Customer Reviews

Brother P-touch Electronic Labeling System, Royal Blue (PT80SCCP)

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I love this little labeling system and have used a few different ones in the past 2 years since I adopted the Getting Things Done system. The system is really neat and though I am not always faithful, when I adhere to it, I am able to get things done, indeed. A labeler is critical for this system and important for organization in general and this little guy does the job.

Pluses:
-Small
-Quick
-Very nice printout
-Easy to use
-Ready-made formats for VHS/MiniDV/CDs/File tabs/Dividers
-Easy-to-obtain refills

Minuses:
-No AC power option! Even if it were an additional $20 I would do this because it is a...
-BATTERY VAMPIRE! It goes through fresh batts at an incredible rate, even using nice fresh Duracells.
[Note: I want to say that I wish this at least took AAs instead of the tiny AAAs because the small size increase means almost a tripling of the power and would be well worth it for this device. Also, some other reviewers have noted that you could use rechargeable batteries, but I find that with the always-highly-rated Eneloops, I get the "Low Batt" warning almost immediately.]
-Semi-expensive ribbon refills
-A moderate amount of ribbon waste

Overall, this is an outstanding product and is essentially perfect in function, I hold back one star given some of the practical issues on using it regularly, namely the lack of AC adapter option in the setting of pretty voracious battery use.

For folks who use it only intermittently, I give this 5 stars.
For folks using it daily, I would caution you to consider a model with the AC adapter.

I really expected that an electronic label maker would cost much, much more, so I'm amazed at the functionality of this item in relation to the price! This is just a good, basic machine to make labels with. I can't compare it with other label makers, but I would assume they may have more "fun" options as far as print styles/types and frames for labels.

I took time to test all the options/features, and found that the print is solid, the labels stick well to paper, plastic, & glass, and the finished product is very attractive and "finished" looking. The tape is just thin enough to be flexible and flat when applied, and not look bulky or peel up at the ends from being too thick or lack enough adhesive. The cutter cuts cleanly and neatly, and is easy to operate.

Your options with this item are:
** 6 type sizes/shapes: 9 point size in condensed and extended versions, and 17 point size in condensed and extended versions.
** 9 type styles: normal, outline, bold, shadow, italic, italic/outline, italic/bold, italic/shadow, and vertical.
** 5 auto formats: VCR/VHS, mini DV, audio, file tab, & divider
** 6 frames: underline, wooden (looks like print is on board with nails in it), banner, candy (looks like piece of candy twisted at both ends), rounded (frame with rounded edges), callout ("thought bubble")
** prints 1 or 2 lines
** 71 symbols to use
** 12 character LCD display; if your label is more than 12 characters, can push button and get read-back of what you've entered before printing; when you're 1st learning to use the maker, this is especially helpful, as you can see what you're entered before printing it out and wasting tape
** The colorful outside packaging of this item conveniently shows all these options as they actually appear on the labels (I would think this would be especially nice if giving this as a gift, where the receiver can immediately see the functionality of the P-Touch.)

Positives:

I like the design of this unit, as it cradles nicely in your hands -- you can reach all the keys with your thumbs when typing in a label. Also, the finish on the outside is a somewhat non-slip plastic, making it easier to hold.

Written instructions are very clear. Keyboard symbols are color-coded so it's pretty simple to figure out and learn to use.

You can see how much tape is left on your cartridge through a window on the back of the unit -- very helpful.

Drawbacks:

(very minor) I don't really like that the project you were working on when you cut the machine off re-appears when you cut it back on. I would prefer that the screen be blank and that you not have to clear it in order to start a new label. This is just my opinion.

The backing is extremely hard to get off the tape after it's printed. There is a small feature on the top of the unit where you can insert the tape to "start" the peel-off, but I would prefer to have a feature that makes peel-off a lot easier -- possibly one end of the tape a little shorter than the other? Now, the easiest way to remove the backing is to grip the tape between your left thumb and 1st finger very close to *one corner* and keep folding/bending at that corner slightly with your other thumb until you see the backing come away a little, then insert your nail.

Good to know:

** Unit uses 4 AAA batteries
** 13 feet of 1/2" starter tape, black print on white backing, is included
** Other color combinations of tape (available in both 1/2" and 3/8" sizes) are black print on gold/silver/green/blue/pink. Combos available in 1/2" only are yellow print on black, red print on white, and blue print on white. All tapes have to be be purchased separately, and are from about $8 to $10.

This product has no AC power connecting ability and uses a set of 4 AAA batteries for power. It takes one set of batteries to create a label, and it does not like rechargeables. So it is a silly product when you have to keep replacing batteries over and over.

I have this Brother labelmaker, and I'd sum it in one word as "functional."

It's not fast, not powerful, not sturdy; nor is it fancy.

It feels like a toy and prints at the speed of one.

Nonetheless, it prints the labels that I want, in different sized-text and even different orientations. Two-lines? Sure.

For the price though, I recommend it.

Even for a cheap labeler, this is very poor. Construction is plastic and feels light, and the printing function failed after just a few uses. New batteries didn't help, I was very disappointed in this product.

Nice labels - Terrible Battery Consumption!
I have disposed of all THREE of my "AAA PT80s" and use the labels in my older one that uses "AA" batteries.
The "AAA PT80" is an environmental criminal - batteries dead after only a few labels..

The Brother PT-80 personal labeler is an excellent choice for home or office. It is attractive, affordable, efficient, and versatile. You will need to purchase M tape, which is not that cheap, when it is time to refill your labeler. Therefore, it pays to proofread your text carefully before you print in order to avoid waste. There are various colored labels available, but the the black print on a white background is easier to read than the pink, green, blue, silver, or gold varieties. You also have a choice of one-half or three-eighths inch wide labels.

Customizing your labels is easy if you follow the clearly laid out instructions. Among your choices are bold type, italics, caps or lower case, underlining, framing, large letters, small letters, and a wide variety of symbols. The soft raised keys make typing easy and pleasurable and the finished labels look professional. I have a five-drawer file cabinet, and I use these labels to keep all my folders beautifully organized and easy to retrieve. The cutter could be a tad sharper; sometimes, I need to press the lever twice in order to release the tape. However, the labels emerge smoothly and quickly. To save battery power, there is an automatic turn-off mechanism. All in all, this is a great choice for an inexpensive, fun-to-use labeling system.

So happy with this labeling system! I wasn't expecting much considering the very affordable amount that I paid for it. When I received it, it felt very light and compact and fits well in my hands. I wouldn't call it flimsy. The instructions included were very clear and concise. I tested it and was very happy with the outcome. I love that I can now label anything since I promised myself to be more organized. I never even gave buying a labeller that much thought because of the expensive ones I'd see in the stores. But after seeing this on Amazon and reading the reviews here, I was convinced.

I have no problem whatsoever with peeling the backing off the tape, and I don't have long nails (I cut my nails really really short). The print on the tape stays put and doesn't smear. It's very easy to cut the tape once you're done printing, you don't need to press on the cutter very hard. The screen is big enough and the buttons are easy to work with. Probably the ONLY complaint I have is that I cannot preview the text in its actual form (underlined, italicized, etc)...I can only see if I spelled it right and the size of the label. But then again, I don't need any fancy letterings on mine. I just need my labels to either be large or small, italicized or bold, etc. And the basic functions fulfill this, provided I enter the correct settings. Very easy to do by the way.

All in all, it's a fantastic product which does as it says for a very very good price! I have yet to comment on battery life. The first set I put in are still working.

I just got this yesterday, and put brand new duracell long-life batteries, and it is now saying that the battery is low. I made sure to shut it off when I was done using it, so I don't know if this is a bad one, or this model just sucks up the battery quicker? I am bummed- I have been waiting a long time to get a label maker, always thought they were in the $40 range... but I got this for $23 with shipping! Price point is really good, and other than the low battery issue, I like it. Wish it came with more label choices, though.(color wise)

I absolutely love this labeler. I use it for EVERYTHING. Nothing can help you get organized more than a great labeler. There are different fonts and the ability to have two different colored labels is awesome for organizing. The time/date stamp is also a really cool feature that I haven't had on any other labeler. I would recommend this to anyone.