Label Maker

[LSU]

My old label maker has died.

Looking for a replacement.

ideally one that makes larger ones with an easily changeable tape.

Thanks

 

[The Cobbler]

for permanent labels I like my Brother P touch. it's done everything I've asked it to.

 

[smackey05]

for permanent labels I like my Brother P touch. it's done everything I've asked it to.

Same one I use. Simple and convenient.

 

[SILVERPLATE]

I have a P-Touch that I have owned many years that plugs into my laptop. Makes awesome labels extremely easy, resizing, fonts, etc. Drawback not to portable for a job site but great for home.

 

[mike93lx]

Brother p touch. Mine is maybe 15 Years old and turns on every time I need it.

 

[shawhite]

I have both the brothers p touch and an epson label works. The epson does not waste nearly as much label as the brothers but the brothers is easier to use.

 

[Sumboodie]

P Touch or Dymo

 

[mike93lx]

I have both the brothers p touch and an epson label works. The epson does not waste nearly as much label as the brothers but the brothers is easier to use.

That's a solid point. I usually try to print multiples at one so I can waste less tape

 

[foghorn1966]

P-Touch get the one for TZ tapes. More readily available & more sunlight resistant.
The M tapes fade. Cartridge styles not interchangeable.

 

[Fuelboat]

for permanent labels I like my Brother P touch. it's done everything I've asked it to.

Second that on the Brothers

 

[dscheidt]

P Touch or Dymo

Dymo has recently introduced labelmakers that require you to buy only their labels. (the cartridges have DRM in them). That makes any of their products a hard pass for me.

 

[Sumboodie]

I have both the brothers p touch and an epson label works. The epson does not waste nearly as much label as the brothers but the brothers is easier to use.

I've never figured out why my 2 P Touches (different models) always make the label much longer than it needs to. I almost always end up having to cut it with scissors.

 

[Earp69]

I've never figured out why my 2 P Touches (different models) always make the label much longer than it needs to. I almost always end up having to cut it with scissors.

So you buy more labels

 

[Sumboodie]

So you buy more labels

Probably, though it's annoying to need scissors and cut an inch off the sides.

 

[Grant Gunderson]

I have owned Ptouch and others but my Brady21plus is hands down the best. You can control exactly how much label it uses each time so you save a fortune in consumables. Plus it can even do heat shrink wire labels.

 

[RTM]

I have several P Touch, bought used. They do the job. One new one got me hooked, can never find it when I need it, thus the others, which are bigger and harder to lose.

 

[PugetDude]

Print all your labels in a string, one space between each. Plenty of room to cut each label from the string after you use the built-in cutter to cut only the LAST label... You'll save a ton of tape. I use a Brother P-touch- details in my project thread.

 

[HenryAZ]

I've never figured out why my 2 P Touches (different models) always make the label much longer than it needs to. I almost always end up having to cut it with scissors.

I had an older P Touch for 30 years before it started jamming tapes. I replaced with the newer model. IIRC, there was a setting somewhere on the older model that allowed you to eliminate the extra tape on the tail end, at least. I haven't looked for that yet on my newer model.

 

[American Locomotive]

The Brother P-Touches waste a tremendous amount of tape, especially on smaller labels. It has to do with the mechanism of the tape - it's not just one roll inside the cartridge. There are two different "supply" reels, and a take-up reel as well. It thermally prints the label, then peels off the unused pigment, and then applies a clear sticky layer to laminate it. The labels are super durable. but the design of the cartridge makes it so that at the minimum you need a 1" leader. It's terrible for small labels. It's fine if you're printing a lot of labels in a row.

Dymo has a basic heat-transfer label printer for like $20 that doesn't waste nearly as much tape.

 

[Rinspeed]

I have the Dymo LT100 and it works just fine. I use aftermarket labels that are much cheaper and work as good.

 

[Sumboodie]

Dymo has recently introduced labelmakers that require you to buy only their labels. (the cartridges have DRM in them). That makes any of their products a hard pass for me.

I didn't know that. I usually end up with the off brand labels for the P Touch. They seem to work just as well and are quite a bit cheaper.

 

[Sumboodie]

I had an older P Touch for 30 years before it started jamming tapes. I replaced with the newer model. IIRC, there was a setting somewhere on the older model that allowed you to eliminate the extra tape on the tail end, at least. I haven't looked for that yet on my newer model.

I've gotten in those settings and it never seemed to make much different. It doesn't bother me so much that it's wasting label material more than I often need to find scissors and trim it so it'll fit where I'm sticking it (hehehehe).

 

[GreyOwl]

I have an older p-touch and it is only printing part of the lettering. Is there a part that needs replaced or time for a new one? Not at home now so not sure what the model number is.

 

[techkelly]

I'm surprised that Pines our resident labeling guru hasn't chimed in.

 

[Busted_Knuckles]

Brady BMP41. I bought it for labeling bins in the shop. Was thinking I could buy self laminating labels for this machine, and I think I got a good deal on it...

 

[CS454]

The fact that NOBODY has pointed out the first rule of the labelmaker in this thread has me worried.

Remember, the first thing you label...

 

[ddawg16]

Label makers are kinda like injet printers,.
The printers are cheap,.....until you have to replace the ink cartages

 

[humber2]

I maybe alone using up my supply of Kroy tapes....