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Staples Stationery helps you Budget for your business
THE STAPLER STORYAccording to popular opinion, the word stapler was first used around 1910. But people have been using all kinds of gadgets for pinning down paper and other items long before then.
When you open your next bottle of bubbly, that wire cage on the top of the cork will have been put on by a French stapler under quite a different name – une agrafeuse. Which takes us smoothly to the mid-18th century, when Louis XV of France is said to have had a kind of paper-fastening machine. This used handmade staples, each bearing the king's emblem.
By Public Demand
Paper use was growing, and by the 19th century several inventors in America had come up with mechanisms to pin paper together. In the 1860s Joan Barbour was granted a patent for a bendable metal fastener – the equivalent of the staple we use today.
And In 1879, George W McGill was awarded a patent for McGill's Single-Stroke Staple Press. It weighed nearly 3lbs! It not only cut and inserted the wire into the paper, it also bent the ends over. You could say it was the forerunner of the modern stapler.
Other fasteners/staplers invented around the same time, included the Acme and Hotchkiss machines, but it wasn't until the turn of the century that staplers were mass produced.
Businesses recognised how useful they could be, but staplers were still quite expensive. It is said that some companies thought that one stapler was enough for an office with 500 people!
Select a Stapler
Today, whether we're at home or in the office, no one would be without a staple. If you're looking to buy one, we have put together a quick review of staplers to help you choose.
Rexel Ecodesk compact stapler
Praised for its no-frills functionality and price, the Rexel Stapler also has handy grooves underneath for your fingers, in case you need to staple something while holding the stapler (instead of just having it on a desk).
5 Star stapler, half-strip
Named after the fact that it holds half a strip of staples. 5 Star is known for its 'own brand' stationery products: unfussy goods for straightforward consumers. This stapler follows that template, a practical item that does what it's supposed to.
5 Star stapler, half-strip with metal top and base
With a metal top and base, this 5 Star stapler is a bit sturdier than other models. It's top-loaded and can staple through 20 sheets of 80 GSM paper. Unlike some other models, this stapler is meant for desk use, not designed to be held aloft.
Rexel Bambi stapler
Bambi by name, Bambi by nature. This multi-coloured Rexel stapler is really quite small, suitable for the pocket or handbag if you're on the go. Because it's tiny, it uses special Bambi staples, up to 55 of them.
Rapesco 545 stapler
A full-size stapler, the Rapesco 545 is popular, even though some our users say it can be temperamental – occasionally it gets in a huff and jams. But with an all-metal structure, it's understandable that people will put up with the occasional hiccough in exchange for product longevity.
Rapesco 545 Rexel Gemini stapler in metallic blue
Rexel's metallic blue Gemini, if you can get hold of one, seems to be popular not only for its colour, but also its non-slip base and built-in staple remover. Just goes to show that if you have a stapler you love, hold onto it – you may not get another one.
Blue 5 Star half-strip stapler in plastic
5 Star continues to show why it's a popular brand, with another low-price, general-purpose stapler. Really, the reason to buy this stapler over other 5 Star half-strip staplers is cosmetic. If you don't like coloured staplers, or blue ones, perhaps look somewhere else.
Rapesco 545 Rapid half-strip stapler
Another company and challenger has entered the fight for 'good budget stapler'. Praise for Rapid's stapler isn't gushing, merely praising the fact that it does the job and that it feels solid. Good criteria for buying a stapler? Absolutely.
5 Star 26/6 staples. A pack of 5000
Whatever stapler you buy, make sure you stock up on staples. Remember that not all staples will fit properly in all staplers, so do your research before you buy. A reliable staple brand that works across many types of staplers, 5 Star is a very popular choice. And with 5,000 staples in this pack, you're unlikely to need to re-stock soon.