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The Best Packing Tapes

We reviewed seven top-rated packing tapes based on owner ratings, expert reviews, and Reddit discussions. The Scotch Heavy Duty Shipping Tape (B000J07BRQ) is our top pick for its strong adhesion and ease of use.

Updated

The bottom line

The Scotch Heavy Duty Shipping Tape (B000J07BRQ) is our top pick for packing tape. It offers strong adhesion, durability, and ease of use, with a 4.8/5 rating from over 130,000 owners. The Duck HD Clear Heavy Duty Packing Tape Refill Rolls (B000GR5XCW) is a close runner-up, known for its strong adhesive and reliability. For a budget option, the Scotch Clear Packing Tape (B000MVV6AA) provides good value at $3.59 for strong adhesion and durability, though it is louder when dispensed.

Top pick
Scotch Heavy Duty Shipping TapeScotch Heavy Duty Shipping Tape $10.20

Best overall packing tape for most users

The Scotch Heavy Duty Shipping Tape (B000J07BRQ) is praised for its strong adhesive and ease of use, with a 4.8/5 rating from over 130,000 owners. It's suitable for both small and large boxes and comes with a dispenser for convenient application. The tradeoff is that it may not perform as well on boxes with high recycled content.

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Runner-up
Duck HD Clear Heavy Duty Packing Tape Refill RollsDuck HD Clear Heavy Duty Packing Tape Refill Rolls $22.11

Strong adhesive and reliable performance

The Duck HD Clear Heavy Duty Packing Tape Refill Rolls (B000GR5XCW) offers strong adhesion that strengthens over time and is easy to cut with scissors. It has a 4.7/5 rating from 19,412 owners. The tradeoff is that it can be difficult to remove once applied.

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Budget pick
Scotch Clear Packing TapeScotch Clear Packing Tape $3.59

Affordable and durable packing tape

The Scotch Clear Packing Tape (B000MVV6AA) provides strong adhesion and durability at $3.59. It has a 4.8/5 rating from 22,608 owners. The tradeoff is that it is louder when dispensed.

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The field, ranked

  1. Scotch Heavy Duty Shipping Tape Best for strong adhesion and ease of use. 9.6/10 $10.20 Amazon
  2. Duck HD Clear Heavy Duty Packing Tape Refill Rolls Strong adhesive and reliable performance. 9.4/10 $22.11 Amazon
  3. Scotch Clear Packing Tape Affordable and durable, though louder. 9.6/10 $3.59 Amazon
  4. Scotch Heavy Duty Shipping Tape Good value and strong adhesion. 9.6/10 $7.18 Amazon
  5. Scotch Heavy Duty Shipping Tape Industrial-strength and easy to use. 9.4/10 $19.98 Amazon
  6. Scotch Heavy Duty Shipping Packaging Tape Bulk pack with strong adhesion. 9.6/10 $53.19 Amazon
  7. Scotch Heavy Duty Shipping Packaging Tape 12-roll pack with industrial-strength adhesive. 9.4/10 $55.84 Amazon

Owner complaints and preferences

Owners frequently mention the strong adhesion and durability of the Scotch Heavy Duty Shipping Tape (B000J07BRQ), but some prefer other brands like Duck and USPS for specific uses. The tape's dispenser is praised for convenience, though some users experience issues with the tape slipping from the dispenser. The Scotch Clear Packing Tape (B000MVV6AA) is noted for its loudness when dispensed, which can be a drawback for some users.

Also-rans

The Scotch Heavy Duty Shipping Tape (B0CZ4HCPNV) and (B000087KUA) are solid choices but don't offer significant advantages over the top picks. The bulk packs (B06ZZJ3Z8C) and (B0GPZYQK94) provide convenience but are essentially the same tape as the individual rolls, just in larger quantities.

How this was put together

This guide is based on owner ratings (over 250,000 ratings across the set), expert reviews, and Reddit discussions. We did not test any products hands-on. The evidence is strongest for the Scotch Heavy Duty Shipping Tape (B000J07BRQ) and Duck HD Clear Heavy Duty Packing Tape Refill Rolls (B000GR5XCW), with thinner evidence for the other entries.