Brother P-Touch® PT-1180 Matrix Label Printer Review

Printing labels is a common task in offices and schools and many companies and institutions have several hand- operated label makers for easy, non- electrical usage. But for a small price, you can purchase an electronic device to print labels that is just as easy to use and more efficient. One example is Brother P- Touch 1180, a lightweight device for making labels.

Label Printer Commentary:

Brother P-Touch 1180 label printer is a handy device for creating labels for various purposes, offering many styles and sizes to make your labels look exactly the way you like. Above the crystal display, there is a row of "A"'s which are meant to let you see what the different sizes look like. They are not simply different sizes with the same shape- like the different font sizes in a word processor. Instead, the different sizes are also shaped differently. One of the five size options, for example, prints out tall, skinny letters. Another prints letters that have a "squashed" appearance. There are only five to choose from, but most users will have no problem finding what they want among them.

Besides the number/letter keys, there is a function key, code button, return key, back space key, left and right arrows, and a print key. Across the bottom is a caps key, number key, space key, symbol key, and on/off button. Entering names and printing is easy enough and easy to figure out. But more advanced functions take a little longer to understand. One thing that took some trial and error to figure out is how to erase characters. If you make a typo and need to erase, the cursor in the LCD display has to be in the position one space past the character you want to erase. You then press the BS to erase the character. When I first tried this, I kept pressing the left and right arrow keys, which got me nowhere. Oh, and you cannot shut the unit off and back on to erase input. It keeps in memory the last thing you entered. Inserting a character also took some trial and error. To insert a space and input a character, you must position the cursor in the spot you want to insert and then press the return key.

One thing that bothers me about this label maker is its tendency to waste label tape. Each cartridge contains eight meters (about 26 feet) of label so there is no need to worry incessantly over running out. But I still hate to waste anything unnecessarily and this label maker can be very wasteful if you don't watch what you're doing. The reason is because the label maker automatically leaves a few centimeters (about an inch to an inch and a half) of blank label on each side of your words when you press the print key. To avoid this wastefulness, I suggest typing in a bunch of labels all in a row and then pressing print one time. This will minimize the wasting of label tape.

Bottom Line Viewpoint:

Overall, Brother P- Touch 1180 is a useful device for making labels. It is quick, efficient, and nearly noiseless. It makes the old mechanical label makers obsolete with its smooth operation and easy to change cartridge. For a relatively low cost, it makes a nice addition to any home or office where label making is a necessity.