The Staples Better Binder

Our friends over at Staples recently contacted us in regards to a pretty interesting product called the Staples Better Binder, and with a name like that, you might be wondering what exactly makes it “better” than other binders.  Luckily the fine folks at Staples sent us over a sample of the Better Binder to get a hands on look at what makes this binder stand out from the rest.

Staples Better Binder with Removable D-Ring Binding and Hanging File Convertability

So as you can see above, the metal binding rod that the D-rings of this binder are attached to can be removed from the spine of the binder.  This feature alone is nice, considering I’ve seen my fair share of binders that have either had the mechanics of the rings compromised, or the binder itself has had its hinges cracked or otherwise been destroyed.  The removable rings make it easy to solve this problem without scrapping the entire binder, which makes this a little more environmentally friendly.  The REAL unique feature here though is hidden at each end of the D-ring binding.

The Staples Better Binder with Hanging File Adapters Extended

At each end of the D-ring metal binding, there is a small plastic tab that slides out which serves two purposes:

1st – When the tabs are slid out, it disengages the entire binding mechanism from the plastic spine of the binder, allowing the complete and easy removal of the contents of your binder.  As I mentioned before, this is a great option should any part of your binder become damaged.

AND…here is the really cool part:

2nd – When those tabs are extended to release the metal rings from the binder, they also serve as a way to take the entire bar and attached contents and drop it straight into a filing cabinet drawer with your other hanging files.  Now instead of needing to store entire binders, you can simply swap the contents of the binder out and into a more efficient storage space, while limiting the number of binders you need to keep stacked around your desk/office.

Staples Better Binder Rings Label for Hanging File Conversion

The innovative product designers from Staples also came up with this nice little touch on the back side of the binder rings where it will be exposed once you put them in a hanging file cabinet…they slapped on a writable label so you can quickly and easily identify the contents of the binder that you just turned into a hanging file.

Replacement binder rings for your Better Binder are also obviously available from Staples, at a pretty reasonable price for this unique office supply item.

In addition to the super cool option to easily convert your binder contents into hanging files, there are a few other nice features with these binders, including:

-Heavy duty construction.  Both the covers and the spine are a thick sturdy plastic instead of the usual vinyl coated cardboard that usually doesn’t hold up to every day use.

-Rubberized edges.  The edges of the spine where the covers connect are made from what seems to be a very durable yet flexible rubbery material that I believe will keep the seams from splitting over time.  This feature and the heavy duty covers are essential on a binder like this since it is designed to be re-usable and will likely have a longer lifespan than traditional binders.

-Spine label with window.  Instead of slapping a label on the outside of the spine, there is a clear window on the spine that lets you label the contents of your binder under a clear protective window, which again is a nice touch to make sure that your reusable binder shell is going to be usable for as long as possible.

The Staples Better Binder Removable Ring Binders are a pretty innovative upgrade to your standard office binder.  Not only do they make for better and more efficient storage, but they can help to reduce waste through their replaceable components and highly durable (ie. long lasting) construction.  Considering how hard it is to innovate in a field like office supplies where items have been around for decades without much change, Staples has really raised the bar with this product, and I bet that wasn’t easy. 😉

©2016, Brian Greene. All rights reserved.