Abandon your Brother, Brady is the GOAT — or why I love my BMP61 rugged thermal labeler.
- RWAR
- Sep 29
- 4 min read
Gamer‑dad, human factors nerd, and lifelong tinkerer here. Between three kids, four dogs, and a garage that doubles as a prototyping lab, I need labels that survive dust, solvents, and New England weather. My Brady BMP61 has been my “don’t make me think” label cannon for years—printing durable IDs for drones, shop gear, and the endless bins and Pelican cases that keep my chaos in check.
Important update: Brady has retired the BMP61 and replaced it with the M610. I’ll cover what changed—and why I probably should’ve written this review sooner.
What I use it for (real life, not spec sheets)
Drones: FAA‑compliant registration numbers that stick to airframes and stay stuck. I also serialize high‑value kit (batteries, chargers, air units) so I can track issues across flights. The FAA requires the reg number on the exterior of your drone, legible on visual inspection; durable labels make that painless.
Prototyping & fab gear (laser, engraver, welder, 3D/resin/CNC): I print “micro SOPs” and one‑off sequence‑of‑operations stickers directly on the machine or the stock box (power/speed settings, offsets, fixtures, safety steps). Months later, I can reproduce the part without re‑learning the process.
Home organization: Parts drawers, Pelican/protective cases, and maintenance reminders (e.g., oil/filter type and date on the lawnmower). The materials take temperature swings and outdoor grime far better than consumer tapes.
Why Brady beats my old consumer labelers (a.k.a. “Abandon your Brother”)
This isn’t a knock on Brother for office use, but the BMP61 prints with thermal‑transfer resin on industrial materials (polyester, nylon cloth, self‑lam vinyl, heat‑shrink sleeves, raised‑panel labels, etc.). Adhesives and films are built for chemicals, abrasion, and weather, and the 300‑dpi head handles small text cleanly for tiny parts and cable flags. The “smart‑cell” media auto‑configures the printer so I spend less time fiddling.
The plot twist: BMP61 is discontinued—here’s when/why and what replaced it.
Yep, I should've posted this review 4 years ago, but let's just say I really wanted to stress test the BMP61 before providing my review (heh). So now its been replaced by the M610, perfect time to recommend the BMP61 so you can go find a used one on eBay and save a bunch of money without giving up any major functinolity.
When: Brady rolled out the M610 platform in April 2023 (new manuals and the “Authentic” M6/M7 supplies family went live that month). By late April, Brady support pages explicitly flagged the BMP61 as “replaced by M610.”
Why (in practice): The M610 is a modernization (supposedly faster, tougher, and phone‑friendly, with a unified supply ecosystem) but TBH none of this really matters for my use cases. While Brady doesn’t publish a narrative “why” page, the changes line up with a re‑platform to new cartridges, mobile workflows (Express Labels app), and a Li‑ion battery that it claims lasts all day.
So now i'm worried I won't be able to find cartridges anymore, but luckily I stocked up when I originally acquired the BMP61 and I'm not generating hundreds of labels to burn through them. But you'll see below the “M6” supplies and M61 ribbons list compatibility with BMP61 and M610/M611, so a mixed fleet is fine.
Human‑factors win: speed of recall and error‑proofing
A label is a tiny user interface!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The BMP61’s QWERTY keypad and 2.8" screen make on‑device creation fast; serialization and “wire wrap” modes cut cognitive load when I’m churning drone battery IDs or panel flags. And that “smart‑cell” cartridge memory auto‑sets dimensions and formats—less mental overhead, fewer typos.
The label types I actually rely on (with quick links)
These are the staples that map cleanly to my use cases (drones, shop gear, outdoor maintenance, panel work). I included Brady pages and an Amazon option where it made sense.
Label type | What I use it for | Example Brady part | Brady link | Amazon link |
Self‑Laminating Vinyl (B‑427) | Cable wraps that protect the print under a clear over‑lam; great for network runs and drone wiring looms | M6‑21‑427 (2.5"×1") | ||
Permanent Polyester (B‑423) | Harsh‑environment IDs on Pelican cases, metal fixtures, power bricks, and serial tags | M6‑10‑423 / M6‑17‑423 | ||
PermaSleeve Heat‑Shrink (B‑342) | Clean, permanent wire/battery IDs on drones and RC gear (shrinks to grip) | M6‑125‑1‑342 | ||
Raised‑Panel / “Engraved‑plate substitute” (B‑593) | Panel legends, switches, patch panels—high‑profile, thick feel without ordering custom plates | M6‑173‑593‑YL / M6‑174‑593 | ||
All‑Weather Vinyl (B‑595) | Outdoor labels—mower service stickers, bins, rough surfaces; 8–10 yr outdoor rating | M6C‑2000‑595‑WT (tape) | ||
Nylon Cloth (B‑499) | Conforms to tight curves; nice for short‑radius cables and odd surfaces | M6‑30‑499 |
Living with the BMP61 (pros & quirks)
What I love
Durability & permanence. Thermal‑transfer resin on proper industrial films survives oils, heat, and handling (see B‑423/B‑595 datasheets and product pages).
On‑device speed. Quick QWERTY typing, serialization, and purpose modes (wire wrap, flags, panel).
Media brains. Memory‑in‑cartridge auto‑formats dimensions/settings—fewer fat‑finger mistakes during a build.
Watch‑outs
Hefty for all‑day one‑hand use (about 3.2 lb with supplies), but I don't really have long-duration use here. I'm printing 5-10 labels at most in a session and its not hard to set down and print. This is really more of a consideration for anyone that is going using it for industrial / field labeling - which ain't me.
Should you buy one now?
Already own a BMP61? Keep using it. It’s still a beast, and your supplies (M6/M61) are current.
Shopping from scratch? Go find a used BMP61 or one still sitting in stock and save yourself some money. IMO the M610 doesn't offer any game changing benefits from what I can find, especially for my use cases.
Bonus for drone folks: compliance in one sticker
Since 2019, the FAA requires your registration number on the outside of the aircraft (visible on inspection). A small B‑423 or B‑595 label keeps you compliant without peeling off mid‑season.
My closing verdict
If you need labels that survive kids, dogs, solvents, and outdoor New England winters, the BMP61 earns its keep and blows the cheap $30-$100 range of office label makers out of the water. Definitely a strong recommend tool to add to your bench.
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