Brother P-touch PT-N20 Label Maker: features, specs and who it suits

The Brother P-touch PT-N20 is a small label maker for the home, a dorm room, a studio or a workshop. You type on a QWERTY keyboard, preview the text on a screen, print on coloured tape and trim the label with a built-in cutter. It is a simple stand-alone machine, so there is no phone or computer to connect. Here is what the specs mean and what to check first.

Typing and preview

The PT-N20 has a full QWERTY keyboard, laid out like a computer's, so typing is familiar. The 16-character display lets you preview a label before printing, which Brother says helps avoid mistakes and waste. The display shows a section of the text at a time, so longer labels scroll. The machine saves 10 labels so frequently used ones can be reprinted quickly.

Fonts, frames and symbols

Brother lists 3 fonts, 7 font styles, 15 frames and 250 symbols. It prints up to two lines of text with a combined height of 9 mm per label. Those options let you mix words, symbols and borders, for example to mark a pantry jar, a power cable, a school folder or a toolbox drawer.

Btag tapes

The PT-N20 uses only Brother P-touch Btag label tapes. Each is about 1/2 inch (12 mm) wide and 13.1 ft (4 m) long, and the range comes in 17 colours. The listing says the tapes have split, easy-peel backing and remove without damage. Because the machine is limited to Btag tapes, tapes from other P-touch families won't fit it.

Cutter and build

A built-in cutter trims each label with clean edges, so you can print and cut without scissors. The listing gives the dimensions as 6.0 x 6.0 x 2.9 inches and the weight as 1.1 lb. It is compact enough for a desk or a drawer and light enough to carry from room to room. Check the manual for how it is powered and which batteries or adapter it takes.

Who it suits

It suits households, students, small offices and workshops that label things occasionally: storage boxes, cables, spice jars, shelves and belongings. If you need long labels, barcodes, wide tape or printing from a phone or computer, you would typically look at a more advanced label printer.

What to check before you buy

• Tape type: it uses only 12 mm Btag tapes, so check availability of the colours you want.
• Label height: text is limited to two lines within 9 mm combined, which suits small labels.
• Power: read the manual on power, and whether an adapter is included.
• Surface: consider where the labels will go, such as smooth, dry surfaces, and check tape descriptions for suitability.
• Volume: if you print many labels, consider how often you will replace tapes.

The short version

• A handheld desktop label maker from Brother, model PTN20.
• QWERTY keyboard, 16-character display and saved memory for 10 labels.
• 3 fonts, 7 styles, 15 frames and 250 symbols; two lines up to 9 mm combined height.
• Uses only 12 mm (about 1/2 inch) Btag tapes, available in 17 colours.
• Built-in cutter; about 1.1 lb.

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