The Best Label Makers for Organizing Your Home Like a Pro
When it comes to fast and easy ways to tidy up your home, few things are better than the instant gratification of a label maker. Whether you're organizing your pantry, rearranging your closet, decluttering your playroom, or getting crafty with scrapbooking, a label maker will quickly and effortlessly corral chaos.
To find the best label makers, we compared dozens of options, considering ease of use, portability, Bluetooth compatibility, keyboard type, label width, power source, and overall value. We also tapped Katrina Teeple, founder and CEO of Operation Organization, on what qualities to look for in a high-quality label maker. From portable options you can toss in your backpack to industrial models for small businesses, we’ve got a label maker for every project.
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It’s sleeker than traditional handheld models and is incredibly intuitive to use—plus, it’s compatible with the full range of Google and Apple fonts.
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This pick doesn’t have a built-in keyboard.
The Brother P-Touch Cube Plus stands out for its exceptionally easy setup, Bluetooth capabilities, enormous font range, and aesthetic design. If you want a label maker with a built-in keyboard, don’t worry—we included some of them in this list, but ultimately, the benefits of this Bluetooth-compatible model swayed us. With this pick, you can wirelessly print from your smartphone, allowing maximum portability. That also means you can rely on spellcheck and voice to text, so there’s no need to worry about typos, whereas a mistake on a traditional label maker will require you to start over.
This pick has Teeple's expert stamp of approval; she refers to this label maker as her “personal organizing sidekick.” While it’s a bit more expensive than other options, it’s a workhorse investment for anyone looking to organize their home or office. It’s compatible with 1/2- to 1-inch tape and features three different software programs to choose from: P-touch Design&Print, for designing and printing labels, Brother iPrint&Label, for printing from your smartphone or tablet, and P-touch Editor, for added customization.
This model provides the option to bookmark your go-to fonts or rely on premade templates, making it adequate for any task. Several of the software can even accommodate foreign languages. As a bonus, it looks far sleeker on a desk than your typical bulky, utilitarian handheld label maker.
Dimensions: 5 by 2.6 by 5 inches | Weight: 1.41 pounds | Power Source: Rechargeable battery | Max Label Width: 1 inch
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There’s an easy-peel tab on the end of the labels to help remove the backing.
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Manual typing takes some getting used to and requires more pressure than standard keyboards.
If you want a straightforward label maker to get the job done, opt for the Dymo Embossing Label Maker. This retro machine is reliable and relatively easy to maneuver once you get the hang of it. Though there’s a bit of a learning curve with manual typing, it still won out over the other affordable options we considered.
To type, turn the wheel and press down; we suggest starting gently and increasing pressure from there. Keep in mind that there’s only one font, and it might not come out perfectly aligned, so this isn’t for those who want identical labels. But if you appreciate the vintage character of an embossed label and want an ultra-lightweight model, this is one of the most budget-friendly options on the market for basic needs.
Dimensions: 6.25 by 8.38 by 3.75 inches | Weight: 0.3 pounds | Power Source: Manual | Max Label Width: 3/8 inch