IPG Curby Mini Taper, Water Activated Tape Dispenser, CBMT

There was no room in my laundry room for the old machine. I had to leave it outside and after two rolls of tape were ruined by dampness and cold, (and having to take the tape roll in and out every time I used it), I decided to look for something I could bring indoors. This little machine works great for my home ebay business. One caution...my first attempt at using a maximum length of tape. I pushed the lever pretty hard and the water tank flew out! So far, this little machine works great and it looks pretty snazzy, too! I found plenty of 2.75 inch wide rolls on Amazon and they aren't $75 a roll. Two for $23. I have now had this for over a year, process 20-30 packages a week and have had no big problems other than it does not push through every once in awhile. When This one goes, I will get another.

The water activated tape that comes with the machine leaves much to be desired. You have to unroll the tape as it is otherwise sticking to itself and not able to go through the feed. After months of usage, I find the dispenser useless. I wasted a lot of tape simply because it kept getting stuck at the exit, even after troubleshooting it

When you press the dispense button, it is fine for a little while but then the tape feed gets caught which causes a rip on the side and then extends the tape on the inside, which means you have to manually feed it through. We ended up stopping using the cutting mechanism and using scissors to cut instead to avoid the issue. We are now trying to replace the tape but at $75 a roll that is really too much. It doesn't work with the water activated tape we have in stock which is 50mm in width and a thinner product. The product description didn't specify this. Would really like a refund at this point!

I really wish I got this sooner. I ship about 10-15 packages per month. I always wanted to make the jump from plastic tape to paper tape. I stuck through years of the plastic adhesive being weak or coming off. NO MORE!The operation is simple. Load tape, add water to reservoir, press lever for amount and cut. Saves me so much time and makes packing less frustrating. Plus the milage of tape goes way further than I expected. It has almost been a year and I still haven't finished my first roll yet (about 25% left). And I have been very liberal with the amount I was using per package.There are some minor nitpicks. I'm still getting used to guessing the precise length off instinct. I'm sometimes over or under. But that's just me going by my gut. I should just measure and calculate it by looking at the markings. On two rare occassions the tape did jam. You will know when it stops coming out. Only takes a few minutes to straighten it up. No big deal.Water activated tape is the way to go! It's stronger and no plastic waste. The dispenser is expensive for what it is but still totally worth the convenience and time saved.

I have used this for a few months now and have gone thru 4 rolls of tape. This makes packing boxes a lot easier and faster. It gives a professional look to your packages. So far it seems to be well built and does not seem like it will break anytime soon. Well worth the price to upgrade from using a tape gun. I am very satisfied with this purchase.