Mini Staplers Tested: Lion, Max, and Sun-Star Compared

Introduction

Mini staplers look like novelty items, but the good ones punch through a surprising number of sheets for their size. We compared three compact models that take a different approach to the same job: a traditional two-tone mini stapler, a sleek flat stapler with a sliding setup mechanism, and a pen-style tube stapler made to live in a pen case.

All three use special small staples rather than standard full-size ones, so check staple compatibility before buying. Here is how each performed.

Lion Raku Hocchi Mini Stapler

The name is a piece of Japanese stationery wordplay: “raku” means easy, and “hocchi” is short for “hocchikisu,” the Japanese word for stapler, which itself traces back to the Hotchkiss stapler company, much like calling tissues Kleenex. The color-blocked design, with a different color on the base and the top, is the first thing that draws the eye.

Rated for up to fifteen sheets, it handles smaller stacks with much less effort. With five sheets, stapling is smooth and can even be done one-handed. With thicker stacks, it needs noticeably more force, and testers found it worked best pressed against a table using leverage from the fingers rather than squeezing it mid-air with two fingers. It will punch through a full load, but expect to put some wrist into it.

It takes special number 10 staples, so do not try to load regular staples. A staple remover is built into the back, which makes undoing mistakes satisfying rather than annoying. For anyone who wants a small stapler that looks and behaves like a traditional one, this is the easy pick.

Max Colorgimic Mini Stapler

The Max Colorgimic hides its stapler mode behind a small sliding mechanism, guided by a simple diagram printed right on the body. You slide it down until it clicks, and it transforms from a flat, sleek object into a working stapler. It is the kind of design you figure out almost immediately.

In practice, it was the easiest of the three to punch through thick stacks. Twenty sheets went through surprisingly easily, and five sheets felt effortless. A small round button on the body does not do anything functional, but it gives your thumb a comfortable resting place while you press.

Like the Lion, it includes a staple remover in the back, though removing staples from thicker stacks took some force and risked tearing the paper. On five sheets, removal was super easy. It lays flat, staples well, and the color gimmick is genuinely charming. It looks unassuming next to a bulkier stapler, but it delivers more oomph than its sleek shape suggests.

Sun-Star Stickyle Pen-Style Stapler

This one looks the least like a stapler of the three. It is a slim tube that seems confusing at first glance. Setup involves opening the lip, sliding the sleeve back to the “set and lock” position, and then you are ready to staple.

With ten sheets, it went through with relative ease, needing a bit more resistance than the Max but less than the Lion. Stapling against a table works fine once you get the technique down. The trade-off is the shape: it has no flat bottom, so it can roll and feels unsteady if you want a stable pressing surface. It is also slightly bigger than the other minis, though it still fits a pen case.

The clever part is the open compartment on the other end. It is a storage tube rather than a staple remover, so you can keep extra staples or anything else you like in there. If that extra compartment appeals to you, this is a fun pick. If you want a straightforward stapling experience, the awkward shape may be a deal-breaker.

Final Thoughts

The Max Colorgimic is the standout of the group: cute, powerful, and free of fiddling before you can staple. The Lion Raku Hocchi, though, wins for anyone who simply wants a regular stapler in miniature, no fuss and no muss, and it is the pick for people used to traditional staplers. The Sun-Star Stickyle makes sense mainly for the storage compartment and pen-case portability.

All three are compact enough to toss in a bag, and all three take special small staples, so factor refill availability into your decision.

Conclusion

If you want the smoothest stapling with real capacity, the Max Colorgimic is hard to beat. If you want familiar stapler ergonomics in a tiny body, choose the Lion Raku Hocchi. And if you want something that doubles as a pen case accessory with storage to spare, the Sun-Star Stickyle fits the bill.