Epson Label Maker LW-PX900 Review

The Epson label maker, LW-PX-900 is without a doubt my favorite label printer that I own.

I bought mine in April 2020 from Image Supply.  Since that time I have bought more than a few label printers from various manufacturers.  For all that time the Epson label maker has stayed on the top of my favorites list.

This is the most full featured hand held label printer that I have seen to date.  Maybe the best feature it possesses is that excessive label waste is almost non-existent with this machine.  There is only about 4mm of clear space on either side of your printed label.    I have some label makers that add nearly 1″ of waste on both sides of the printing.  That will get expensive, real quick.

Not only does it automatically cut and hold labels, it also can half cut labels which means you can print a strip of labels where only the label tape is scored and not the backing tape.  You can print a whole bunch of sequential labels and simply peel them off one at a time for application.

Feature List

One thing I like to say about label makers is that no one except you will see the cool machine that produces them, but everyone will see the labels.   That’s an important thing to remember. Conversely, your label quality matters.

The labels are front loaded which makes things easier in my opinion.  Loading labels from the back, while not too annoying, isn’t as easy to do in a working environment.  It is much easier to change labels on the fly with the LW-PX900.

The print resolution of the LW-PX900 is astounding at 360 dpi.  There are a couple other label makers out there that do this but typically they need to be hooked to AC power to accomplish this.  Not the Epson.   Ultimately, what you end up with is a crisp, clean, and very legible label.

Additionally, the labeler can accommodate labels up to 1 1/2″ in width.   You’d have to spend a whole lot more money or you’d need a desktop labeler to get labels any wider than this.

The mix of labels is top notch as well.  One of my favorite labeling material is magnetic tape.  There aren’t a lot of manufacturers that provide magnetic sheet labels.  I like to make QR code labels that allow you to connect to WiFi and the refrigerator is the perfect place to deploy a label such as that.

Charging

The LW-PX900 can be powered with either a Lithium-Ion battery or with 6 AA batteries.  It can also be used with the AC charger.  And the printer can be used while the Lithium-Ion battery is charging.

Using the rechargeable battery over time will save you a ton of money as you would be discarding AA alkaline batteries regularly.   It should be noted that rechargeable AA batteries don’t have as much voltage as alkaline batteries, and likely won’t work as well in the label printer.

I recommend buying the LW-PX900PCD kit which has an AC adapter, and a Lithium-Ion battery.  You won’t be sorry.

Tapes

Tape cartridges range in size from 1/8″ to 1 1/2″.  They come in a variety of colors and types as well.  No one that I know of has more color options than Epson.  If K-Sun comes to mind here, know that Epson owns them.

This is probably the most capable list of label types that you will see for any label maker in this price range.

I particularly like the Die Cut, the Magnetic Tapes, and the Wire Wrap tapes.

And of course I love to apply heat shrink labels to wires and networking cables.  That really makes for a professional touch.

Again, nobody else has this many types of tapes.  Now, let’s say you employ electronic technicians (that’s what I was) and you supply them a machine specifically for the task of heat shrink labeling.   You could probably find a whole myriad of labelers who can perform that function for a cheaper price.

But in the label world we worry about TOTAL COST.  Remember me mentioning that the Epson LW-PX900 has virtually no waste.  That is in stark contrast to other label makers who sometimes have up to 1″ of waste on either side of your printed label.  That can get really expensive.  Tape cartridges are not cheap.  No manufacturer sells inexpensive replacement cartridges.  And none sell generic labels.

3rd party labels are made for these printers but I don’t recommend them.  Thermal transfer needs to be done against material that has been tested and proven to work.  Use 3rd party stuff at your own risk.

Mounting

This is the only label maker I own that comes with a mounting system.  There are two magnetic feet that screw into the back of the unit which come in the LW-PX900PCD kit.   With the magnetic holders you can slap this thing to the server cabinet or steel shelving in the warehouse and free your hands up to be more efficient.

Usability

The LW-PX900 has so many capabilities it isn’t funny.   And because of that it is highly recommended to READ THE MANUAL.  Unless you have a real basic label maker that only prints horizontal text and symbols, you’ll find that accessing these capabilities is usually complex.  These advanced tasks require multiple steps to perform or perfect.

While it is common for a lot of manufacturers to create YouTube videos for training, I think Epson excels here as well.  Their YouTube channel, Epson Labelworks PX is hosted by Melissa and walks you through many of those advanced tasks.  Her online instruction is top notch.

Connectivity

The LW-PX900 can be hooked to a computer via USB and comes with their free Label Editor Software (current version V2.11).  This allows the user to easily create complex labels and add custom symbols.

Regarding symbols, the LW-PX900 has 859 preloaded symbols.  And get this…….this is the only label maker that I own that has a Laser Warning Symbol.   I own a whole bunch of lasers and that is just another awesome thing this labeler does for me.   Nothing like a big 1 1/2″ label in Red or Yellow with a laser warning label on it.

Back to the software.  Sadly it is Windows only and I am a Mac guy.  I do own a Windows laptop though so all is not lost.   And the last thing I will say about the software is that it is a little clunky.   But it is free, it does work, and once you create a label and save it, then it is always there for easy recall.  It is way easier to design most projects on a computer than on a small LCD screen.

Epson Label Maker Warranty

Like I said, I own a lot of different label makers.  Almost all of them have 1 year warranties.  Epson LabelWorks PX labelers have a LIFETIME WARRANTY.  Here is a direct quote from their warranty page.

“You break it. We replace it. For life.”

Impressive.

Epson Label Maker LW-PX900 Synopsis

Here are my pros and cons.

Pros

• Has the best variety of label cartridge colors and types
• Makes labels up to 1 1/2″ in width
• Produces the least amount of label tape waste
• 360 dpi resolution
• Can Half Cut labels without cutting backing material
• Can be connected to a computer with free software
• Firmware updates can be applied by user
• Has front loading cartridges
• Has free online training
• Has a full lifetime warranty

Cons

• Is fairly expensive at nearly $400 for the LW-PX900PCD kit
• Software is Windows only
• Cartridges are expensive but on par with other manufacturer cartridge costs

Should you buy one?  A resounding YES!  Granted this label maker is big time overkill for someone that just labels the word “Rice” on a pantry container but if you are a DIY person of any trade or skillset, why not own the label maker with the most flexibility and features?   Its little brother, the LW-PX700 is a bit cheaper in price but does almost all the tasks that the 900 does albeit at a lower print resolution of 180 dpi.

Either PX printer is good for your home, office, IT, and warehouse labeling needs.

John’s Tech Blog HIGHLY RECOMMENDS the Epson LW-PX900 label maker or the LW-PX900PCD kit.