Have you seen this type of heat tape dispenser, may also be known as a thermal tape dispenser? I think there are a few other titles for them too. They are amazing and have some great benefits including placement for multiple tapes. You can use them for your sublimation projects, HTV projects or simply general purpose use.
Let’s take a look!
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Features of these heat tape dispensers
Pre-cut multiple pieces of tape
These speccy looking tape dispensers have some great features. First and foremost is that they pre-cut multiple pieces of tape for you at a turn of a wheel. So easy. This gives you that extra set of hands when you are trying to tape a sublimation or HTV design down.
Have you ever tried to hold your project firmly and wrangle with the heat tape roll to get a piece undone and then cut it off.
Or, if you pre-plan needing that piece of tape and so you cut a number of pieces ready to go and stick them to your bench in readiness? Then, as you go to grab that piece it sticks like glue or worse still, flicks under the kitchen bench or counter table top and sticks to the underneath part of the bench as well as the top part you initially tacked it to.
It cannot be just me that this has happened to LOL.
I have had to let my precision placed projects go so that I could fight with the tape and then often, it scrunches up or sticks to itself and I end up throwing it away. Then go back and align everything again to stick them in place.
This tape dispenser resolves those issues as it cuts multiple pieces with one turn of the wheel. The tape is there, ready for you to use. It sits on a wheel that reminds me a little of a paddle steamer wheel. The wheel has a small points of contact which makes it really easy to lift the tape off the wheel. (as opposed to being stuck like glue to the underneath side of your counter top.)
You may just be able to see the cut lines in the tape in the picture above.
Can you feel my excitement about finally owning one?
Able to cut a longer length if needed
The heat tape dispenser has two rollers that will cut precision lengths of tape at around 1″ (2.5cm). This is a really handy length however there are occasions that you might prefer a longer length of tape.
Bingo… on the side of the heat tape dispenser, there is a separate wheel where you can manually cut what ever length you need. It also has a retractable cutting blade so that you only pop it up when you actually need to cut the tape.
How good is that. No more cutting yourself accidently on those darn cutters.
Fits 1″ core tape or 3″ core tape
The heat tape dispenser that I have came with an accessory 1″core insert to enable you to change the tape dispenser to suit your tape. I have mine installed with the 3″ core heat tape as I have a small additional tape dispenser that I had previously purchased for the smaller type rolls.
My next issue was that I was worried I might lose the core insert. Then I worked out it would store very nicely in the side of my heat tape dispenser. Whoohoo. Bonus!
You can see the Echomerx tape dispenser with the 1″ core tucked away in that special spot I found. The retractable cutting blade is also highlighted in the picture.
As you can see in the picture above, this is a really great feature to save your fingers. Look closely at the picture and you will see that there is a small slider that you slide to retract or pop out the cutting blade.
Side storage compartment
I noticed most brands of these heat tape dispensers have a small storage compartment on the side of them. Mine too! I think most of the pictures I have seen have pens etc in them… so OK, pens are good. What about storing your weeding tools in it, like your weeding pen or larger picker tool. Keeps them very handy.
There are probably many other things that you could store in the side holder too.
Non slide features of my heat tape dispenser
I researched these dispensers to death when I was looking to purchase. I read every comment I could find both positive and negative and looked at ALL the brands.
What I discovered what that some brands were very light weight and slid when you were trying to use them. sigh.. wouldn’t it be great if all product were made equal. Many had so many negative comments that I research more and more, want to purchase one but nervous that I was going to buy a dud.
When I opened the box for my Echomerx heat tape dispenser I was so excited to see that it had two non slip areas underneath the dispenser to reduce movement when you use it. THIS is definitely a feature.
Why do you need a dispenser?
Well, realistically, you don’t NEED a heat tape dispenser HOWEVER it gives you that extra pair of hands when you are trying to manage taping your project. It stops that frustration when you have to let go of the project that you have just got nicely in place, to fight with the tape.
Another problem for me is that I end up spending ages trying to find the start of the tape to get it going. Putting a piece of extra tape, folding it back on itself or a popping bit of paper on the start edge when you pack the tape away works well but it is not practical to do this while you are using it.
Inevitably, my ends stick back down when it is the most inconvenient for me.
Easy to set up
The Echomerx heat tape dispenser was pretty easy to set up. On the side of the packaging there are the steps to set it up and there are also videos available on YouTube if you prefer to watch how things are done. In reality, neither of these are probably needed as the dispenser is self explanatory.
Pro’s and Cons
Pro’s for the Echomerx tape dispenser
- Ease of use
- This heat tape dispenser makes creating craft projects much easier
- Three color choices – Pink (mine) Green (ordered this one for my friend) and Purple
- Takes both 1″ core and 3″ core
- Stable to use
- One turn action for multiple pieces of tape
- Side reel to allow you to cut longer lengths manually
- Storage area on the side
- Fits two .08 wide heat transfer tape rolls side by side. I like these ones as they do not mark sublimation projects
- Ideal for sublimation and heat transfer projects.
Con’s
- No adjustment in the cut size for the automatic tape reels.
- Some tape rolls may sit loose on the reels – depending on brand.
- May be slightly more expensive than some other brands
- Fits 2 x .08 wide 3″ cores tapes perfectly. This is probably the widest it will fit two rolls.
Summary
Well, I was so excited about my Echomerx tape dispenser that I ordered one for my friend for her birthday. After deliberating for such a long time on which brand would be the best to purchase I am pleased that I chose this one. There are so many different brands on the market and the ALL appear to look the same and do pretty much the same thing.
Some are cheaper too!.
It was only after reading comment after comment and lots of website reviews that I realized that not all dispensers worked well.
I bought the green one for my friend and have just given it to her and was really pleased that she was delighted with it!
Enjoy
Thanks.