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Organization is a wonderful thing. But for many of us, it isn’t an easy thing to accomplish. Life gets busy, and the small stuff often gets left behind in favour of more important tasks. But what if we told you there was a better way? A way to keep things neat, tidy, and where they belong? A way to quickly identify what things are and where they’re meant to go?
A label maker is the key to success here. With the right label, you can quickly figure out what’s in a container, what drawer the object is supposed to be in, who the object belongs to, etc., etc. You can use a label maker to organize your kitchen and your office, label equipment, and so much more. Some people even use them for fun and crafty projects around the house.
If you’ve got a use in mind for a label maker and you’re ready to buy, we’re here to help. We want you to get the best fit for you, and that means looking at all of the features. This includes price, portability, connectivity, compatible tape sizes (and colours), possible Max Label Size, and more! Trust us, they’re all more important than you’d think.
This comprehensive guide will investigate the best label makers in Canada right now and outline the criteria you should consider while making your purchase decision. Let’s dive right into our top five products.
Upgrade Pick: Brother PTD600 P-Touch Label Maker
Budget Pick: Niimbot D110 Label Maker Machine
Embosser Pick: Dymo S0717930 Omega Home Embossing Label Maker
Also Great: Brother PT-M95 Handy Label Maker
The Dymo LetraTag LT-100H Handheld Label Maker is our favourite all-rounder by far. It doesn’t have any standout features per se, but that’s what makes it so great. It can be useful in almost any situation. It’s got a 13-character display, can print on two lines (not just one), and has a straightforward keyboard that will let you find all of the characters and extras you need without any hassle or frustration.
There are two features that really make us happy, and we bet you’ll appreciate them too. First of all, it has an automatic power-off feature. Yup, it’ll turn itself off if you forget to do it manually. It’s also got nine memory slots available so you can save your most-used labels and reprint them in seconds. Convenient, eh? Throw in three language options, five font sizes, six font styles, eight frames, and 195 symbols, and you’ve got tons of versatility, too.
There aren’t many features lacking in quality or substance with this one. The buttons are fairly small, though, so if that’s something you won’t like, it’ll be best for you to keep looking. And it won’t be a perfect match for folks who’ll need to travel with it a lot. It’s pretty bulky and a bit heavier than we’d like it to be if it’s going to be carried around all over the place. That’s the extent of the cons, though.
Overall, the Dymo LetraTag LT-100H Handheld Label Maker is a pretty great choice for home or office use. It won’t be able to keep up with extraordinary professional uses, but it’s a solid companion for general organization. It’s very reasonably priced too. Bonus.
Performance: 5/5
Usability: 4.5/5
Price: 4.5/5
Quality: 5/5
Reviewers have great things to say about the Dymo LetraTag LT-100H Handheld Label Maker. They enjoy the convenience of the memory slots, and although the keyboard took some getting used to (since it isn’t a QWERTY keyboard), they don’t have any trouble finding the things they need. The buttons are a bit small for some people, though. And the machine is too big for frequent travellers to enjoy.
Buy If…
You want a straightforward keyboard
Some level of design versatility is ideal
You’ll print the same labels on a regular basis
You might forget to turn it off all the time
Don’t Buy If…
Small buttons are the bane of your existence
It needs to be portable
Dimensions: 10.8” x 3.4” x 4.9”
Weight: 0.93 lbs
Colour: Grey
Compatible Tape Sizes: 0.47”
Max Label Size: 2 lines, 13 characters each
The Brother PTD600 P-Touch Label Maker has lots of things to brag about. It’s honestly hard to know where to start. The first thing you should know is that this is the best option for creating large and complex labels. It can print up to seven lines on a single label, and if you connect it to your PC, you can even add logos and barcodes to the design. It’s got tons of fonts, icons, and frames to choose from, too.
Since it has an angled design and two options for power (an AC cord or replaceable batteries) it’s a great option for daily use. And with extras like ultra-fast printing, automatic tape cutting, and even a coloured backlit display, it’ll be especially useful in busier environments like high-volume offices. As if all that isn’t enough, you can even save 99 labels to its memory for quick reprinting.
There are only two things that might dissuade you from choosing this label maker. First, it’s quite large and heavy, so it’s not well suited for travelling with you. Even over short distances. Secondly, due to its high build quality and all the thoughtful features, this thing is pretty expensive. And that’s why it’s mostly suited to professional environments instead of personal ones.
All in all, the Brother PTD600 P-Touch Label Maker is our favourite label maker of all time. Big claim, we know. But seriously. With ultra-reliable printing, automatic tape cutting, a great memory, and incredibly versatile design options, this label maker is truly the best of the best.
Performance: 5/5
Usability: 5/5
Price: 2/5
Quality: 5/5
Reviewers are blown away by the quality of the Brother PTD600 P-Touch Label Maker. It’s the highest-quality and most versatile label maker they’ve ever used. Since it can be powered with batteries or a wired connection, and can connect to a computer for label designing, they have no limitations at all. They do warn people about the weight/size, though. It’s not meant to be portable.
Buy If…
You need to create complex multi-line labels
PC connectivity is a must-have
You want professional features like fast printing, memory, and automatic tape-cutting
You’ll be using it frequently
Don’t Buy If…
You need it to be portable
You want something budget-friendly
Dimensions: 7.6” x 7.9” x 3.4”
Weight: 2.1 lbs
Colour: Black
Compatible Tape Sizes: 0.94” maximum
Max Label Size: 7 lines
We like pretty much everything about the Niimbot D110 Label Maker Machine. Its compact size is one of our favourite things because it makes it a great travel companion, and you also get to use your phone to design labels instead of a keyboard with tiny buttons.
And there’s another huge benefit to using your phone—you get to make use of more than 19 fonts, 100+ frames, and 1,500+ adorable icons. You’ll be able to design labels for every occasion, as long as they fit the pre-cut label size. And since the labels are pre-cut, they’ll be that much easier to peel and stick wherever they need to go.
One of the only faults we can find with this label maker is the limitation of pre-cut labels. While this is really convenient for printing same-size labels and easy peeling, it does restrict the functionality a little bit. If you need to add extra text, it’ll have to be small. Also, it’ll need to be charged after every four hours of use, and you’ll need to rely on a Bluetooth connection.
Overall, the Niimbot D110 Label Maker Machine is our number-one pick for affordable label makers right now. It might drop the Bluetooth connection occasionally and need to charge regularly, but the text versatility is truly unbeatable. And it’s super travel-friendly, too.
Performance: 5/5
Usability: 4.5/5
Price: 5/5
Quality: 4.5/5
Reviewers are very happy with the quality of the Niimbot D110 Label Maker Machine, especially considering its price. It prints really clear labels, which are smudge-proof right after printing, and they can put almost anything on them—they’ve never run into a label they wanted to print but couldn’t. Some people aren’t happy with the pre-cut label sizes, but that’s really the only complaint.
Buy If…
You want something ultra-portable
All of your labels will be the same size
You’d prefer phone connectivity over an onboard keyboard
Versatility in font/symbols/etc. is a priority
Don’t Buy If…
You need to print multiple label sizes
You don’t want to rely on a power source or a Bluetooth connection
Dimensions: 2.8” x 3.9” x 0.79”
Weight: 0.4 lbs
Colour: White
Compatible Tape Sizes: 0.6”
Max Label Size: 0.6” x 1.2”
The Dymo S0717930 Omega Home Embossing Label Maker is one of the best for simpler jobs that could do with a little extra flair when it comes to texture. With 49 character options, you should be able to label everything you want to, and they’ll last for a long time—the label paper is resistant to degradation from sunlight and water exposure! You’ll always be able to read them.
We also really like that you don’t need any power source for it. That means no charging and no batteries. Cool, right? It’s also got a pretty unique tape cutter. Not only does it separate your printed label from the rest of the tape roll, but it removes the backing so it’s super easy to stick the label down and move right along.
There are a handful of features that don’t quite meet expectations. This part sucks, we know. It’s important that you realize that the rotary style means you don’t get to type on a keyboard—it’ll take longer to write out your labels and might not work for time-sensitive projects. The characters are also pretty limited (no icons, borders, or font changes), and they don’t print straight. Not ideal.
All in all, the Dymo S0717930 Omega Home Embossing Label Maker is our favourite option right now for folks that want a little extra texture on their labels. It’s not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s got a lot of good things working in its favour too.
Performance: 4/5
Usability: 4.5/5
Price: 5/5
Quality: 4.5/5
Reviewers have mixed feelings about the Dymo S0717930 Omega Home Embossing Label Maker. They love the textured font and the lack of batteries, and the labels themselves hold up well in sunny spots and after exposure to water. However, the font tends to come out a little crooked, and the rotary typing system is pretty slow and inconvenient. It gets the job done, though.
Buy If…
Your labels will be exposed to sunlight or water
You don’t want to worry about batteries
Removing the tape backing is a chore you don’t want
You love the added texture of embossed font
Don’t Buy If…
You want a traditional keyboard
You want to print unique labels with icons, borders, etc.
You want your font to be straight
Dimensions: 5.5” x 3.3” x 4.7”
Weight: 0.34 lbs
Colour: Grey and navy
Compatible Tape Sizes: 0.35”
Max Label Size: 1 line
We like a lot of things about the Brother PT-M95 Handy Label Maker. It can be used for a ton of different things (and it’s just plain fun) thanks to the nine type styles, 10 frames, and 200+ symbols it offers. One of the best things about it is the memory function. You’ll be able to save your three most printed labels to its memory so you don’t need to type it out every single time. How convenient is that!?
We’re also a big fan of the button layout. You get a traditional QWERTY keyboard, so typing will be easy, and the extra buttons are all easy to find. You won’t be staring at the keyboard forever trying to find the button you’re looking for. Since it doesn’t need to connect to a device to print, it’ll be ready to go anytime (and anywhere) you need it.
There aren’t any red flags with this one, which we’re super happy about. Of course, it still can’t be a perfect fit for absolutely everyone. If you’d prefer a label maker that connects to your phone or computer, you’ll have to keep looking. And the buttons are also a little bit small, so it won’t be a great fit if you struggle with that.
All in all, the Brother PT-M95 Handy Label Maker is a pretty solid choice for just about everybody. It can’t make super-large labels, but for basic labelling around the home and office, it’ll do just fine. The buttons are well-laid-out and you won’t have any trouble changing out the label rolls.
Performance: 5/5
Usability: 4.5/5
Price: 5/5
Quality: 4.5/5
Reviewers have tons of good things to say about the Brother PT-M95 Handy Label Maker. It didn’t take long at all for them to figure out how it works, and it prints very clearly. They love that they can print icons as well as text, and the memory feature is a welcome addition. A few people find the buttons are a bit too small, but most do okay.
Buy If…
You want to have fun with your labels
You’re printing the same labels a lot
You want a QWERTY keyboard
You don’t want to fuss with device connectivity
Don’t Buy If…
You don’t do well with small buttons
You want it to connect to your phone
Dimensions: 6.1” x 4.4” x 2.4”
Weight: 0.57 lbs
Colour: White
Compatible Tape Sizes: 0.35” and 0.47”
Max Label Size: 2 lines
Some label makers might be priced as low as $25, and others might cost more than $300. In general, the more expensive label makers will print a wider range of label sizes, will offer connectivity to a phone or computer, and will be more durable over the long term.
Many people will need to use their label maker in different rooms of the house and sometimes different buildings entirely. That’s why portability matters. Some label makers are pocket-sized, others are too large to be used comfortably anywhere except on a desktop. You’ll want to pay attention to the overall size and the weight of a label maker to make sure it’ll be a good travel buddy.
All label makers will have a limited label width dependent on the compatible tape sizes, but you’ll also have to pay attention to how many lines can fit on that width. Some label makers will only be capable of printing single-line labels, others might be able to print seven lines on a single label.
Every label maker will have a different printing capability—some are restricted to only letters, numbers, and basic characters (parenthesis, dashes, punctuation, etc.), but others can print entire logos, barcodes, and tons of different icons/symbols. The more advanced printing capabilities will be found on higher-priced label makers, so you’ll need to figure out the right balance for your labelling needs.
Many label makers don’t offer any connectivity at all, but others might connect to a smartphone over Bluetooth or to a PC via a cable. These connections allow you to have more design freedom and versatility.
Disclaimer: The prices displayed are accurate at the time of publication. We’ll do our best to keep them as up-to-date as possible, but you may see slight changes. The products in this list are ranked by independent third parties. Rankings are based on both reviews and independent testing.