The Best Self-Inking Stamp | 2023

Dealing with an ink pad for stamps can be a frustrating experience. For one, the ink can be messy and get all over your fingers and papers. The open ink pad can also dry up, leaving the stamp useless till you get more ink. A great solution to use instead is a self-inking stamp. As the name suggests, the stamp inks itself; with a spring-loaded stamp body, the stamp rotates directly onto an internal ink pad for each use. This way of inking the stamp is quick, clean and easy to use.

Some people confuse self-inking stamps with pre-inked stamps. While they sound similar, they are actually not the same. Self-inking stamps typically use water-based ink while pre-inked stamps use oil-based ink. Usually, a self-inking stamp can be used about 10,000 times before it requires a replacement inkpad, and is a more economical option for many people. Pre-inked stamps, while more costly than self-inking stamps, can be used about 50,000 times before they need to be re-inked.

Self-inking stamps are most commonly used for business purposes. In some industries, paper documents are still commonplace. Some processes require paper documents to receive certain approvals or messages, which employees can use stamps for instead of writing out notes by hand. Self-inking stamps are a great idea when business processes require employees to note the same text on a large amount of documents in a short amount of time. The text on self-inking stamps can be customized based on your business needs. Usually, there is room for between one and three lines of text on a self-inking stamp.

• One of the most important aspects to think about when getting a self-inking stamp is what text you want it to have. The goal of a self-inking stamp is to save time and energy in handwriting the same information multiple times, for example, “This document is approved,” or “This permit is cancelled.” Some people also use self-inking stamps for their mailing address or contact information. Depending on the business process you’re using the stamp for, be sure to carefully consider what you need to stamp to print.
• Many self-inking stamps can accommodate between one and three lines of text. Each line can accommodate a certain number of characters. To ensure your message fits properly and displays the way you want it to, it’s best to write it out a few times in different ways by hand to see what will work best for your stamp.
• If you will need the self-inking stamp for heavy use, it’s best to check how long the internal ink pad will last. Some stamps actually have a double-sided ink pad so it lasts longer. Others come with replaceable ink pads so you can easily switch the old one out for a new one.
• While black is a common ink color for stamps, some self-inking stamps have other options such as blue, red, green, yellow, brown and purple. Consider what color ink will be best for the purpose of your self-inking stamp. For example, if the stamp denotes an approval for a process, you may want to consider green ink; if a stamp denotes a cancellation or rejection for a process, you may want to consider red ink.