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From Convenient to Mission Critical
When most people think of label makers—or label printers, labeling systems, barcode printers, or whatever each manufacturer calls its wares—those little handheld devices with small keyboards and one-line monochrome LCDs come to mind. Well, even though many of those are still available, at this point they are yesterday's technology.
In fact, these days, there are many types and levels of label printers (in terms of price, label quality, and volume) available—from inexpensive and convenient consumer-grade models for labeling containers and other articles around home, to the mission-critical machines for printing shipping labels, warnings (Stop, Caution, Fragile, and so on), barcodes, product labels, and so much more.
Color Choices Galore
Most consumer-grade—and lower-end small-business—labelers print only one color, usually black, although some models offer paper that will produce other colors, such as yellow on black, for example. In fact, some label printers offer a wide range of monochrome-color choices, including, say, white on dark green, or yellow on pink.
Best Printer For Label Sheets
The point is that the color of the paper, which is infused with only one foreground shade that is activated by the printer, is the background color. And then there are commercial label printers—which are well beyond the scope of this round-up—that print labels in all shapes and sizes in full color. There are even commercial label machines that are big enough to take up a good portion of your living room.
We primarily review consumer-grade and professional-grade small-business label printers that range in price from less than $100 to just more than $500. Believe it or not, compared with the number of commercial- and enterprise-grade labelers out there, there just aren't that many lower-end consumer and small-business models available. The good news is that, for the most part, what is available is not only impressive but versatile, capable of printing many different types of labels at widely varying sizes.
How Label Makers Work
Perhaps all you need to label are some file folders, or you need to print mailing labels from a database. There are products that specialize in these tasks, but many of the most recent label printers support a diverse set of blank label tapes, or rolls, ranging in width and label types. Many of today's labelers support rolls of several different widths, as well as continuous-length rolls, or those consisting of fixed-length die-cut labels that allow you to peel each print off the roll one at a time. Many label printers support not only paper labels, but also plastic, and sometimes those made of fabric or foil.
In addition, all labelers have cutters of one type or another, ranging from simple serrated-edge blades where you tear your labels from the roll manually, as you would tinfoil, to manual guillotine-like blades that you deploy with a lever, to automatic blades that cut each label as it comes out of the printer. Many also come with built-in batteries that allow to you use them on the go, cable-less, without having to plug them in, and a few others support optional attachable batteries.
Nearly all label printers in the consumer- and small-business-grade class are thermal printers. This means that the blank label material itself contains the color (there is no ink in the printer), which is released (in specific patterns) based on the thermal heat released as the paper (or whatever material) passes through the printer. Also, some label printer makers, like Brother, have recently released two-color paper, such as black and red.
Today's labelers support more than just one width or length of rolls, increasing the diversity of label types you can create. If you plan to use your label printer for a wide range of projects—mailing labels, file folders, product barcodes, banners, and more—you should find a machine that supports several widths and other varying configurations of label rolls.
Connecting to Your Label Printer
An important factor in choosing a labeler is deciding how and where you're going to use it. In other words, what type of connection(s) do you need? Many label printers support several connection types, while some support only one or two, with USB being the most common. Not only is it used for connecting to your computer or mobile device, but for the many labelers that come with batteries, it's one of the more common ways to charge them.
Best Shipping Label Printer For Mac
The problem with USB is that the labeler must always be tethered to another device, making it more difficult to move around. In addition, printing devices that connect solely via USB do not connect to your network or the internet. Only the computing device connected to the printer over USB can access it.
Bluetooth, too, is supported by many label printers, as is Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct. Wi-Fi, of course, makes the printer part of your network, allowing all of the computers and mobile devices on the network—with the proper software installed, that is—access to the printer. Wi-Fi Direct creates a peer-to-peer network connection between a mobile device and the printer, meaning that neither the printer nor the mobile device requires a standard network connection or router.
Creating and Printing Labels
While yesteryear's label printers required typing on tiny attached keyboards to print, most recent models take their direction from some type of computing device, either a desktop PC, a laptop, or a smartphone or tablet. Many of today's labelers support all of these devices, which, among other things, provides a much easier and more versatile platform for creating and printing labels.
In most instances, the printer tells the software what type of label roll is loaded in the printer. In turn, the software displays predesigned templates for several different label types. You can then either fill in the blanks as-is, redesign the template, or start fresh and create your own custom labels. In many cases, in addition to using the symbols, borders, and other design options built into the software, you can also import clip art and sometimes even photos (which print in monochrome, of course) into your label layouts.
Cost of Ownership
If you plan to print a large number of labels, another critical factor is the cost per label, which is also often referred to as the cost of ownership. Most label printers support a vast collection of label types, as many as 30 or more, ranging in various widths and lengths and colors and material types.
Simple 1.5-by-3.5-inch die-cut labels typically cost about 2 cents to 4 cents per label. Buying the same labels in bulk (say, 50 to 100 rolls) could knock your running costs down by 25 percent or more. Fancier plastic, cloth, and foil labels will cost you significantly more, as will larger labels.
It's also important to remember that the cost per label can be significantly different from machine to machine, depending on what company makes the labeler, the type of labels you buy, how many rolls you buy, and where you buy them.
The list below includes the best label printers that we've recently tested. For a look at the top printers overall, check out our main roundup, as well as the best inkjet and laser printers you can buy right now.
Featured Label Printer Reviews:
Brother P-touch Cube Review
MSRP: $59.99Pros: Good print quality. Comprehensive, easy-to-use label design and print mobile app. Strong selection of label types in several color schemes, including fabric iron-on labels. Runs on AC or battery power. Good value for the price.Cons: Cannot use with Windows or Mac PCs. Requires replaceable (rather than rechargeable) batteries.Bottom Line: With excellent design and comprehensive print software, the reasonably priced Brother P-touch Cube prints several sizes and colors of good-quality plastic (laminated) labels from your iOS or Android mobile device.Read ReviewBrother P-touch Cube Plus Review
MSRP: $99.99Pros: Fast. Good print quality. Best translator app for windows. Runs on USB or rechargeable battery. Automatic cutter. Large selection of label types in several colors and sizes.Cons: Expensive consumables.Bottom Line: With its quality output, speedy printing, and solid feature set, the Brother P-touch Cube Plus is an excellent-value label printer for homes and small offices.Read ReviewBrother QL-800 Review
MSRP: $99.99Pros: Fast output. Good print quality. Excellent label design, print software, and mobile apps. Prints two-color, black/red labels. Good selection of label types. Good value for the price.Cons: Per-label media cost is somewhat high. Ability to print in red limited to one label type.Bottom Line: The Brother QL-800 prints several sizes of high-quality label types from your PC, Mac, or Android mobile device via USB, making it an excellent value for its relatively low price.Read ReviewBrother QL-820NWB Review
MSRP: $199.99Pros: Fast print speeds. Good print quality. Multiple network and mobile connectivity options. Excellent label design. Great print software and mobile app. Prints in black and red. Operates as standalone label maker and printer with optional battery.Cons: Consumables somewhat costly on a per-label basis. Battery costs extra. Ability to print in red limited to one label type.Bottom Line: The Brother QL-820NWB is a feature-rich label maker capable of churning out professional-looking output quickly and efficiently.Mar 31, 2008 Version 10 for OS9 only is/was a really great Mac app. Everything looked very very attractive and felt right. I loved playing Bridge with Bridge Baron. Sadly, now that I have a Macbook I've had to upgrade to Bridge Baron 18. It's nowhere near s nice as 10 was. As far as I can tell, they've simply ported the ugly Windows version to the Mac. Bridge Baron offers you the most comprehensive, easy to use, bridge game available. The Baron is the product of over 40 years of research and development and has benefited from twelve revisions to this great bridge-playing game. It it the perfect bridge game for: Novices: Bridge 8. 0 includes an on-line bridge tutorial covering all aspects of the game. The best 1 Bridge-building games for Mac OS daily generated by our specialised A.I. Comparing over 40 000 video games across all platforms for Mac OS. The order in this selection is not absolute, but the best games tends to be up in the list. The latest addition in this selection are Poly Bridge released the 11 July 2016 and ranked #1. Best bridge game for mac. The best 1 Bridge games for Mac OS daily generated by our specialised A.I. Comparing over 40 000 video games across all platforms for Mac OS. The order in this selection is not absolute, but the best games tends to be up in the list. The latest addition in this selection are Carried Away: Winter Sports released the 9 February 2018 and ranked #1.Read ReviewDYMO LabelManager 500TS Review
MSRP: $199.99Pros: Prints from a computer or as a standalone labeler. Automatic cutter. Bright touch screen. QWERTY keyboard.Cons: Hard to control scrolling through long lists, making it easy to skip over the items you're looking for.Bottom Line: The DYMO LabelManager 500TS label printer can connect to a computer to print labels, but its touch screen and QWERTY keyboard make it easy to print without one.Read ReviewBrother QL-810W Review
MSRP: $149.99Pros: Respectable print quality. Prints in black and red. Prints labels fast. Terrific label design. Great print software and robust mobile app. Wide selection of label types.Cons: Per-label cost is high. Battery costs extra. Ability to print in red limited to one label type. QL-820NWB offers much more for not a lot more money.Bottom Line: The Brother QL-810W label maker prints a wide variety of high-quality label types from your PC or mobile device, but its higher-end sibling provides significantly more features and versatility for just a little more money.Read ReviewBrother QL-1100 Review
MSRP: $179.99Pros: Reasonably snappy print speeds. Good print quality, for a label printer. Excellent label-design and -printing software.Cons: Consumables somewhat costly on a per-label basis. No internal battery.Bottom Line: A winning wide-body label maker, the Brother QL-1100 prints to a variety of label stock from your PC, Mac, or mobile device, and it comes with nifty label-design software and mobile apps.Read ReviewDymo LabelWriter 450 Turbo Review
MSRP: $199.99Pros: Comes with excellent label-printing program plus driver and add-ins for Word and Excel. Prints postage.Cons: Word add-in doesn't integrate smoothly with Word.Bottom Line: The Dymo LabelWriter 450 Turbo delivers fast speed for printing on a variety of labels, including postage labels by way of the Endicia Web site.Read ReviewDymo LabelWriter Wireless Review
MSRP: $149.99Pros: Reasonably fast labels. Good print quality. Strong selection of label types. Cost of consumables is competitively low.Cons: Cutter somewhat clumsy and low-tech. While decent, design and print software could be more modern and intuitive.Bottom Line: The Dymo LabelWriter Wireless churns out labels in numerous shapes, colors, and sizes at a competitive per-label cost.Read Review
So Many Options for Apple Users
A decade or so ago, few printers offered compatibility with Apple computers, but now we live in a happier age. Most new printers and all-in-one printers (AIOs) ship with macOS drivers, and many that don't provide them on disc allow you to download Mac drivers during the installation process. Mac-connected printers support most of the printing and AIO features you can access on a Windows machine. (Any features not usable with Macs are usually detailed on the printer manufacturer's website.)
How We Test
We perform our printer testing on a Windows 10 testbed rather than a Mac, but in ad-hoc testing we have found that printing to the same printer from similarly configured Mac and Windows computers tends to yield very similar print speeds. Nearly all printer manufacturers today provide support for Mac users. Thus, a list of the best models for Macs largely mirrors an overall list of the best printers out there.
See How We Test Printers
One item worth mentioning is the Bonjour protocol, Apple's implementation of zero-configuration networking, which is built into macOS Mojave, all OS X versions going back to 10.2, and iOS (and can be installed on Windows, Linux, and BSD systems as well). Bonjour allows users to quickly discover devices, including printers, on their networks. (It is also what lets AirPrint identify compatible printers on a LAN.) You can set up a printer without Bonjour, but its presence simplifies the task. Nearly all new network printers are Bonjour compatible, though very old routers may not support it.
Who Needs a Mac-Friendly Printer?
Macs are widely used by publishing professionals and graphic artists who rely on Adobe programs, such as Illustrator, to ensure the best output quality. Illustrator, as well as Photoshop and Acrobat, are optimized for Adobe's own PostScript printing language. You can print graphical material with text made in these programs from non-PostScript printers, but at a potential loss of quality, including occasional dropped elements and formatting. For any business that prints a lot of graphics, a printer with a PostScript driver (or at least PostScript emulation) is a big plus. PostScript has been a staple of the graphic arts since its inclusion with the Apple LaserWriter printer launched the desktop publishing revolution in the mid-1980s.
Many specialty printers are Windows-only. This is especially true of label printers (those that are able to connect to a computer at all). A few good exceptions are the Brother P-touch Cube+ and the Brother QL-820NWB, both Editors' Choice models. Some recent 3D printers, such as the Dremel DigiLab 3D45 3D Printer, work with Macs as well as Windows machines; check the manufacturer's specs for Mac support when shopping for a 3D printer.
How to Print From Your iPad
With iPads now commonplace in many homes and offices, there are several solutions to print from your tablet. The one most users will rely on is Apple's own AirPrint utility. which is built into all iOS versions since 4.2. This allows a Wi-Fi-connected iPad to communicate with a compatible printer on the same network. If your printer doesn't support AirPrint, there are several third-party utilities, including Printopia and Presto, you can download to your desktop. These effectively make your printer AirPrint compatible. Another alternative is to use a printing app, such as Samsung Mobile Print or Epson iPrint. When using these apps, your iPad and printer will need to be on the same network. Other solutions include cloud printing (sending your documents to a cloud server which then sends them to your printer) and email printing, which assigns an email address to your printer which you in turn use to print from your iPad by sending an email to your printer.
Which Mac Printer Is Right For You?
Below are our top-rated Mac-friendly printer picks. This roundup includes a generous selection of PostScript printers, as well as some non-PostScript models capable of high-quality graphics and/or photo output. But because many Mac users use their computers for tasks unrelated to graphic arts, we also present some top-notch general-purpose printers here. By and large, the qualities that make a Mac-compatible printer great are the same things that let any printer stand out from the crowd: a winning combination of features, speed, and print quality at a competitive price. For more, check out our top overall printer picks, as well as our top inkjet printers and best-reviewed laser printers.
Best Printers for Mac Featured in This Roundup:
Canon Maxify iB4120 Wireless Small Office Inkjet Printer Review
MSRP: $149.99Pros: Generous paper capacity. Low price for its capabilities. Above-par output quality across the board. Competitive running costs.Cons: Tiny, non-touch display.Bottom Line: The Canon Maxify iB4120 Wireless Small Office Inkjet Printer is inexpensive, but provides generous paper capacity, competitive running costs, solid speed, and excellent output quality.Best c++ ide for mac. If you are looking for a great IDE I have prepared a list of Best c++ ide for windows, mac, and Linux. Chose your IDE according to your level for example as a beginner you just have to write console application all you need is a simple, lightweight IDE.Read ReviewCanon imageClass MF269dw Review
MSRP: $279.99Pros: Small footprint. Competitive running costs. Good-looking output. Auto-duplexing ADF. Versatile connectivity options, including mobile.Cons: Lacks flash memory drive support. Antiquated control panel.Bottom Line: The Canon imageClass MF269dw is an entry-level monochrome laser AIO printer with just the right feature set, speed, and output quality to make it an excellent value for small and home-based offices.Read ReviewBrother HL-L2370DW Review
MSRP: $129.99Pros: Low price. Great text and good graphics quality. Good speed. Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Ethernet, and USB connectivity.Cons: Slightly below-par photo quality.Bottom Line: The Brother HL-L2370DW offers above-par text and graphics, good speed and paper handling, a wide-range of connectivity choices, and competitive running costs in a low-priced mono laser for micro-office use.Read ReviewCanon Pixma TS9120 Wireless Inkjet All-in-One Review
MSRP: $199.99Pros: Lightweight and compact. Two additional ink cartridges for higher-quality photos. Two paper input trays. SD card, Ethernet, and Bluetooth 4.0 support. Excellent print quality. Fast snapshot printing.Cons: No automatic document feeder. Lacks NFC and Wi-Fi Direct. Slow document printing.Bottom Line: Though it lacks an automatic document feeder, the six-ink Canon Pixma TS9120 Wireless Inkjet All-in-One printer produces exceptional text, graphics, and photos.Read ReviewEpson EcoTank ET-M3170 Wireless Monochrome All-in-One Supertank Printer Review
MSRP: $449.99Pros: Very low running costs. 6,000-page ink bottle included in box. Good print quality. Fast first page out. Single-pass auto-duplexing ADF. Smart home voice-activation. Two-year warranty with registration.Cons: Pricey. A little slower than laser counterparts. Monthly print volume ratings are low.Bottom Line: The Epson ET-M3170 all-in-one monochrome inkjet prints and copies well, at exceptionally low running costs, making it an excellent choice for busy small offices.Read ReviewEpson WorkForce Pro WF-4740 Review
MSRP: $299.99Pros: Excellent print quality overall. Auto-duplexing ADF. Competitively low running costs. Supports Wi-Fi Direct and NFC. Fast for its class.Cons: No multipurpose tray. Small output tray. Slightly expensive.Bottom Line: The WF-4740 prints well and fast, and it supports just about every midrange business-centric inkjet feature available, including Wi-Fi Direct, NFC, and two-sided scanning.Read ReviewEpson WorkForce Pro WF-C8690 A3 Color MFP With PCL/PostScript Review
MSRP: $1499.99Pros: Excellent print quality. Prints super-tabloid pages. Supports Wi-Fi Direct and NFC. Emulates PostScript and PCL printers. Supports massive high-volume ink cartridges. High duty cycle. Competitive price.Cons: Expansion accessories costly. No multipurpose tray or slot. Meager out-of-box paper capacity. Borderless photos and pages unsupported.Bottom Line: The Epson WorkForce Pro WF-C8690 is a high-volume wide-format inkjet all-in-one that prints quickly and accurately for medium- to large-size offices and workgroups.Read ReviewHP OfficeJet Pro 9015 All-in-One Printer Review
MSRP: $229.99Pros: Fast. Good print quality overall. Competitive running costs. Borderless printing. 35-sheet auto-duplexing ADF. Attractive, compact build.Cons: Only one paper input source.Bottom Line: HP's OfficeJet Pro 9015 All-in-One Printer churns out quality output at a low cost per page, making it a good value for small offices with light- to medium-duty copy and print volume requirements.Read ReviewHP Tango X Review
MSRP: $199.00Pros: Small and spiffy. Voice control with supported smart home UIs. IFTTT scripting for extending smart capabilities. Impressive print quality. Competitive ink costs with Instant Ink, plus free snapshot printing from your smartphone.Cons: Borderless prints limited to 5-by-7-inch. Single, small paper input. 'Scans' and 'copies' only via smartphone.Bottom Line: HP's Tango X 'smart printer,' the first we've tested with voice activation and smart home features, is all about printing from mobile devices. It's not perfect, but given its unique free-snapshot printing angle, it will be a tough act for future models to follow.Read ReviewXerox WorkCentre 6515/DNI Review
MSRP: $599.00Pros: Excellent text quality. Slightly above-par graphics. ADF supports single-pass, two-sided scanning. Includes Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct connectivity options.Cons: Similar printers deliver better graphics and photo quality. Limited optional paper capacity for its price.Bottom Line: The Xerox WorkCentre 6515/DNI provides above-par output quality, solid speed, and a thorough feature set for an all-in-one color laser-class printer.Read Review