Tabbers

The number of tabs depends on the mailpiece design, fold style, size, and mailing requirements. A small folded piece may need one tab, while larger or more open pieces may need two or three. Before buying, review the mailpieces you prepare most often. Newsletters, folded brochures, invoices, and self-mailers may not all use the same tabbing setup. A machine with more flexible tab options can help if your mail designs change. For larger mailing work, high volume tabbing machines may be a better fit than a basic tabletop option.

Check tab size, roll format, adhesive type, material, and machine compatibility. Some tabbers require specific tabs, while others work with paper, clear, or translucent roll tabs. A supply mismatch can cause feeding problems, poor placement, or wasted tabs. Also think about how visible the tab should be on the finished mailpiece. Clear tabs may be less noticeable, while white paper tabs may be easier to see. For recurring mail jobs, supply availability matters as much as machine speed. Review roll tabs for tabbing machines before choosing a machine.

Speed should match your real mailing volume, not just the highest number listed for a machine. A small office preparing occasional mailers may not need a high-speed tabber. A mailroom, print shop, or marketing department handling larger campaigns should consider pieces per hour, feeder capacity, setup time, and how often jobs repeat. Faster machines are useful only when the rest of the workflow can keep up. If folding, feeding, or sorting is slow, a faster tabber alone may not solve the problem. Look at the full mailing process before choosing.

Accurate tab placement helps keep folded mailpieces secure, clean, and consistent. Poor placement can make mail look messy, cause sealing problems, or slow down handling. Before buying, check how the machine controls tab position, media alignment, and tab sensitivity. If your team handles different mailpiece sizes, quick adjustments and repeatable settings become more important. Operator training also matters. A good machine should make the setup clear enough to reduce wasted tabs and spoiled mailpieces. For repeated campaigns, small placement errors can become expensive when they happen across hundreds or thousands of pieces.