The best paper clips help keep your papers together, keeping your desk clutter-free and organized. Choosing the wrong ones could result in tons of frustration. Our evaluation focused on materials (non skid vs. smooth), safety, durability, and quantity. We also explore auxiliary features such as divider storage tubs, dispensers, and color-coding for easy organization.
After 4 hours of research and testing, our top pick goes to the Officemate PVC Free Color Coated Paper Clips. It comes in 6 colors and two different sizes – ⅜” and 1 ¾” for thinner or thicker paper stacks. A reusable storage tub with dividers makes it easy to organize them. Keep reading to learn more about the PVC Free Color Coated Paper Clips and other reliable office equipment.
Top 7 Best Paper Clips
#1 Officemate PVC Free Color Coated Paper Clips
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: This set of 450 PVC-free paper clips come in 6 vibrant colors and two sizes . It is a great choice for people who want to color code stacks of paper and folders for easy identification.
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- Color coded
- Durable reusable tube with dividers
- PVC-free
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- Disproportionate number of small to larger-sized
- Bright colors may not look appropriate for some documents
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This paper clip set comes with 450 clips – 300 #1 sized (3/8”) clips and 150 jumbo clips (1 3/4”). This makes it work with thinner or thicker document stacks and folder sizes. Six colors also make it easy to color code, organizing files by type, owner, or any other labeling criteria you would like to apply.
Related: You may also check the best-personalized address stamps.
Thanks to a reusable storage tub with dividers, it is easy to stow these paper clips away on your table or inside of a drawer for future use. Bonus points for being PVC-free, a chemical additive found in plastics that have been known to cause serious health defects. Your desk may also need the best day planner for your schedule.
#2 AmazonBasics Binder Paper Clips
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: Thanks to a durable tempered steel construction and spring mechanism these best binder clips are great for binding thicker stacks of paper.
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- Best budget
- Strong gripping power
- Very durable spring arms
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- Some users reported inconsistent clamping strength
- Not as effective with less paper (e.g. 5 sheets)
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These binder paper clips are very easy to use. Simply squeeze the spring arms and open the clip’s “jaw”, clamping it to your stacks of paper to bind them together. With a 5/8″ capacity, a single paper clip is good for roughly 50 pages of standard-sized paper. While testing, each paper clip held its grip superbly well with no slipping.
Bonus points for this binder clip’s silver arms, which can swing back and out of the way, allowing your paper stack to sit flat. This does not impede it when stored in drawers. Its paper clamp and clip springs retain its form pretty well, so they can be re-used without any issues. Now that you have paper clips, you may be asking yourself, whats the most comfortable office chair?
#3 Alago Paper Clips
Award: BEST VARIETY
WHY WE LIKE IT: This 450-set of vinyl-coated paper clips come in the most varied assortment of sizes on our list including 28mm, 33mm, and 50mm, great for sensitive paperwork such as contracts that need extra care.
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- Most variety
- Strong gripping power
- Lifetime warranty
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- No color coding
- Plastic container may be too small for some people
- Coating may peel off if not bent properly
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Thanks to this paper clips’ smooth vinyl coating, they are very durable without leaving snag and scratch marks on paper. While testing, each size holds its own, fastening, and holding up well with stacks of 10, 20, and 30 pieces of paper.
In all, this set comes with three paper clip sizes, including 450 28mm, 200 33mm and 50 50mm paper clips. Like our #1 pick Officemate PVC Free Color Coated Paper Clips, these come in a reusable tube with dividers. This makes it very easy to put away when not in use for a clutter-free desk. They are the perfect addition to your supplies on the best sit stand desk.
#4 U Brands Paper Clips
Award: MOST DURABLE
WHY WE LIKE IT: These paper clips come in two sizes, medium (1-⅛”) and large (2”) with a vinyl coated finish , making it durable and gentle enough on any type of paper.
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- Very gentle on paper
- Smooth vinyl coating
- Sturdy grip & variety of colors
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- Some users reported issues with improperly sealed packaging
- Plastic container could be thicker
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We like this paper clip’s durability. A vinyl coated finish helps protect your documents from snags and scratch marks and slide easily to band together stacks of paper. While testing, both sets of 1-1/8″ and 2″ clips easily held up to 10 sheets of paper without losing shape, making it work for lighter stacks.
These paper clips come in a variety of colors, making it easier to color code and organize stacks by theme or category. Bonus points for its reusable clear tub which makes it easy to identify and stow away in a drawer. That way they won’t fall on the best standing desk mat beneath you.
#5 VINACO Paper Clips
Award: BEST FOR KIDS
WHY WE LIKE IT: Thanks to a 450-pack (300 1.1″ and 150 2″) paper clips in an assortment of fun, striped colors, this set is an excellent choice for kids.
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- Assortment of colors
- Easy to use divided container
- Durable vinyl coating & rustproof
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- Striped design may not suit all documents
- Some users reported faint stains on paper
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These paper clips are very smooth and corrosion-resistant, preventing snag marks and scratches on papers. They are also very flexible, working with all kinds of paper sizes such as standard size copy paper and thicker letterhead with ease. Bonus points for its color coding, which makes it easier to organize if you need to identify documents by a category or theme.
Besides binding papers together, these paper clips are also sturdy enough for other uses, such as hanging Christmas ornaments, as bookmarks, or using them as pipe cleaners. This makes it a winner in our book. Admire those Christmas ornaments from one of the best standing desk chairs.
#6 InTheOffice Jumbo Paper Clips
Award: BEST CAPACITY
WHY WE LIKE IT: These 2″ paper clips come in a color-coded pack of 500.
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- Excellent grips that won’t fall off
- Durable vinyl coating
- Color coding & divided storage container
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- Container could be thicker
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While testing, one paper clip easily held 10, 15, and 25 standard-sized 8″ by 11″ copy paper together without slipping. Although it is smooth and vinyl-coated, it held its grip pretty well. Bonus points for its assortment of bright colors, which could be used to color-code by category or paper type in a home or commercial office.
This paper clip also comes with a paper clip holder container, making it easy to sort and stow away in a drawer when not in use. You may also want to check out the best office stability chair.
#7 Sunmns 300 Pieces Large Colorful Paper Clips
Award: BEST CASE
WHY WE LIKE IT: This set comes with 300 vinyl-coated 2″ paper clips and a divider container.
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- Tight non-skid grip
- Rugged plastic case
- Color coding for easy identification
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- Some users reported paper clips with rough edges
- Attracted to magnets
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While testing, these paper clips held up superbly well, holding 10, 15, and 20 sheets of standard size paper with ease. Its vinyl coating also prevented snag and scratch marks from forming, popular with on textured metal clips. We also liked the reusable plastic container it comes in with dividers to separate them by color.
With bright and cheerful colors, these paper clips are good for arts and crafts projects. Though it comes with a large capacity (300 pieces), we wish it included more variety like our #3 pick, Alago Paper Clips, which come in 28mm, 33mm, and 50mm sizes. Also read about the best office stool.
How We Decided
In determining which paper clip to buy, we explored non-skid vs. smooth paper clips, safety, durability, quality/variety, and storage method. You probably think that paper clips aren’t a very important item on your office supplies list. However, you might be surprised to find out that there is a difference between cheap options and durable, high-quality brands. For instance, non-skid paper clips hold up well but tend to be more rigid and easier to snag or scratch paper with. Vinyl coated paper clips are smoother in texture and “slide in” easier.
Safety is also a consideration. We recommend non-toxic and PVC-free clips. PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, is a common chemical additive found in plastics that can be toxic to humans.
We like paper clips with reusable divided containers that make it easy to sort them by size or color. It also makes it easy to put away in a drawer or desk corner to keep your working area clutter-free. Lastly, we looked into sizing and variety. We like paper clip sets with a combination of the more popular paper clip sizes (28mm, 33mm, and 50mm ) to accommodate all kinds of papers and stack thickness.
Best Paper Clips Buyer’s Guide
The Most Important Features to Consider
- Safety
Look for paper clips that are non-toxic and PVC free. PVC is a common chemical additive found in plastics that are known to cause adverse health defects in humans. - Variety, Sizing and Material
We recommend paper clip sets with 200 or more 28mm, 33mm, and/or 50mm, which is the most common size for standard-sized paper. To keep your papers scratch-free, opt for vinyl-coated paper clips, which are rigid enough to hold well while keeping your paper intact. - Reusable Tub Dividers
Reusable tub containers work great in separating paper clips by color and size and making it easier to stow them away for future use.
