Table dispensers that move around too much? Here’s the solution

Do you have any tabletop dispensers that don’t move around? This is a question we are asked very often! Here at Acit we have been working in the adhesive tape sector for over 40 years, and we have heard it  many times before.

The reason is simple: a tape table dispenser, to be comfortable to use, must be stable and must not move when in operation. Of course, we are all used to using small plastic shell dispensers, which are very often already included in office tape packaging.

But let’s face it: those – very – lightweight dispensers generally aren’t particularly comfortable. Of course, they’re better than nothing. Rather than needing to look for the edge of a double-sided tape roll all the time, or having grab scissors, with those cheap dispensers you only need a flick of the wrist to get one, two, or one hundred pieces of adhesive tape.

However, those dispensers aren’t stationary at all; indeed, they are tabletop dispensers that move around easily, forcing the use of two hands to roll out and cut the tape.

After all, it is no coincidence that the very first tape dispenser, designed in the thirties by John Borden, was heavy, with metal base and cast-iron parts! And there’s more: it is no coincidence that the first dispensers had already made an appearance in the early thirties, after the first double-sided adhesive tape had been invented in 1925.

The uses of tabletop dispensers that do not move around

Who needs a tabletop dispenser that won’t move around? Well, a lot of different people! Frist of all, consider shopkeeper or salespeople who find themselves sealing boxes, packaging, and gift bags every day: this happens daily inside gift shops, clothing stores, and so on.

But even employees, though we live in a digital age, often need tape, thus making the presence of an adhesive tape tabletop dispenser fundamental.

Moreover, adhesive tape is widely used in the art field, where painters regularly employ it to attach paper sheets and to keep the edges of their pieces clean. Not to mention DIY enthusiasts. And these are just some of the many uses of tabletop tape dispensers, invaluable in all those cases where double-sided tape usage is more than occasional!

What is the structure of tabletop dispensers that don’t move around?

In terms of concept, tabletop dispensers that don’t move around follow the same pattern as simpler, cheaper ones, often sold as a pair with small rolls of tape.

On one side is a pin, around which the roll of adhesive tape is free to spin, making it possible to unroll the tape without effort and friction; on the other, is a raised tab holding a blade, which has the double function of keeping the tape properly taut and cutting it when needed.

But what are the elements that make these industrial double-sided tape dispensers not move when in use, making it possible to operate them with one hand (which is especially valuable when sealing packages, while one hand is holding pieces of folded paper steady)?

There are two elements that come into play. First, the tabletop dispensers must be heavy to be steady. So, objects weighing a few pounds and, in some cases, even exceeding a kilogram.

To make the dispenser even more stable, a non-slip base is added, which can be created in different ways: through rubber feet, small suction cups, double-sided tape and so on.

So, this is the structure of tabletop dispensers that don’t move around. But what should you pay attention to when buying one?

What to check in a tabletop tape dispenser

We have outlined that the two fundamental aspects in a tabletop tape dispenser are the weight and the presence of a non-slip base. But that’s not all: you also need to choose correctly sized base in relation to the width of the tape you will be using.

It is therefore good to check the diameter and the maximum allowed width, so you can be certain to avoid buying a too-small (or perhaps too-large) dispenser.

Then, it should be noted that there are dispensers for industrial double-sided tape with the most different shapes and aesthetics. The classic ones are rectangular in shape, but there are also more modern reinterpretations, such as the Easy Cut model by Tesa, which offers a completely black circular desk dispenser, equipped with an innovative anti-slip mat.