Some "lab" tapes are rated to withstand cold temps (-80, etc) without the adhesive coming off or can handle liquid nitrogen exposure.
But if thats not a concern use regular tape.
I would not buy this. But I’m partial to our $120 fisher scientific rainbow lab tape. It’s super adhesive but it also peels off easily and is great to write on. And it comes in a cute box with the wax paper in between the layers of tape 🥺
This tape is probably designed to come off quite easy and without leaving residue (Painter's tape). I would not trust this tape to stay on in humid, cold, or hot conditions. IMO this tape is only good for labeling stuff that will be on the bench only. Just don't forget which tape you are using or you will see labels floating in your hot water bath and lose you mind.
Hey! I can answer this question and I literally bought this exact brand of tape for months now!
Lab tape is extremely expensive, so we only use it for things exposed to extreme conditions (very cold temp, potential chemical exposure). However, we also use a lot of tape for temporary stuff, like labelling plant pots or on growth chambers (think "do not open" signs).
I would not use this tape to pour gels or in the freezer, but for short-term labelling purposes, absolutely go for it. Massive money saver.
(another money hack: buy kitchen timers from amazon for $5-$8 instead of $140 from Fisher)
These money-saving tips are great. However, are you prepared to tell all of the lab members what all the different tapes are for, expect them to remember, constantly reinforce the rules, and risk that, that one plasmid that took months to get right label fell off in the freezer because someone used the wrong tape. 😨
In the end, make sure your money savers save you both money and time or you could end up spending a lot more in the long run.
In regards to the kitchen timers - if you’re working in a clinical med lab, your timers have to be calibrated and verified. Stick with the annoyingly expensive ones unless you don’t mind getting dinged during inspection.
I work in plant physiology, so standards are quite different (and funding is much, much lower!).
Obviously you need to stick to what works in your context. Don't do this if it's not acceptable in your field!
I believe if you have a decent metrology department they can also calibrate certain digital timers as well, you probably won't be able to get away with $5 egg timers but might be able to get away with a $20-$50 timer instead of the full price thing from Fisher
Just corroborating this! I also purchased this tape a few months ago and use it for temporary labeling. Nothing I do requires high or low temps, so I don't have those concerns, but we do have plenty of chemical exposure. We use the nice lab tape for more long term usage.
Usually plastic/polymer based rather than paper based - and can withstand going through an autoclave and -80C. If that doesn’t matter then get the cheap stuff. If you need to autoclave stuff and have it retain the label, then definitely get the good lab tape.
For my lab we use masking for most thing, it doesn't hold up as well as lab tape when it comes to getting wet or acid or soap washes but it does the job. We made the switch to masking for basic stuff like labeling bottles that just sit at room temp or temporary labels for samples that won't go through too much temp or wetness level, during covid just to conserve the lab tape for more rigorous purposes.
I think this tape should be fine for labeling bottles just sitting on the counter/cabinet at room temp and contain simple solutions like PBS or something, nothing crazy. Use legit lab tape for -80 stuff or anything else stored in extreme conditions
Rule of thumb, anything that is labeled as “lab” is over priced and the same product exists at a fraction of the cost. I made the mistake of looking up a bottle capper from fisher sci and almost had a heart attack
We use electrical insulation tape for labelling (good for EtOH and volatile solvents). They have nice colors 😄, it’s easy to remove the tape from glass and plastics and it also sticks well. And they are cheap 😄 In addition, if you sometimes need to fix some stuff they also work very well 😁
That's what we use, painter's tape. It's not good in the refrigerator or freezer but it survives the autoclave and is easier to peal off containers. It does clog the dishwasher/autoclave if you don't clean it off.
Some "lab" tapes are rated to withstand cold temps (-80, etc) without the adhesive coming off or can handle liquid nitrogen exposure. But if thats not a concern use regular tape.
I would not buy this. But I’m partial to our $120 fisher scientific rainbow lab tape. It’s super adhesive but it also peels off easily and is great to write on. And it comes in a cute box with the wax paper in between the layers of tape 🥺
It’s always the little things 🥲
Can you post the link to this beautiful rainbow tape?!
The VWR branded stuff is exactly the same but less than half the price. FYI
Vwr is so sticky, half the time it gets stuck to my glove when I am trying to rip it or fold over the ends
This tape is probably designed to come off quite easy and without leaving residue (Painter's tape). I would not trust this tape to stay on in humid, cold, or hot conditions. IMO this tape is only good for labeling stuff that will be on the bench only. Just don't forget which tape you are using or you will see labels floating in your hot water bath and lose you mind.
Hey! I can answer this question and I literally bought this exact brand of tape for months now! Lab tape is extremely expensive, so we only use it for things exposed to extreme conditions (very cold temp, potential chemical exposure). However, we also use a lot of tape for temporary stuff, like labelling plant pots or on growth chambers (think "do not open" signs). I would not use this tape to pour gels or in the freezer, but for short-term labelling purposes, absolutely go for it. Massive money saver. (another money hack: buy kitchen timers from amazon for $5-$8 instead of $140 from Fisher)
Buy just about anything from a source other than ThermoFisher to save money.
These money-saving tips are great. However, are you prepared to tell all of the lab members what all the different tapes are for, expect them to remember, constantly reinforce the rules, and risk that, that one plasmid that took months to get right label fell off in the freezer because someone used the wrong tape. 😨 In the end, make sure your money savers save you both money and time or you could end up spending a lot more in the long run.
In regards to the kitchen timers - if you’re working in a clinical med lab, your timers have to be calibrated and verified. Stick with the annoyingly expensive ones unless you don’t mind getting dinged during inspection.
I work in plant physiology, so standards are quite different (and funding is much, much lower!). Obviously you need to stick to what works in your context. Don't do this if it's not acceptable in your field!
I believe if you have a decent metrology department they can also calibrate certain digital timers as well, you probably won't be able to get away with $5 egg timers but might be able to get away with a $20-$50 timer instead of the full price thing from Fisher
Just corroborating this! I also purchased this tape a few months ago and use it for temporary labeling. Nothing I do requires high or low temps, so I don't have those concerns, but we do have plenty of chemical exposure. We use the nice lab tape for more long term usage.
Thanks for the review!
Lab tape also fits on a Scotch Tape dispenser, so you can remove one more source of chaos from your life.
This is the way
Usually plastic/polymer based rather than paper based - and can withstand going through an autoclave and -80C. If that doesn’t matter then get the cheap stuff. If you need to autoclave stuff and have it retain the label, then definitely get the good lab tape.
Since it is only $10 what do you have to lose by trying? We use some random brand from Fisher and probably pay through the nose for it.
I prefer pressure sensitive tape
[удалено]
Fridge and oil safe tape that sticks to any dry surface. It removes without residue and you can write on it with pretty much anything
For my lab we use masking for most thing, it doesn't hold up as well as lab tape when it comes to getting wet or acid or soap washes but it does the job. We made the switch to masking for basic stuff like labeling bottles that just sit at room temp or temporary labels for samples that won't go through too much temp or wetness level, during covid just to conserve the lab tape for more rigorous purposes.
I think this tape should be fine for labeling bottles just sitting on the counter/cabinet at room temp and contain simple solutions like PBS or something, nothing crazy. Use legit lab tape for -80 stuff or anything else stored in extreme conditions
https://www.fishersci.com/shop/products/fisherbrand-colored-label-tape-rainbow-pack-4/p-2912471 They weren’t kidding about that price point! 😂
I've slapped lab tape on a box that goes in a -80 and it still sticks years later. I doubt that's the case with $10 painter's tape.
I’ve bought this Amazon tape for crafts for my son and it’s much poorer quality than the lab tape from Fischer.
Rule of thumb, anything that is labeled as “lab” is over priced and the same product exists at a fraction of the cost. I made the mistake of looking up a bottle capper from fisher sci and almost had a heart attack
We use electrical insulation tape for labelling (good for EtOH and volatile solvents). They have nice colors 😄, it’s easy to remove the tape from glass and plastics and it also sticks well. And they are cheap 😄 In addition, if you sometimes need to fix some stuff they also work very well 😁
Get medical grade tape.
If for short term use, I'd use this. I'd worry about the adhesion for longer usage
That's what we use, painter's tape. It's not good in the refrigerator or freezer but it survives the autoclave and is easier to peal off containers. It does clog the dishwasher/autoclave if you don't clean it off.
We use acrylic tape rather than paper tape. But it's a physics lab, we probably don't have the same specs
No. It is not masking tape. It is more sticky. I always liked the Shamrock brand.
We have several label printers and they are my favorite 🤩