Duct tape is a miracle worker on the DIY scene. Everybody knows the name, and for good reason - it's the perfect sticky tape to use with harder-wearing materials that you really don't want to come out of place. The tape itself is durable, comes in a range of colours for easy labelling, and is simple to use.
Why is duct tape so coveted? Well, that's because it is thicker and stronger than standard clear tape - so it is much better for larger repair jobs - or for permanent fixes.
Surprisingly, this is a saturated market - and you are more than spoiled for choice. Knowing whether or not to save money on or invest in duct tape for your toolbox is equally as important as knowing whether or not to invest in your tools.
The best duct tapes at a glance:
Best duct tape overall: Gorilla Tape Black - View offer on Amazon UK
Best duct tape for dependability: Duck Tape Original Silver - View offer on Amazon UK
Best duct tape for brightness: Duck Tape Pattern Colours Rainbow - View offer on Amazon UK
Best duct tape for durability: Fixman Super Heavy Duty Duct Tape - View offer on Amazon UK
Many brands produce this remarkable material, and we're here to help you wade through the posers to find the true DIY heroes. Read on below to see our recommendations for the best duct tape available to buy right now!
Best duct tape overall
Gorilla Tape is incredibly strong, just like its namesake. A double-thickness adhesive coating that ensures a strong grip and a weather-resistant coating along the whole roll makes it a sturdy choice for any job that needs doing right.
Our thoughts: You won't be breaking the bank with this one either, which is fantastic. The sleek black roll will allow you to create some amazing DIY fixes easily, and it works on almost any surface. Incredible stuff!
Pros
- UV-resistant, waterproof coating works wonders
- Supremely powerful grip
Cons
- Black colour may be a little difficult to see
Best duct tape for dependability
Some of you may be left reeling by the revelation that it's actually DUCT tape and not DUCK tape that you've seen used all your life. Well, you can thank this titan brand for that - Duck Tape is so iconic that it became a shorthand for the entire concept of a thick, sticky roll of durable tape, and with the quality of their rolls, you can see why.
Our thoughts: This tape comes in the classic silver shining colour by default, but there are many other colours on offer if you want to mix it up. It's strong and waterproof - what more could you ask for?
Pros
- Available in a range of appealing block colours
- Tough and durable, but easy to rip by hand when placing
Cons
- Thin compared to other options
Best duct tape for brightness
Rrp: £9.49
We love this patterned duct tape! It's available in several different options, but for our money, the favourite is the rainbow waves design. It's amazingly durable and will work wonders in your DIY exploits.
Our thoughts: It's a wonderful option for customising any number of things, from backpacks to wheelchairs and anything in between. The price point is pretty solid too, which is a lovely bonus!
Pros
- Perfect for crafting
- The ideal blend of creativity and practicality
Cons
- Similarly, this one is relatively thin overall
Best duct tape for durability
Available in three shiny colours, this extra-thick duct tape is strong, highly adhesive and waterproof. It sticks really well and will be a fantastic addition to your DIY toolbox. Superb!
Our thoughts: You get a solid amount of tape in every roll, but you also need to ensure that you clean the area you intend to adhere to before sticking down the tape. It's an excellent all-rounder that excels in its sturdiness, perfect for DIY beginners and experts alike!
Pros
- Great value for money on this one
- Thin but strong, making it perfect for tricky joints
Cons
- Not as strong as some other options
Best duct tape for variety
This bumper set of six different colours can work wonders for your next DIY expedition. It's perfect for marking specific areas or even getting crafty and creating beautiful works of art with all the different colours!
Our thoughts: These rolls are easy to apply, and the different colours look amazing when they're up. It's really easy to coordinate them to your space, and you can even use the different shades to label moving boxes or storage solutions with ease! Fabulous!
Pros
- Great range of colours
- You can even upgrade to a 12-pack for even more options!
Cons
- You don't get quite as much of each colour as we'd like
Why is it called duct tape?
Well, it's a long story. Originally, duct tape was developed for the military and only came in an army green colour. Soon though, it was adapted for use on ventilation ducts, which gave it the name we know it by today. The colour was changed to the classic silver-tone we know and love in order to match the vents. Amazing!
What is the best brand of duct tape on the market?
This is a difficult question to answer, and opinions can really vary. But, there are brands that can be considered go-to or toolbox-worthy. Gorilla, Duck and 3M are the most renowned names in the duct tape game - with most people recognising Gorilla as being the best for max strength duct tape.
A common misconception that we really need to iron out is that Gorilla tape is duct tape - it's not its own entity. Gorilla tape is merely the brand.
Gaffer tape or duct tape?
It is important to note that gaffer tape is not as stretchy as duct tape and this makes it much more suitable for fixes where you need the tape to keep its shape. However, it is not as suitable for when you need to fix uneven surfaces.
Depending on the uses, the tape that is the strongest will usually be a woven or an extra thick tape such as gaffer tape. If you need to repair actual ducts or other industrial uses then foil tape could actually be the best solution.
What does duct tape not stick to?
Duct tape will have difficulty sticking to rough and/or uneven surfaces. Some examples that we can think of are concrete and stucco. Why? Well, due to the fact that duct tape has a thin adhesive layer it is only able to make contact with the higher points of a surface - and this produces a much weaker bond.
Caitlin Evans is a Content Optimisation Executive with a passion for finding the best products on the market. She specialises in identifying features that make a product stand out from the rest that will help people make informed buying decisions.