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Why should kids get all the clean notebooks, new backpacks, and fresh pens? As fall approaches and back-to-school season arrives, this week we’re rounding up our favorite office items that will give your desk or WFH space new life.
I remember the first time I ever held a label maker; I was 7 years old, it was a Brother P-touch, and at the time it seemed like the most crazy-cool futuristic gadget ever. You could write anything? And it would print it instantly? While they’re still as handy today as they were when Martha Stewart was raving about them in the ’90s, I’m happy to announce that there have been some updates that make them, yes, even more mind-blowing. May I introduce you to the Tepra Lite Label Printer.
The Tepra prints far more than just letters from the alphabet, but you wouldn’t be able to tell from its design. No bigger than a tape measure and completely buttonless other than a place to push to cut, it’s a sleek white box. Everything else happens on your phone. If you are just trying to make words to denote, say, your spices, you can pick from a ton of fonts and adjust the size and style from an app. What really sets it apart, though, is its ability to print emojis, portrait illustrations, and photos. You can even pick out a fun frame for your design.
I started going crazy right away, making “personality labels” for all my friends’ phone cases and adding them to the drawer fronts of my Bisley file cabinet. I even brought the Tepra to Domino’s prop closet to get our endless bins of fabric and pillows in order.
The setup couldn’t be simpler; just pop in batteries, insert the tape, download the Tepra Lite app, and turn it on. Less than 3 inches tall, this device is small but mighty. The kit comes with three rolls of tape, in white, clear, and smoky blue—I find the clear to be best, because it makes the label blend in with whatever you’re adorning.
So do I need to print a drawing of myself with my name written in cursive and an emoji of a palm tree next to it? No, probably not. But do I get a kick out of the kitsch of it all? Absolutely. And if it has the same helpful functions as any boring label maker, plus the fun stuff, then I’m all for a nostalgic good time.