If you’re feeling disorganised at home, work or play then a label maker could be the solution. With many different machines for different purposes, and printing onto different materials, you might not know just how useful a dedicated label maker could be. We’ve reviewed many of the label makers, comparing them to come up with the best option for different use cases – including one of the best Cricut machines for printing vinyl labels.
Where we haven’t reviewed the machine ourselves, we’ve done extensive research and taken word-of-mouth recommendations to inform our advice. If you’re looking for something a little fancier, make sure to read our guide to the best embossing machines for those occasions where labels need a little more flair. Alternatively, if you need barcode and packing labels, check out our guide to the best thermal printers.
The best label makers available now
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Best overall
An adaptable label maker
The Brother P-Touch Cube Plus PT-P710BT is a fully connected device that can be connected to Apple computers and PCs, as well as iOS and Android. Paired with your smartphone via Bluetooth, you have all its printing tools at your fingertips, and a library of Google and Apple fonts.
Labels go up to an inch in width, which is wider than most other label makers. You also can order colourful or glittery printing tape directly from Brother to jazz up your labels. There are 60 varieties of labels and stickers, so there’s plenty to choose from for all occasions, including work and crafting.
CB rating: 5/5 stars
The best for crafts
A high-quality label maker for crafting
The Epson LabelWorks LW-C610 is a fantastic label maker for crafters. It can print labels from 4 to 24mm wide and uses Epson’s cartridge system; you just clip in the tape cart and go. The auto-cutter gives clean label cuts too.
It can be paired with mobiles and desktops via Bluetooth, and might not be the quickest, but it does print 360 DPI, making it one of the best quality label makers on this list.
There are 50 tape label finishes to choose from, including a smart gold metallic out of matt black. If you need special labels for your Etsy arts and crafts, this is the machine. Read our Epson LabelWorks LW-C610 review.
CB rating: 5/5 stars
Best for design
A fast printer with a fun design
The Niimbot B21 is a vintage-style thermal printer that makes wide 20-50mm stickers and labels. It lacks some of the plush tape finishes of the Epson devices but it can print faster (albeit at a lower resolution).
The mid-century modern retro design looks lovely, making it ideal for craft stores that need a label maker and a talking point for customers.
This uses the Niimbot app, which is fine but has some fonts and decals locked behind a subscription. What is great, however, is you can take photos on your mobile, and the app converts and prints them. The Niimbot B21 is very unique. Read our Niimbot B21 review for more details.
CB rating: 4/5 stars
Best small printer
A small label maker for quality prints
When it comes to small but handy label makers the Epson LabelWorks LW-C410 is a good option. It uses the same excellent Epson app as the LW-C610 but makes narrower labels (up to 18mm).
The print quality is good but it’s a lower resolution than the LW-C610. While it is small, there are also smaller label makers, and the LW-C410 takes six AA batteries, which adds to the weight.
What we do love is that this label maker has an auto-cutter, which reduces waste and makes use of Epson’s quality sticker carts. Read our Epson LabelWorks LW-C410 review for more details.
CB rating: 4/5 stars
Best for kids
A cheap, fun label maker for kids
The Niimbot D110 label maker is a fun and practical little thermal printer for creating small stickers for home and celebrations. It may not offer the same results as the Epsons but it’s the best cheap label maker on our list.
The sticker rolls used by the Niimbot D110 are small (up to 12mm) but come in a mix of colours and styles, including handy tags and illustrated stickers for birthdays and parties. The downside to the D110 is it prints at 203 DPI so the results can be a little jagged, but for fun with the kids it’s ideal. Read our Niimbot D110 review for more details.
CB rating: 3/5 stars
Best value for business
A label maker for small businesses
The Brother PT-H110 has everything you need to make labels already built into it. You have three fonts to choose from, as well as 15 frames and symbols for extra potential.
The label cutter on the side works nicely and makes cutting off labels intuitive and efficient, minimising waste. It can take 3.5mm, 6mm, 9mm, and 12mm tape widths, giving you lots of flexibility. We found this to be simple and effective to use, this is a great pick. See our Brother PT-H110 review for more information.
CB rating: 4/5 stars
Best for embossing
A very good traditional label maker
The best label makers have come a long way since the battery-free, embossing models were created. Recently though, we’ve been seeing that classic black embossed font all over spice cupboards, home offices, and other basic labelling tasks.
While it cannot rival thermal label printing for speedy use and font selection, the DYMO Embossing Label Maker is battery-free and simple to operate. It also brings a classic and nostalgic look that can’t be replicated. Simply turn and click to choose your desired character, and you can pack your DYMO Embossing Label Maker away to take it on the go.
CB rating: 3/5 stars
Best for large labels
A label maker that does so much more
The Cricut Joy is a brilliant option for those who want to make vinyl labels. Because it’s designed to cut vinyl, it is perfect for making all manner of stickers, including labels. I’ve tried out the Joy and know that you can use it for more than just labels, it’s suitable for making stickers, cards, and even iron-on materials.
You will need to use Cricut software to design and print your labels. This is more than a label maker; it’s perfect for those who want to make creative and fun labels using downloadable art and a huge range of fonts. For more information, see our full Cricut Joy review.
CB rating: 4/5 stars
Best for clothes
Excellent for labelling and organising clothes
The Brother P-touch PT-D600 uses thermal printing on easy top-loading tape. You can buy iron-on clothing label tape to use in this device, which makes a selection of colours from navy blue-on-white to black-on-pastel pink. Simply insert into the Brother P-touch PT-D600 and you’ll be sorted for all your clothes labelling needs.
The labels are fully adjustable, with 14 fonts and a variety of widths and font sizes. You can print a maximum of seven lines per label and it has a memory of up to 99 labels, which is brilliant for those who need to re-print labels. A great label maker for tagging clothes.
CB rating: 4/5 stars