Bostitch Staplers and Staples Buying Guide

Product details in this guide were checked against Bostitch Office's own product and guide pages on November 7, 2026. Specifications can change, so always confirm the model number on the package.

The stapler is the most borrowed, most jammed and most replaced tool in any office or classroom. Most of that trouble comes from one mistake: the wrong staple in the wrong stapler. This guide explains the main Bostitch stapler types, the staples each one takes, and how to buy both in bulk without guessing.

Quick answer: which Bostitch stapler do I need?

• Everyday desk or classroom use (up to about 20 to 25 sheets): a desktop or spring-powered stapler, such as the Ascend, Inspire, InPower or Epic lines.
• Thicker reports and shared workstations (up to 40 sheets): a flat clinch model, such as the B8 PowerCrown Flat Clinch.
• Copy rooms, blueprints and portfolios (40+ sheets): a heavy duty stapler, such as the Titan (50 sheets) or the EZ Squeeze 130-sheet model.
• Warehouses, dry cleaners and mailrooms: a handheld plier stapler, such as the B8 Heavy Duty Plier.
• Nonstop stapling at a front desk or print station: an electric stapler, such as the Impulse line.
• Booklets and brochures: a long reach or booklet stapler with a deep throat.

The main Bostitch stapler types

Desktop staplers

Bostitch says its desktop staplers handle anywhere from 2 to 45 sheets, depending on the model. Popular lines include:

• Ascend: 2 to 20 sheets, a built-in staple remover, a StapleStore compartment in the base for two extra strips, and a body made with 70% post-consumer recycled plastic. It opens 180 degrees for tacking.
• Epic: die-cast metal with a rubber top, up to 25 sheets, a built-in remover and staple storage.
• Dynamo: a 4-in-1 tool with a 20-sheet stapler, staple storage, a remover and a manual pencil sharpener, a good fit for classrooms.
• Classic metal staplers: full-strip, all-metal workhorses, often sold in multi-packs for offices.

Spring-powered staplers

Spring-powered models (InPower, Inspire, InCourage, EZ Squeeze and EcoStapler) use a spring to drive the staple, so they need much less hand force. Most handle about 20 to 28 sheets. They are a smart choice for shared desks, schools and anyone who staples all day.

Flat clinch staplers

A flat clinch stapler folds the staple legs flat against the back of the stack. Bostitch says this lets stacks lie flatter and neater, which saves filing space. The B8 PowerCrown Flat Clinch Stapler handles 2 to 40 sheets.

Heavy duty staplers

Heavy duty staplers are built for 40+ sheets, for jobs like copy rooms, blueprints and portfolios. They are larger and heavier and may need special staples. The Titan handles 50 sheets, and the EZ Squeeze 130-sheet stapler handles 2 to 130 sheets with a single staple size.

Plier (handheld) staplers

Plier staplers have soft, gripped handles and are used where papers, tags or bags are stapled in hand, such as dry cleaners, warehouses, mailrooms and schools.

Electric staplers

Electric staplers do the work for you and are made for continuous stapling. They are usually larger and need a power source. Some Bostitch models use a FastLoad push-button reload to make refilling easier.

Long reach, booklet and mini staplers

Long reach and booklet staplers have a deep throat to reach the middle of a large sheet, often with an adjustable paper stop and a ruler. Mini staplers are made for small hands and travel, and they take their own mini staples.

What is the Bostitch B8 series?

The B8 is one of Bostitch's classic designs. Bostitch says it was first built in 1940 and was marketed as a stapler, tacker and stapling plier in one. Today the B8 family includes desktop, flat clinch, plier, half-strip and electric models, and they take B8 PowerCrown staples.

PowerCrown staples have a raised crown peak. Bostitch says the peak flattens during stapling and forces the legs outward, for a firm hold. B8 PowerCrown staples come in more than one leg length, for example 1/4" for the B8 PowerCrown Flat Clinch Stapler and 3/8" for thicker stacks, so match the size printed on your stapler or its manual.

Staple sizes explained

Leg length

The leg is the part of the staple that goes through the paper. The standard leg length is 1/4". Bostitch also makes 3/8", 1/2", 5/8" and 3/4" legs for bigger stacks and bulkier items. Longer legs hold more sheets, but only if your stapler is made for them.

Full strip vs. half strip

A full strip holds 210 staples, and a half strip holds 105. A full-strip stapler needs reloading less often, while half-strip staplers are smaller and lighter. Check which one your stapler takes before you buy staples in bulk.

Staple types

• Standard: for standard staplers.
• Mini: for mini staplers only.
• PowerCrown: for B8 and other PowerCrown models.
• EZ Squeeze: sized only for EZ Squeeze staplers.
• Premium Heavy Duty: chisel points for maximum penetration in heavy duty staplers.

Bostitch staples are made from high carbon steel wire, which the company says helps reduce jamming.

How to choose: a 4-step checklist

1. Count your usual stack. Under 20 sheets is desktop territory, 20 to 40 calls for flat clinch or a stronger desktop model, and 40+ calls for heavy duty.
2. Think about who uses it. Shared staplers in schools and front offices benefit from spring-powered action and, where offered, an antimicrobial coating that Bostitch says reduces the spread of germs.
3. Match the staple to the stapler. Pick the staple type first (standard, PowerCrown, EZ Squeeze, heavy duty or mini), then the leg length, then full or half strip.
4. Buy staples with the stapler. Ordering the matching staples in the same order means no one is stuck with a stapler they can't refill.

Tips to stop stapler jams

• Use the exact staple type and leg length the stapler is made for.
• Don't go over the sheet capacity. Split thick stacks or move up to a heavy duty or flat clinch model.
• Load full strips in full-strip staplers and half strips in half-strip staplers.
• Look for models with No-Jam features or a reload window that shows when it's running low.

Buying Bostitch staplers and staples in bulk

Schools, offices, facilities teams and resellers usually save time by standardizing on a few models and ordering staples by the box or case. A simple setup:

• One desktop or spring-powered model for every desk and classroom.
• One flat clinch or heavy duty model for each copy room or shared print area.
• Plier staplers for the warehouse, shipping and mailroom.
• Matching staples stocked by type and leg length, plus staple removers.

For e-commerce sellers, staplers and staples are steady, repeat-purchase products. Before you list them on a marketplace, check that your bundles, labels and packaging meet that marketplace's current rules.

FAQ

What size staples do most Bostitch staplers use?

Most everyday staplers use standard staples with a 1/4" leg. Heavy duty, B8 and specialty staplers may need different types or longer legs, so check the model.

Can I use standard staples in a B8 stapler?

B8 staplers are made for B8 PowerCrown staples. Use the type and leg length listed for your stapler to avoid jams.

What is a flat clinch stapler?

It folds the staple legs flat on the back of the stack, so documents lie flatter and take up less filing space.

How many staples are in a full strip?

A full strip holds 210 staples. A half strip holds 105.

Which Bostitch stapler is best for schools?

Spring-powered models need less force, and some offer an antimicrobial coating for shared use. The Dynamo adds a pencil sharpener and staple remover in one tool.

What stapler handles more than 40 sheets?

A heavy duty stapler. The Bostitch Titan handles 50 sheets, and the EZ Squeeze 130-sheet stapler handles up to 130.

Shop Bostitch with SN International LLC

SN International LLC (SNILLC) carries 100% genuine brand-name office, school and facility supplies that come from the brand, never counterfeit or closeout. Businesses get B2B wholesale pricing and individual shoppers get retail pricing, all in one store, with nationwide shipping from California. Have a question about which stapler or staple fits your order? Call us Monday to Friday and talk to a real person. We work hard to be the most competitive, dependable choice for your office and wholesale supplies.