OFFICE

These miniature versions of the traditional floor fan say "Retro Mini Fan" on them, and the retro part is that the blades and cages are all metal. The handy part is that they're just 5-3/8" dia and the plug is a USB, ready to cool you off right from your (actual) desktop. Tilts 180° up and down and comes with a 4-foot cord. Super quiet, too. We'll pick one in red, blue or black.

From X-Acto®, the folks who make the precision arts & craft knives, the "Bulldog" is an old-school crank pencil sharpener with a translucent blue, bright magenta, green or red case so you can keep tabs on your shavings and watch the menacing teeth grind away. Unit is roughly 5" tall x 4" wide (including crank handle) x 3” deep. The square rubber pad on the bottom provides suction when the side lever is pulled. Works best on a flat surface, but you knew that.

It’s time to get rid of your old abacus. Why? Just bacus. Also bacus this scientific calculator by Ativa™ is much easier to use with its (2)-line display and (10)-digit with (2)-exponent capability. Has (451) functions, including algebra, trigonometry and statistics, and it’s dual-powered (battery and solar)—and of course the battery’s included. Measures 6-1/4” x 3”. Even if you’re not doing math-whiz stuff, keep one on hand for household bills and budgets—a minor investment for such a useful gadget.

Jarvis Says: The (1) AG13 Battery might be dead so we will include (2) more as replacements. You supply the screwdriver.

This is our floppiest rubber calculator ever. Measures 5” x 3” in black with semi-cartoony white characters. Does your basic calculator calculating with (20) keys and a 5” x 1-1/5” LCD display. Runs on an included and replaceable button-cell battery. Can be folded in half to put in your shirt pocket.

Build yourself a desktop dumpster. Punch out the press-fit fibreboard pieces and assemble this authentic mini-dumpster complete with graffiti. Has a two-piece hinged lid and (3) internal sections; (2) for pens, pencils and paper clips, and the third to hold more than (100) orange and yellow flame-shaped note cards to represent the dumpster fire some days at the office are. Measures 4-1/4" x 3" x 4-1/4” to 2-3/8” deep slanting back to front. Emma, the AS&S Dumpster Inspector, pronounced it “quite sturdy.”

Behold the first attractively designed electric pencil sharpener since Edward C. Hoffman’s 1943 art deco Electro-Pointer. (You could look it up.) The Spira from X-ACTO® is a rotated rectangular column, 5-3/4” tall x 2-3/4” square, in lipstick red plastic. Plugs in via a wall adapter, and has a hardened steel cutter inside plus a one-touch release on the bottom for emptying the shavings. We see a future classic.

You say your office is the coffee shop on the corner? You say you wish you had a desk like all the big kids in the offices downtown? You’re in luck because this all-black plastic desk set has everything you need in a 4-1/2" dia x 4-1/2" tall rotating pen stand, including (2) pencils, a pen, scissors, 6” ruler, (5) pushpins, a pencil sharpener, small stapler with (500) staples, (10) paper clips, a gum eraser and a staple remover. It’ll be like having a job!

A whole new look in twofers. This clear acrylic clipboard is also a giant, approx 2x Fresnel lens. Measures 12-1/2” x 8-7/8” x 1/8” thick with the magnifying area covering most of the board. Standard 4-1/2” spring clip at the top, plus a 1/4” hole to hang it on a nail.