© Melissa & Doug / Reviewed15 unexpected items you can buy at Staples
- Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission.Staples is one of those stores I never expect to browse unless I need some office supplies. The pens! The sketchbooks! The headphones! It's a store most of us associate with work and school, but it's actually a great store to shop for pursuits like crafting, gaming, and more. It'll make you think twice about the place you used to load up on school supplies each year.
The selection at the office supply store is huge, and we've rounded up 15 of the best items you never expected from Staples, including puzzles, gaming chairs, speakers, and more.
1. A good entry level gaming laptop
© Reviewed / Matthew S. SmithGet gaming.
Aside from computers, you can find laptops specifically built for gaming at Staples. We've droned on about our love for the Acer Predator Helios 300 before-it's extremely portable and packs a lot of power in a small package. Complete with 16 GB of memory, a 6-core processor, and a solid graphics card, the Helios 300 is currently available refurbished from Staples for a great price, which will save a chunk of change on this pricey laptop.
Get the Acer Predator Helios 300 Refurbished Notebook from Staples for $1,249.99
2. Disposable face masks
© StaplesEssentials are never a bad purchase.
COVID-19 is still very much in play in the United States, and if you need some additional face masks to protect yourself, consider checking out the options at Staples. The store has several varieties of cloth and disposable masks available, including these popular blue disposable masks. With more than 1,000 reviews and a 4.5-star rating, you can get a pack of 50 masks for just $10, bringing the cost down to $0.20 per mask. What a steal.
Get the Disposable Earloop Face Mask, 50 Count from Staples for $9.99
3. A very sweet puzzle
© StaplesPuzzle it out.
Puzzles have become a household staple these days, and this sweet 1,000-piece puzzle featuring mason jars full of soft pastel flowers would be a great, calming addition to anyone's puzzle repertoire. Reviewers love this puzzle for its challenging design and sweet, relaxing colors.
Get the LANG Mason Flowers 1000 Piece Puzzle from Staples for $14.99
4. A gorgeous gaming chair
© StaplesFor gaming in style.
I did not realize that Staples had its own line of gaming chairs. But they do! This Vortex gaming chair is a popular choice among reviewers who bought it for their children, either for gaming or virtual schooling purposes, and it's available in five color options. It has more than 5,000 reviews and a 4.5-star rating, making it an ideal choice for any gamer.
Get the Staples Emerge Vortex Bonded Leather Gaming Chair from Staples for $129.99
5. A standard sketchbook
© StaplesDraw to your heart's content.
I still mostly associate Staples with school supplies and an annual back-to-school shopping trip. While my choices of notebooks were vast, I always desperately wanted to fill our cart with the art supplies and sketchbooks I spied at the office store. If you've picked up drawing or sketching as a quarantine hobby, having a proper sketchbook is a good way to house your creations. Reviewers adore this Bienfang sketch pad for its thick pages and durable binding.
Get the Bienfang Blank Sketch Pad from Staples for $10.09
6. A popular e-reader at a great price
© Reviewed / Michael RoordaFor all your escapism needs.
Last year had few bright spots, and getting back into reading voraciously was one of them for me. If you want to hit the books more this year or your own bookshelf is rapidly becoming overpopulated (or in my case, any single square foot of floor space), consider investing in a Kindle Paperwhite. It's our favorite Kindle and provides a portable library you can access from anywhere.
Get the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite E-Reader from Staples for $129.99
7. An excellent speaker to pump up the jams
© StaplesFor relentless Spotify playing.
Since last year, I've loved having a speaker as part of my home office setup. It means that I'm not stuck wearing headphones 24/7 and my music definitely sounds better when it's playing it out loud. With its excellent sound quality and Bluetooth connection, this Bose speaker is a great accessory for any at-home office space. I own this speaker and I love it, and if that's not enough endorsement, some reviewers loved this speaker so much they said they bought two.
Get the Bose SoundLink Color Bluetooth Speaker II from Staples for $129
8. Moisturizing hand sanitizer
© StaplesStaples from Staples.
With all the hand washing this past year, it's been a time for dry hands, and this moisturizing hand gel from Hempz aims to prevent dry hands while sanitizing them. Reviewers love the smell of it and recommended it for its clean application and how it kept their hands from drying out or feeling rough after use.
Get the Hempz Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer from Staples for $17.99
9. The coveted Apple AirPods
© Reviewed / Jackson RuckarMy constant companions in 2020.
I can't say enough good things about my AirPods, and after rigorously testing them, our experts agree that they're great. They have an instantaneous Bluetooth connection, a long battery life, and great sound. Little did I know that Staples actually stocks AirPods, as well, so you can pick them up while you grab office supplies. Bonus: Staples actually had the best Black Friday deal on AirPods in 2020, so keep your eye on this retailer during the 2021 holiday season.
Get the Apple AirPods from Staples for $139
10. A lovely pen for your new hobby
© StaplesAnyone who's tried to use a fountain pen knows the struggle.
Calligraphy is a hobby many people picked up in 2020 and continued to do through the new year. Like so many artistic pursuits, it requires the proper tools to be executed successfully, like the Pilot Varsity Fountain Pen. This pen has more than 300 reviews, a 4.5-star rating, and is noted by several reviewers for having great quality for the price. If you wanted to pursue calligraphy yourself, it's a great place to start.
Get the Pilot Varsity Fountain Pen from Staples for $4.29
11. A small space heater for the home office
© StaplesFor keeping your toes warm while you're curled up at your desk.
Since most of us have been working from home for the past year or so, you might have dealt with chilly temperatures and drafty spaces that you haven't noticed before. If you live somewhere cooler and you're concerned about keeping warm in your makeshift office space, try this small space heater from Honeywell-because, yes, you can get that at Staples, too. Reviewers love this heater for its ability to warm up a small space and many mentioned that they've used it specifically in their home offices.
Get the Honeywell 1500-Watt Electric Heater from Staples for $41.99
12. A no-contact thermometer
© StaplesFor an extra layer of safety.
Whether you're checking to see if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 or have employees or coworkers that are coming into the workplace that need screening, this no-contact thermometer is a great buy. More than 1,000 reviewers gave this product a 5-star rating, with many recommending using it inside to get the best results. Even in the post-COVID world, it will be useful to take the temperature of wormy kids during cold and flu season.
Get the Berrcom Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer from Staples for $29.99
13. Comfy gaming headphones at a wonderful price
© StaplesTo fully immerse yourself.
Logitech is a well-respected brand in the tech world, and these cushioned gaming headphones are great if you're looking for a reliable set of wireless headphones for your own gaming needs. Reviewers love these headphones for their surround-sound quality and believe they're a great value for the price. It has 15 hours of battery and a noise-canceling boom microphone that reduces ambient sounds for clarity and a better multiplayer gaming experience.
Get the Logitech G533 Wireless Gaming Headset from Staples for $79.99
14. A sanitizing travel kit
© StaplesFor when travel is safe again.
With more people getting vaccinated and traveling on the horizon, you still need to ensure you're safe and healthy when you're on the go. Enter this travel sanitization kit. Complete with a mask, antiseptic wipes, a headrest cover, and more, it has everything you need to sanitize and relax on a flight or train ride. It comes highly reviewed with shoppers saying that this kit gave them peace of mind and recommended it for trips.
Get the iFLY Smart Healthy Personal Protection Kit from Staples for $4.99
15. An enormous snake plush
© Melissa & DougWhy not?
While Staples carries everything you need for your home office, it also has some pretty wild toys-like this 14-foot-long snake plush from Melissa & Doug. Reviewers really, really love this item, giving it exclusively 5-star reviews. Many shoppers purchased it as a baby gift, making it ideal to give to toddlers and other little ones.
Get the Melissa & Doug Snake Plush from Staples for $51.99
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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.