Brady Label Maker Australia
Arleen Jerdee
I own lots of label makers. Label makers from Dymo, Brother, Epson, K-Sun, and Casio. But I have never tested or reviewed a Brady label maker. For years I have heard about how great Brady machines are. I finally gave into the hype and bought a Brady M210 with my own money.
For years I have wanted one but when you buy from a new manufacturer you need to buy into a whole new eco-system of labels and accessories. I have stackable storage bins from other manufacturers filled up already. Bringing in a new ecosystem was hard to justify. And yet, here we are. Me with a brand new Brady M210.
After picking up the M210, I find that I really like the size, and feel of the machine. It sits well on a table. Conversely, I own a Dymo XTL 300 and it is a little similar but it rocks back and forth when laid on a table. Weird ergonomics. The Brady M210 passes this important 1st impressions test.
I find it odd that you have to remove the battery to charge it. This is an instance where you would really want to have a spare battery in the mix, charged and ready to go. Sadly though, an M210 replacement battery pack is about $65.
Label maker usage is pretty diverse between manufacturers. By that I mean that keyboard layout and function keys are different. My greater point here is that with these more advanced label makers you have got to read the manual. The Brady M210 is no exception. Links to the manual and Quick Start Guide are here.
It does do wire marking and heat shrink tubing and sequential labeling. This would have met all the needs of employed and working man John. However, retired guy John enjoys magnetic tapes for making QR codes.
I have cropped WAY in on the picture below. You can indeed see some rough edges but I want to reiterate that I have cropped WAY in on this pic. In hand, a few inches from your eye and the label looks perfect. A lot of people do comment on the amount of excess area on either side of the text. All of that label is waste and given the cost of cartridges could be an issue for some users.
And there is a strip of backing material above the label which makes it easy to remove the label. Lots of manufacturers have split tapes and sometimes you can see a distinct line in your prints from that junction. The Brady labels on the M210 are really uniform throughout.
The best overall is the Dymo LabelManager 280 Label Maker. It's a high-quality, handheld label maker with a full QWERTY-style keyboard, rechargeable battery, and customization options. For our best budget option, we recommend the Dymo Organizer Xpress Pro. It's a user-friendly embossing labeler with rotary-style lettering, offering a lot at a very agreeable price tag.
Keeping a label maker on hand is a go-to, expert-approved home organization tip. Whether you're a contractor, small business owner, or office manager, or if you just want to get your home in order, you'll be glad to have one on hand. "We always add [labels] to bins and baskets as the last step to an organizing project," says Bostrom, a professional organizer. "I always say, 'If you're the only one who knows the system, it's not a system.'"
Many label makers have several fonts preloaded into the device, including different text sizes and styles. With a high-end pick that syncs to an app or connects to a desktop, you can often add more of your own fonts, as well as symbols, icons, banners, and clip art. Basic embossing labelers will typically only have one font, similar to a typewriter.
There are some options that can work both as a standalone gadget or when connected to a computer or phone. Our advice? Go with the device that has the features and functionality that are most important to you, regardless of its label (pun intended). You'll find all of the above types included in our list of recommendations above.
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