Our office uses a lot of binders, and we purchase many varieties depending upon need and budget. One of these binders is the Avery Durable Ring Binder with a 1" Capacity (Green).
Description
The Avery Durable green binder is a medium-dark green with a textured vinyl fiberboard cover. It is interesting to run one’s hand across the cover – it feels smooth. Yet when I drag my fingernail across the cover, I can feel the texture.
Inside the binder are two horizontal pockets, one inside the front binder cover and one inside the back binder cover. Along the inside spine is a silver-colored metal 3-ring locking system. The metal is stamped with the words Lever-lock, and the rings are round with trigger-tabs at each end. On the outside of the binder spine are two black rivets.
This binder measures 10 3/8" wide x 11 5/8" high with a spine measuring 1 1/4" wide. It is designed to hold 175 sheets of 8 1/2" x 11" 20-pound paper.
How the Binder Looks Today
I have one of these binders on my desk. This particular binder was purchased three years ago and is used by several people. The green textured outside looks like new. I see that the binder covers are a bit concave, bending in toward each other. There is a slight rip about 1/8" long along the bottom crease of the spine where the top of the binder folds closed.
The inside pockets are flat and designed to hold a few sheets of paper or a CD/DVD in an envelope – nothing with any bulk. There are no rips in the pockets, one of which is currently holding a two-page price list.
A problem! This binder is supposed to have two trigger-tabs, one located at each end of the metal 3-ring paper holder. If one presses against both tabs at the same time, the three rings snap open. The trigger-tab at the bottom of the holder is missing. Etched into the metal is a notice: "Important: Use Both Triggers to Unlock". It takes a bit of force, but pressing on the one remaining trigger tab does open all three metal rings. The metal rings can also be opened by grasping the center ring and then pulling it apart. When this is done, all three rings snap open.
The two halves of each metal ring fit perfectly together with no gaps. They open and close with a satisfying snap. When the binder is open, the papers inside it lay flat and flip side-to-side along the rings without catching on anything. There are also index dividers inside this binder. When the binder is closed they tuck neatly into the book without any of the plastic tabs hanging over the binder edges.
At one point someone placed a self-adhesive label on the spine. This label no longer applies to the contents inside the binder, so I inserted a fingernail beneath the label and peeled it free. Some of the label did not pull free of the binder material, but I was able to pick at it until came clean. There is a tiny bit of label residue remaining on the spine.
Since the last person who used this binder somehow managed to lay it in dirt (where did the person find dirt?), I decided to clean the binder using water and a paper towel. The binder looks great. Even that bit of glue on the spine came free.
What I Like
* Textured surface looks professional
* Textured binder material tends to hide dirt
* Trigger-tabs easily snap open the 3 metal rings
* Metal rings stay closed with no gap
* Paper easily turns inside this binder
* Inside pockets hold extra papers
* Easy to clean
What I Dislike
* One of the trigger-tabs broke
* Eventually the vinyl material around the spine will rip
* The front and back covers are bending slightly inward
Purchasing
OfficeMax sells these binders for $1.99 each. They offer them in five colors: black, blue, maroon, gray and green.
Summary
I like Avery Durable Ring Binders with a 1" Capacity. The pros far outweigh the cons. Even though one of the trigger tabs broke, the remaining tab is powerful enough to open all three rings. This binder has been in use for three years and only has a tiny rip near the spine. The textured surface looks professional, too. The office is very pleased with the price and performance of these Avery binders.
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