DYMO LabelWriter 400

I recently purchased the Dymo LabelWriter 400 for use at work as the thought of hand-writing 200 Christmas cards filled me with utter dread! It cost £75 and came with two free packs of Dymo labels.

In the box was the writer, the cables (including USB connecting cable), the instructions, the software and a Dymo label swatch book which I have found really useful when ordering different labels as it shows you the exact style and size of all labels compatible with the writer.

To set the device up, all I had to do was put the disk into the CD drive of the computer and follow the onscreen instructions (my computer is currently running Windows 7 and Office 2007). It then instructs you to connect the writer to the computer at a certain point and continues with its installation.

On completing the installation, the Dymo Label Software has loaded with a shortcut icon firmly placed on your desktop so you can load the software quickly and easily in future. The Dymo Label Software is very basic and I did find this a little tricky to navigate round at first as I wasn’t sure where certain functions such as changing the style of the label and creating new contact lists were located. After a little trial and error and use of the User Guide, I can now change the size of the label, create new address books, add new labels, adjust the design of my label and navigate the Software with ease.

To create a new label all you do is click on the “New” button, type in the label the text of the label and click save. This then displays the label in the main window as it will be printed and you can then change the font, size and position of the text as desired. When you are happy with your label, you simply hit the Writer icon on the top left and it will print the label automatically. This label can then be added to an address book so that you do not have to write it out every time but can simply select it and print next time.

The writer uses direct thermal printing so you do not have to worry about buying or changing printer cartridges or ink ribbons which saves both money and hassle. Also, there are over 40 different label styles and sizes that can be used with this writer therefore it is more than likely that you will find the style and size that you are looking for.

This writer can also be easily synched on a network, allowing other people to access it which saves the need for individual Dymo Writers for each person who requires one in the same office or house. In addition, it is easy to change and load the labels as it has an adjustable wheel that you simply slide the roll of labels on to and feed the end label (face-down) into the slot.

The only downside I have found so far with the Dymo LabelWriter 400 is that you can only use Dymo labels with it. These can be quite expensive if you use a lot of labels on a regular basis however, as I only use approximately 15 a week (not including the Christmas cards!) the time saved in hand writing letters and labels makes up for the small expense of replacing the labels.

In conclusion, I find the Dymo LabelWriter 400 a very user friendly piece of equipment that truly is a life-saver for me regards to the amount of time I save. It has a wide variety of styles and size of labels which allows me to adapt it to my needs, and the thermal printing removes the need for inks and toners. The software is simple and not over-complicated which allows for ease of use and the set-up was a breeze. The only downside I have so far is the restriction to Dymo labels only but I can forgive this for all the other plus points of this product – I highly recommend it!