The best label makers
Jars you can find in a hurry, chargers you can tell apart and files that stay in order: a small machine that makes tidying stick.
A label maker is the little tool that makes organising last: spice jars, storage boxes, the tangle of chargers behind the telly, the switches on a fuse board. Once there's one in the drawer, it gets used for everything.
The big choice is how you type. Keyboard models work on their own, with no phone needed. App models connect by Bluetooth and print from the phone, with fonts, icons and, on some, barcodes and QR codes. All five print by heat, so there's no ink to buy, only labels.
What matters
- Keyboard or phone app: whichever suits the person using it.
- The labels it takes: laminated tape for tough jobs, sticker rolls for the home.
- Batteries or USB charging.
- Label width: 12 to 15mm covers jars, files and cables.
#1 of 5
Best overall
Nelko P21 Bluetooth Label Maker
£10–£20 Price range
Small enough for a pocket, it prints from a phone app full of templates, icons and borders, so a matching set of pantry labels is quick to make. There's no ink: it prints by heat onto sticker rolls.
What owners say: Owners find it quick to learn, say it connects straight away and prints clearly, even tiny text, and use it for sockets, switches and all round the house.
Heads up: Check the phone first: it works with iPhones and Android phones but, Nelko says, not Google phones on Android 14, and it can't print from a computer.
A closer look: Nelko recommends its own label rolls, which come in fixed sizes such as 14 × 40mm, handy for spice jars and light switches. The charging plug isn't in the box, so keep a USB-C charger to hand.
- Prints from a phone app (Bluetooth)
- 203dpi thermal print, no ink
- Rechargeable battery
- 750+ templates, 3,600+ icons
- Text, QR codes and barcodes
Best for: Pantry and craft labels
- How you type
- Phone app
- Label width
- Up to 15mm
- Power
- Rechargeable (USB-C)
- Labels
- Thermal sticker labels
- Labels in the box
- 1 roll
#2 of 5
Best for tough labels
Brother P-touch PT-H110 Label Printer
£59.99 RRP
Brother's TZe tapes are laminated and made for indoors or out, the kind of label to trust on a toolbox, the garage shelves or the cables in the loft. A cable-marking mode prints a flag that wraps round a lead.
What owners say: Owners find it simple to use and good value, with crisp, clear labels that are especially handy on pipes and cables.
Heads up: It takes six AAA batteries, which aren't in the box, so pick up a set of rechargeables with it.
A closer look: The keyboard and screen mean there's no phone or app to fiddle with: type, check and print. With so many tape colours, it's easy to colour-code the garage, the files or each child's school kit.
- Laminated TZe tapes, up to 12mm
- 16-character display
- Cable-flag labels
- 253 symbols and 15 frames
- Around 60 tape colours and sizes
Best for: Cables, tools and outdoors
- How you type
- Keyboard
- Label width
- Up to 12mm
- Power
- 6 × AAA, not included
- Labels
- Laminated TZe tape
- Labels in the box
- 12mm × 4m TZe tape
#3 of 5
Best for quick labels
DYMO LetraTag LT-100H Handheld Label Maker
£20–£30 Price range
The classic keyboard labeller: type on the ABC keys, check it on the screen and print, with no phone involved. The date stamp is handy for dating jars and files. DYMO started out in California in 1958, making handheld embossing label makers.
What owners say: Owners find it easy to use and like the clear, neat labels and the choice of text styles for such a small machine.
A closer look: It runs on four AA batteries (not included) and switches itself off to save them. A 12mm paper starter roll comes in the box, and LetraTag rolls are the refills.
- ABC keyboard
- 13-character LCD screen
- 2-line printing, 5 font sizes
- Date stamp and 9 label memory
- Thermal printing, no ink
Best for: Quick labels without a phone
- How you type
- Keyboard
- Label width
- 12mm
- Power
- 4 × AA, not included
- Labels
- LetraTag tape
- Labels in the box
- 12mm × 3m paper starter roll
#4 of 5
Best keyboard and app
SUPVAN E11 Keyboard and Bluetooth Label Maker
£20–£30 Price range
Type a quick label on its own keyboard, or open the app for fancier ones with frames and icons: it does both. SUPVAN says a charge lasts up to a month.
What owners say: Owners rate the print quality, like having both the keyboard and the app, and say the labels stick well.
A closer look: The narrow margin wastes less label on every print, and the four rolls in the box, two continuous and two fixed-size, cover most jobs from day one. At 226g it goes easily from the kitchen to the garage.
- Keyboard and Bluetooth app
- Rechargeable, up to a month a charge
- Only a 5mm margin on each label
- 30+ fonts and 660+ icons
- Continuous, fixed-size and cable labels
Best for: Keyboard or phone, both
- How you type
- Keyboard or phone app
- Label width
- Up to 15mm
- Power
- Rechargeable (USB-C)
- Labels
- Continuous, fixed-size and cable labels
- Labels in the box
- 4 rolls
#5 of 5
Best budget
Phomemo D30 Bluetooth Mini Label Maker
£10–£20 Price range
At 153g it slips into a pocket, and its Print Master app can pull text from a photo, take it by voice or import a list from a spreadsheet, which speeds up a big labelling job.
What owners say: Owners call it a nice little machine that's simple to use with its app and good value, and use it on switches, cables and network kit.
A closer look: It takes continuous and fixed-length rolls from 6 to 15mm wide; it prints in black only, so patterned rolls are the way to colourful labels. Food date labels, name tags and price tags are all in its repertoire.
- Prints from a phone app (Bluetooth)
- 203dpi thermal print, no ink
- Rechargeable battery
- Text from photos and by voice
- Barcodes, QR codes and spreadsheet import
Best for: Budget app labelling
- How you type
- Phone app
- Label width
- 6 to 15mm
- Power
- Rechargeable (micro USB)
- Labels
- Thermal sticker labels
- Labels in the box
- A roll of labels
How they compare
| Feature | #1Nelko P21 | #2Brother PT-H110 | #3DYMO LetraTag LT-100H | #4SUPVAN E11 | #5Phomemo D30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best for tough labels | Best for quick labels | Best keyboard and app | Best budget | |
| Picked Rating | 9.2 | 9.1 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 8.7 |
| Price | £10–£20 Price range | £59.99 RRP | £20–£30 Price range | £20–£30 Price range | £10–£20 Price range |
| How you type | Phone app | Keyboard | Keyboard | Keyboard or phone app | Phone app |
| Label width | Up to 15mm | Up to 12mm | 12mm | Up to 15mm | 6 to 15mm |
| Power | Rechargeable (USB-C) | 6 × AAA, not included | 4 × AA, not included | Rechargeable (USB-C) | Rechargeable (micro USB) |
| Labels | Thermal sticker labels | Laminated TZe tape | LetraTag tape | Continuous, fixed-size and cable labels | Thermal sticker labels |
| Labels in the box | 1 roll | 12mm × 4m TZe tape | 12mm × 3m paper starter roll | 4 rolls | A roll of labels |
| Best for | Pantry and craft labels | Cables, tools and outdoors | Quick labels without a phone | Keyboard or phone, both | Budget app labelling |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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