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Now I am
not sure how long my company has had this Casio KL-100 label maker,
but all I know is that it works and well enough to get the job done and fulfill
our needs. I am pretty sure that whoever purchased it paid well around $50 for
this because I know it would have been the latest and the greatest during its
time. Even though the blue color hardly matches with other equipment on my desk,
but why would I keep this on my desk when I can store it in my closet.
DESIGN & CONTROLS :
One thing that attracts me the most about this unit is the compact size of this
unit. I have seen many other label makers a while back but this still seems
pretty small. I mean if I do decide to put this unit on my desk, it would not
take up too much space, but I think it is happy in the closet. Now do not think
that the size matters (in this case anyways); this unit does its job very
efficiently.
This unit is about 7 inches in length, a little over 4 inches in width, and
about 2 inches in height. It has a full keypad with 1/4 by 1/4 inch buttons
which are durable enough to be used in a repair shop like ours. One of our
mechanics used this label maker to label parts and vehicles. I mean if it can
handle rough jobs like that, then it can probably handle anything.
The LCD is about 1 and 1/4 inches in length and 3/4 of an inch in width. This
LCD can display three (3) characters at a time; it will show you what you are
going to print and all of the effects, styles, or sizes you are going to apply
to the text you want to print.
There is a 1 and 1/2 inches by 3/4 of an inch window in the back which allows
you to see how much of the tape is left without having to open the rear panel.
If you open the rear panel you will notice the tape and batteries that power the
unit. This unit takes six (6) double A (AA) batteries; these batteries will last
you for months at normal use. I have only replaced the batteries once in the two
years I have used it. The tape is easy to replace also; they are also not too
expensive to buy either. There is also a groove on the rear panel for a
comfortable grip with only one hand. I think this is one of the best features of
this unit.
By the way, you can either use batteries or an AC power cord to power this unit,
but if you need portability, I would suggest using batteries. You can purchase a
variety of labels in different sizes and color combinations. The options
built-in to this unit will help you adjust to all supported tape sizes. You can
even print text on to two different lines with the appropriate tape and option
settings.
There is a built-in label cutter which allows you to cut the label quickly and
easily when it has finished printing. I have never had a damaged label because
of the cutter.
PRINTING LABELS :
This unit takes several types of tapes which differ in size and color. The Casio
KL-100 can handle tapes in the size of 6mm to 18mm; this can come in handy when
there is a need for better visibility of the printed text. There are a lot of
colors to choose from for the tape; some popular one’s are: black prints on
white tape, white prints on black tape, gold prints on black tape, and black
print on gold tape.
These tapes to last a while with normal use and they do not cost an arm and a
leg like most printer cartridges, but I think it is a bit high for these little
tiny cartridges. I am pretty sure you can find a good deal on the tapes online
somewhere. I bought my tapes from
www.staples.com for about $15 each; I got a two pack for around $28.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE :
I have done a lot of printing with the Casio KL-100 label printer and I can
proudly say that I have had a wonderful experience with it. It has not once
provided me with what was not expected. I use it for labeling mail bins,
employee mail slots, parts, and other things that require labeling.
When I first started my job, it did not take me long to figure out how to use
this unit. Since it is Casio I just assumed that they made everything very user
friendly. I use batteries to power this unit so I can take it anywhere without
worrying about if the power cord will be able to reach or not. Like I said
before, one of our mechanics used it to label parts (in vehicles). This means he
had to take this label maker under the hood of the vehicles.
FINAL THOUGHTS :
I would say that the Casio KL-100 label printer is a really good label maker for
any small business like ours. It will take care of all your labeling needs
without any hesitation and the results of the printed labels will be worth every
penny you spend on it. If you are looking for a nice label maker that is
inexpensive, reliable, and efficient I would suggest getting this Casio KL-100
label printer or the latest model if you can; you will not regret making this
purchase… you can take my word for it. |
