be looking for, here’s a few things. Firstly, you need to know its memory capability if it’s a portable printer – do you need to print a ton of different labels regularly? Then you might need a high memory capacity. You should also consider the keyboard (is it QWERTY?), and the size of the label maker too.
Dymo vs Brother – Which is better?
These are probably the 2 most well known brands of label maker, and it can be difficult to know which is best. Personally, I always opt for Dymo when I’m purchasing a label printer, however Brother is also another good choice. and there’s not a great deal of difference between the two.
Should I get a label maker?
Yes! A good label maker can not only be a necessity in some circumstances, but they’re also good to have hanging around too. If you’ve ever had the need to organise your stuff, then a label maker might be a good option.
Can you print labels with a regular printer?
Whilst you can, I’d advise that you get a thermal label printer. Thermal label makers perform far better than ink printers because they’re a lot cheaper, and better than laser makers because laser printers melt the label adhesive.
Why is my label maker not printing?
If you already have a label maker and it’s not printing, then the most common cause of this is some kind of obstruction. So, make sure that the printing material you’re using is compatible, and it’s not caught on anything in the label printer itself.
Conclusion
All in all, these are just a few of the best label printers that you can currently get your hands on. As usual, it’s best to go with the big brands like Dymo and Brother due to their reputation and long term reliability. This is especially true for Brother, who make some of the best A4 printers on the market.
A good label printer can help you to get things organised, or it might be that you need a label maker for work – in which case, it’s an essential!
