Label maker

A label maker is a device designed to produce small, self adhesive labels for affixing to objects. Traditionally, label makers worked by impacting a length of tape with a hammer in the shape of the letter to be typed, causing a letter shaped extrusion on the opposite side of the tape. However, modern label makers are often computerised, and use ink or thermal printing to produce the labels.

One of the most common label makers is the Dymo LabelWriter; "Dymo" has become something of a genericised trademark as a result.

Label makers in popular culture

Due to the manner in which label makers aid organisation and filing, the most organisated characters in popular culture, especially of the comedy genre, often use label makers excessively to humorous effect; Edd of "Ed, Edd 'n' Eddy" fastidiously labels every item in his bedroom. Labels from impact label makers are also sometimes used to give a new object a more retro appearance. For example, in "Look Around You", the labels are attached to bottles of chemicals and apparatus to create the appearance of a 1970s laboratory. The first series of the show also used an impact-printed label for a logo. In the "Seinfeld" episode called The Label Maker, Elaine Benes gives a label maker to Dr. Tim Whatley as a Christmas gift. It turns out that Whatley regifted the label maker to Jerry Seinfeld. A common joke is to make a "label maker" label and affix it to the label maker itself.