Great Value! Electronic Labeling System This personal labeling system is perfect for general home use. If you want an adhesive-backed label without the need for durable laminated labels, PT-65 is for you. With its compact, handheld design it can be used for virtually any application from the kitchen to the family room to the home/office. Coupled with its large LCD display, this is a P-touch system your home can’t do without. The PT-65 includes one black on white "M" starter tape and operates on 6 "AA" batteries (not included).
Everything flows more smoothly when you have a system, and you'll discover, whether around the house or office, that the Brother PT-65 P-Touch Home and Hobby labeler helps you categorize, customize, and streamline your entire operation. Produce labels on 9- or 12-millimeter-width M tape for lasting labeling of shelves, storage boxes, cabinets, and archives.
The PT-65 P-Touch labeler is designed to print up to two lines in 200 dpi, with 8-by-1 LCD display, on nonlaminated tape. The maximum printable height is 6.8 millimeters in one font plus nine symbols. Plus, you can make multiples (up to nine copies) for added convenience. A QWERTY keyboard aids comfortable typing. It is so easy to use, the kids will want to label their gear, sports equipment, and school supplies. You'll use it in the garage, storage shed, and home office. Powered by six AA batteries, the small and light Brother PT-65 P-Touch Home and Hobby labeler is eminently portable, allowing you to create labels wherever you need organizing. --Barbara Price
1 How do you rate a label maker?
It makes labels. It is easy to use. Oh, and it makes labels.
Great product, brings out the OCD freak in me when I have it in my hands.
2 Inexpensive Tool for Making High-Quality Labels
The Brother PT-65 is an excellent tool for creating labels without breaking the bank. I was inspired to purchase a labeler after reading David Allen's book, "Getting Things Done." I use this labeler about 3-4 times per week to label filing folders at work. The label output is long-lasting and easy to read. The labeler is a bit loud when printing, but that's secondary. I also wish it accomodated an external power supply, but the batteries have lasted for over 3 months without any signs of wear. The unit is selling for $20 at the time of this review, so how can you go wrong? I highly recommend this labeler to anyone looking for a home- or small-office labeler on a tight budget.
3 Great Buy
This is a great little machine. Small footprint. I like that it is battery powered. I don't have to mess with another power supply, cords and plugs. Can just drop it in my briefcase and go. Some folks have complained about difficulty peeling the backing off the tape. If you work at it by peeling the label off the backing, you will find it is much easier. The labels work great for file folders, which is the use for which I bought the PT-65. So much easier than having to fire up a computer and a printer. The QWERTY keyboard makes finding the right key an easy task. And learning how to do CAPS and numbers, symbols, etc. is pretty intuitive, though it does help to read the instruction book. Once you read the book, you won't have to go back to it. All in all, a nice piece of work, Brother. And Amazon's price can't be beat. Terrifc deal.
4 For $0.29 I'd give it 4 stars
I just got this machine and liked it right away, until I tried to peel the backing off the tape. I have short fingernails and I found it virtually impossible to get it off without mutilating the tape. I figured I must be missing something so I checked the Brother's website. Turns out, they sell a little piece of plastic called a "Peel stick" for 29 cents that was supposed to make it easy to take the backing off. I find it incredible that they will sell these labelers for as much as they do and not include this $0.29 piece of plastic! Judging from other comments on this forum some people don't have a problem with this, but personally, I would suggest at looking elsewhere for a labeler
5 I am a labeling FREAK
I LOVE THIS MACHINE!!!! This was, hands down, my best Christmas gift, especially for my "Type A" personality! I'm labeling everything these days, and makes for a much more organized "me." In order to keep the skinnier file folder tabs accomodated, without losing your mind without all the trimming, however, you'll have to compromise with an off-color like green or pink or silver, as they don't come in the standard black on white (unless I can't find them anywhere). I settled for black on silver -- I'll live.
As for the battery life -- I don't think it will be a huge problem because this machine tends to shut itself off pretty quickly, but retains your information. Pretty slick.
6 Easy And Convenient
The PT-65 has become a lifesaver in my workplace. Since I work with Nortel phone systems, life can get pretty wild when you have a load of phones to punch down on blocks that go to different wings of a building. I carry the PT-65 with me to new job sites and label each punch-down block so that I can easily keep track of what goes where. Also, the labels look very professional when placed on folders in the office.
Overall, this labeler is quite easy to use and very convenient to carry around from job to job. I'm sure it works great with computers, filing systems, and even baseball card collections as well.
7 Simple and Economic
This unit is very easy to use (even a monkey can use it!!!). There is not much to loading batteries into the unit and getting started. Most everything else is pretty intuitive; however, if you are the instruction reading type... the instruction are very straight-forward (as opposed to confusing instructions I've seen with many other electronics).
Additionally, the price is definitely good.
8 Had to replace it twice
The first machine I had would print in only one size. I had it replaced, and the second machine has the same problem.
9 Just About Perfect
As a computer guy, I can just about go insane managing hundreds of machines, have to remember the machines assigned name off the top of my head can be a pain, that's where this labeler came in, I fell in love with this labeler for labeling computers at my last job, now I bought one for myself, and my current job.
Like some of the previous reviewers said, the basic interface is very easy to use. There are a nice selection of labels (the only one I wish they had was black on clear) available at most retailers.
I only have a couple of nitpick issues with the label, first for the advanced features that typesets there isn't much explanation, you just have to experiment. And second there is too much excess on the labels, I often have to cut them down to get the label to fit in some of the tight spots that I want to use them.
10 Excellent tool.
This little baby works great for labeling just about anything. The interface is intuitive and easy to use, the print options are pretty good for an inexpensive machine, and print quality is superb. The only thing keeping this from garnering 5 stars is the printed label backing. Although it sticks great to just about anything, it can sometimes be a challenge to remove the backing from the tape.
11 Don't forget, "consumables" also means batteries.
This is a terrific labeller. I bought it after reading David Allen's "Getting Things Done" and falling in love with his organizing system. My home filing system is now not only organized but legible.
It has a lot of bells and whistles I'll probably never need - I've been using the same typeface but there are others as well as frames if you are so deoratively inclined - but overall it's a workhorse.
The reason I give it four stars instead of five? No AC-Adapter plug. If my portable cassette player can have an adapter and still cost no more than this labeller, it can too. Six AA batteries is excessive, although I've printed hundreds of labels without yet losing my charge.
Of course, I should be investing in rechargeables.
An excellent product that works like it is supposed to.
12 Labels, Labels, Labels
I'm no Felix Unger. But with my PT-65 sometimes I feel like him. Let me first say that I've had mine for over 1 year, and I love it. I started out doing the usuall labeling CD's, Video tapes, spice rack...um... I mean nail bin. Now I label every thing. I even labeled my labeler. It sounds strange at first, but some of the functions are not so easy to find with out labels.... i.e. Sym (symbol)(a button) and the letter D give you a choice of "+x=%"etc. Without labeling my labeler it would be hard to find ...say the "#" symbol. Also I printed one strip with each of the 5 type sizes. Here are some of the uses I've found... "change Oil at 92,350 miles", "Furnace replacement filter part # 12345", "school folders", " 2 1/2" Gal. screws". I need to get a life!
13 I love it
This is a great buy. I bought it for my husband and now my daughter and me are using it a lot too.
14 Good Printer But Consumables a Bit Pricey
This labeler is great because it's portable, easy to use, and has good looking output. It has a number of commonly used symbols and will print on two lines. The consumables aren't cheap and this is exacerbated by the fact that more tape than is necessary is wasted before and after the word. The Casio KL-750 or KL-750B is also a good choice. Its print is a touch less sharp, but it's tapes come in a wide variety of sizes.
15 Works flawlessly
I have had this labeller for several years, and never had the label tape bind up. The unit is easy to use--hitting the function keys allows you to change print size, and there is a cutter on the side to dispense the label when printed. The previous entry stays on the screen for printing multiple copies. It's a useful device for labeling food bags in the freezer, making file folder labels, and any number of things that I used to label with the old embossing type label tape. The batteries seem to last plenty long (it takes AA's.) No complaints here, priceworthy and works well.
16 MUCH MORE THAN I EXPECTED.....
CONVENIENT, QUICK, AND A REAL NO-BRAINER. LOVE THE PORTABILITY, AS WELL.
17 A good economical labeler
This labeler is cheaper and easier to use than the previous labeler I had. The tapes [don't] cost [much]and they come in single packs. .... The labeler is small and easy to store and carry. The only real problem I have is the labeler tends to bind up for no reason. But unlike, the other labeler I had it is easy to fix but it causes a lot of waste. There is only black ink tapes on various color backgrounds available. I have not found any Black on clear. I use the labeler mainly for my video collection and I prefer to use black on clear. If you do a lot of labeling it does create a mess. I also use the label for my files as well as labeling my audio CDs that I have created.
18 a perfect machine
I love this little machine. It's tiny, taking no space at all to store, and you can easily carry it from room-to-room-to-garage-to-attic-to-basement to label all the stuff you're trying to get organized. The labels make a huge difference in household efficiency, and the process of getting things labeled suddenly becomes efficient itself once you've got this machine. (My one caveat: I, too, find the labels difficult to peel off from the tape, especially on days with high humidity. I'll try the tape-on-table process another reviewer recommended.)
I might add that because I carry this machine everywhere with me, I've now dropped it several times and my kids have knocked it off bookshelves and tables. The extremely rough handling we've given it has had no effect on the machine's operation whatsoever. You just pick up the scattered batteries, stick them back inside, and voila. Keeps on ticking.
Like other reviewers, I specifically chose this machine in preference to the more expensive ones. With something you're going to be carrying around a lot, the smaller the better as far as I'm concerned. And as other reviewers have already pointed out, the tapes are far less costly. This matters because you'll find you go through them fast. I've adopted a number of frugality measures in the kitchen, all of which involve cooking foods ahead of time in bulk and refrigerating or freezing them, and that means labeling. **Lots** of labeling. The labels are easy to remove from plastic containers even after containers have been run through the dishwasher several times with the label left on. If you **want** the label to survive dishwashing, you can count on that, too. I'm also using the machine to label boxes of children's toys and cards, boxes of office supplies, items to be taken to garage sales, etc. (Good for file folders, too, though I prefer to use my printer for that.) I use it constantly.
Since you're looking at labelers you might want to read David Allen's book Stress-Free Productivity. He is a labeler obsessive; one of his main pieces of advice is to buy a labeler. His clients actually pay him money to come to their offices and tell them to buy a labeler.
He's right. Having a tiny, portable, easy-to-use labeler instantly at hand is pretty close to being a life-changing experience. If I had to choose between, say, my microwave oven and my labeler . . . I'd probably take the labeler.
OK, that may be pushing it, but the labeler beats the blender hands down.
19 Fun Fun Fun!
A great little toy for anything. Labels on glasses cases, ("This is mine" is a fun one to stick anywhere), labels on VHS tapes, labels on water bottles, floppy disks, anything! This is a lot of fun and the pre-programmed borders are great. If you are looking for a label maker, this is what you want. Trust me.
20 Easy and Fun!
Bought this for my husband to organize the garage/office and he loves it. I do to. It's so easy and fun to use. You'll be surprised by how many things you will be labeling.
21 Good value
This is a good labeler with many features for the price. Here are some of the features;
- 5 text sizes
- Bold, outline, shadow, italic and vertical text styles
- Underlining
- Symbols such as some non-english letters, arrows...
22 Almost perfect
I originally planned to get the ... PT-1700, but ended up getting this model instead because of the following reasons:
1. lower price (I can live with being limited to only 3/8" and 1/2" tapes)
2. cheaper consumables (the PT-65 and PT-85 are currently the only two models using non-laminated "M" tapes, which are almost half the cost of laminated "TZ" and "TX" tapes used by all other Brother labelers)
3. more portable
The only thing keeping me from giving this baby a perfect 5 is the lack of an AC adapter jack -- requiring six batteries is a bit much.
23 Very satisfied!
First of all, I also had the initial frustration of trying to seperate the label from the sticker, however, I quickly learned that instead of trying to hold the label/sticker in your hand and try and seperate them with your finger nails, just hold the label against a flat surface (i.e., your desk) and with your finger nail just press down and pull apart - very easy (hope that helps).
Great product, very easy to handle and type with your thumbs - you quickly get used to the keyboard. The labels are about $.../pack so keep that in mind.
24 Works like a Charm
So much so that I'm determined that 2002 will be the year I finally get everything organzined!!! I have no complaints at all with this label maker and even my husband after complaining at first about the cost(we live in Canada) has finally admitted that this is a great item for us to have and use around the house!!!
UPDATE 2004-We still have and love this label maker. I use it at home and at work. Works great. In the past two years I've only had to replace the batteries once. So even though it takes 6 at a time its still a good value. I had a more expensive model but and glad I downgraded to this one:)
25 It works well.
It's easy to use and prints out nicely. I didn't give it 5 stars because it's a pain to remove the backing on the tape.
26 Great Product
What a great product for the money. Had another product before that would never work. So far this one has made many lables with out one failure. For the money it is great. I do agree that the peeling of the lable after cutting is a little hard but can be done with a little work. Maybe we can ask them to fix this small problem. For the cost four stars...!!
27 Great tool for organizing my life!!
This is a great value for the money!! I like the standard keyboard and the selection of font sizes and other little special effects. One minor complaint is the cutter tool doesn't allow for easy peeling of the adhesive backing from the labels.
28 Professional and handy!!!
Excellent product! This is one of the first electronic devices that gets my "thumbs up!" within the first day of using it! And it get addicting making labels, for this thing here, that thing there. Fun and easy!
Excellent design, very comfortable to hold in your hand with a good weight/balance [not too heavy, not too light] and good size. The buttons are not too small and the arrangement of the buttons are easily accessible and easy to learn.
Excellent accessories with different types of ink/tapes and sizes! Very good printout of labels, quick and no jamming! and easy to cut. Wonderful smoothness and professional look to the labels. Good stickiness to objects too [plastic, metal, leather, paper], waterproof as well.
I would recommend this 100%, Brother's has created a product that is affordably cheap and easy to use, fun and reliable. Nothing to complain!
29 Compact, versatile and easy to use.
We owned another labeler made by Dymo and were not very happy with it. The keys were laid out alphabetically rather than QWERTY style and typing felt unnatural. We also could not find any store that carried blank label cartridges - even the store we bought it from (Best Buy) didn't. We had to order them directly from the manufacturer and probably paid more than we needed to.
Although the old labeler still works, we decided to purchase this one. It is a much better product. The keypad is easy to use and the unit has some great features built into it. I like the fact that you can change fonts, or frames and can print on a variety of colors. The labels seem to stick much better than the Dymo brand labels we used before. They adhere to surfaces that I couldn't get cellophane tape to stick to. Almost every office supply or electronic store seems to sell the label cartridges in several colors and sizes.
I only have two negative comments about this unit. First, sometimes it is hard to peel the back off of the label. You have to try to get your fingernail or similar object between the backing and the label and this is often difficult to do. Second, it needs SIX AA batteries to run. If you print a lot of labels you're going to be buying a lot of batteries. I wish that they could have designed it to run off of an AC power source also.
Despite these negatives, I think that this is great product. It works well, is compact, and is reasonably priced.
30 A good investment for the home and office...
Between going back to school, work and my hobbies this label maker has come in so handy. I can print labels for all my files for school, and keep my class papers organized. I can label all the boxes in the attic, and get them in some seblance of order. In addition to that, it comes in handy when I'm seperating the different fasteners and fixtures in my workshop. And last but not least my son loves to run around with his name or a silly saying stuck to him...hey he's three...
31 I love this labeler
I really do love this labeler. It's the right size and price. I have labeled everything I own- even my cat.
