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The Best Label Writer

Last updated on August 10, 2020

We looked at the top 6 Label Writers and dug through the reviews from 11 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best Label Writers.

Best Label Writer

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Our Picks For The Top Label Writers

Show Contents
Our Take
Experts Included
Pros
Cons
  Best Overall

DYMO LetraTag Handheld Label Writer

Don't Waste Your Money Seal of Approval

DYMO

LetraTag Handheld Label Writer

Overall Take

Compact and LightweightSince this handheld label writer is lightweight and portable, you can use at home and the office.

Experts Included
DWYM Cleaning & Organization Experts plus PC Magazine, HuntForBest. Along with user reviews from Amazon and Walmart.
Pros
" Inexpensive. Easy to use. Good for handheld or desktop use. Choice of paper, plastic, iron-on fabric, or metallic labels."
Cons
"The device uses four AA batteries which unfortunately is not included in the box."
  Great for the Office

Brother Easy-to-Use PT-D210 Label Writer

Brother

Easy-to-Use PT-D210 Label Writer

Overall Take

Multiple User-Friendly TemplatesThis label writer comes with templates for everything from file headers to decorative gift labels.

Experts Included
DWYM Cleaning & Organization Experts plus New York Times Wirecutter, PC Magazine. Along with user reviews from Amazon and Walmart.
Pros
" The Brother P-touch D210 is an inexpensive, standalone label printer that can print laminated plastic labels on 12mm-wide (not quite 0.5-inch) tapes."
  Portable Pick

DYMO Label Manager 160 Portable Label Writer

DYMO

Label Manager 160 Portable Label Writer

Overall Take

Easy to UseThis portable label writer is compact and lightweight for portability, making it easy to label just about anything, anywhere.

Experts Included
DWYM Cleaning & Organization Experts plus BestReviews. Along with user reviews from Amazon.
Pros
" It's hard to find a more well-rounded and reliable label maker in this price range, making this product a great deal."
  No Cartridges to Replace

ROLLO Commercial DirectThermal High Speed Label Printer, 4×6-Inch

ROLLO

DirectThermal Label Printer

Overall Take

No Height RestrictionsNot only is this label writer compatible with all major shipping platforms, but it also has no height restrictions.

Experts Included
DWYM Cleaning & Organization Experts plus Top Best 10 Reviews, Ship Station, The Daily Tell. Along with user reviews from Amazon.
Pros
" This label printer can work with direct thermal labels like free UPS labels where you will also save a lot of cash by buying this printer. It has a high printing speed of 150mm/s and this two times faster than..."
Cons
"Lesser print quality than that of the Zebra or DYMO models (though still effective for scanning/readability), Requires downloading this Chrome extension to work with ShipStation Connect, Does not include container for the label spool or box, Is sometimes back-ordered, making..."
Don't just take for granted what one reviewer says. Along with our own experts, DWYM analyzes the top expert reviews of the leading products and generates a score you can actually trust.
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Products Considered

We identified the majority of the label writers available to purchase.
6

Products Analyzed

We then selected the leading and most popular products for our team to review.

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11

Expert Reviews Included

In addition to our expert reviews, we also incorporate feedback and analysis of some of the most respected sources including: BestReviews, Gadget Review, Top Best 10 Reviews, Ship Station, The Daily Tell.

118,607

User Opinions Analyzed

We also incorporate user reviews from the leading retailers including

Our experts reviewed the top 6 Label Writers and also dug through the reviews from 11 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best of the best Label Writers.

DWYM is your trusted roduct review source. Our team reviews thousands of product reviews from the trusted top experts and combines them into one easy-to-understand score. Learn more.

Don't Waste Your Money Seal of Approval
Look for the DWYM seal for products that are the best in their category.

The Best Overall

DYMO LetraTag Handheld Label Writer


Our Expert Score

7.9
2 expert reviews

User Summarized Score

9.0
6,024 user reviews

Our Take

If you're looking for a portable label writer, this handheld model is your best bet. This compact unit fits in the palm of your hand and is extremely lightweight. It comes pre-programmed with seven print styles and five fonts.

What other experts liked

Inexpensive. Easy to use. Good for handheld or desktop use. Choice of paper, plastic, iron-on fabric, or metallic labels.
- PC Magazine
The DYMO LetraTag label printer has covered everything from the kitchen to garage, from the home to the office. Though it is small, the device is sturdy. This handheld battery-powered Dymo label maker is ready to go to each and...
- HuntForBest

What other experts didn't like

LCD isn't backlit. ABCD-style keyboard. Uses a shift function with embedded numeric keys instead of dedicated number keys.
- PC Magazine
The device uses four AA batteries which unfortunately is not included in the box.
- HuntForBest

The Best Bang For Your Buck

Brother Easy-to-Use PT-D210 Label Writer

Our Expert Score

6.8
2 expert reviews

User Summarized Score

9.1
8,200 user reviews

Our Take

With this label writer you'll be able to create labels for your spices, gift boxes and scrapbook pages. The unit is equipped with 600 symbols, 97 frames and 14 different fonts, so you can create both plain and decorative labels. You can even set up your label writer at a desk or pack it and take it on the go.

What other experts liked

The Brother P-touch D210 is an inexpensive, standalone label printer that can print laminated plastic labels on 12mm-wide (not quite 0.5-inch) tapes.
- PC Magazine

What other experts didn't like

This label maker had one of the most limited displays among the models we tested, barely showing one line of text at a time. Where other models had four-directional navigation buttons, the D210 has only left and right navigation buttons, which made finding our way through the menus cumbersome and...
- New York Times Wirecutter

Overall Product Rankings

1. DYMO LetraTag Handheld Label Writer

Overall Score: 9.7
Reviews Included: 5

2. Brother Easy-to-Use PT-D210 Label Writer

Overall Score: 9.3
Reviews Included: 7

3. DYMO Label Manager 160 Portable Label Writer

Overall Score: 9.2
Reviews Included: 6

5. Arkscan 2054A Shipping Label Writer

Overall Score: 9.0
Reviews Included: 3

6. DYMO LabelWriter 450 Twin Turbo Label Writer

Overall Score: 8.3
Reviews Included: 5

Our Label Writer Findings


DYMO LetraTag Handheld Label Writer

What We Liked: If you’re looking for a portable label writer, this handheld model is your best bet. This compact unit fits in the palm of your hand and is extremely lightweight. It comes pre-programmed with seven print styles and five fonts.


Brother Easy-to-Use PT-D210 Label Writer

What We Liked: With this label writer you’ll be able to create labels for your spices, gift boxes and scrapbook pages. The unit is equipped with 600 symbols, 97 frames and 14 different fonts, so you can create both plain and decorative labels. You can even set up your label writer at a desk or pack it and take it on the go.


DYMO Label Manager 160 Portable Label Writer

What We Liked: This label writer is compact and lightweight for portability, making it easy to label just about anything, anywhere.
Customize your label with more than 20 ways to format text and more than 200 symbols and clip art.


ROLLO Commercial DirectThermal High Speed Label Printer, 4×6-Inch

What We Liked: Easy set-up and a host of options are what you’ll get with this label writer. This unit works seamlessly with all major shipping platforms and even uses UPS’s free labels. Since the label writer is equipped with thermal direct technology, you won’t have to worry about replacing ink cartridges.


Arkscan 2054A Shipping Label Writer

What We Liked: Complimentary software is included with your label writer purchase. The software works with Windows and has a host of design capabilities, so you can create everything from a simple product label to a complicated barcode label. If you ship items using PayPal, Shopify, UPS and ShipGator, then this is the label writer for you.

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Our Label Writer Buying Guide

Label writers have really come a long way over the years. You can still use them at home to assist with craft projects and certain organizational goals, but there are also now more sophisticated office models for printing shipping and barcode labels. Reviewing the available features is the best way to determine which of the label writers will fit your specific needs.

When shopping for a simple label maker, you want the model to be lightweight and portable. That way you can carry it into your home office and create labels for your files before heading to your kitchen to label each of your spices. The DYMO LetraTag Handheld Label Writer is a good choice, as it also comes with a selection of font sizes and styles that can be viewed on an LCD interface display before you print.

Even if you’re shopping for a basic label writer, you still want it to have a few features that make it more functional. For example, the Brother Easy-to-Use PT-D210 Label Writer has a memory that can store up to 30 labels at once. It also includes the addition of 600 symbols and 97 fun frames that will allow you to create unique labels that are colorful and decorative. These are perfect for scrapbooking projects and gift tags.

Should you require a more sophisticated label writer that is capable of printing shipping labels, you’ll want to choose one that uses thermal direct technology. This will save you from having to spend money on replacement ink and toner. The ROLLO DirectThermal Label Printer further cuts costs by accepting free UPS labels. It’s also compatible with such widely used platforms as Stamps.com, ShipWorks, Shopify, Etsy and Amazon.

If you do a lot of printing, you’ll want to go with a model like the Arkscan 2054A Shipping Label Writer, which has a printing speed of 5 inches per second. It has a high resolution and accepts any kind of thermal label paper that you prefer to use.

A few other features worth considering include a sleep mode, date stamp and a protective case. You may also wish to look for a model that works with programs like Excel, Microsoft Word and Outlook.

DWYM Fun Fact

The Roovers-Lotsch Corporation was the first company to manufacture a version of the label writer, which they created with gardeners in mind. The device didn’t gain popularity, however, until the Dymo Corporation offered an improved model that was not only more functional but also had a pop of color to make it a bit more attractive.

Today, label writers look more like mini-computers and are able to create much more than just a tiny label for a gardening stake. They can create and print shipping labels as well. Users are even given a choice of fonts, decorative backgrounds and fun frames.

The Label Writer Tips and Advice

  • Always check to see what is included in your label writer purchase and what isn’t. Some models require a set of batteries that are not included, while others state that they operate with an AC power adapter that is sold separately. You may find the label writer also has a line of accessories that are sold separately as well, such as a label holder.
  • Look to see if any software is needed to use the label writer. Some simply require you to download a free Chrome extension, however, there are label writers that will only work with software that costs money to buy.
  • Keep in mind that most printers are not supported by iOS or Android, so you won’t be able to use them with your smartphone.
  • Since there are so many different types of label writers on the market, the price varies greatly. The simpler the model, the lower the price tag. For example, the DYMO LetraTag Handheld Label Writer and the Brother Easy-to-Use PT-D210 Label Writer are more basic in the functions they can perform, so they are among the most affordable. You’ll pay a higher price for the ROLLO DirectThermal Label Printer and the Arkscan 2054A Shipping Label Writer, as they are able to create and print shipping and barcode labels.

About The Author

Alicia Bodine 

Alicia Bodine is a New Jersey-based writer specializing in finance. With more than 15 years of experience, her work has appeared in leading financial publications. She's also a financial coach and mother to two daughters. When she's not writing, you'll find her gardening, spending time with her kids, cooking in the kitchen or playing with her two kitties, Flitter and Otter. Alicia loves researching the latest and greatest gadgets, products and items that help her save time, energy and money.