Handheld label printers, what's cheap to run ;)

Werewolf

Werewolf

Werewolf

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Hi

Trying to organise my room (lots of boxes with models/model bits, DVD's etc), and the Garage, and it's occurred to me that one of the little handheld label printers would be very handy for marking what's in boxes/drawers/shelves* (and much more legible than my current attempt with sticky notes/tape).

However I've no idea of which are reliable/cheap to run :)

I'm looking at something like the Dymo LetraTag LT100H or one of the Brother P-Touch labelling machines, but haven't a clue as to if there is such a thing as "compatible labels", or which is better.

About the only requirement is that it's got to do full characters and numbers, preferably with the normal symbol set as well (so that I can do 1/2" etc).


*One of the constant problems we have in the garage is that some tools get lost on the shelves, behind other tools.
 
Do you have a printer? you can get A4 sheets of labels to print on then peel and stick to items.
 
Dymo are quite expensive to run, put cheap to buy. I replaced mine with a brother pt-2700. Awesome printer. Also USB, and can get upto 25mm tapes!
 
I've got a normal printer, but really need something that can be used without a computer if possible :)
I've tried Avery labels in the past, but never got on with the software, as it was always out of alignment no matter how much I adjusted it (admittedly that was going back a few years to when I was trying to label things like VHS tapes, and by about half way down the page it would be out by half a label).

I don't really want to spend too much, as we're likely only going to use it very occasionally after the initial run :)

Cheers :)
 
Dymo Pearl White 12mm x 4m LetraTag Plastic Tape - £1.35

Pretty cheap, why are they so expensive to maintain, cause surely you only need tape and the machine? :S
 
Werewolf said:
I've got a normal printer, but really need something that can be used without a computer if possible :)
I've tried Avery labels in the past, but never got on with the software, as it was always out of alignment no matter how much I adjusted it (admittedly that was going back a few years to when I was trying to label things like VHS tapes, and by about half way down the page it would be out by half a label).

I don't really want to spend too much, as we're likely only going to use it very occasionally after the initial run :)

Cheers :)
Click to expand...

I always just use Word for Avery labels. It has all the necessary templates built in, and I’ve never had any alignment problems.
 
Hyburnate said:
Dymo Pearl White 12mm x 4m LetraTag Plastic Tape - £1.35

Pretty cheap, why are they so expensive to maintain, cause surely you only need tape and the machine? :S
Click to expand...

Where on earth did you buy it for that price? Cheapest I could ever find any of the tapes is currently £3.75 in Asda (Staples is approx £9 per tape).

I bought the Brother due to much moe flexibility, the USB connection is excellent for making new templates, and to be fair it was a business purchase.

If its only for home occasional use, go to Asda, pick one of their handhelds up. Or if you have a costco card, they sell handheld brother label makers in there.
 
Hyburnate, I think I saw that seller whilst looking at the consumables, iirc he's chargins £1.35 for the item, and about £4.50 per item shipping.

Phillydee, I would never have thought about looking in Asda for them/the consumables :)
I may have a trip over to local big store some time :)
 
A little update.

I got the dymo handheld printer which worked pretty well but was very slow and annoying with anything that had a lot of text.

I then got a Dymo 450 on offer (with a bunch of labels via a cashback), which is great :)
I've been using it to help label dozens of boxes of models and parts, and even things like bios settings for PC's.(a small removable 25mm square label on the side of the case).
 
I have a dymo 450 as well as 2 zebra label printers. The zebras are mage cheap to run compared to the Dymo, but the printers cost >£200. Since Ive put around 15000 labels (50mm high around 750 Metres of labels) through one of them its well worth it!
I never use the Dymo anymore!
 
I'll confess I wasn't going to get the Dymo 450 until the cashback offer tempted me, it worked out at about £25 (after the cashback) for the printer and 6 boxes of labels (~1500 or so address ones) ;)

Mind you I then bought a "starter set" of labels (6 types) with a spare spool, and a second spare spool so I had more choice of sizes, and didn't have to keep taking the labels I use the most off the spool.

IIRC the dymo does have compatible labels at about £1-2 a roll when you buy multiples, but at the moment I've got about 2-3k labels which are likely to last me a couple of years:p even allowing for the fact that when it's a little warmer I'll be out in the garage labeling up all the anonymous looking boxes/trays/drawers of bits.
 
The offer was when you bought the printer and six packs of labels at the same time you could get £100 back from Dymo (as like Lexmark they make the money from the consumables, thus if they can get you to buy the printer they have a potentially long term customer).

Unfortunately the offer ended early as they were swamped by it.

The actual printer on it's own is available from about £70 (and compatible labels at about £1-2 a roll when you buy 5-10 at a time).
 
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