!44: The Pros and Cons of GBC CombBind C800pro Electric Comb Binding Machine

!±8± The Pros and Cons of GBC CombBind C800pro Electric Comb Binding Machine

The GBC CombBind C800pro electric comb binding machine is, quite simply, the best heavy-duty device of this type available. It's an updated version of the classic Ibico EPK21, a machine that has been known to still work even after more than a decade of use. The C800pro has a lot going for it, so let's take a look at the pros of this excellent product and also address its few cons.

The Pros:

The C800pro has one of the best binding and punching capacities of an electric comb binding machine on the market. It can punch up to 25 sheets per lift, as well as bind documents that are up to 425 pages long. Any plastic comb can be used with this binder, as well as GBC ZipBind spines. This machine's hole punch is activated by a foot pedal. This keeps your hands free so you can punch your paper much more quickly and you won't risk a condition like carpal tunnel syndrome that can result from working a punching lever repeatedly. Paper chips are stored in an enormous drawer until you have time to get rid of them. You can control where on the page your holes will go thanks to an adjustable depth of punch margin control that has four settings. Adjusting the depth will allow you to create books that are bound much more securely. The pages of your document will also turn a lot easier. All of the C800pro's 21 pins are fully disengageable which will allow you to bind documents that are 12 inches in length or shorter. This machine would be great for binding books that contain half-letter or A4 paper. This is one of the most durably constructed electric comb binding machines you can buy at the moment. It contains metal parts and was designed for heavy use. Chances are your C800pro will last for years and years. The Ibico EPK21 was orange at one point in its history. The C800pro is a much more palatable gray and black. This product has a limited one-year warranty.The Cons:

The main weakness of the C800pro is that it cannot punch and bind paper longer than 12 inches. So if you want to bind a legal-sized document or one using 11" x 17" paper, this device won't be much help. The C800p should be used for punching more than 2 plastic covers at the same time. If you try to punch more than two, you could damage or permanently wear out the motor. This could be an expense experience if the machine is no longer under warranty because you'll likely need to replace the entire device. This is a heavy-duty product and it very much looks like it. It's not as sleek and eye-catching as, say, the GBC ProClick Pronto 3000. (At least it's not orange anymore.)The GBC CombBind C800pro is the ideal machine if your company needs a workhorse for all of your comb binding projects. If you buy it, you're bound to find that you may never need to buy another machine like this again...nor will you want to.