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Phomemo

Phomemo D30 Bluetooth Mini Label Maker: the downsides first

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#8 of 8
$Thermal appRequired: you design and print labels in Phomemo's phone app over BluetoothScore 2.8/5
12%
of Amazon ratings are 1–2 stars
(checked 2026-10-10)28,158 ratings.

An Amazon best seller (28,000+ ratings) and one of the cheapest options, listed around $28. Owners like how easy the app makes it, but 12% of ratings are 1-2 stars: owners report blank prints and wasted labels, and Wirecutter found it felt cheap and printed faint labels that didn't survive the dishwasher.

Top complaints

  • Blank prints, wasted labels and inconsistent quality

    Amazon's summary says print quality and label functionality get mixed reviews, with some owners reporting blank prints and wasted labels.

    Source: Amazon.com product page (Customers say)
  • Faint labels that fail the dishwasher

    Wirecutter says the Phomemo D30 produced faint, faded labels that 'all but disappeared' after its dishwasher test, despite claims of being laminated.

    Source: Wirecutter (NYT) best label makers
  • Feels cheap, and some call it a waste of money

    Wirecutter says it felt cheap. Amazon's summary says value gets mixed feedback, with some owners calling it a waste of time and money.

    Source: Wirecutter (NYT) best label makers, Amazon.com product page (Customers say)

What owners love

Good for
  • Very cheap phone-printed labels
  • Quick, casual labels for dry places
  • Adding images or icons to labels

Scores (tap for why)

What experts say

  • Wirecutter (NYT): Dismissed: it felt cheap and printed faint, faded labels that didn't survive the dishwasher.
  • PCMag: Not reviewed. It appears only in PCMag's deals box, with a $28 list price.
Check price on AmazonWe don't list prices — they change daily. Paid link.

If that catch is a deal-breaker

Highly ranked label makers whose biggest complaint is something else.

#1 in label makersBrother P-touch PT-D460BT Business Expert Connected Label Maker

Wirecutter's small-business pick: the same durable Brother labels as its top pick, plus wider tapes, up to five lines of text, a backlit screen, 70 saved templates and a two-year warranty. But it costs about $90, refills run up to $17-22, it weighs 27 ounces, and it has the same cramped keyboard and manual Bluetooth pairing.

Its catch: pricey machine and refills#2 in label makersBrother P-touch PT-P300BT Cube

Wirecutter's pick for on-the-go printing: a 9-ounce, phone-only label maker that prints the same durable laminated Brother labels and has the most design options of its picks, for about $55. But refills cost about $14 a roll, every label starts with about an inch of blank tape, and the Bluetooth link has to be redone each time.

Its catch: wastes tape on every label#3 in label makersBrother P-touch PT-D220 Home/Office Label Maker

The Spruce's best overall label maker after more than six months of testing: a desktop-friendly keyboard model with 14 fonts, 600+ symbols and water-resistant tapes, listed around $45. Its screen is hard to read when the unit lies flat, it has no app, and Amazon owners say the power adapter isn't included.

Its catch: screen is hard to read

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