Brother P-touch Label Maker, PC-Connectable Labeler, PTD600, Color Display, High-Resolution PC Printing, Black, Black/gray

I tried one of the less expensive Brother label printers, but returned it because I could not read the non-backlit LCD. It was very low contrast, and I was very disappointed. I searched for one with a backlight, and ran across this one - with an LED screen - in full color, and graphical user interface. I have to say, it is almost an Apple experience using it! Very very nice interface, once you figure it out, and extremely easy to use.I love the fact that you can have ½", ¾" and 1" tape from the same machine, and that it automatically detects the tape and the color of the tape and ink, so the display looks exactly like what you will see. With the option for close cut, you only lose about ¾" of tape for each label, which is very good.I have poor eyesight, so their thick font on 1" tape works great in my lab - I can read them without having to get up close and put on my reading glasses.In theory, the unit runs off of 6 AA batteries. However, I would say only if they are very fresh. The printer draws too much juice if the batteries are not in absolutely great condition.My first effort with the printer was a small disaster. I did not know how the cartridges worked, and the first cartridge had the tape coming out wrong (not going around the little corner). So, instead of the tape going thru the cutter and out the side of the printer, it was going back into the printer! And of course - what a mess! I managed to get the cartridge out, and remove the tape - I had the tape loop out about 6" with separated clear tape, the backing tape, and the ink tape all out in loops.So, I called Brother for help. Frankly, the guy answering the phone was of absolutely no help, and could not think - he had to follow a script. One element on the script was "Is this a genuine Brother tape?" No. Sorry, can't help you.Not what I would call great customer support. So, I went on YouTube and looked for "what is inside a Brother tape cartridge" and "how to fix a Brother tape cartridge." Once armed with that, I realized I only had to pull out the excess tape and cut it off, making sure it came out where it was supposed to. Lost about 10" of tape, no big deal, and it worked fine.While I cannot recommend their technical support, I can certainly recommend the machine! It does a fantastic job, with all of the options offered. It also can be connected to your computer as a label printer, and you can download software to make even fancier labels with that - so far, I have not needed anything I can't do right out of the machine.LED display with graphical user interface, multiple tape size support - a great product!

Personal Experience:This is the second of this exact label maker I have purchased. The first was for work and I was extremely impressed with the features, speed, versatility and ease of use that I wanted to purchase one for my house. Some may say that this label maker is "overkill" for home use but if you want to print a 24mm wide tape then you might as well get this label maker. The first thing about this label maker that makes it a best buy is the ability to print either plugged into the wall or with batteries. Having the flexibility to print anywhere really makes this product shine because there are times when I want to be at my desk and organize while other times I am organizing in my garage without the power cord. The next feature that I really appreciate is the easy to use interface, creating and printing labels are straight forward and only takes a few seconds. The last thing that I really appreciate about the label maker is its ability to change tape sizes quickly. When I print labels for large bins I tend to use the 24mm tape and when I print labels out for my toolbench screw drawers I stick with the 12mm tape. Like I said at the beginning of my review, this is the second time I have purchased this exact label maker and I really like it, the only regret is that I did not splurge for the carrying case when I bought one for my house. I still gave the product 5 stars because the label maker works just as well with or without the carrying case.Recommend:Yes (get the carrying case if you see it on sale or want to keep your tape and printer together)Pros:Can be powered with a cord or batteriesSoftware is easy to use and lets you print out labels in secondsMultiple sized and colored tapes can be usedColor screen is large and very easy to readComputer connection lets you print out more complex designs on labelsKeyboard is easy to read and feels like a quality productCons:Computer software is not as easy to use as printer on-board softwareWithout the case you have to store your tape somewhere

This product really helps make the task of labeling items easier. I am very glad that I purchased this. The LCD screen and automatic font resizing are highly beneficial. It is definitely worth reading the manual to learn a few things to get the most out of this.One of the best features I like is that you can specify the length of the desired label and as you type your text it will resize things automatically to fit (if desired). Setting the equipment to short margins was also beneficial to getting the results I wanted while minimizing waste (it should be the default setting, in my opinion). I also like the availability of a wide variety of cartridges.This product and it's features ultimately saved me a lot of time and trouble. Much appreciated to the manufacturer and engineers/product developers.