Brother Labellers

10/07/2010 By Tammi

Brother is a company with such a diverse array of products, but I’d like to focus on their labellers. I had the opportunity to review 2 models of the Brother Labellers, the PT-1090 model and the slightly larger PT-1290 model, as well as a variety of tapes. Using these labellers in my home made me come to the realization that having name sticker labels for the kids, just isn’t enough. Opportunities to label are everywhere!

Gee…which looks better and is longer lasting?

In my home, I like to keep our belongings in storage bins. This keeps them tidy, neat, out of the way and all in one place. If you have your items separated this way, you are more likely to put things back in their rightful places and not tossed in a junk drawer or cupboard. I used to write what was in each container and bin with marker, yet when it came time to use it for something else, it looked a mess. That’s where the Brother Labellers come in. Halloween costumes, decorations, craft supplies, spices, nail and screw size in containers or baggies, date you froze food, pots to identify plants you started, file folders, Holiday wrap, photo albums, gift bags, keys, winter gloves, board games – you name it, it’s labelled! See how much labels can help you in your home?

Now, recall those handheld labellers of the 80’s? Admit it, we all had one. Turn the wheel, click the letter, and on and on and on. It took forever! And, as handy as it was, it looked terrible. It never cut properly and you could never get the backing off the tape. My how products have changed! The Brother labellers are feature up-to-the date technology, with customized options in font, style, effects, images and more – the features are endless. It seems like every time I pick it up to make a label, I discover a new style and look. For instance, I can add a cute kitty face with my daughters’ name and stick it onto her water bottle for the day, for instance. I even made a ‘Mine!’ label for a piece of leftover pie in the fridge. My family though it was clever….but it didn’t work. Next time I’ll be more descriptive in my label! It’s just that easy. Say what you want to say, and have the look that you wish.

Here are the features of the two labellers I reviewed:

The PT-1090 {suggested retail price: $49.99}:

· 12 Deco Mode Patterns for extra-stylish labels
1 Professional Font
178 Built In Symbols
· Prints labels on laminated indoor/outdoor “TZ” series tapes up to 12mm (1/2″) wide
· Easy view, 12-character LCD display
· Prints 1 or 2 lines of crisp text
· Built-in memory, saves up to 9 of your favorite labels

The PT-1290 {suggested retail price: $59.99}:

· 15 Deco Mode Patterns to create extra-stylish labels
· 2 Professional Fonts {Helsinki and Bohemia}
8 Font Styles {Normal, Bold, Outline, Shadow, Italic, Italic Bold, Italic Outline, Italic Shadow}
80 Built In Symbols
· Prints labels up to 12 mm (1/2″) wide on laminated Indoor/outdoor TZ series tapes
· Easy view, 15-character LCD display
· Prints 1 or 2 lines of crisp text
Number printing
· 6 Auto Formats and 7 Framing Options {Round, Leaf, Tile, Star, Heart, Square, Clip}
Mirror Printing
· Built-in memory saves up to 9 of your favorite labels

The long-lasting indoor/outdoor TZ series tapes, are made to survive many washing cycles. Trust me, I label the Twins’ sippy cups for when at the sitters and the labels have never come off – and like I have time to handwash! The tape is 6-layered and laminated, so it’s durable and weatherproof. And, the tape backing is split for easy removal, no trying to pick at corners! Ya!

As you can see, both of these labellers have a lot of the same features, the main difference being that the PT-1090 model has a ABC keyboard, and the PT-1290 has a QWERTY keyboard. And your preference may lie in size and which keyboard type you like using most. Myself, I am used to using both keyboards, so I find ease of use with both of them. I like that the smaller PT-1090 model has a lot more choices for symbols, yet I like the extra options in the PT-1290 {the mirror printing, number printing and framing options}. For both labellers, the instructions are detailed easy to follow. It’s a modern solution for the family who like to label everything from school supplies to storage bins and everything in between!

I really like having these labellers and I find myself using them all the time. Not only is it a frugal choice when it comes to purchasing name labels for the kids, but your label options are endless with a Brother handheld labeller!

Disclosure: I was provided with product to facilitate this post, opinions are my own.