[Pen/Pencil Review] The Swingline SmartTouch Stapler and Swingline Premium Chisel Point Staples from Shoplet.Com
This will be a slightly different review. Shoplet.com has a program that lets office supply bloggers/reviewers get supplies from them in exchange for reviews. I thought I’d try it out. They do have guidelines for their reviews, so bear with me – that’s where it will be a bit different. Last Wednesday (2/1), after an address kerfuffle, they sent me a Swingline SmartTouch Stapler and a box of Swingline S.F. 4 Premium Chisel Point Staples. For this post I’m combining the two products – because let’s face it, what’s a cool stapler without staples to go in it, right? Both of these products can be found on Shoplet.com.
I was actually kinda excited to get the Swingline SmartTouch Stapler. I don’t staple stuff just ALL the time, but when I’ve had to staple stuff it’s either been with the old school, slam down on the table top type of standard stapler, or the teensy ones that come with “office to go” packs. Neither one are ideal – except for stress relief (the standard, slam the table ones). But, if you’re going to do a lot of stapling – packets or such – I can totally recommend the Swingline SmartTouch.
The Swingline SmartTouch is one of the ergonomically designed staplers that look odd. You can sit it on a table top like a standard stapler, but it’s more meant held and used in one hand off table. It has a rubber “comfort” grip with a finger indention on the “bottom” that gives you a solid squeeze grip. The front-loading staple magazine seems to float between the handle and the anvil (striker plate). 
What I like about it is that it’s no longer jarring to use this stapler. The design is low to no impact on the hand – you’re not slamming the magazine into the anvil on the table. But it’s also not a staple “gun” that requires you to press against a surface and pull. This stapler is designed and intended for long-term office use. The packaging claims 50% less effort in use, which I find to be absolutely true. The packaging also claims to go through 25 sheets of paper with a standard staple. I didn’t have 25 sheets of paper to test it on, but I did test it on a catalog from the mail and a magazine upwards of 25 pages – it worked as claimed without mangling the staples.
Now, a note on the Swingline Chisel Point Staples – I admit, I have never, ever given the staples much thought. Staples are the wee bit of metal that goes through the stapler. That being said, these do seem to be really good wee bits of metal. The package I received was strips of 210 staples in a 5,000 staple count. I will never have to buy staples again. The packaging also claims to have fewer jams, misfeeds, or failures. I see evidence of this being true, but I’m not sure if it’s the function of the STAPLE or the STAPLER. However, in the time I’ve used the Swingline SmartTouch Stapler with the Swingline Premium Chisel Point staples, I’ve not witnesses a single jam, misfeed, or mangled staple in the bunch. And that’s the complaint I’ve had with a lot of staples and staplers, having to redo stuff because the staple didn’t work as needed,.
There is a couple of elements that gave me pause with the Swingline SmartTouch Stapler. One, it’s really tough to load. My husband had to help me figure it out, and I’m still not sure if I remember how we did it. Yes, there is a button on the back that pops out the magazine, but then it’s stiff and difficult to fully extend. Though the staple tray is (finally) designed to hold an entire 210 count strip of staples (yay for that), we had to carefully study the mechanism to retract the mechanism. It has to be threaded back in a certain way. Then it works great… as long as you’re paying attention to which side is “up”. I’ve already shot a couple of staples into the air in tests for not paying attention to which side of the floating magazine I’d put the paper in. And it will be more expensive than a standard stapler.
To the grading!
1. How does it work? – .5 – it works well for long-term use, as long as you don’t have it upside down. It doesn’t jam easily or mangle staples. But it is hard to load.
2. Grip and feel – 1 – the grip is comfortable. The design is meant to keep the stress out of your hand and arm, and it totally accomplishes that.
3. Material – 1 it’s made of good solid metal with rubber and hard plastic accents that seem long-term durable.
4. Overall Design – 1 – I do like the upright, squeeze design of the SmartTouch Stapler. It’s easy on the hands, it does work from 2-25 pages as stated on both the stapler and the packaging. It is what it says it is.
5. Price Point – 0.5 – if you’re looking for a cheap stapler, this isn’t it. This will run a bit more expensive than a standard stapler. However, if you do a lot of stapling for whatever reason, this is worth the investment. The same with the staples. The Premium Chisel Point Staples might be a bit more expensive, but in waste? Might be worth the investment.
I give the Swingline SmartTouch Stapler and the Swingline Premium Chisel Point Staples 4 bronze pencils.
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