Product Review: Tartan Masking Tape

It’s been at least a year since I have purchased a roll of 2″ wide masking tape, so when I saw the prices a few months ago, I was really taken back. A name brand roll of 60 yards of tape was $5.00, while the same size in the Tartan brand was $2.70. Quite a difference in price, so I rolled the dice and purchased the Tartan masking tape.

One of my biggest beefs with masking tape is not being able to start the tape easily. My old roll will stick and tear and make a mess, wasting much of the tape in the process. The Tartan brand had an easy to start scalloped edge, that made starting the roll very easy. The tape rolled off nicely, but I do think it’s a little bit thinner than the name brand masking tape we usually purchase.

I was using the tape to put names on my daycare children’s cubbies, and my black permanent marker didn’t seem to adhere quite as nicely, and the ink didn’t look as dark as when I wrote on the name brand product, but the difference was minimal.

Tartan masking tape is made by 3M, and is marketed as an “all-purpose” masking tape for noncritical applications. I find it useful for wrapping meats for the freezer. We always buy our meat in bulk at Costco, and then repackage it into smaller bundles when we get home. I use freezer paper, and secure it with masking tape. I have found Tartan is adequate for this purpose, and so far the tape has held well even after being in the freezer for a while.

Masking tape is convenient to have around the home for so many different applications. I use it while painting and I find many uses for it when I set up my craft booth at bazaars. If I don’t happen to have a scissors handy, it’s no problem because the tape tears very easily. Masking tape can leave residue on surfaces, so you have to be careful about where you use it. I mostly use it for temporary fixes.

Considering the Tartan brand was almost 50% less than the name brand, I am very happy with it. I wasn’t sure what to expect, since I tend to associate quality with price, but I was not disappointed and will continue to purchase this brand.

3M has been making quality tapes for years. If you haven’t tried their Tartan Masking Tape, maybe it’s time to give it a try.

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