I am determined to buy a new electric pencil sharpener this summer. I inherited one in my classroom last year and it was a goner by March. I am the only one sharpening pencils in my classroom, so I know the students aren't burning it up. Have you found a pencil sharpener that works good for you? If you have, please let me know what brand it is! Thanks!!!!!!
Well, I bought the Xacto School Pro at the beginning of the last school year after reading rave reviews about it. As soon as I bought it, people started posting about how lousy it was! I used it all year with no problems, but I'm on pins and needles every time I use it. :haha: I like it because it accomodates the thicker "primary" pencils that my students use.
I purchased a sharpener last spring, after watching three machines die over the course of the school year. The one I purchased is by Boston: X-ACTO School Pro Electric Pencil Sharpener. Boston rates their sharpeners for different usages, light, moderate, heavy, and this one is rated continuous. I love it. It is relatively quiet and does a great (and fast) job! It also has a huge shaving receptacle, so I don't have to stop as often to empty it. I bought it at Office Depot, and I think it only cost about $40 - it couldn't have been much more, because I was subbing at the time!
I believe that is the same sharpener that I inherited last year. I really did like it and have no idea how old it was before I got it. I also liked it because it sharpened the larger pencils.
I really like the Boston sharpeners, but I was unsure about the X-ACTO. Thanks, I'll have to check it out today.
Boston: X-ACTO School Pro Electric Pencil Sharpener is the one I use also. My students are not allowed to use it unless they have my permission.
I have found too that it is good to have several sharpening stations- so the kids do not wear one sharpener out. I also have a pencil sharpener who sharpens our daily pencils for swap outs.
I have not found the perfect sharpener in my 15 year quest. I've tried all brands, all price ranges and still cannot seem to find a sharpener that lasts and I don't even let students use it, just my one student who sharpens at the end of the day. When there is a sharpener that can hold up, it'll be a miracle.
Make sure your kids bring "real wood" pencils. Some are made from pressed wood and cause sharpeners to wear out too soon. Also, some have a thin plastic coating on them which wears them out too. I designate on my supply list about the pencils.
I think I've had 5 School Pro pencil sharpeners my first two years teaching (they all died, and the kids couldn't use some of them), so I refuse to get another. If I have enough school money left over I'm going to try the Bostitch heavy duty sharpener.
After my first one died early in the year I got the Xacto, and 5 months later it barely was sharpening pencils anymore. I would have to wiggle the pencil, sharpen for 30 secs or more, etc. Its not dead but it might as well be. What could be wrong with it, and can it be fixed?
I have a Bostich EPS12HC. It is expensive but worth in IMHO. I paid about half what Office Depot lists it for currently. I know many teachers that have the EPS10HC which is a good second choice and much less expensive. FWIW IMHO the Xacto and all the other brick shaped sharpeners and other inexpensive electric sharpeners are not up to heavy classroom use. At best they take too long to sharpen a pencil compare to the commercial ones. At worst the cutters wear out too fast. IMHO A good crank type sharpen in good repair should be hard to beat. The big problem is that I haven't been in a classroom with one in good repair in many years. A second problem is that many kids today do not seem to have the manual dexterity to use on without breaking their pencil.
I don't know what kind I have at school. It was about $65 at Office Depot. (I had a gift card to use). I like it because it has the bigger holes that will also sharpen fat PreK pencils. In total agreement about the old-fashioned hand-crank kind. I actually asked my hubby for one of those, for home, for my birthday last year, and got it! I'm in love! It was under $10 and will never die. Kim
My kids always manage to ruin the hand crank pencil sharpener as well. I had this pencil sharpener for 2 years and it was only $15.00. Unfortunately, they quit making them so I'm on the lookout for another one. http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-KP-310-Electric-Pencil-Sharpener/dp/B00005QY0H I can't spend $160 for the Bositch mentioned above!
I use the Xacto also. It has lasted longer than any other, however, I use two at a time, and only one 5 people sharpen pencils for the whole class, only 2 pencils at a time per person, and only 2 times a day. This has helped them last longer. Another thing to consider is to use only the plain yellow or unpainted pencils. The cutsey ones seem to mess it up more easily.
I am looking too. My 13yr old said, this one is great, sharpens in 3 seconds....his SS teacher had one. Thanks!
Boston X-ACTO School Pro Electric Pencil Sharpener I had a similar problem and found that one of my colored pencils lost a large chunk of lead in the sharpening component, which caused it to do as you described. Our school handy man was able to get out the piece of lead. You might want to see if this is causing the problems you describe. HTH Except for the above mentioned problem, I have had no problems with the School Pro. I am the only one allowed to sharpen pencils and I do it after school. I have had too many fried due to continual use, and students who have gotten pencils stuck!
After watching three electric (and one manual-crank style) die over the course of the school year, I made the determination that, especially with first graders, I would be the only pencil sharpener in the classroom. I would sharpen three pencils per student (they were only given two each morning, but they were only first graders), and that was it. All pencils had to be turned in at the end of the day, and were passed out each morning (I had pencil passers/retrievers). I think that, if I have older students when I finally get my own classroom, I'll try to get a manual sharpener installed in the classroom, but I'll keep my nice one behind my desk (in no-student land, lol). I agree that the "fancy-schmancy" pencils do wear sharpeners out more quickly. Unfortunately, around here we're doing good to get 50% of our students to even bring pencils, let alone the more expensive Ticonderogas, etc. Even the library sells the cutsey cheap pencils to student at a quarter each!
Yes, b/c they love to see how small they can actually get their pencil. They love writing with those little nubs of a pencil. No kids sharpening pencils in my room either after getting one of those tiny things stuck in my sharpener Sometimes I have to learn the hard way
From personal experience, I would stay away from the Boston School Pro (blue). Our principal bought each of us in our building one plus a couple for the office and they've all died (about 25). Our janitor/custodian/handyman tried to fix them, but said the parts inside are plastic and that is why he can't fix them. Mine lasted about six months and I WAS the only person sharpening pencils. I admit that it worked great for the first couple of months and then it slowly began to sharpen pencils, but very they were still dull. Anyhow...just my experience...
I had one from Sam's (warehouse), not sure of the brand. It lasted 2 years and messed up only because I was busy talking to a fellow teacher and put the wrong end of the pencil in the sharpener Before this mishap, it worked great and was less than $20
