Recently Dymo sent me one of the label makers to review. The LabelManager 260P is a handheld unit that tries its hardest to include as many options as it can.
First, let’s talk about the unit’s core function of printing labels. You can choose between three font styles: Basic (sans serif), Serif, and Fun, which resembles the font Comic Sans. All three can access a robust character set including punctuation, accents, mathematical symbols and Greek letters.
You can choose 6 font sizes, which helpfully are designated by point sizes just like your computer. And to add a little fun you can specify what sort of box you’d like around your text with choices ranging from a plain box to a scroll, voice bubble or floral; 8 total options. You can align text vertically or horizontally, can center, left- or right-justify multi-line labels, and even print “mirrored” labels where the letters are reversed/backwards. Fixed label lengths are possible, and this is great if you want to consistently label a whole bunch of things without every label looking different.
Not sure how it will turn out? There is a preview function where the entire text of the message scrolls through the window, formatted as it will look on the label.
In terms of consumables, You can choose between quarter-inch, 3/8th and half-inch labels or their equivalents of 6, 9 and 12mm. The unit uses thermal ink so you’ll never have to buy a separate ink cartridge.
The unit itself is designed for handheld use; it’s relatively light and convenient. I would have preferred a QWERTY keyboard; the unit’s ABC layout takes some getting used to. For power it packs an internal, rechargeable lithium ion battery and recharges with a wall wart. The box claims to be able to print around 20′ of labels per charge. If you turn off the unit by accident (or on purpose) it will give you the option of saving the label you’re working on.
The Dymo LabelManager 260P is a convenient, easy-to-use label maker with tons of options to help you customize the appearance of your labels. You can buy it for about $50 on Amazon, making it an economical option for organizing your stuff.
And now for the giveaway!
Dymo has donated a LabelManager 360D to give to a Make: Online reader. The 360 is mostly identical to the 260P I reviewed but is slightly larger, has a QWERTY keyboard (yay!) and uses labels in four widths instead of three. To qualify, all you have to do is leave a comment with your thoughts on how you could use a label maker around your house or workshop to get organized. One random commenter will get the unit! Comments will be closed and the winner 7am PST Tuesday.
Update: AndDroid is our winner! Congrats!
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