7 Best Staple Removers in 2020

After more than 11 hours of research and testing, we believe that the best staple remover that you can buy today is the Bostitch Professional Magnetic Easy staple remover. It focuses heavily on ergonomics with a contoured grip and a push-type mechanism that can remove dozens of staples in under a minute. It even has a magnetic underside to catch stray staples for good measure.

Choosing the best staple remover could mean the difference between torn pages and a clean break each and every time. There are many styles of staple removers, most notably your classic jaw grip and push-type removers. Our evaluation focused on speed and scale, safety, and ease of use. Keep reading to learn more about the Bostitch Professional Magnetic Easy Staple Remover and the others that met our strict grading criteria.

Top 7 Best Staple Removers

 #1  Bostitch Professional Magnetic Easy Staple Remover

Award: TOP PICK

WHY WE LIKE IT: This is the best ergonomic staple remover due to a push-style mechanism and a comfortable rubber handle, working great for people with limited hand dexterity.

This push-style staple remover works very quickly. Simply slide the extended metal point beneath the staple and slide your finger forward to collect the staple. While testing, we were easily able to remove 10 staples from seven bounded sheets of paper in less than 20 seconds.

We love this Bostitch staple remover’s smooth rounded edge, which does not pinch or tear paper like some claw staple removers. A tiny magnetic pad on the underside also helps grab multiple staples for quick disposal. Kudos for its rounded tip, which can also double as a box opener. This staple remover would be a great addition to your office.

 #2  Clipco Staple Remover

Award: HONORABLE MENTION

WHY WE LIKE IT: This staple remover comes in a pack of six in an assortment of colors, making it a great choice for classrooms and offices, with each offering a smooth hinge and a spring for leverage.

This staple remover uses metal-plated teeth to clamp down onto staples and remove them using palm and finger pressure. A hinge and springs also apply additional leverage. Thanks to a six-pack of assorted colors (two pink, two black, and two blue), these can be easily distributed in a home, office, or classroom.

While testing, this staple remover’s jaws easily clamped onto 10-sheet stacks of paper, with a quick jerk of the wrist removing them within two seconds. Very rarely did we have to twist the staple remover for leverage. Aligning the bottom of the tooth to each staple needs a bit better hand dexterity than our #1 pick Bostitch Professional Magnetic Easy Staple Remover. While you’re increasing your productivity in your office, take a look at our list of the best office stools.

 #3  1InTheOffice Claw Staple Remover (3-Pack)

Award: BEST FOR THICK STACKS OF PAPER

WHY WE LIKE IT: This staple lifter has claw-like contractions to “jaw” staples off and come in a three-pack, making it a great choice for people who remove staples from thick stacks of paper.

Like the #2 Clipco Staple Remover, this staple remover uses a claw attached to two ergonomic plastic grips to secure the thumb and forefinger. Two teeth each clamp to a staple for a quick pullout. While testing, we were easily able to extract staples from 20 10-paper stacks in less than a minute with some light wrist action.

This claw staple remover works great for removing staples from thick stacks of paper. A smooth hinge and springs open and closes easily with no snagging. Our only knock is that its thick claws could create small tears in paper from time to time if not used properly. It’s a little more brusque than push-style staple removers like our #1 pick Bostitch Professional Magnetic Easy Staple Remover. You may want to use this while seated in your best office chair, which will offer you the best ergonomics.

 #4  Ktrio Staple Remover

Award: BEST ERGONOMIC DESIGN

WHY WE LIKE IT: This inexpensive staple remover comes with a push-style mechanism and a magnetic pick-up, great for people who prefer a more comfortable tool than jaw style staple removers.

This ergonomic staple remover is very quick. While testing, we were easily able to clear staples from 20 20-paper stacks without tearing in under a minute. Simply slide its exposed steel tongue under your staple, push the remover forward, and watch the staple become loose onto the wand for quick disposal.

We love this staple remover’s underside magnetic pickup, which catches several loose staples at a time. This makes it easier to dispose of and prevent your desk from getting cluttered. It also comes in a pack of three, where it is nice to have a few handy in case one gets lost. Now you won’t have to worry about cluttering your most comfortable office chair with staples.

 #5  MROCO 126 Staple Remover

Award: BEST FOR CARDBOARD BOXES

WHY WE LIKE IT: This staple remover comes with a pull-down mechanism and no-slip grip, making it a great choice for more intensive staple removal jobs on carpet, floors, and furniture.

We love this staple remover for tough jobs thanks to its thick curved and non-slip rubber handle, which allows users to place a lot more leverage for thicker staples. While testing, we were easily able to clear staples off four stacks of plywood and five layers of carpet in less than thirty seconds.

This floor staple remover is very easy to use. Like our #4 pick Ktrio Staple Remover, simply slide the metal tongue tip beneath the staple and palm the handle downward to remove. We were very impressed with its overall build quality. If you want something else to add to your office, take a look at the best office chair cushion.

 #6  Swingline 37201 Heavy-Duty Staple Remover

Award: BEST FOR WEAK HANDS

WHY WE LIKE IT: This staple remover comes with a sharply contoured handle and spring-loaded lever for leverage, a great choice for people who have limited hand strength.

Like our #5 pick MROCO 126 Staple Remover, this staple remover comes with a large and thick stainless steel handle for leverage. It also uses a thick metal tongue that slips underneath staples for quick removal. During testing, we cleared 15 staples off 10-sheet stacks of paper in under 30 seconds, which we were very impressed with.

Unlike our #1 pick #1 Bostitch Professional Magnetic Easy Staple Remover, this metal staple remover does not have magnetized ends to catch stray staples nor a wand to keep staples held firmly in place for disposal. It is a simple inexpensive tool with little frills other than a strong leverage handle.

 #7  Charles Leonard Heavy Duty Staple Remover

Award: BEST ON A BUDGET

WHY WE LIKE IT: This inexpensive staple remover comes in a jaw-style with wide plastic handles and a spring mechanism to draw staples out.

This staple remover works very similarly to our #3 pick, the 1InTheOffice Claw Staple Remover. Two ergonomic plastic grips for the thumb and cover surround two sets of teeth, which dig into staples and pulls them out for leverage. It is also very fast and efficient, as during testing it easily cleared 15 floor and carpet staples in less than 30 seconds.

Note, unlike our #3 pick, the 1InTheOffice Claw Staple Remover, these do not come in a multi-pack, but are sold individually. However, these are inexpensive enough not to leave a dent in your pocket.

How We Decided

In determining the best staple remover to buy, we explored speed and scale, safety (does it capture the staple), and ease of use.

Speed and scale are very important. There are two types of staple removers – fang/toothed and push-type. Fanged removers use sharp teeth that slide under the staple to straighten and remove. Push down staple removers use a metal tongue under the staple that’s slipped across and removed onto a wand. The latter offers greater efficiency at the expense of leverage.

Fang type staple removers work better for thicker stacks of staples paper and harder to reach areas like carpets, wood, and floors. It also works nicely with shipping package staples, which are larger than your average paper staple.

In our testing, we strived for a minimum of ten staples removed from ten stacks of paper in under 20 seconds. We felt this was an acceptable test of most people’s patience.

Safety is a key consideration. Teeth and wands from staple removers should capture staples well. In many cases, they will even include magnetized ends to catch stray staples for easy disposal.

Best Staple Remover Buyer’s Guide

The Most Important Features to Consider

1. Speed and Scale
   For testing, we strive for a minimum of ten staples removed from ten stacks of paper in under 20 seconds. There are two types of staple removers – push type and fanged/toothed staple removers. The former is easier to use, with a small metal tongue that is slipped underneath the staple for quick extract. The latter uses plastic grips and teeth to apply leverage, and more likely to create small tears in the paper. In this case, leverage is exchanged for efficiency and caring for the paper.
2. Safety
   Staple removers should do an excellent job of capturing the staple. They should come off clean and remain within the teeth or within the wand (push-type) for quick disposal. There should also be ample space between the end of your forefinger and the gripping surface to avoid getting nicked.
3. Ease of Use
   Many staple removers are designed for minimal leverage (push-type) and others have non-slip rubberized or stainless steel contoured handles that allow folks to apply palm pressure in removing staples. Either way, speed, and scale are of focus here.

Staple Remover FAQs

What is a staple remover called?

There are many alternative names given to staple removers, including staple lifter, staple puller, and staple extractor. Our personal favorite is staple remover as we feel it is the quickest to comprehend what it actually is (as opposed to a "staple extractor" which may have a commercial or industry connotation).

How do you staple papers properly?

The correct way to staple paper properly is by stapling parallel to the left edge, which mimics page-turning of an actual book. Turning book pages always imply a right to left motion, which this staple positioning ensures.

What is the best staple remover?

In our opinion, the best staple remover is the Bostitch Professional Magnetic Easy Staple Remover. Its push-style mechanism makes it very easy to remove staples with a smooth rounded edge that does not cause tears. Plus, it keeps your desk clutter-free with a tiny magnetic pad to capture stray staples.

How do you remove heavy duty staples?

We recommend using the MROCO 126 Staple Remover. It works great for floor and carpet jobs. A non-slip rubber handle and strong metal tongue help create added leverage for loosening thicker staples.

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