Average Customer Review:
 ( 147 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 found the following review helpful:
 Tape is TapeNov 28, 2010
By Sir Charles Panther
"Life is hard. It's harder when you're stupid."
The black-hearted cynic in me sees this product as just another colorfully packaged, snob-object thing to tell your friends you just can't live without, just in time for Holiday Season 2010.
In the hurtling market rush to develop and market the ultimate in niche product to the discerning, socially driven consumer, for the consumer who wants to out-discern everyone else, we get Giftwrap Tape. I mean, seriously, how many people at 3M are employed in the development, production and marketing of this product? Can't there really be something a bit more important, somewhat more big-picture to do with the massive R&D horsepower at 3M than come up with another kind of tape that "disappears" better on gift wrap? Do hungry Malians care about whether gift wrap disappears? Is anyone even giving them gifts?
No matter. I ran a simple test, on three separate pieces of gift wrap: a shiny, pseudo-tinfoil one, a standard printed paper one; and one with that horrible printed velveteen textured surface. I used this Giftwrap Tape, regular Scotch Magic Tape, and that really low-budge cellophane stuff they hand out at the corporate supply desk.
For the record, none of these tapes are any good on that velveteen stuff. It may look and feel cool, but if you really want to secure the edges of your lovingly crafted, origami-influenced dovetailed masterpiece of textured gift wrapping, you'll need to get out the threaded strapping tape. Or some Gorilla Glue.
Looking at the samples straight-on (more or less perpendicular aspect angle), the cheapo tape reflects brightly, obvious to see, across all paper types. The magic tape blends very nicely, just about invisible (on the printed paper and foil). Interestingly enough, our Giftwrap Tape is distinctly visible in its entirety, a slightly darker rectangular outline of the tape easy to see.
At an oblique aspect angle (and giving a bit of a twist to the test papers for some reflection), the low-budge tape shines brightly, almost kaleidoscopic, which could be just the kind of wow-factor you want in your gifts--you decide. The traditional magic tape offers its well worn dull sheen, clear to see. This is where the Giftwrap Tape comes through, blending extremely well with the textures of the papers for a very low reflection/sheen. But then again, how many folks hold up their prezzies at strange angles to see how the light plays off the tape holding it all together?
The last test was the fold. The cheapo cellophane tape does not take a fold well, the fold rounding and rebounding somewhat. To my non-clinical eye, both the magic tape and the Giftwrap Tape took the fold well, with the paper's sharp crease replicated in the fold.
Maybe it's my delicate sensibilities, but it seems that this tape is just a bit more difficult to tear from the dispenser than the magic tape is. You've got the standard Scotch tape finger-through-the-hole dispenser for both, with those delicate little plastic teeth, but it strikes me that the decades of secret research involved in bringing forth this new form of tape tech has resulted in the colossal disappointment of a few more ergs required to actually tear the tape from its roll.
The package says this tape is "photo safe." We're even informed in tiny, tiny print that the photo safe status was determined in accordance with ISO Standard 14523. (deapan) Wow, neato. What in the name of boxes, bells and bows does this technical yap mean for giftwrap tape? Does it reduce red eye? Does this mean I can safely run taped packages through airport x-ray (before the TSA rips them open anyway)? Does this mean my appropriately wrapped gifts don't burst into flame when someone takes a photo of them?
Does this tape do the job? Well, of course it does.
Bottom line: If you like purple, then bruddah, this tape and its packaging are for you. If you are into wrapping on a Zen level and like to tell deeply meaningful tales of gift-wrapping adventure, this product is your undiscovered country. And if you're a raging snob who has to be personally accessorized for every ridiculously narrowly defined task, then this also is some seriously wonderful stuff. But if you're bright enough to know that the goodies you're wrapping on Christmas Eve are not going to be appraised for their wrapping paper, for your painstakingly formed corners and perfectly trimmed paper edges, or for the tape placement or its oblique reflectivity quotient; within hours they're going to be ripped open like a Republican through an old-growth forest. So maybe all you need is something sticky that will hold it together, and this tape is really just as good as any other tape out there.
24 of 31 found the following review helpful:
 The nonpareil of elegance, in tape formNov 05, 2010
By J. Ott
"John Ott"
You are a person who cares about details. The normal Scotch® Magic(TM) Tape is fine for the hoi polloi. "Invisible tape" they call it, the deluded fools. But you can see its flaws, how it holds an air bubble, how it calls attention to itself with an ugly matte finish that makes anything below it look slightly washed out, faded like a painting left too long in a sunny room.
You are a person who notices details. When you are wrapping a gift -- with wrapping paper that folds just so, without little crinkles -- when you are wrapping a gift you want the smooth lover's touch of satin against your fingers, a shiny surface that light will caress into a soft shine. It calls attention to itself only when the light walks ups to it, makes a graceful bow, and asks it to dance.
You are a person who pays attention to details. You like that this tape is determined "Photo Safe" according to the rigorous ISO Standard 14523. You won't be seeing your fingerprints outlined in dirt and grease, trapped like some ancient insect in amber. Yes, you might be frustrated that the dispenser leaves tiny lines where the tape meets the ledge with the jagged teeth and where it pulls out and away from the tight, perfect coil which 3M has so brilliantly engineered. But you'll figure out this can be managed with skillful snips from a sharp set of scissors.
The details are important to you. Is it Scotch® GiftWrap Tape or Scotch® Giftwrap Tape? The packaging says both. Perhaps 3M should hire you to proofread the names of their products, you think to yourself, with a congratulatory inner voice. You wouldn't let a detail like that slip by.
9 of 11 found the following review helpful:
Great tape, but much less quantity than you think.Nov 07, 2010
By Atomicwasteland
I give the tape itself 5 stars -it is fantastic, and is really the best tape to use on wrapping paper, because it does a great job of disappearing. It is MUCH better, in fact, than the typical Scotch tape which can be removed and reused if not put on correctly --and which is not fully see through. Though that tape also does a great job when used for wrapping, the Satin Finish tape is better.
The only problem I had is that I was really surprised at how little tape came on each of these three rolls; it was ridiculous. I had a "regular" single roll of Scotch Satin Tape and tape roll was at LEAST three times the diameter. So, the bottom line is that these three rolls of tape have less tape than a single roll of the regular sized Scotch Satin Tape. Basically if you like to have more rolls of tape lying around (for example, useful if other people are helping you wrap) AND the three rolls are cheaper, together, than a single roll, then go for the three rolls. If, however, you like having less clutter, less wasting of resources (more plastic going into the garbage), and NOT running out of tape in the middle of wrapping, go for the single roll. (The single roll also has the advantage of having a stronger case -and is sealed on both the front and the back.
You can't go wrong with the quality of this product, just with the amount of waste, and the amount of tape you get for your money.
Recommended as a single roll. Not recommended as a three pack unless multiple people are wrapping at the same time.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
STICKTOITTIVENESS PLUSNov 28, 2010
By Gail Cooke
We've long been fans of Scotch brand products - always finding them dependable. The same is true of this Scotch Gift Wrap Tape. It's that time of year again and we've made good use of this already. It holds wrapping securely yet is transparent enough not to spoil the colorful paper.
We also use it to cover addresses on parcels to be mailed, knowing it will protect the ink even if the packages are caught in a wet blizzard.
The holidays aren't the only times this tape comes in handy as we've used it to repair torn pages in a notebook, by doubling it we've used it to attach To-From cards and, believe it or not, in a real hurry it held the torn hem of a skirt.
You never know what it might be used for next - only that you'd better have some on hand.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 FascinatingNov 18, 2010
By sjw
This is a continuous roll of very thin plastic, and one side of it is tacky (sticky). The roll is housed in a hard plastic container, which has a serrated cutting device at one end. What you do is pull on the strip of thin plastic, and when a sufficient amount has been exposed, you sever the plastic strip from the rest of the roll by using the aforementioned serrated cutting device. I know it sounds confusing, but once you do it 3 or 4 times, you'll get the hang of it. Truly remarkable new invention.
See all 147 customer reviews on Amazon.com
|
based on 147 reviews
Atmosphere Solutions, LLC