Office Equipment Review: Swingline Optima 20 Electric Three Hole Punch

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Easily punches holes in paper without any effort from you

Cons: A bit on the pricey side.

The Bottom Line: 

Quickly punches sheets

With the press of a finger

It's just so easy

I've Met an Electronic Three Hole Punch and Life Will Never be the Same

Over the years, I have used a lot of things to punch holes in paper.  I started with a single hole bunch and binder paper as a guide.  Then I transitioned to a manual three hole puncher and then a lever one.  I thought both of those were cool at the time.  But now that I’ve met the Swingline Optima 20 Electric Three Hole Punch, there is no going back.

This machine is just what it sounds like.  It’s about twice the size of a traditional hand three hole puncher, but it’s so much more powerful with less work from me.  It’s mostly gray with a black area on top to activate the punching and a clear area at the bottom to collect the punched paper.

Since this is electric, it needs a power source.  It comes with an electric cord (check your Styrofoam).  That means you need to keep it plugged in near an electric outlet.  If that doesn’t work for you, you can use 6 AA batteries to power it.

To punch holes, simply slip them into the machine.  It can handle up to 20 pages at a time.  Put in more, and you’ll hear the motor really working.  I don’t recommend it.  It’s hard to put in more than that anyway because the opening will keep you from slipping in too many more.  It can also cause a problem if you are trying to punch something with several staples in it since they increase the width of the stack of papers.  Just take the staples out and you’re good to go.

There is a paper stop at the bottom of the machine that will align the holes perfectly. And you can gently press the paper in until it hits the back.  Still worried that the holes won’t be in the right spot?  There are small orange markers in the front of the machine that indicate where the holes will go.  Really, they couldn’t make it any easier for you.

So, the paper is in and you’re ready to punch?  Just press on the center of the large black area on the top of the machine.  You’ll hear the whirl of the motor and then three successive punches.  It takes just about two seconds, and then you’ll hear the motor shut off.  It’s done.  Take out your newly holed paper and you’re ready to go.

I mentioned earlier that the punched paper collects in a clear area.  That makes it easy to see when you need to empty it.  The clear plastic cover flips up, and you can dump it right into your garbage or recycling.  Depending on how full you let it get, you might want to have the can ready to go because as soon as it open it, the holes could start spilling out.

This sound basic, and it really is that easy.  The machine does the hard work of creating the holes, and all you have to do is get the paper in correctly.  And it’s so easy to keep an eye on the paper waste that is building up so you are never guessing when it needs to be emptied.

The downside is that, at roughly $120, it is expensive.  But if you do a lot of three hole punching, it is completely worth it.

If you try to punch too many pages at a time, the drillers will retract and you’ll be left with non-punched or partially punched pages.  Unfortunately, that can also leave paper residue in the back of the machine that keeps you from getting pages in correctly.  (Not that I’m speaking from experience or anything.)  You’ll have to go in and dig out the paper by hand.  There is no easy way to open up the machine and get at it.  Then again, I’ve had to do that more times than I care to admit with the manual three hole punchers.

Swingline's Optima 20 Electric Three Hole Punch falls into the category of items I didn’t know existed but I absolutely had to have.  It’s wonderful.  There is no going back.

Office Supply Review: Smead Desk File A-Z

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Quickly and easily holds stuff in alphabetical order

Cons: Could expand more and hold up better to heavy use.  Storage issues.

The Bottom Line: 

Despite some issues

Great quick way to sort and store

Paper for short time

Perfect for Temporary Storage in Alphabetical Order

I have no idea how my office found and started using Smead's Deluxe Indexed Desk File, but it’s invaluable for us for holding invoices.

These files are fairly simple when you look at them.  They’re just over letter size, so most standard pieces of paper would fit into them.  There are twenty tabs on the top from left to right.  Most of these tabs have one letter of the alphabet on them, but a few of the lesser popular letters are bunched together.  I and J are coupled up as are U and V, for example.

The idea behind these files is that you can sort and store documents in alphabetical order in a draw.  We use this for our unpaid invoices.  That way, if you need to find something quickly, just go to the tab and pull it up.  I pull the back up once we’ve run checks, and it’s very easy to find them.  Plus, you don’t have to put them in alphabetical order before you file, just grab the top one and add it to the appropriate slot.  This could also be used for customer invoices that have not been paid.  Employee information could be put here until it is properly processed and filed and still be easy to find.  The uses for these sorter files are quite extensive.

However, they do have some drawbacks.  While they do expand some, they don’t grow much beyond six inches think.  And when you realize they are three inches think to start with, that’s really not that much space.  Actually, we have two folders, one for each half of the alphabet.  Even then, if the bills come in too quickly, they can be bursting at the seams.

That’s another issue.  The accordion nature of the files is rather weak.  These seem to last for about two years of daily use several times a day, and then you need to replace them.  For the price of roughly $15, that isn’t too bad, but it would be nice if they lasted longer.

Finally, the files need some form of support.  You either need to wedge them in a draw or find a place to lay them flat.  They are too thick for most file folders and don’t come with hangers to hang them in a file cabinet.  Then again, they are usually so heavy they would probably break most hangers quickly.

These complaints can be annoying at times, but if you have a need for filing and sorting material temporarily, Smead's Deluxe Indexed Desk File is invaluable.  There really is no good substitute, and they make life much easier.

Office Supply Review: Casio DL-200L Adding Machine

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Adds my numbers and gives me a tape for backup

Cons: Screen could be brighter; bottom row of keys (unless it's operator error).

The Bottom Line:

Accountant's best friend

Reliably adds numbers

With a tape backup

Let Me Add Up My Thoughts on This Machine For You

For an accountant, my math skills are, well, not the best.  I cannot add numbers in my head, for example.  Multiplication and Division without paper and pencil are out.  That's why I'd be lost without my adding machine, the Casio DL-200L.

Frankly, the plethora of models out there confuse me.  I mean, there are only a certain number of things I need my adding machine to do.  It even looks like this particular model is hard to find since Casio has replaced it with a "newer" model.  Why do we need all the choices?  For example, I need a keyboard with all the numbers.  Yes, this one has that, and it's centered in the middle of the machine.  The add, subtract, multiply, and divide buttons are all prominently placed and easy to hit.  It's got buttons to clear everything or just back up a number or two.

I actually inherited my machine when a co-worker left, so I have never had the instruction book with mine.  I know, for example, that mine has a memory function, but I have never bothered trying to figure it out.

I'm not sure why you would need to use the memory function since one feature of an adding machine is the tape.  Every item you input gets printed on a tape for future reference.  When you subtract something, it even shows up on the tape in red.  You can have the machine count the number of items you've added together and print that on the tape as well.  Or, you can always chose to not have the machine print a tape at all.  I use that tape all the time to add some numbers and compare them to ones I was just working with.  The printing function on my first machine died a few months before I wound up with this one, and I was lost without the tape.

Another feature of adding machines is the decimal system.  I set mine to always show two places after a decimal point, but not to automatically insert the decimal for me.  My boss, on the other hand, insists that the only way to use an adding machine is to have the machine insert the decimal for you two places in to every number you type.  I tried it for a while, and it threw me off.  But this machine has both options in case you want them.  You can even have it show up to six decimals on every number you enter.  And you can set it to round up extra decimal numbers always up or at the 5/4 split.

In addition to the tape, there is a display that will show up to 12 digits at a time.  That's all I usually need.  The display could be a bit brighter, but I can still see it in my office.

I have seen a few models that are slightly smaller.  This one is over a foot long and almost a foot wide, so it does take up its share of desk space.  But even newer models are just as big, so it's hard to complaint about that.

My only real frustration with the adding machine is the bottom row of keys.  The 1, 2, and 3 keys don't always register when I hit them.  I didn't notice this problem when I first got this machine.  And if I make sure I hit the keys, they register.  It's only when I'm not really paying attention that these numbers drop out occasionally.  I think it's probably more operator error than anything else, but it does frustrate me.

That small issue aside, I still appreciate my Casio DL-200L adding machine.  It allows me to do the work I need to do quickly and provides tape backup so I can figure out where any issues might be if the totals don't agree.  That's all I need from my adding machine, so I'm happy.

Office Supply Review: BIC Round Stic Ball Pen

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Perfect ink flow and comfortable to hold

Cons: Disposable

The Bottom Line:

Comfortable pen

Ink flow is always perfect

Hands off!  Get your own

Good Luck Getting My Grip off This Pen

I am a brand loyalist.  When I find something I like, I stick with it forever, and only switch if I absolutely have no other choice.  (Imagine the reaction I got when I bought a different brand of shoes after wearing the same style for 10 years.)  But I don't normally care about pens.  I'll use whatever is handy and buy whatever is cheapest.  So you can imagine my surprise to find a pen I really like.

And I'd love to say it was because of awesome research, but that's not the case.  We started using the BIC Round Stic Ball Pen at work.  As a result, I use this pen every day, and I am pretty happy with it.

The pen itself isn't that different from a normal pen.  It's a four inch long clear cylinder made out of plastic.  A cap fits snuggly on both ends, so if you aren't writing you don't get ink on things but when you are writing you don't lose the cap.  If you push the cap on too hard, it can be rather hard to take it off again, but there's really no need to do that.  The cap stays on if you've put it on with any effort at all.  At the writing end of the pen is a rubber grip to make it easier on your hand to hold the pen.  I don't use the pen enough to know for sure if it helps or not, but it does feel nicer than standard plastic when I grab the pen.

These pens come in multiple colors like red, blue, and black.  At my office, we stick with boring old black.  We also get the fine point pen, which I love.  My hand writing is small as it is, and if the tip of the pen I am using is too big, it tends to make my already sloppy penmanship even worse.  (Really, it's the pen's fault.)

I use my pen in bits and pieces throughout the day, and the ink is always ready to flow.  It comes out perfectly with no globs or messes.  I don't even think about it like I do fancier pens; I just grab it and write.

This pen is absolutely disposable; in fact, I'm not sure you can get the little stopper off the back to get into the pen.  In these days of environmentalism, it does bother me a bit to just throw away a pen when I'm done with it.  On the other hand, since you can buy 12 packs for roughly 20 cents a pen or less, I don't feel too badly about it.

Now I'll admit most of my writing is done on a computer these days, so I'm probably not the best just of how long the ink will last.  But I do use the pen at least once a day and usually more.  I am on the same pen I've been using for the last year.  Obviously, there's plenty of ink here no matter how much you use this pen.

I've actually started buying the BIC Round Stic Ball Pen for home and my car as well.  They work better than anything else I've found.  So maybe I do have a brand loyalty for pens now, too.

Office Supply Review: Paper Mate Write Bros. Pens

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Cheap, work

Cons: Cheaply made as a result

The Bottom Line:

Cheaply made and priced

Value for money is great

But still average

For the Price These Pens are Good.  But They Aren’t My Favorite

There are a wide variety of pens on the market, but Paper Mate seems to have cornered the market on the cheap pens.  Their Write Bros. Stick Medium Tip Ballpoint Pens are everywhere.  They do the job and are cheap, but they aren’t anything special.

The reason these are so popular is the price.  A box of 12 is under $4.  Seriously, how can you go wrong with that?  And they work.  I had one I was using for over four months before it ran out of ink.  For the price, less than a third of a dollar per pen, that’s a great deal.

The problem is, these pens are nothing fancy.  The outside is hard plastic the color of the ink.  These are black, but they also come in blue and red.  The problem with the hard plastic is that when you are writing something long (like a government form), the pen becomes uncomfortable quickly.

The pens have a cap held on by friction.  They stick hard to the side the actual pen is on, which is a good thing.  After all, you don’t want to accidentally get ink on things, right?  However, sometimes, the cap has gotten so stuck on the pen it’s almost impossible to get it off.  The cap will slip onto the other side when you are writing.  It drops into place securely, but not quite as firmly as on the writing side.

Another mark against these pens is the ink flow.  Once you get the ink flowing, the pens work fine.  But if you haven’t used them for an hour or to, it takes a squiggle or two to get them going again.

Since the sides are hard plastic, you can’t see how much ink is left in the pen.  As a result, a few times, I’ve had to make sure it was out of ink and not just a case of the ink not flowing any more.

Really, for the price, what do you expect?  You get what you pay for, and the value is certainly good.  But on the whole, I find Paper Mate's Write Bros. Pens to be average.