A tape gun is essential to your productivity.  Sometimes you have to start with the basics and it doesn’t get more basic than a tape gun.  The problem is A LOT of sellers don’t even use one.  Without a tape gun you end up spending a ton of time fiddling with your tape.  Either running your fingers over the roll trying to find the end or folding a tab so you can more easily find the edge the next time around.  I understand why someone wouldn’t want to use a tape gun.  Believe it or not there is a learning curve to using this tool properly.

It is really important to get a high quality tape gun.  A month or so ago a local store had a sale where you would get 8 rolls of packaging tape and a tape gun for something like $5.  I typically pay $1 for each roll of tape so this was a great deal for me without the tape gun being included.  I bought 8 of these packages and decided to try out the tape gun that was included.  This tape gun made me so thankful for the quality tape gun I have been using for several years now.  The tape gun that came with this bundle was very cheap, the handle had no cushion, the wheel that holds the tape did not run smooth and for whatever reason the tape kept coming off the roll crooked and folding over on itself.  These tape guns are literally garbage and if this would of been my first tape gun I ever bought I would probably still be fiddling with rolls of tape and ditched the idea of using a tape gun altogether.

The tape gun I use and recommend everyone else use is the Duck Brand BladeSafe.  It has a cushion grip which makes a big difference on days when you have a lot of packages to do.  If you have ever used a gun that is not padded then you know how sore your hand gets between your thumb and index finger.  The BladeSafe also has a quality tensioner wheel that allows you to adjust how freely the roll releases tape.  This is important because you don’t want it to be so stiff that you can’t smoothly dispense tape but you also don’t want it so loose that the tape is just flopping around on the gun.  This tape gun has a sturdy metal construction and has helped me ship thousands of items.  If you are looking to boost your productivity give the Duck Brand BladeSafe a try.