Brother P-touch PT-340 Label Maker review

The Brother P-touch PT-340 is an earlier handheld label maker for someone who wants to type at the machine and is comparing a known, used unit rather than a current model. Its physical QWERTY keyboard and small screen keep label making self-contained. Compared with the closely related PT-320, the PT-340 adds a larger bank of formatting choices and symbols; it is still an old manual-cutter machine with a narrow display and a cassette history that needs care.

More ways to dress a label, without a larger editor

The PT-340's 49-key QWERTY keyboard is useful when you would rather enter a short word directly than open a phone or computer. The single-line LCD shows 15 characters at once, so long entries move through a small viewing window; the guide permits two printed lines. That makes short names, shelf labels, file tabs and simple two-line identifiers a natural fit. It is less comfortable for checking a long instruction or laying out a batch from a spreadsheet. The exact sources do not establish a current phone-app or USB-computer design route, so do not buy it for either workflow without separate proof for the particular setup.

Brother's PT-340 brochure lists three ordinary fonts plus five title fonts, eight character sizes, eight type styles, 128 built-in symbols, and ten framing choices. The guide also shows automatic numbering and repeat printing, up to nine copies, with a 300-character phrase memory. Those extras make it more expressive than the PT-320, whose corresponding lists are smaller. They help when making a few decorative name or storage labels; they do not turn the PT-340 into a graphics printer. Color comes from selecting a colored tape backing, not from printing photographs or several ink colors. The one-line screen remains the main limit when proofing a longer design.

Check the cassette family, then the width

Keep the tape evidence source-specific. The PT-340 section of the older shared PT-320/PT-340 user guide says to use Brother TZ cassettes only, at 6, 9, 12 or 18 mm. Brother's current U.S. PT340 record separately lists TZe cassettes at 3.5, 6, 9 and 12 mm, and a current Brother 9 mm TZe supply listing names PT-340 among the compatible machines. Those records document a narrower listed TZe path alongside the older guide's original-TZ path; they do not extend TZe to 18 mm just because the old TZ guide reaches that width. If you are buying for an existing PT-340, check the tape-bay label and cassette code on the unit, then match both the family and width before ordering.

These are laminated adhesive-backed thermal-transfer tapes, not a direct-thermal paper label roll. That is useful for ordinary household and office identification, where a backing and a clear laminate are more practical than a loose paper strip. But the PT-340 is not the right tool for a full-color sticker or arbitrary sheet labels. If you need a specific print height, do not infer it from tape width or from the two-line mode: the reviewed source set does not establish a reliable numeric print-height maximum for matching.

Allow time to cut and power it

The guide shows a physical cutter lever and tells the user to operate it after printing. In a one-off labeling task that is a simple finishing step; across a long run it becomes repetitive. The sources do not document an automatic full-cut mode, so an essential auto-cutter requirement points elsewhere. The machine can run on six AA cells or the optional Brother AD-30 adapter (7 V, 1.2 A). Brother's original U.S. product brochure describes a new-package set with six AAs, a protective case, black-on-clear tape, a tape separator and a lettering stick; it calls the AC adapter optional. That historical package list is not a promise about what will be in a used listing. Confirm the actual sale contents, and inspect the cutter, cassette cover and battery compartment before relying on an older device.

The PT-340 is roughly 6.85 inches wide, 7.87 inches deep and 2.36 inches high, before allowing for room to handle the tape. It is handheld, but not pocket-sized. Its overall shape is close to the PT-320, and the Brother guide lists the same six-AA/optional-adapter approach for that family. If storage fit matters, measure the opening instead of relying on a product photo or rounded brochure dimensions.

Who should still consider it?

Brother marks the PT-340 discontinued. Its best case is an owner who already has a working machine, values on-device QWERTY entry, wants the extra symbol and title-font options, and can identify an appropriate cassette. The format controls and phrase memory can help with occasional reusable wording, while manual cutting and a small one-line screen are reasonable tradeoffs for short labels. It is not a sensible default new purchase when a current connected workflow, automatic cutting, or uncomplicated supply choice is essential.

The PT-320 is the closer comparison if the PT-340's extra formats are not useful; the core keyboard, display and cutter approach is similar. For a fresh standard-TZe setup, compare a current keyboard model such as the PT-D410 instead, and choose based on the exact app, computer and tape needs rather than assuming the old machine's manual range carries over. Brother's PT-340 product page lists the unit as discontinued. The pictured brochure machine is an original PT-340 image, not a present-day package view.