The Dymo LabelWriter 4XL is a bit of a thermal printing stalwart but is it still worth it now? I have been testing the 4XL for a few weeks, labeling products with barcodes, printing shipping labels and overall it does exactly what it says on the tin. We have a fast, monochrome thermal printer that can print up to 4×6. While arts and crafters may prefer a more versatile Munbyn unit, business owners may prefer this for efficient shipping and stock management labeling.
- Printer Output: Monochrome
- Printer Type: Thermal
- Connectivity Technology: USB
For anyone looking to streamline their shipping process or even get on top of stock management, the Dymo 4XL could be the perfect label printer for you.
- Fast, clear printing
- Easy to use with intuitive free software
- Compact
- Need to use specific label types specifically for Dymo printers
What’s in the box & initial setup
- LabelWriter 4XL Label Printer
- Roll 104 mm x 159 mm oversized shipping labels
- 4″ x 6″ Extra Large Shipping Labels
- Adapter
- Power Cable
- USB Cable
- Quick Start Guide
Setup is as simple as many other printers, connect the power and then connect it to your device via USB. You can then install the free-to-use Dymo software if you would like but this isn’t a requirement. The software is user-friendly and fairly easy to grasp quickly and it will allow you to create and store your various label formats. There are over 60 professional label templates plus you can easily customize text and some graphics too. I had a few teething issues when trying to print on 4×6 initially but changing it to my smaller 2×1 barcode labels it began to work as expected.
Design
There isn’t much to talk about in terms of design, we have a small convex plastic box rather than your standard cuboid. The printer is loaded from the top and requires a bit of force to open rather than a latch or lever. Labels are stored on a reel internally and feed out the front. Its small footprint means it can go anywhere on the desk and is an ideal solution for any small to medium-sized business.
This printer sits at 7 x 5.5 x 7.4 inches and weighs around 0.8 KG (1.8 lbs). As mentioned the model we have here is the USB wired unit. There is a wireless model available too but for my setup here at work this works perfectly fine with the cables all tucked away just like any other peripheral.
Printing results & speed
Overall we have a relatively fast thermal label printer. For our smaller barcode labels, the printer took around 3-4 seconds to print, speeding up when selecting a batch of 5. We estimate this could probably do around 45-50 labels per minute. When swapping over to 4×6 shipping labels it took slightly longer at around 5-6 seconds, with 5 copies taking around 22 seconds. I have seen some user reports of malfunction which mostly appears to be due to poor maintenance. It is still early days with my Dymo but we keep it pretty clean every week.
Software
As mentioned the software is free to download and user-friendly. You can import your standard courier labels from your device but the software also allows you to create your own various label types. There are a bunch of different templates and features to utilize with this software, everything from barcodes to get your stock in check to QR code creation.
Specifications
| Printing technology | Thermal |
| Special feature | Compact |
| Max print speed monochrome | 10 ppm |
| Item weight | 1.82 Pounds |
| Print media | Labels |
| Dimensions | 7″ x 5 ½” x 7 ⅜” |
| Compatible devices | PC |
| Color | Black |
| Software Compatibility | Compatible with DYMO Connect for Desktop with Windows and macOS |
Is the Dymo LabelWriter 4XL still worth it?
DYMO LabelWriter 4XL
Printer Output
Monochrome
Printer Type
Thermal
Connectivity Technology
USB
The Dymo 4XL label printer is an ideal solution for many business owners looking to streamline their shipping process. You can also use this printer to manage stock thanks to its barcode creation tool, giving everything you need to take your venture to the next level.
