Nelko P21 Review: A Compact Label Maker Worth the Hype

A label maker isn’t something we all need, but the ones who do prefer a compact and portable handheld device. In today’s market, Nelko P21 seems to be the first choice of many, though you should read our review before making the purchase.

No matter what the product description or customer reviews say, an unbiased Nelko P21 review will help you make the right decision. So, let’s get straight to it!

Is the Nelko P21 label maker good?

We will examine the Nelko P21 label maker on several critical factors and identify whether it’s the right purchase for you. And if not, find out which product would best suit your needs.

Build and performance

Nelko P21 is a feature-packed label maker that allows users to print labels on the go. The small 6.65 x 4.5 x 1.9 inches device weighing just 11.3 ounces can easily fit into your pocket and be used in workspaces, homes, or on vacation. It’s got a sturdy build and can be comfortably and conveniently held.

The Nelko P21’s Bluetooth connectivity is a significant advantage, allowing seamless wireless printing from Android and iOS smartphones. So, no more tangled wires to deal with!

However, there’s room for improvement with the print speed, capped at 60 mm/s. The Nelko Bluetooth Thermal Shipping Label Printer, though not as compact, offers a print speed of 150 mm/s and can print up to 72 labels/min.

So, the Nelko P21 label maker would be a great fit for homes or smaller tasks, but if it’s to be extensively used for longer durations, you may consider going with a label maker that offers a higher print speed.

The print quality is high with a resolution of 203 DPI, though you may face issues using a non-official thermal label paper. That’s a downside, but it won’t be a factor for most users since the Nelko thermal paper is easily available and reasonably priced.

Usability

Most buyers are satisfied with the Nelko P21 label maker. The compact size and self-adhesive labels are enticing. Besides, many people used it to print bar codes and QR codes, and the Nelko P21 worked perfectly fine, making it a suitable product for small businesses.

However, Nelko P21 lacks coloured text printing, a major downside for a label maker. Though you can use white labels in different sizes (15×30 mm, 12×40 mm, 15×40 mm, 15×50 mm) coloured labels, choose from a range of patterns, or go with the transparent ones.

Also, it doesn’t come equipped with an automatic label-cutting functionality, and you will have to detach each manually.

Another major drawback of Nelko P21 is its lack of compatibility with computers. While mobile phones have become the go-to solution for everything, computers still are the primary device in most workplaces. There’s simply no option to connect it with computers. Nelko P21 is a mobile-only label maker!

Battery backup

Powered by a 1200 mAh Lithium Polymer battery, the Nelko P21 will easily last several days (of normal use) on a single charge. The battery life sure is an added bonus with this label maker!

Also, you will get a USB Type-C cable to recharge the device within the box. But even in its absence, charging wouldn’t have been a problem after the mass adoption of the Type-C standard. If required, you could use a USB-C extension cable for enhanced usability.

The dedicated Nelko app

To print labels with Nelko P21, you must download the dedicated Nelko app, available on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

Besides being a necessity, the Nelko app provides a wide array of templates and designs, including QR codes, bar codes, texts, images, and different font options. With these, you can create both personalized and professional labels.

Pricing

The Nelko P21 presently costs $39.99 on the official website, which is a reasonable price for the label maker. Its compactness, print clarity, complete elimination of ink and toner, and high battery life would be perfect for home use.

The Nelko P21 is the cheapest label maker offered by Nelko, while its other products are in the price range of $50-150.

Label makers with a similar feature set developed by other manufacturers will cost you roughly in the range of $25-80. So, the Nelko P21 is not the cheapest option, but it is competitively priced.

That’s our review of Nelko P21 after extensive research and collating user reviews. The label maker is a game changer in several aspects, be it the size, clarity of prints, or price range, but the non-compatibility with computers will surely count as a major drawback!

If you are unsure, we recommend you check our recommendations for the best label printers and compare them before making the final decision.

For any queries or to share your review of Nelko P21, drop a comment below.