Easy To Use But Are They Safe? Mead Press & Seal Envelopes
Written: Jan 07 '03 (Updated Jul 30 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: No licking necessary, convenient, internal security printing.
Cons: Can be opened and resealed without any signs of tampering.
The Bottom Line: Don’t risk a paper cut to your tongue – pick up the Mead Press It – Seal It envelopes today!
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| Freak369's Full Review: MEAD PRODUCTS Mead Press It-Seal It Envelopes |
The Mead name is one that has become synonymous with school supplies [Five Star and Upper Class brands], office materials [At-A-Glance and Cambridge products] and the SmartBook series of organizers, calculators and hand held spell checkers. No longer do you see the Mead logo confined to spiral bound notebooks or packs of index cards – they have branched out over the past ten years and if you haven’t kept up with the new products chances are you’ll be surprised to see what areas they’ve gotten into.
Mead Press It – Seal It Envelopes
There are several different sizes that these are available in – standard 3 5/8 x 9.5], business 4 1/8 x 9.5 and catalog size [9 x 12]. I’ve purchased these in the two most common sizes – standard and business however the catalog sized ones would be nice to have around if you are sending documents or items that need to be shipped flat. Since these are basic envelopes, you will need to reinforce them with cardboard or a plastic sheet to keep them from getting bent during shipping. While Epinions doesn’t list it clearly, this is the section for “number 10” [4 1/8 x 9 1/2] Mead Press It – Seal It Security envelopes. Don’t let the photo fool you since it is listed for almost all the Mead envelopes in this section. Be sure to read the “view details” area to make sure that you are reading the correct information for the product listed.
The envelopes are easy enough to use – insert what you want to mail, file or store into the envelope, remove the backing from the sticky portion of the flap, position over the envelope and press firmly. Something so simply and easy to do that my ex-husband couldn’t even goof it up. One thing to check out before you make your purchase is if the envelopes are new or old. If you happen to pick up an older box or one that has been exposed to extreme heat or cold – you might find that the adhesive used on them will be less than effective.
These envelopes are made from 20 pound paper which means they will be strong enough to handle most paper items but anything that isn’t flat would be better in a manila or Tyvek envelope. These are the perfect size for sending folded letter sized paper, coupons, photos [with proper reinforcement] and those pesky reader reply cards for record clubs. I’ve managed to fit eleven sheets of letter sized paper [folded into thirds] into the envelope without the edges ripping or the adhesive coming loose but paranoid me had to put a few pieces of tape over the edges to make sure that it didn’t come loose while in transit.
Security
The Mead Press It - Seal It Envelopes are extremely easy to use, relatively inexpensive for the convenience they provide and readily available at most office supply stores. With that being said you have to really sit down and think about what you are sending in these envelopes and if additional protection is necessary. Example: Sending cash through the mail extremely risky. The internal security print pattern blocks viewing the contents but the envelope can easily be opened without any signs of tampering. Wanting to see exactly how easy it was to get into one of these envelopes I did a few small tests.
The first was the old “hold it over the steam” trick that usually results in the envelope getting damp and hard to work with. No matter how many times I’ve seen Lucy do it on I Love Lucy, I’ve never been able to get to just “pop open” for me. The second was a credit card – simply pull up one end of the envelope and slide the credit card over the glued portion. This allows the glue bond to break without tearing the envelope or wrinkling it. A letter opener worked a little better. All in all I was a little upset that they were so easy to open and mentioned this to my son who replied “just put a piece of tape over it”. That kind of defeats the whole purpose now doesn’t it?
If you are sending anything that is confidential, has a monetary value or worth, cannot be easily replaced [photos, birth certificate, drivers license] or should not be bent – I have to say pass on these envelopes and go for something a bit more sturdy. These are great for mailing out general letters, for filing documents, general business mailings or chain letters [and yes, I get about three of these a week and they are always in the security envelopes]. Since these can be opened [rather easily I might add] I wouldn’t send anything that has a high level of confidentiality – so if you are planning on dong something and are foolish enough to leave a paper trail – at least be smart and use a regular security envelope.
As far as the interior security design, it is almost impossible to see anything that is printed or written on the contents of the envelope. Sure, the government might have some magic potion that they can use to see inside envelopes [don’t get me started on that please] but the average John Q. Public won’t be able to see what is in the envelope unless they open it. The only way to try and sneak a peek at the contents is to try and wiggle the letter around until it hits one of the small sections [corners] that don’t have the security print. Chances are you won’t be able to see anything but you never know.
Prices
When you look at the price comparison between regular envelopes that need to be moistened to activate the sealer and these ‘ready to use’ envelopes you’ll see that you will be paying about two to three times as much for the “convenience”. You can pick up a box of 50 size 10 [business size] envelopes at Wal-Mart for about .89 and the Mead Press It – Seal It envelopes [same size and quantity] will set you back about $1.99 depending on where you purchase them. If cost is an issue you can get a substantial price break if you purchase these in bulk. Just make sure that you will use them within a year or so or you might be taking a chance with the glue getting brittle. Look for the best prices at office supply stores but make sure you are getting stock that has been properly rotated.
The Bottom Line
Let’s face it, there’s nothing fascinating about envelopes. Unlike the glamorous reviews of scotch tape [thanks to emptywishes] and permanent markers, envelopes are about as boring an office supply as you can get. Suffice it to say - if you are looking for convenience and a way to avoid licking envelopes - then this is the way to go. Make sure you aren’t sending anything that is of any value since there are several ways that these can be opened and resealed without tampering being readily evident.
As always, thanks for the read!
^V^ Freak ^V^
© 2003 Freak369
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Recommended:
Yes
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