Printing labels at home: what to buy
What you need to print labels at home: the right printer for each kind of label, which label sheets to buy, and the size and adhesive to choose.
By Ryan Soanes · 1 November 2026
For most labels, the inkjet or laser printer you already have is enough: buy label sheets made for that kind of printer. The exception is shipping labels. If you send more than a few parcels a week, a thermal label printer is cheaper and quicker, because it uses no ink.
Which printer do you need?
| Labels | Printer | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Address and return labels | Any inkjet or laser | Simple text on paper labels |
| Product labels and stickers | Inkjet | Colour, and the widest choice of sticker sheets |
| Shipping labels | Thermal label printer, or a laser | Thermal needs no ink; laser print doesn’t smear if a parcel gets wet |
Inkjet printers are best for colour product labels and stickers, and most sticker and magnet sheets are made for them. Most inkjet ink can run if it gets wet, so for labels on jars, bottles or anything handled a lot, see weatherproof inkjet sticker paper.
Laser printers fuse powder toner onto the label with heat. The print doesn’t smear when wet, which suits address and shipping labels. Use only sheets that say they’re for laser printers.
Thermal label printers print with heat on special label rolls, usually 6 × 4” (about 150 × 100 mm), the usual size for shipping labels. They print black only, but need no ink or toner.
Which label sheets should you buy?
Buy sheets made for your type of printer. The pack says “inkjet”, “laser” or both. Inkjet sheets in a laser printer can be damaged by the heat and jam the printer. Laser sheets in an inkjet won’t absorb the ink, so it smears.
- Paper labels are cheapest and fine for addresses and dry, indoor products.
- Matte paper is easy to write on and doesn’t glare.
- Glossy paper makes colours brighter but takes longer to dry.
- Vinyl or polypropylene (plastic) labels resist water and tearing, for bottles, jars and bath products.
- Printable magnet sheets are for fridge magnets. Most are made for inkjets; don’t put them in a laser printer unless the pack says it’s safe.
Pre-cut sheets are sold in standard layouts, such as Avery 5160 (30 per US Letter sheet) and L7160 (21 per A4 sheet). Unbranded sheets usually say which Avery code they match, so the same templates work. Avery label template codes lists the common layouts and sizes.
Buy a small pack first and print one sheet before buying a box. Cheap sheets can feed badly or smear.
Which size and adhesive should you choose?
Size: pick the label to fit the product, then a sheet layout with that size. Measure the jar, box or bag where the label goes and leave a few millimetres spare round it.
Adhesive:
- Permanent for anything posted or sold: shipping labels, product labels and stickers that should stay put.
- Removable for labels people may want to peel off cleanly, such as on glass jars, gifts or books.
What else do you need?
- A template for your sheet. Word has most Avery layouts built in, and there are free templates as PDFs and PNGs for Canva.
- A cutter, only for shaped labels printed on full sticker sheets: scissors, a punch, or a Cricut or Silhouette. Pre-cut sheets need no cutting.
How to print labels covers the printing itself: templates, test prints, printer settings and print and cut. To fill sheets quickly, MagLab has the common label sheets built in: drop in your designs, or a spreadsheet of addresses, and it fills the sheet in one click.