Gloria Steinem once said, “Writing is the only thing that when I do it, I don’t feel I should be doing something else.”
The truth of her words can be felt when you start writing on a spiral notebook, whether for journaling, sketching, or jotting. Occasionally, you’ll have the urge to dip into your inner sources of inspiration or loosen your mental gears through writing that educates, inspires, or entertains.
That’s why we’ve put together this buying guide of the best spiral notebook attributed to famous writers like you. However, it’s challenging to pick out a single notebook and label it the perfect option for everybody because everyone has varying tastes and preferences regarding cover material, size, paperweight, and all the other little features and elements that make these books stand out from the rest.
Hence, we offer you a list of 10 great notebooks, from affordable ones to those with stylish designs with silky-smooth papers, hard or soft covers, and notebooks with heavier papers.
Top Picks: 5 Best Spiral Notebook
Top 7 Best Spiral Notebook- Buying Guide
1. Five Star Advance Spiral Notebook
The Five Star Advance Notebook is all you need to organize your busy day, especially for those who have a very busy schedule at work or in school. It endeavors to provide high-quality and long-lasting products to empower students to succeed throughout their school year.
Its portable and tabbed dividers are color-coded, so you can organize your work by subject or topic and easily flick to the section you designed due to the visibility of the tabs on the dividers from the front covers instead of having to carry a different folder. Each plastic divider has elastic and broadening pockets to hold all your handouts, and a spiral guard covers a wire to help avoid coil snags and provides a convenient grip. A writable label on the spine makes it simple to make the title in your notebook and get the right one in your locker.
Features
- Fabric spiral guard which conceals the wire
- Portable plastic dividers which have broadening pockets
- Molded spine label and pen curve on the cover
- Color-coded tabs on every divider
- Plastic back and front cover
Pros
- Ability to last long
- Excellent value for money
- Stability
- It’s much more convenient
Cons
- It’s a bit heavy
2. Amazon Basics Wide Ruled wire-bound Spiral Notebook
It is much easier to categorize class notes with this notebook, and it has more than one pattern to choose from.
It has standardized pages and a convenient arrival of everything with appropriate packaging. Five- 100 sheet notebooks for under $10 is a great deal because there’s an option to buy a set with fewer pages if you don’t need 100 sheets. There is also the availability of prime shipping since it’s an Amazon product, i.e., it offers the fastest way to receive items for free.
The sheets are easy to write on and are college ruled and perforated to boost easy removal from the notebooks. Its sterile tear perforation prevents mess and provides a straight edge: 3-hole punch for the option to add to a binder. It also has wire binding, which ensures pages are securely attached, and sturdy front and back covers that conserve the paper and double as a solid surface for writing against.
Features
- 3-hole punch
- Wire-bound notebook
- Sturdy front and back covers
- 56 gsm weight paper stock, 92% brightness
- Sterile tear perforation
- College ruled
Pros
- Lots of notebooks
- Good colors
- Stable spiral
- Standard page quality
Cons
- Thin pages
- Low page quality
3. Five Star Advance Spiral Notebook
Spiral-bound notebooks come in handy if you are always taking notes. They allow you to turn each page quickly without tearing. They can easily lay flat and prevent the creasing of pages.
Note-taking may be demanding and stressful at times, but it’s a lot easier with the Five Star Advance Spiral notebook.
Its color coding assists you in structurally organizing your work. Its portability is also a major advantage since you can move around with it. Each plastic divider has broadening pockets to hold all your handouts.
Features
- Fabric spiral guard which conceals the wire
- Portable plastic dividers which have broadening pockets
- Molded spine label and pen curve on the cover
- Color-coded tabs on every divider
- Plastic back and front covers
Pros
- Neat sheet with perforated pages making it easier to tear out
- Tough pockets that prevent tear
- Convenient pen loop on the front making pen handy
- Writable label on the spine makes it easy to title
Cons
- May arrive damaged due to ordinary packaging
- It Might be too small in size
4. Mead Spiral Notebooks
When you require an essential notebook to write down notes, sketch, create a catalog, or just write illegibly, grab one of these featherweights, cost-effective mead spiral notebooks. It is a 3-hole punched notebook that fits beautifully into a 3-ring binder.
It is the best deal because it enables you to keep all your work organized and in one place. It’s diverse and convenient for a considerable number of uses, inclusive of in-class note taking and recording meeting notes.
Features
- College-ruled lightweight
- Spiral lock
- 3-hole punched
- Perforated pages
- 70 double sheets
- Coated covers
- Overall size of 10 1/2 inches x 8 inches
- Contain different colors: Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, Purple, Black
Pros
- It provides a lot of space for note-taking with college ruled and double-sided pages
- They have hard-wearing edges
- Easy to keep notes together due to the spiral binding
- It enables you to keep your work organized
Cons
- Due to its thin pages, some type of inks can leak and bleed through
- Easy to lose notes since the pages tear out easily
5. Oxford Spiral Notebook
The Oxford Spiral Notebooks are embellished in improved subtle colors, an attractive assortment that’s a must-add to your appealing school supplies catalog. Cheer up and neaten your note-taking program with subtle notebooks that are practical as well as attractive.
This notebook enables you to broaden your classroom, home, or office color choices. These dazzling, fresh colors will be attractive to students of all ages, from pre-school to grade school to high school and far off.
A strong snag-resistant coil withstands catching on backpacks or clothing. Micro-perforated sheets clutch notes firmly yet disengage effortlessly to keep your spiral notebook orderly.
Features
- 3-hole punched
- Wide ruled (8’’ x 10-1/2’’)
- Micro-perforated sheets
- 70 sheets of smooth double-sided paper
- A snag-free coil
- Coated paperboard
Pros
- Perfectly fits a standard binder
- Its micro-perforated sheets hold notes firmly
- It is ideal for large handwriting
- It appeals to students of all ages
Cons
- It cannot resist some type of ink
- One can lose notes because the sheets can disengage easily
6. EOOUT 4 pack A5 Spiral Notebook
EOOUT is a time-honored company whose focal point is on the novelty and production of office and school supplies. The EOOUT Spiral book is the most pre-eminent collated to other wireless notebooks, perfect for the devotees of drawing and writing.
EOOUT is inclined to generate ingenious stationery products, foster environmental patronage, endorsing a humanistic care spirit. They equip writers with higher quality and more affordable stationery products and give contemplation to creativity and fun.
Features
- Heavy duty paper
- Durable coil
- Quality lined paper
- Smooth and brighter pages
- Cardboard cover
- Perfect size and pages
- Portable size
Pros
- Can easily lay flat and prevent pages from creasing
- Portable, hence can be carried from one place to another
- Allows you to turn pages quickly without any tearing
- They stay open and take up less space when in use
- Smooth and brighter pages to make your writing experience better
Cons
- Requires high maintenance
- The cardboard cover is thin, flimsy and provides less protection
7. Mintra Office Durable Spiral Notebooks
Mintra Office Spiral Notebooks is one of the finest stationery products with a water-resistant poly cover and thick backboard, giving it a professional look and feel. It has 200 micro-perforated sheets and sturdy poly pocket folders that hold pens and other writing materials. Convenient, especially for school, office, and business, since it can be used to record notes and essential details. It has bright white pages ruled widely, which are favorable for proper visualization and better your writing experience.
Features
- Wide ruled
- Firm coil lock
- Five sturdy poly pocket folders
- Three-hole punched
- Bright white paper
- Water-resistant poly cover
- Thick backboard
- 200 micro-perforated sheets
- College ruled tear outsize
Pros
- Thick paper sheets
- Can be carried around
- Heavy-duty coil lock to prevent snags
- Thick backboard to give it a professional look
- Bright paper for easy visibility when writing
- Trimmed pages for easy tearing
Cons
- Some pages peel out over the covers
Buying Guide Best Spiral Notebook
People have different tastes regarding what type of spiral notebook they want. Some prefer soft to hardcover, sewn to bound, gridded to ruled, cloth to leather cover material, and whether the notebook is best for journaling, reporting, jotting, or making lists. The details always matter to the user, and finding the best option depends on personal preferences. However, you must consider some essential factors before buying your desired notebook.
Design
The design of a notebook will tell you if there is enough writing space, and the aesthetics and ergonomics of the design should provide convenience and ease of use. The dots, lines, or grid should be perfectly muted without being overly distracting.
Page Quality
The papers of a perfect spiral notebook should have a smooth texture for writing, and although the paperweight does not correspond to the quality, it should not be flimsy. Generally, heavier papers are durable and can survive robust erasing without damages. Besides, they have less ink see-through. So if you are considering using both sides of the paper, it’s best to go with a heavier paperweight design.
Additionally, the paper size of a standard spiral notebook is usually A4, measuring about 11×8.5 inches. This provides plenty of space for writing. Others are available in a compact design with an A5 sheet dimension.
The Cover Material
This is a vital element to consider. Most spiral notebooks are designed with hard and stiff cardstock, chipboard, and plastic, which protect the sheets from external damage. Therefore they should be made from stronger and tougher materials. Some cover materials are firm and do not bend easily like cardstock, while others such as plastic are water-resistant, shielding the papers from liquid damage.
Moreover, the cover should also be designed with attractive and classic elements. It should be cool without looking cheap, dull, or overdone.
Sheet Style
You have two options here. Spiral notebooks come in college ruled and wide rule sheet styles. They have a line spacing of approximately 7mm and 8mm, respectively. The college ruled is widely used for general purposes as it provides the perfect middle ground for both small and large handwriting.
Page Count
The number of sheets is essential depending on whether you want your notebook to last a whole semester or if you want one for short and quick notes and sketches. Spiral books usually come with varying paper counts ranging from 50 to 150 sheets. The higher the count, the thicker the notebook and heavier. If you want a book with a high paper count, pick one that weighs less to avoid the heavyweight.
Perforation
Notebooks with perforated sheets help you remove papers neatly. This is great when you want to share some notes or sketches since you won’t leave any messy edges. This neat separation greatly depends on how close the dots are to each other. Closely set up dots makes it easy for the sheets to come off. If they are not close to the other, you’ll need to crease the sheets before removing them to avoid paper damage.
Binding
This is crucial because the way the spiral wire cuts and runs through the pages corresponds to how efficient the book is. Choose one with tight spiral binds with a spiral lock for lasting service.
Spiral wires that are wide get loose over time since the constant closing and opening of the notebook deforms them, while tightly wound wires are more substantial, sturdier, and are more likely to protect all the sheets and covers and keep them in one place.
How to Make a Spiral Notebook
Spiral notebooks provide great ways for you to put your creative thoughts to paper, but what happens when you can not find one that perfectly fits your needs? Luckily, you can easily DIY at home with no need for special complex tools or supplies. Let’s learn how:
Step 1- Making The Cover
- Cut two pieces from cardboard or chipboard to suitable sizes.
- Wrap the covers with some colorful paper, such as wrapping paper, scrapbooking, or even construction paper, that are 1-inch or 2.54 cm longer and wider than the covers. For a more attractive and unique look, customize by creating your design using a computer, then print it out on high-quality paper.
- Bind the paper to the cardboard using a liquid glue such as tacky glue, Mod Podge, or white school glue, then smooth the paper down with a ruler or a credit card, working from the middle to the outside of the cover.
- Trim the corners of the paper all the way down to the cardboard to remove bulk and allow the paper to lay smoother, then glue the edges.
- Cut paper (half-inch or 1.27 cm) longer and wider for the inside of the covers. Glue the sheets of paper to the back of each cover smooth it down using a ruler, as before.
- Consider using a waterproof topcoat, decoupage, or acrylic spray sealer to seal the front and back covers.
Step 2: Cutting and Punching in Papers
- Cut sheets of paper (20 to 40) of the same size as the covers.
- Take a piece of paper to create a template and punching guideline by orienting it in the direction your cover should go. Once you find the suitable template, draw a vertical line down the paper.
- Start punching holes- using a thin nail, hole puncher, or a screw punch- along the center of the line but more to the right so that it is further from the edge and closer to the middle. Space the holes 2 mm apart, making them as even as possible.
Step 3: Assemble the Notebook
- Stack everything together starting from the back covers, papers, then the front cover on top.
- Tap to ensure everything is aligned, then use binder clips to hold them together.
- Wrap a thick stringing wire around a pen using the number of holes as a guide. For 20 holes, wrap the wire 20 times.
- Slide the wire off the pen, gently stretch it and start twisting it through the holes.
- Trim the excess and blend the edges of the wire to the inside.
How to Add Pages to a Spiral Notebook
One of the best things about spiral notebooks is that you can add pages when you want to keep all the crucial and related information together. It’s easy to add the pages, but it may take time since you have to unravel the coils.
Step 1: Unwind the spirals with your hands, starting from the top or bottom. Move one hole at a time.
Step 2: Push the end of the coil, top or bottom, through each hole until all pages are released. Repeat for each hole in the notebook.
Step 3: Make holes in the extra pages by punching and then adding them to the other papers and covers stack. Stack them together and ensure all papers and covers are on the right sides.
Step 4: Twist back the coil, starting from the bottom hole until it’s complete.
FAQs
What Do You Call a Notebook Without a Spiral?
Non-Spiral Notebook
What Makes a Good Notebook?
This depends on the notebook’s critical features: paper quality, cover material, weight, sheets, and binding.
How Do You Keep a Spiral Notebook From Falling Apart?
- Ensure the notebook is placed correctly inside your backpack and try to use a linear surface.
- Avoid placing the spiral notebook next to fluids or touching it with wet hands as any liquid damages the papers.
- Try not to hold the notebook by its spiral wire to avoid deforming it.
- Handle the pages with care and less aggression to prevent deformation, wrinkles, or tears.
Why Do People Use Spiral Notebooks?
Unlike other notebooks such as composition books, spiral notebooks are refillable, leading to well-organized writing.
Without spiral tension or resistance, turning the pages when writing takes no effort.
The perforated sheets in most spiral notebooks allow you to efficiently and neatly remove pages without leaving behind any messy edges.
Spiral notebooks are durable since they have sturdy covers for protection and a solid wire to hold the papers firmly in place.
Why Do Teachers Not Allow Spiral Notebooks?
Some teachers don’t allow students to use spiral notebooks for the following reasons:
- It tears off easily, making it possible to lose essential pages
- The sharp edges of the spiral can cause damage to your bag, clothes, other books or even hurt yourself
- The spiral may come off easily, totally messing up your hard work
Conclusion
Spiral notebooks provide a safe and comfortable place to collect your intriguing ideas and fascinating thoughts. It is crucial for everyday activities such as revising a speech for a presentation, taking lecture notes, or penning down creative ideas that can impact your life or the world.
Despite having efficient and more developed electronic devices such as tablets and notepads to help us do the same, they will never offer the same natural fee that a spiral notebook provides. Nothing can beat the feeling of taking notes on a new spiral notebook, journaling on the easy-to-turn pages, or taking it on a journey to record your adventures. The possibilities of using a spiral notebook are endless.
The products in this buying guide present different uses, styles, designs, and other features. We hope it was helpful to your search for the best spiral notebook.