Dymo LabelWriter EL60 Review

Bottom-Line: If you are looking for a low cost, low maintenance, reliable label printer with above average output, look no further then the Dymo LabelWriter EL60.

In our current office environment, most users do not have desktop printers; that is by design.  They are connected instead to series of networked black & white and color printers.  But that poses its own set of problems since a fair majority of people have a need to mail vendors on a fairly consistent basis, and prefer printed mailing labels to do so.  Printing labels via the network printers is problematic for obvious reasons.  My desktop is sans a local printer as well and I have a pressing need to print labels to attach to workstations, network printers, servers, and other items, so I needed a label printer as well.  Enter the Dymo LabelWriter EL60.

The Dymo LabelWriter EL60 is a small printer shaped like a half circle with a semi clear window in the front to view labels as they are printer.  On the front of the printer is a horizontal slot from which labels are "ejected" once printed.  Front panel controls are limited to one; the advance label button, used in case the label become jammed, or the printer will not print, but you need to advance the label.  Also on the front of the Dymo LabelWriter EL60 is a small oval yellow light indicating that the unit is powered on.  On the back there is rocker switch for power, and two connections for serial and USB. 

Features:  

• Hassle-free label printing without a standard laser or ink-jet printer;
• Prints 12 labels up to 2.3 inches wide per minute;
• Direct thermal technology eliminates the need for ribbons, toner, and ink cartridges;
• Connects to USB or serial port for easy installation;
• Great for envelopes, Internet postage, file folders, packages, name badges, audio cassettes, disks, videotapes, ZIP disks.

The provided software program, called simply Dymo Label, is simple and straight forward; there are not a lot of bells and whistles, making the package easy to master.  With the Dymo LabelWriter EL60 you can interface with Symantec ACT!, an excellent contact manager, and Goldmine, which will allow you to print address labels from these two programs. 

Print Quality

Like a laser printer, thermal printing utilizes heat to produce output, using "special" heat sensitive paper.  But unlike a laser printer, thermal technology does not use toner; therefore there are no messy toner cartridges to replace.  The image is literally burned onto the paper by the print heads, and the output is on par with laser and inkjet printers. 

Once printed, the output does not smudge, even freshly printed.  There is no noticeable banding, or blotching.  Fonts are well rounded where they need to be, and sharp and crisp when called for.

The 203 dpi resolution is more than adequate for standard mailing labels.  Be aware that direct sunlight and fluorescent light for an extended period of time might cause labels to fade. 

My Viewpoint

Like rival Sanyo, Dymo offers a stellar array of labels for the Dymo LabelWriter EL60 but they are proprietary, and you'll be hard pressed to find third party labels that will fit the printer.  Dymo offers a variety of different labels; I doubt the average user will have difficulty finding labels to fit their needs. 

Common label types such as address labels are relatively inexpensive (A roll of 220 shipping labels (2.125"x4") averages $14.99), while specialty labels can be quite expensive.  Labels can be purchased on-line at such outlets as Amazon.com, Staples.com, and Buy.com, or purchased from traditional office suppliers, such as Office Depot and OfficeMax.

The shelf life for the labels is just under two years, and they should be stored in a cool dry place for the obvious reasons. 

Over all, I am very pleased with the performance of the Dymo LabelWriter EL60; in a word, or perhaps two, it works, and works well.  Thought the dpi is not nearly as high as that on a laser, or even inkjet printer, the output is comparable to those two technologies.  If you are looking for a low cost, low maintenance, reliable label printer with above average output, look no further then the Dymo LabelWriter EL60.