Swingline Worx Half Strip Stapler: Light and Effective

What is the first thing that comes to mind when I say "Office Supply"? Most of you would probably answer "stapler." That's why I decided to write a review on the stapler we use in our Brentwood office, the green Swingline Worx Half Strip Stapler.

As you can tell by its name, the Swingline Worx Half Strip Stapler can contain half a strip of staples. There is honestly room for more, but the metal spacer is too big. If they cut the metal spacer in half, you'd have room for 3/4 a strip of staples. Personally, I like using the half strip because I find that other staplers get jammed up when there is a whole strip inside. Then again, I have never had a problem with the dispensing of staples with this stapler, so the length might not make any difference.

Since the Swingline Worx Half Strip Stapler is made primarily out of plastic, it is very light. The only metal on the stapler is the chute that holds the staples, the pad that you staple on, and the staples themselves. The entire base is hollowed beige plastic with a rubber stopper that holds the stapler in place. Covering the stapler chute and spring is a translucent plastic cover in the color of your choice. There are three different colors to choose from: green, blue or rust. We have the green one.

The Swingline Worx Half Strip Stapler also has a "Built-In Staple Remover." Don't get your hopes up too high on this one, folks. I had no idea what the title was talking about, and I searched the stapler for signs of a staple remover. I finally noticed a small, tail-like feature on the back of the stapler. It is rounded and slopes down until it is nearly flat. This is your staple remover. I tried it. You slip the flat end under the staple and push until the staple bends up the slope and finally pops off. I tried it... and subsequently tore the three papers I stapled together. This is a lousy staple remover, and not something that should be considered a "feature." Therefore, I remove one star from its rating.

This stapler is very durable. I have dropped it many times, and have yet to break it. Since it is less than $10 (purchased for $7.89), it's affordable enough to replace, should that become necessary.

Loading the Swingline Worx Half Strip Stapler is easy. Just lift the top up, put half a strip of staples in, and close the top until you hear a click. That's all that it takes to load the stapler. I have never had a problem with staples getting jammed or popping up.

You can use this stapler either on a table or by squeezing it in your hand. I have noticed, however, that one of the prongs wraps a little too tightly when I use the stapler on the desk, thus poking out through the sheet and causing a hazard to the person reading the papers that are stapled together. I prefer squeezing it in my hand to avoid this.

For a small stapler, the Swingline Worx Half Strip Stapler packs a pretty good punch. I stapled through 27 pages with just one staple and it held together nicely. 28 pushes it a little bit. 30 pages causes the bottom sheets to hang off. I attempted to staple those sheets together for the purpose of this review. I only staple together a few sheets at a time, so the Swingline Worx Half Strip Stapler suits my needs just fine.

Overall, the Swingline Worx Half Strip Stapler is a good little stapler. If you're looking for something for light stapling that looks nice, this is definitely the stapler for you. Just make sure that you buy a separate staple remover.