Akiles EcoBind-C Plastic Comb Binding Machine Review

Designed for low volume jobs in small to medium organizations, the EcoBind C is an entry-level comb binding machine that includes a lot of features for a relatively low price. We recently gave this machine a good close look and compiled a list of what we considered to be its strengths and weaknesses.

Strengths:

1. By any estimation, one would have to say that the main strength of the EcoBind C is the remarkably low price. There are not a lot, if any, binding machines on the market, even entry level type comb binding machines like this, that give businesses and individuals such a low cost method of doing their own binding. At a price like this, almost anyone can get in the game.

    

2. Though it is an economical machine, its has the same capabilities of binding machines costing much more. For instance, its punching capacity of about 20 pages of 20 lb paper per lift is about as impressive as you are going to find for such a small machine, and we really liked that Akiles designed the EcoBind C with both an open throat and fully disengageable punching pins. What this means to you is that you'll be able to punch and bind documents in any size in which you can find the binding supplies. That is some pretty remarkable flexibility for any machine, and it is important to note that some of these features are pretty rarely found at this end of the binding machine spectrum.

    

3. We really liked the design of the EcoBind C's punch handle. Because the handles of most manual binding machines are located on the right side, the lefties among us can have a hard time using them. The EcoBind C, however, has a punch handle that goes across the machine, making it just as easy for lefties as righties. Also, users of either persuasion will find that the ability to switch hands (or to use both) during bigger jobs leads to much less fatigue.

    

4. Another feature we really liked in the EcoBind C was the depth of margin punch control. When you are binding using the plastic comb method, it is very important to adjust the distance of the holes from the edge of your book depending on its thickness. When you are binding thicker books, for instance, you'll find that the pages turn more easily (and stay in the book longer) if the holes are just a little bit further in. The EcoBind C's depth of margin punch control lets you make that adjustment as you see fit.

    

5. The EcoBind C comes with a very versatile and high quality comb opener that will allow you to use just about any comb binding supplies on the market.

Weaknesses:

1. For the money, you could hardly find a better way to enter the world of comb binding. However, you should know that this is a machine that is designed for low volume applications, meaning it is probably best used for binding just a few books per day. If you try to do much more than that, you will find the process can get a little slow and tedious rather quickly. Larger volume users may want to consider a comb binding machine with an electric punching mechanism.

    

2. This machine makes it easy to punch and bind documents with binding edges that are shorter than twelve inches. Users who need to bind legal sized sheets or other large format documents may want to consider a legal sized machine such as the Akiles Megabind One.