This week for my 1-minute tool review brought to you by Cool Tools, I’ve got gaffer tape from Gaffer Power. I’ve got two flavors here, Gaffer Power Gaffer Tape 2 Inch X 30 Yards  and Gaffer Power Gaffer Tape 3 Inch X 30 Yards. 

Gaffer tape is a cloth-backed tape, similar to duct tape, but more expensive and harder to find. It gets its name from movie set lighting electricians known as gaffers. These people spend their days on location taping down cables to prevent them from getting tugged or tripped on. But the next day, equally important, they need to be able to peel away the tape without leaving behind a sticky mess on the set, or on their cables.

The magic thing about gaffer tape is that it comes away clean. So it’s almost like painters tape, but with the strength of duct tape. And if you’ve ever peeled up old duct tape, you know what a gross mess it leaves behind.

What I also love about this tape is that you can easily tear it by hand, and the cloth backing keeps your tears square. You also get straight tears lengthwise, which can be useful for making small labels.

And that’s the other great thing about gaffer tape — the matte cloth backing is easy to write on and non-reflective. So if you pick up a bright color like white, yellow, or pink, labels really stand out.

Now, per yard, this tape is about 4x as expensive as duct tape. This 30-yard, 2-inch wide roll sells for $17. This 3-inch roll sells for around $23. The wider roll is better at tapeing down bundles of cables, but is also great for tearing 3-inch vertical strips that are often just enough for what you need.

For what it’s worth. I ordered the 2-inch roll first and it came with a 25% coupon from Gaffer Power I could redeem on Amazon for the 3-inch roll. So, I basically got these for the same price.

You too can cultivate your fine taste for gaffer tape by using the link in the video description here, and by doing so you help to support this show and the Cool Tools blog and podcast. And remember, you can see thousands of reader-recommended tools just like this at cool-tools.org.

Update 5/25/18:

My crush on gaffer tape has blossomed into a full romance. I reach for it more often than not, unless I’m wrapping a present. It’s my duct tape, my electrical tape, and labeling tape. I use it to hold pieces together for gluing them up. I use loops of it for backing tape when I want to temporarily attach things without leaving a residue.

At this point, I’m a gaffer tape evangelist. I buy it for friends and family for Christmas. It belongs in every garage and every workshop. When asked what my favorite tool is, I’ve been known to say “gaffer tape”. So there you go. Buy it and be transformed.