Gadgets That Will Tie Knots in Latex Balloons

People with sensitive fingers or arthritic knuckles find tying knots in balloons difficult. It's also a challenge for anyone who must inflate and knot a large number of balloons for a bouquet, a balloon arch or to decorate a large party area. Several gadgets can reduce the pain and effort of tying knots in balloons and they may make the process faster as well.

The Balloon Tool, a hand-held knotting tool, fits over the last three fingers of either hand, allowing the thumb and forefinger to grasp the balloon separately. The other hand wraps the balloon neck around the device and into a slot, then pulls on a detachable part of the tool to draw the mouth of the balloon through the knot. This motion also removes the balloon from the device. The Balloon Tool also ties string or ribbon to balloons as they're knotted. The 2010 price is about £5.

The Balloon Tie is a one-piece gadget held in one hand while the other hand wraps and notches the balloon neck. It then rolls the wrap up and off the device to create the knot. You must further tighten the knot by hand to prevent leakage. The 2010 price for the Balloon Tie is around £6.

The basic Tie-A-Balloon device fits over two to three fingers or you can mount it on the edge of a table or shelf. It uses the wrap-notch-pull technique to create a knot. The Ribbon Tie-A-Balloon works the same way but includes a slot for inserting the end of a ribbon. The ribbon is tied into the knot when the balloon is removed from the device. In 2010, both versions sell for £2.50, not including shipping and handling.

The Knot-Me balloon-tying tool is not designed for holding by hand. It attaches to a helium tank with a hook-and-loop strap. The device works by wrapping the neck of a balloon around the tool, bringing the balloon's mouth forward and into a slot, then pulling the balloon off the device to create the knot. Knot-Me includes ribbon-cutting and-curling features so you can tie ribbons to balloons as you knot them. The 2010 price for Knot-Me is about £16.

The Tie-Not was designed specifically for knotting water-filled balloons. The wand-like tool uses a variation of the wrap-notch-pull approach. It's packaged with a plastic funnel that makes it easier to get the water into the balloons. In 2010, Tie-Not sells for about £3 through selected retailers nationwide.