Print on multiple label types
Epson LabelWorks LW-PX400 can print from a desktop PC or mobile device, it is suitable for a wide range of label types, and almost everyone who needs a medium-sized industrial label printer will be interested.
Whether you need to print industrial labels from a desktop PC, on the job site, or both, the $169 Epson LabelWorks LW-PX400 may be the label manufacturer you are looking for. It allows you to create labels from any application that can be used with standard printer drivers, including Epson’s own Windows and macOS label editors, or use the company’s Android or iPhone apps to print labels on-site as needed. It is also suitable for a wide enough range of media types and sizes, and you may find any type of industrial label you need. Coupled with a lifetime warranty, the LW-PX400 has won our editor's choice award for medium-sized industrial labels.
The LW-PX400 is basically a stylized black box with dimensions of 5.6 x 2 x 5.6 inches (HWD) and a weight of 1.3 pounds. The beveled edges on the top and bottom of the front panel make it look less boxy, while the red front panel and lemon green output slots add visual appeal. An open door is provided on the left side, allowing you to load or take out the tape cartridge, and the printer's power supply and USB Type-B connector have added a button to turn Bluetooth on or off on the back. The physical setup only requires the insertion of a cassette tape.
Unlike competitors such as Brady BMP21-Plus and Epson LabelWorks LW-PX750PCD, and Brady BMP41 and Epson LabelWorks LW-PX300, which are Editors’ Choice Awards for Industrial and Light, LW-PX400 does not have a keyboard or keypad, so it cannot be used as a standalone Printing system. However, it is light enough to be portable and can use six AA batteries as a substitute for the included AC adapter, so you can print labels from your mobile device via Bluetooth. You can also use the included USB Type-A to Type-B cable to connect to a Windows PC or use an adapter to connect to a Mac. For any operating system, you can use Epson's label printing program or any other program that works with the printer driver.
Please also note that the LW-PX400 is equipped with a detachable rubber drop cover that covers the three sides and all edges of the printer to help protect it from damage. For different types of protection, the price also includes a lifetime warranty and even accidental damage.
Epson offers no less than 117 tape cartridges to choose from. They include standard plastic (polyester) tape, with or without removable adhesive; silver matte tape; tape with industrial strength adhesive; vinyl tape; magnetic tape; heat shrink tubing for cable marking Tape; fluorescent or reflective tape, and self-laminated outer packaging tape for cables, with clear, non-printable areas that overlap with printed text.
About half of the tape cartridges belong to the standard category, and the width of 30-foot rolls is 4 mm (0.16 inches), 6 mm (0.24 inches), 9 mm (0.35 inches), 12 mm (0.47 inches), 18 mm (0.71 inches), Or 24 mm (0.94 inch). The tape is available in a variety of colors, and the number of tapes per pack ranges from 1 with a width of 4 mm to 16 with a width of 12 mm. The price of each ink cartridge of 12 mm and smaller width is US$20.85, and the price of the two widest ink cartridges is US$24.85. All are continuous rolls, so the cost of each label will vary depending on the label size.
The number of choices for specialty tapes varies by category. For example, you can choose from 15 tapes with five colors for each of the three widths, while the reflective tape can only print black on a 24 mm white tape. Many specialty tapes offer the same 30-foot length and price as standard tapes, but some are shorter and have different prices. For example, the tape is 4.9 feet long and is priced from 10.15 US dollars to 11.18 US dollars depending on the width, while the largest heat shrinkable tubing tape (14 mm) is 96 inches and 43.90 US dollars.
Epson provides you with the maximum flexibility to create and print labels from a PC, as well as two options for printing from a mobile device. For the PC, the latest Windows application at the time of writing and the application I used in the test is Label Editor 2.04, which is easy to learn and one of the more powerful labeling programs I have seen.
The Epson download page also provides Label Editor Professional 1.03 for Windows for those who are already familiar with it, while macOS users can try Label Editor Lite. All three downloads come with drivers, so you can print from any application that uses standard drivers, from database programs to Word mail merges that use Excel spreadsheet data. In short, you can print labels in any format you like from almost any program.
For mobile use, the choices are Epson iLabel and Epson Datacom, each with Android and iPhone versions. The iLabel application is designed for general text labels and printing logos, security labels and barcodes, and has a built-in function to connect to Dropbox and Google Drive to share or store label files. Epson Datacom is also suitable for general text labels, but focuses on printing labels for cables, wiring boards, panels, etc. It even links to LinkWare Live, which will interest professional installers using Fluke Networks' Versiv cable test equipment.
Epson sets the printing speed of the LX-PX400 at 15 millimeters per second or 0.59 inches per second (ips) with AC power. This is a bit faster than Brady BMP21-Plus (0.4ips), but only half of the 1.18ips of Epson LW-PX750PCD, which is far behind the 1.3ips of Brady BMP41. However, please note that unlike these three printers, the LW-PX400 was slightly slower than its rated speed in our hands-on test. The average time for a 4.4-inch label was 16.6 seconds (0.29ips), but it climbed to Four copies of 0.48ips, automatic cutting is invalid.
Keep in mind that the speed may vary depending on the type of tape. Epson did not specify which tape the 0.59ips rating is based on. It is also true that the faster printers mentioned above are also more expensive. In any case, the 180dpi resolution of LabelWorks is a typical feature of this type of printer, providing sharp edges and legible text.
One notable feature that LW-PX400 lacks is the keyboard. If you need to use the keyboard for independent printing, if you prefer QWERTY keyboard or Brady BMP21-Plus for ABC layout, please consider Epson LW-PX300.
If you need to print from a PC and standalone, and print enough labels to require a higher speed than the LW-PX400 provides, consider using the Epson LabelWorks LW-PX750PCD kit or Brady BMP4, which won the Editor’s Choice Award. Your choice will depend on which tape type best suits your needs, and the form factor you prefer to enter label text-Brady is a handheld printer, and Epson can be used as one, but more suitable for two or more Four fingers typing on a flat surface.
However, if you don't need a keyboard, then LabelWorks LW-PX400 is on your shortlist. Given its wide range of media types and sizes, it is likely to support the labels you need, and it can be printed on-site from a desktop PC or mobile device, so it is suitable for almost any application. This combination, coupled with its lifetime warranty, has earned the medium-sized industrial label our latest Editor's Choice Award.
Epson LabelWorks LW-PX400 can print from a desktop PC or mobile device, it is suitable for a wide range of label types, and almost everyone who needs a medium-sized industrial label printer will be interested.
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M. David Stone is a freelance writer and computer industry consultant. He is a recognized generalist and has written credits on various topics such as ape language experiments, politics, quantum physics, and an overview of top companies in the gaming industry. David has extensive expertise in imaging technology (including printers, monitors, large-screen displays, projectors, scanners, and digital cameras), storage (magnetic and optical), and word processing.
David's 40 years of technical writing experience includes a long-term focus on PC hardware and software. Writing credits include nine computer-related books, major contributions to the other four, and more than 4,000 articles published in national and global computer and general interest publications. His books include Color Printer Underground Guide (Addison-Wesley) Troubleshooting Your PC, (Microsoft Press), and Faster and Smarter Digital Photography (Microsoft Press). His work has appeared in many print and online magazines and newspapers, including Wired, Computer Shopper, ProjectorCentral, and Science Digest, where he served as a computer editor. He also wrote a column for Newark Star Ledger. His non-computer-related work includes NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite Project Data Manual (written for GE's Astro-Space Division) and occasional science fiction short stories (including simulation publications).
Most of David's writing in 2016 was written for PC Magazine and PCMag.com, as a contributing editor and lead analyst for printers, scanners and projectors. He returned as a contributing editor in 2019.
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