Brother VC-500W Compact Color Label and Photo Printer

2025-03-11T20:00:00

Not to bad for someone who wants to label things around the home. The colors are way off from what they appear to be on my saved labels. Lost connection several different times.Not good for a business trying to label Aroma Therapy Oils or similar products.

Michael

Originally posted at

2025-02-14T19:00:00

Since my purchase, this machine has been amazing! I use it for labels for my candle company, and it has helped to enhance the look of my candle jars.

URlightsoshine

Originally posted at

2025-02-04T19:00:00

The app is pretty versatile for making labels, but would be much improved if it would allow me to arbitrarily place and rotate my text and artwork like the original App. @Brother - please consider it!

crafty l.

Originally posted at

2024-12-25T19:00:00

RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In any other direction. Every time I change phone, or the seasons change, or the app updates... EVERY SINGLE time it is a disaster to reconnect this device. Would not take a replacement if it was free.

Printer C.

Originally posted at

2024-09-03T20:00:00

This printer does a good job with simple labels. If you want colors to match what you see on the computer, this is not what you're looking for. The colors we print are not close to what we were expecting. The rolls don't last too long and there is a ton of wasted paper. We wouldn't buy it again, but it will do if you just need it for simple labels.

RhRh

Originally posted at

2024-07-11T20:00:00

DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY, this will not work consistently, ALWAYS some type of error when trying to print, I expected way better from Brother than this... missed the window for return or we definitely would have.

number1

Originally posted at

2024-07-01T20:00:00

The software doesn't work. I've had our IT team work on this and cannot get the driver to load and print.

Joel

Originally posted at

2023-12-17T19:00:00

I want to love this printer I use it for my small at home business. I have had it since 2020 a d it is not Dec 2023 the labels are not really waterproof if soap gets on it it fades to a blue color so I have to pay for tape to try to keep it from getting wet. The size Ned's to go up to the least 4 inches not 2 inches the size is not that great at all. I wish I can make it round when I need round labes, I have to cut them out to be round. The color oh the color it prints out as a off color, when I called to complain the persons are not trained well, I was seeking help because it prints out a off color sort of faded color like a printer that ink is low. I waist so many labels because I can not always get the size to come out anywhere need 1 inch as of yesterday. The 2 inch has the same issues. Loke I said the representatives do not know how to help me. The labels are so expensive for that small amount of labels and so much waste is left over and you can not use the end of the roll this is ridiculous. I would love to give thus printer a 5 star review but I just can not 3 stars are being nice. I feel I got a bad deal. I asked for them to give me the new model and they would not I do not have the Z link I have the original. They tried to tell me it is the same this is not true I want them to at the least replace my unit it just will not do what it is supposed to do they replaced the app but I think it needs alot of work on it. PLEASE REPLACE MY UNIT PLEASE

Purple

Originally posted at

2023-11-02T20:00:00

Unable to install correct on Win11............................

Asle

Originally posted at

2023-10-26T20:00:00

The original version of the App was a lot better with more features.

Luckymom

Originally posted at

2023-06-26T20:00:00

The cassettes are extremely expensive and I can get maybe 10 orders out before the cassette states that it is empty you guys should lower the price or add more paper to the cassettes overall the number of designs on the app is great we should be able to change the color to all the backgrounds not just some the app needs more fonts the printer should be able to connect to all computers tablets and or phones and you all should make the app more user friendly

TiaInVa

Originally posted at

2023-06-22T20:00:00

This product is awful. I spent hours trying to get it to connect to my laptop. I finally called customer service the next day and wasted hours of my time. They could not figure out why it did not connect to my laptop. Awful product. I send the product back. Please be aware DO NOT purchase this product. Waste of Time.

Simmons

Originally posted at

2023-06-21T20:00:00

This is an incredible little label printer if you need labels that are going to hold up this is the item for you

Denny

Originally posted at

2023-05-21T20:00:00

When it works its great. A little slow but the biggest issue is getting it to connect. This should be way easier. Cannot connect easily to new WIFI or hotspots. Bought to print tame tags at events and we cannot get it to easily connect at different locations even though we are using the same laptop with P-Touch installed and the printer is connected to the laptop. This machine is not user friendly at all!

Chantelle

Originally posted at

2023-05-08T20:00:00

This is a bit niche as a small format photo sticker printer up to 2 inches wide and however long, but it's fantastic for its niche. The color is very good but not perfect. It struggles to represent lightly colored "washed out" or over exposed areas in photos but well saturated photos look great. Colors are bright and vibrant. The adhesive is good which is a really big deal. You don't have to peel the adhesive backing if you want to magnet a photo to your fridge or something like that. This would be great for scrapbooking if people are still doing that. Adhesive photos are durable enough to wear for a long time on a laptop that gets carried around in a bag, which is a big deal. Photos don't run or bleed. Inkjet can't do any of that. The "zink" photo stock does cost more. There's good open source software people have written to automate printing to these, that people have used to set up photo print stations at weddings and special events, and it works on Linux/Unix/BSD with that. This is a great way to make inexpensive, durable, full-color stickers to hand out or give to friends. Trimming the photos with scissors works well. Web/WiFi setup works. A 3" version and more standard printing protocols would be nice. Buy this to nicely do what nothing else does.

scrottie

Originally posted at

2023-04-26T20:00:00

I have used Brother products wit great success for over 20 years but this product has not been easy to set up or use

Mohan

Originally posted at

2023-03-08T19:00:00

I would not recommend this printer or this company to anyone. I ordered this label printer for work to print high-end, custom labels. But they print nowhere near as vibrant as advertised. Color wasn't as big as a deal to us as we simply needed a black background with our white logo layered overtop of that. However, the white logo and border keeps printing NEON BLUE NOT WHITE. I've tried printing with different label cassettes at different sizes, cleaning with the cleaning paper, messing with the Visibility and the Blue color scale. Nothing works. Better yet, I've been on and off the phone with the customer service since Thursday of last week, waiting over an 1 hour+ to speak with someone for them to go through all the same steps as the last person went over with me.. all for them to put me on another 1+ hold. When I hang up to "save my place in line" nobody calls back. Yesterday, I sat on hold for 1.5 hours, then went through all the same steps again with a guy for him to tell me he was going to have his supervisor call me because HE"S NOT SURE WHATS WRONG. AND THE "SUPERVISOR" NEVER CALLED BACK!!!! INSANE! I am now writing this review as I am on another hold. To probably get transferred or put on hold again. Oh, they also tell you to chat online with someone bc of high call volume, this person (or probably chat bot) literally just sends articles from their website rather than help. Truly a joke of a company.

taylor

Originally posted at

2023-02-28T19:00:00

Product will not work on desktop, you have to have wi-fi or something else

Bart

Originally posted at

2023-01-15T19:00:00

I am having such a hard time downloading this program to my computer because I don't have Apple play or Google play.

Mercedes S.

Originally posted at

2023-01-10T19:00:00

I've been using this printer for a couple of years. It works great for most projects. I had hoped to use it for my candle and room sprays. They look great, but when the jars heat up, the labels turn blue. So disappointed.

Michelle

Originally posted at

2023-01-09T19:00:00

We have contacted customer supported NUMEROUS Times to no avail. Cut off or simply told nothing else could be done. It will not communicate to my computer - DELL, and there is not one thing we can do except junk it because Brother refuses to assist.

Public M.

Originally posted at

2022-12-30T19:00:00

I love the print although it is very slow. The driver and software setup is very unreliable and cumbersome. If not for the setup issues I would give 4 stars.

Scott

Originally posted at

2022-12-06T19:00:00

I work in a product company with 500+ customers. I started recommending my customers this printer for visitor badges. After ordering around 100+ printers and using them daily, we concluded that this printer only works well with the Color Label App. If you want to use this as a visitor label printer, then this printer is not the correct selection. We paired this printer with our Kiosk app on iPad and visitor printer badges. Once the visitor completes the information, the app sends the printer command to print the badge using Air Print. Problem: after 30+ mins of inactivity, this printer goes idle and does not print the badges. Reconnection or printer restart is needed to pair again with the app. This is a huge task for lobby managers as they need to do this activity after every hour and visitors are also unhappy with the delay. Moreover, the badges are not AUTO CUT; someone needs to swipe on the head of the printer to cut the badge. At last, we tried to contact Brother customer support but got no help from their end. Finally, clients are unhappy with this printer and losing their brand value. Just because this printer is going idle and no one has a solution, we have unhappy clients. Therefore, I don?t recommend this printer for Visitor Management, but you can use the printer label for personal use.

RM86

Originally posted at

2022-11-28T19:00:00

Let me start by saying Brother is a trusted brand, but mines stop working a week after I took it out the box. How do I exchange it?

as a.

Originally posted at

2022-11-20T19:00:00

Was working well for the first year, then wouldn?t turn on. It was in great condition as I used it maybe once a month. Even still had the protective plastic wrap still on it. Called brother and they were very unwilling to help. And one of the representatives had me on hold for over 30 minutes and then told me if I don?t hear back from them, they don?t know the answer to the question. Will not be buying a Brother product again.

Angie

Originally posted at

2022-09-15T20:00:00

THIS PRINTER SUCKS, DOES NOT WORK EXCEPT WITH MY IPHONE SOMETIMES.WHEN IT DOES WORK WITH MY IPHONE IT IS A PAIN IN THE BUT TO DO IT. BROTHER CUSTOMER SERVICE SUCKS AS WELL. I WILL MOST LIKELY NEVER BUY ANOTHER ONE OF THIER PRODUCTS, AND SPEAD THE WORD.

Louie D.

Originally posted at

2022-06-17T20:00:00

Why not state that it doesn't work in some countries. I just wasted money buying this only to be told while installing the drivers that it does not work in the region I find myself. Should have followed my instincts and bought a different brand.

Brams

Originally posted at

2022-05-25T20:00:00

I found out after my purchase that the software does not support Windows 11.

Bob H.

Originally posted at

2022-05-12T20:00:00

Great litter printer would have given 5 stars, but colors come off when label gets wet.

Salsagranny

Originally posted at

2022-04-08T20:00:00

Apparently the technology used for this no ink printer is not exact so you need a lot of extra time to play with your design and change it to make it print the way you want it to look. We did not have that kind of time and returned the printer.

Csa2

Originally posted at