6 Of The Best Label Makers For Home Use (According To Users)

With all the endless stuff in our homes, many of us are constantly looking for ways to organize our life. Whether it's controlling the clutter on our home office desks or making sure our tools are organized in storage, there is no shortage of ways we can make living in our homes a little less stressful. However, this does introduce another problem into the equation, which is not knowing where everything is. While storage boxes and organizers do a good job of combining similar items, so it's easier to find what you need, we may encounter moments wherein it can be a struggle to differentiate them, especially if they're opaque. Thankfully, this can be resolved if you just get yourself a good label maker.

Label makers are basically like little printers that let you churn out labels that you can slap on everything. For example, you can use them on skin care or makeup, which expire a certain number of months after it has been opened, or even for reminding you which switch or wire controls what. While one can argue that you can use masking tape and permanent marker to do the same job, the reality is that not everyone is blessed with good handwriting, it may not be durable enough for your needs, or it can simply be annoying to do regularly. To help you decide, we've rounded up some great label makers you can get for your family today based on user reviews. There will be further details on how we've chosen them below.

Despite being part of our list of little-known Amazon gadgets worth trying, the Phomemo Label Maker is one of the most reviewed items on this list. With an average rating of 4.4 stars from more than 23,000 Amazon reviewers, one can say that it's already a pretty popular product (and for good reason). Retailing for $29, it's one of the affordable options on this list, which makes it a good gadget for people looking to label away their clutter anxiety without breaking the bank. 

While it can't print with colored ink, this inkless printer with a built-in cutter can print on more than a hundred types of 12-millimeter labels, including atypical labels like rainbow labels, round labels, and cable labels. With its compatible app that you can use with both iOS and Android, you can select up to 120 fonts, 60 borders, and more than 2,000 symbols. Among them, there are layouts for ID codes, Excel sheets, QR codes, and even black and white images.

Measuring 5.2 x 2.9-inches, it's not the smallest option on this list, but it's definitely one of the more compact ones that you can find. Despite this, Phomemo mentions it can print up to 40 labels per minute, which can make labeling multiple holiday gifts for friends and family a breeze. For those who want to stay committed to their sustainable lifestyle, the Phomemo D30 may fit your needs because it also Carbonfree Certified.

Another inkless label maker that uses high definition thermal printing technology is the Nelko Label Maker, which has garnered an average rating of 4.5 stars from over 10,200 reviewers. Used in tandem with the Nelko app that can be accessed via iPhone or Android in 14 languages, it uses Bluetooth to connect to your mobile phone. The app itself has over 160 templates, 850 borders, and 90 fonts. Additionally, it even includes things like QR and barcode options. Lastly, Nelko shares that it can print up to 30 labels per minute, which is more than enough for most people's needs.

The Nelko Label Maker can work with fixed tape sizes, with the longest one being 14 x 75-millimeters. Although, it's important to note that while you can get compatible, colored label stickers, this label maker only really prints with black ink. With prices that start at $39.99, the Nelko Label Maker is available in seven colors. Apart from the basic black and white variants, it also has cute colors like cyan, pink, and violet. 

Measuring around 3.13 x 5.14-inches, it already includes a built-in cutter, so you don't have to worry about having scissors around. Out of the box, it comes with the unit itself, a single roll of label stickers, a USB-C cable, and guides. And of course, if you're one to care about reducing your home's carbon footprint, you'll be interested to know that it is also a ClimatePartner certified product.

Due to the NIIMBOT Label Maker can create labels that are waterproof, oil-proof, and BPA free, it generates high-quality labels that you can safely use in the kitchen. Using RFID chip technology, it also offers easy set up when pairing with your NIIMBOT app via Bluetooth. Plus, it has a nifty indicator light that notifies you if it's running out of battery, so you won't be surprised when it runs out. In this list, it's the smallest option that measures 4.2 x 2.9-inches, so it's great for people with limited storage space.

Available in six colors, including light blue, light green, and pink, you can find the D110 for $29.99 on Amazon. Arguably, the entry level version already has much of what most people will need. But if you want something a little fancier, NIIMBOT also offers slightly more expensive versions that you can choose from like the D110M ($36.99), D101 ($45.99), and D11 ($52). Collectively, the NIIMBOT label makers net themselves about 4.5 stars from over 19,000 users on Amazon. 

Although, you can even get a NIIMBOT D110 Label Maker Bundle that retails for $52 (or less, on sale), which already includes four tape rolls refills. If you buy the tape rolls separately, the standard three-roll refill with 630 labels in the 15 x 30-millimeter size costs just under $22. Alternatively, you have the option to get more decorative ones, like two rolls of hearts and dots, which will set you back $17.99.

When it comes to home printers, Brother tops a lot of categories across the board. In 2023, it joined our list of the best budget printers with its low-volume, home printer, the MFC-J4335DW. Not to mention, its HL-L2460DW Monochrome Laser Printer also made waves a year later for being part of SlashGear's list of the best home laser printers in the market. Because of this, it's not at all surprising that it adds another feather in its hat with a label printer as well, the Brother P-Touch PT-M95.

Holding an average rating of 4.5 stars from nearly 20,000 Amazon buyers, the Brother P-Touch M95 is a lightweight label printer with a 12-character display and QWERTY keyboard. According to Brother, it can accommodate two widths of the non-laminated label tapes with the M label. But take note, it is powered by four AAA batteries, which you'll need to pay for separately. For just the unit itself, you can snag a Brother P-Touch PT-M95 for $24.99, but for an extra $15 you can also get the Brother PT-M95 Label Maker Bundle with four white label tapes as well. 

That said, if you prefer to have more label type options, the Brother P-Touch PTH110 only costs an extra $5. On Amazon, it is also highly-rated with 4.6 stars from more than 14,000 reviewers. Unlike the PT-M95, it gives you the option to plug via AC adapter and a lot more color options for label tapes with four types of widths.

Although it's at the pricier end of label maker options in the market, DYMO is a pretty well-regarded brand in the space. In fact, the DYMO LabelManager 160 Portable Label Maker has even garnered an impressive 4.6 star average rating from more than 30,000 Amazon buyers alone. Although you can get just the unit itself for $39.99, there is an option to get a DYMO LabelManager 160 Portable Label Maker Bundle that comes with three tape refills for only $54.99. 

And the best part? It's a great labeling solution that won't require you to download another app into your mobile phone. Knowing this, the DYMO LabelManager sets itself apart in terms of ease of use, especially for big families that may want to use it to label different things. On its own, it already has a built-in QWERTY keyboard that you can use to type in the text for your labels.

Alternatively, if you want a low-tech solution from DYMO with more textured results, the DYMO Embossing Label Maker can be a good no-frills option instead. Priced at $15.99, it's cheaper than every other label maker on this list, but it doesn't make it less good at its job. So far, over 36,000 people have given this simple, but effective label maker an average rating of four stars on Amazon. Without the need for fancy apps or batteries, it's composed of a wheel with 49 characters that you can move around and emboss on the label color of your choice.

While designed primarily for professional use, the Brady M210 Portable Label Printer takes the cake for people who do a lot of construction-related housework or even just have clumsy family members who are prone to dropping things. Rated an average of 4.5 stars from over 800 people, the Brady Portable Label Printer sets itself apart in several ways. 

First, it has rubber bumpers designed to be able to take a fall with military-grade shock resistance certifications. Second, it can be used to label things like electrical wires and cables. In fact, there are even options to get labels that are made of all-weather vinyl, wire wrap, heat shrink tubing, or multi-purpose nylon. Third, it has a built-in keypad with numbers, letters, and symbols, so you don't even need your phone on-hand in the garage with it around.

That said, it is one of the more expensive items on this list, with the M210 variant costing $108 for just the unit itself. Depending on the kind of label you want, you can expect to pay $35.50 for the Brady Authentic All-Weather Vinyl Label, which you can use to label things inside and out of your house. On the other hand, the Brady Authentic PermaSleeve Heat Shrink Tubing that can be used on electrical panels can set you back as much as $62. Not to mention, if you want a proper case for it, the Brady M210 Portable Label Printer Kit that includes both a unit and a hard case costs $208.

Because everyone's homes are different, the ideal label maker for you will depend on what aspects of your home require the most organization. For example, many people will need small labels for things like keeping track of expiration dates on perishables. However, others may require more durable labels that can handle close to industrial use, especially if you're looking for ways to organize your garage.

In this list, we also considered the different people in your home that may need to use a label maker. If you're a single person, you may not mind having to download an app to start your label making journey. But if there are children or elderly in your household, we added options that don't need an app to work. In addition, we looked into products that offer options for different types of labels, such as different sizes, circular labels, and embossing.

While it didn't affect whether or not the label makers were included in the list or not, we also mentioned the estimated cost of replacing the label stickers as well. After all, this will impact the overall cost of ownership of a label maker, which can help you decide if it's worth it for you or not. Regardless, we made sure that every item on this list had at least 800 reviews and held an average rating of at least four stars.