For your business, finding the best label maker is a big advantage for saving money in the production of your labels. The choice of this small device is meticulous. By choosing a product in any way, you may be very disappointed.
Indeed, you can come across a model that does not adapt to the storage location of your product. The stickers can deteriorate quickly. Among other things, you may also choose a label maker that does not have a good printing speed. You will be less productive in your activities.
Subsequently, if you do not choose the product well, you may also opt for a model that does not have the features you need. It is difficult to determine the best choice. Although the good quality of a device is important, the final verdict still depends on your own needs and requirements.
What is the best label maker?
You can not always mix the good with the beautiful and cheap. We know that. But checking it is possible to find label maker that provide excellent features, are of good quality and have an affordable price.
There may be some less expensive equipment, but you should always evaluate if you have everything that suits you. Some users, who have tested several models, have rated some of these machines as very good. Worth the fact that they are available on Amazon.
But so that you do not waste much time examining too many options, we offer you a comparative list with the five best label makers that exist today. Take them as a useful guide to know what you should look for and be able to make the wisest decision about it.
Brady BMP21-PLUS label maker
It has a rubber cover that protects it from falls and makes it more comfortable to hold in hand. It offers numerous printing options including the barcode.
Accepts different types of paper to make the labels including the adhesive. Also, makes good use of them without spending too much. Very efficient for those who work with cables and electricity because it allows thin labels for this purpose. Works perfectly with AA and rechargeable batteries.
Brother P-touch D600VP Label maker
Special for the office, it is an electronic desktop labeller with QWERTY keyboard like computers. It has an automatic cutter and connection for USB cables. You can customise the style of the labels and print them with 180 x 360 dpi resolution.
Works with material 3.5 / 6/9 / 12/18 and 24 mm wide. Bring your AC power adapter and a convenient bag to transport it. Includes a 24mm (4m) laminated tape.
DYMO XTL 300 label maker
This wireless industrial label maker has a 2.8-inch colour screen with TFT technology and an internal memory of 41 MB. The latter is convenient when saving print designs. Accepts a maximum length of 7-meter labels.
Prints in colour with a resolution of 300 x 300 DPI and a speed of 23 mm / s. It has an automatic shutoff function. Bring rubber protectors, and your QUERTZ keyboard is easy to clean.
DYMO LabelManager 280 Label maker
It is elegant and comes with a practical LCD screen to preview what you want to print. Bring a battery that is recharged via USB connection and automatic shut-off function when not in use. Includes integrated software and ready to use with the computer.
It is compatible with PC and Mac. Its design is compact and totally portable, in fact, it comes with a suitcase. It works with thermal transfer and is very easy to use.
Epson LabelWorks LW-700 label maker
It has a comfortable LED display and a QUERTY keyboard to quickly write the text of the labels. It is compatible with Mac and PC and comes with a 100MB hard drive.
It comes with a self-cutter and automatic shut off. It is a desktop model with an elegant white colour and black contrast keys to match any modern office. It works with AA batteries, and the printing has a maximum resolution of 180 x 180 DPI.
What is a label maker?
Also known as a label maker, it is a handy device that allows you to print labels ready to use and paste on any surface. Very useful for those who need to stick barcode to the products of a business or to make an inventory.
It also serves to make the identification of the separators in office filing cabinets or for reminders of projects or tasks. The same is very convenient for naming boxes or containers closed at home, among many other uses.
It is not a new invention product. During the twentieth century much was used for the same purposes. However, at that time the method of printing was different, especially between the 60s and 80s. They used to use rolls of ribbon made with plastic and intense colour. For each character, it was pressed leaving marks of a white font.
As technology has advanced, labelling machines have become much more efficient and comfortable. Even more efficient in energy and material consumption, besides being very easy to use. They are even compatible with computers and have MB of memory, to store various types of designs to be printed.
Many label makers work with a method called thermal transfer and generally use rolls of continuous paper.
How does it work?
A thermal label maker can work with different types of materials from cardboard, through ordinary paper to self-adhesive paper.
The way you print is not using ink. It applies heat to a material that accepts a thermal transfer of any text, symbol or image that you want to capture.
Why buy a label maker?
If you wonder if it is worth investing in one of these devices in front of an ordinary printer, you could be left open-mouthed with some of its advantages:
Rapid identification
Anything that needs to be identified can be done in a few seconds. Just write the text, define the font and size and ¡Ready! To print. Everything you need, even the jars with spices in the kitchen.
Save material
A common label maker requires at least letter-sized paper to capture an image or text. If the amount of labelling required does not cover the entire sheet (which will always be the case), you will lose the paper. In addition, you will have to cut it with a shear or scissors.
Save time
A machine of these can print hundreds of labels in a few minutes. Even if they come with a self-cutter, the work is done, and there is no need to worry.
Save spare parts
As it does not use ink or toner and does not need expensive spare parts in this sense, it is much cheaper than other similar machines.
Different types of label makers?
When you are looking for the best model that can meet your needs and quality requirements, you will need to understand the different types of label makers that are currently sold in order to orient your choice.
Office models
They are ideal for everyone who needs a simple and practical device. This kind of device is intended for light use. They are, however, quite expensive, as they typically have rolls of labels up to 4 inches wide.
These items are known to be very quiet when in use. It is for this reason that they have been chosen for use in an office.
Business models
They are more resistant than office printers. These products are capable of holding rolls of labels up to 8 inches wide. This type of machine is ideal for printing at medium volume. It is very suitable for small stores.
Industrial models
If you operate a distribution centre, factory or warehouse and need to produce labels continuously, this type of printer is for you.
They are incredibly durable and capable of producing thousands of labels every day and at a very high level.
It is quite obvious that this kind of product is relatively expensive. However, the expense is relative to the number of labels the device can produce and the durability of the product.
Portable models
As the name suggests, this type of label maker does not need to be kept on a desk because it can be moved around easily. You can find models for industrial, warehouse, office and other work environments.
Personal models
These are small portable devices that can be used to print your own labels. They are not designed for continuous use and should only be used at home, in a small business or office.
With this device, you will print the labels on a specially designed pair which will then enter the maker. The labels can then be removed from the labeller and glued as needed.
Places where you can use labels of your label maker
If you think that the sites that we have already mentioned are the only ones where the labels can be placed, you still have to learn.
With a label maker you can also mark:
- Documents
- CD
- Food in the refrigerator or shelves in the kitchen
- Flasks with medicines
- Clothes or any fabric
- Notebooks and school supplies
- Lockers
- Children’s cups or thermos
- Office accessories if necessary
- Photo albums
- Covers of works and presentations
How to find a perfect label maker?
To find one of these small label makers that are really efficient, you must make sure to review these ten characteristics very well:
Desktop or portable?
The desktop versions allow you to make prints with more excellent quality and speed. If you want to create labels that look professional, these labellers can be the most appropriate option.
On the other hand, portable label makers that can be carried in one side, go very well for large businesses. They can be used for the classification of product categories, to mark prices and barcode or for inventory. It would be very convenient, practical and easy for any worker to move around the premises and go placing the labels as it goes.
Type of keyboard
For the convenience of whoever writes the text or operates the device, the keyboard class is an important point. The so-called QWERTY, being the most used today, are easier to manipulate.
But to make the work easier, some label makers, mostly the portable, bring additional functions. While desktops bring software to pair with a computer, laptops allow you to create a configuration that helps with the technical specifications of the workplace.
Printing speed
The common thing is that desktop models print much faster than portable. Therefore, you might want to opt for the first alternative. But you must remember that the portable label maker allows not only to print but also to stick the labels at once.
The good news is that both kinds of label makers usually bring in their specifications the detail about their speed. Reviewing this point you can make a decision and adjust to the deadlines that you have set to finish labelling.
Types of labels
Size and style do matter, or at least they do while you use your printing machine. Some specialised models work specifically to place prices. These labels are usually wider and longer to include all the necessary information about a product.
Other shorter and narrower ones serve different purposes like putting simple names to things … a document, file, CD or the jar with cinnamon in the kitchen. Define well what you want to label and how much information is necessary so that you can determine the type of label.
The screen
It is a very important aspect. With it, you will see what you write and verify the orders you are sending to these marking devices to print correctly.
That the display has good size and contrast is necessary so that you can read what you write without difficulty.
You can find them on LCD, LED and TFT technology.
Power supply
There are wireless or wired. If you do not think of walking through corridors to put prices, you can buy one with cable.
But if you need to walk with your machine everywhere, better to choose a battery. They can be rechargeable or regular AA.
Styles and font sizes
When the aesthetic is important, it is necessary to check if the label maker allows printing different styles of text and with different sizes. Maybe for those who work labelling very technical things, do not need so much beauty.
Maybe in an office, in a business or even at home, beautiful and well-presented things have relevance.
Spare parts
Fortunately, we are not talking about ink or toner refills, but printing paper. The material that these devices use to capture the text usually comes in a continuous form. Once it’s over, you have to replace it. Depending on the use that is given, it can be very durable.
The main thing is to verify that the device allows several calibres of rolls of paper. This way you can print adhesive labels or not, which are thick, thin, long or short, as the case may be.
Software
The user interface and compatibility with a computer are relevant features. With both, it will be possible to edit the message or image that you want to print.
It is best to choose one with as many functions as possible, to guarantee endless possibilities. So the labelling will be to your liking.
Connectivity
Since we talk about software and compatibility with computers, we have to talk about connectivity. For printing equipment to be able to connect and synchronise with the computer or other electronic devices, it must have at least USB ports or use a WIFI signal.
Make sure that the option you buy has at least one of those two possibilities.
