Spiral bindings are almost impossible to apply correctly without a quality binding machine. These machines are used to bind books, texts that need to lay flat, and more. We reviewed the best binding machines for your needs so that you can find the right tool for your use with ease.
We picked based on the style and type of the binding machines, as well as their binding and punching capacity, as well as the number of holes and paper format you can use with them. All these features define how you can use the machine. Dive in!
This is a well-made, durable and reliable tool that you can use to bind many different kinds of items, and considering the price you get it for, we picked it as our Editor’s Choice. With it, you will be able to bind up to 450 sheets at a time and you can use as big as 2” bindings for your work. The max punch capacity is 10-12 sheets of paper at a time. This unit is made to be easy to use as well as being easy on your body ergonomically. This machine is safe to use and will not slow you down while you are working.
The machine can be used for multiple purposes, from binding books to handouts for school purposes. This is a really nice machine when compared to others in its price range, and you will get all of the features and functions from this unit that you need for any kind of job. The accuracy edge is a really nice benefit to offer you great cutting and reliable assembly every time you use this binding machine.
This machine is a great choice for classrooms because you can use it to quickly and readily bind up to 150 sheets of paper with up to a ¾” comb. You can count on this unit to work perfectly each time you use it because it loads vertically and there is a quality built-in comb storage tray. This machine is easy to set up and you will be able to use it to punch up to 15 sheets of paper at a time. This is a unit that will not hurt your hand when you use it, and you will love that you don’t have to fight with it if you have to punch a lot of papers or make a lot of workbooks at once.
This is an improvement design-wise over some of the other machines that are sold at this price point because of the vertical loading style. This makes it much easier to set up your binding and your hole punching processes to get them done efficiently. No one has time to fight with binding and punching lots of papers in the classroom each day!
This binding machine offers you really comfortable use that will not be hard on your hands or your elbows. You will also love that there is an included electric coil inserter to save you time and effort when adding the comb to your binding process. You will get a better final outcome due to all the built-in features of this unit and you can trust it to take care of custom bindings as well as hole punching 20 sheets of paper at a time. This is a great choice to make if you bind or hole punch daily and want to spare your wrists, fingers, and arms from being injured by repeated movements.
This item is sold at a higher price point than some of the others on the list, but you are getting improved features that most binding machines will not offer you for this kind of use. You can easily depress the full handle and get great results each time you punch a hole or bind sheets of paper. There is also a really nice 2-year warranty for this unit that is better than average for this kind of machine even at this price point.
The Starlet2+ is sold at a great price point and it will punch up to 12 sheets of paper at a time. You can also bind up to 120 sheets with up to a 5/*” comb with this binding machine. You will enjoy access to a quality built-in comb storage tray when you pick this binding machine, and you can count on it to operate effectively without being hard on your hands or your wrists. This binding machine also offers a nice edge guide that keeps edges centered up and makes sure that bindings go on straight.
This binding machine is a great choice for those who are needing a classroom use unit or a home-use unit. Despite the low price point, this is a reliable unit that you can count on to take on big tasks with ease. You will not have to fight to work with this binding machine and you can handle lots of large and small jobs with it without struggle. The center guide helps make quality results with ease no matter if you are used to using this kind of machine or not.
Heavy-duty punching and binding machines are ideal if you have to bind large jobs daily or if you need to punch holes reliably through lots of sheets of paper. This unit can handle 450 pages when binding and it can take on 12 sheets at a time for punching jobs. You can customize your margins for your jobs, and you will be able to trust that the handle and the base of this machine will not wear out or fail you. This unit operates readily, and you can use many different binding combs with it with ease.
This binding machine is a really nice choice to make if you need a heavy-duty model of the other machines on this list. You can count on this unit to take care of all of your jobs without being hard to use. You can be comfortable while you work as well, which is very helpful if you have to take on tough jobs with ease.
If you need to be able to set your edge distance for each job and you want a quality machine that is durable and able to handle tough jobs with ease, this is the right choice for you to make! You will be able to punch and bind with ease using this machine and the ergonomics will keep your hands and shoulders safe from being hurt. This is a commonly purchased machine for factory use and you will get this level of result from this machine each time you use it. This is a multi-purpose machine that can be trusted to deliver great results.
This is a heavy-duty machine, but it is not limited to just heavy-duty jobs. Considering the reasonable price point, this is a great choice to make if you want quality results that will not cost you an arm and a leg. This is the right machine for your office, bookbinding business, or even your classroom if you make a lot of bound items each day.
The Rayson TD is a sturdy design that will punch 12 sheets of paper at a time and will bind 120 sheets at once. This is a unit that is made to last, and it will not hurt your hand or arm when you are punching with it. The interior cutting blade is well-made and offers superior evenness in the finished products that you can make with it. The blade is oiled so that it will slide cleanly through many kinds of papers and products with ease. You can even cut and punch laminated materials with ease with this unit which is a really nice feature for some users.
This is a machine from a well-known brand that is sold at a great price. You will get a lot for your money when you pick this machine for your needs, and you might even get better cutting and punching and binding from this unit than the spendy units that we have reviewed already.
If you need a binding machine that can handle large jobs with ease and can be counted on to punch holes with ease, this is the unit to pick. This is a machine that is well-suited for the use of a teacher and the binding results are excellent if you need to have durable workbooks or bound work at the end of your efforts. This is a nice machine that comes with a great operating manual for beginners and experienced users alike.
This machine is really well-made and reliable. It is a big step up from other machines at its price point because of the quality results that it delivers. You can use lots of different size combs as well as other binding types when you work with this machine. This is a big part of what makes this unit special when compared to many others in this price range.
Binding machines are usually not sold with additional kit items, but this really nice kit gives you everything that you need to get started binding and working with punching papers for other uses. The machine can handle 450 pages with 3/8” combs when you are binding, and you can trust it to punch up to 15 sheets of paper as well. This is a unit that can be used for professional binding, and it is heavy-duty and will not let you down. You can also work with lots of non-standard page sizes due to the open-throat design. You will have what you need to get right to work, and this unit is easy to use without lots of practice.
Because this is a kit, you will get everything that you need to get started working for the same price that you would pay for some machines all by themselves. You will be able to get professional results at a great low price and you will even get all the right items for your first projects with your purchase. This is a complete purchase for your binding needs.
This quality machine offers you the ability to bind up to 450 sheets with ease. You can also punch 12 sheets at a time. This is a nicely made unit that comes with included combs for your needs. The unit is light, but it is still durable and can take care of all of your needs with ease. You will never hurt your hand with the handle and the design is made to be nice to your arms and shoulders while you work. You can set unique margins as well which can be nice for some projects.
This is a similar style unit to others on the list that have already been reviewed. This one offers a complete kit for your money as well as easier functionality than some of the other machines on this list. This product also benefits from a really good warranty which is a very nice benefit compared to some other products at its price point.
If you are wanting to have the best bookbinding machine that is also lightweight and easy to handle as well as powerful enough to cut through 12 sheets of paper with ease, this is the right one for your needs. This unit will bind 450 sheets at a time and the offset cutting blades make for a really quality assembly process. This is a well-made unit that is designed with superior ergonomics, and you can count on it to be easy on your hands and wrists as you use it. This unit also offers the unique benefit of being able to punch and cut at the same time as binding. This saves time and effort overall.
This unit is really superior to others on this list if you want to save time and be able to count on your unit to handle all of your needs with ease. You will get a kit of combs as well with your order and you will love the price point. This is a well-made machine that offers accurate punching and binding with ease.
This is a well-made thermal binding machine, and you will love how universal it is. There are three included time cycles as well which makes it easy to complete all kinds of jobs with ease. Thermal binding is a totally different process than coil or comb binding and this machine can generate great results with ease on materials that are hard to punch and cut. This means that slippery or thick materials will bind with ease when you use this machine for your needs.
This is a superior binding process for some material types, and you will be able to reliably and quickly make bound products when you use this unit. You will have a small learning curve if you have not used this kind of machine before, but you will find that the booklets and books that you make will hold up perfectly even to tough jobs.
When you are considering which style of machine to buy, you need to think about what your ideal binding type is and how much work you have to do each time you are working on a project. There is no reason to settle for a binding type that does not work for your needs. This buying guide has outlined the specifics of each model of binding machine that we have reviewed but now we will look at the unique features of these machines.
There are different binding methods that you can use for your book binding processes. These choices might be impacted by the use and what kind of jobs your booklets need to do.
Coil binders like the TRUBIND Spiral and Coil Binding machine offer you the chance to bind with metal or with plastic combs. This can make the binding process more or less involved for your needs and plastic combs can be a little fragile for some uses.
Comb machines like the MAKEASY comb binding machine can create reliable and well-aligned booklets and books. You will be able to make affordable items with ease using this style of machine and this is the right choice for most workbook applications for classroom use.
Wire machines are often more expensive because they have to cut and bind with a tougher material. The Rayson TD-132 offers a great wire binding process that will make durable bindings for many kinds of materials.
Thermal binding is the right choice for thick or slippery materials like covers or cardstock. This is a great way to make durable and lasting booklets that look beautiful when they are finished. The ThermoBind TB500 is a great example of a thermal binding machine for this need.
You will want to look at a few features for each binding machine that you consider buying. You will want to be sure that you do not just buy the first machine that you see and then find out that it does not suit your needs.
You will want to make sure that your thermal binder can handle the number of pages that you need to bind. You will find that not all of them are going to be able to handle lots of card stock or thick covers, so you might want to consider this if you are needing to generate thick documents from slippery materials.
Punch capacity can be the hold-up for many machines. While many units will promise that they can punch more than one page at a time, this is almost always something that could be done better with machines that offer this function.
Consider what kinds of materials you want to punch and how many sheets you have to punch at a time when you are buying.
For customized projects like scrapbooking, you can consider some of the best die-cut machines we reviewed. You can also check out the best embossing machines out there to add a finalizing touch to your project.
There are different formats for hole punching and some machines will handle many different styles of hold punch arrangements. This can impact the kind of coil process that you use to bind your books, and this might impact your decision.
If you want to have loosely bound or tightly bound books, you will need to think about the spacing that you can generate between the holes. This can change the way that the book performs and how easy it is to open and close. It can also impact durability.
Some machines will not work well with slippery or hard products and materials. You will find that thermal binding can be the best choice for thick or slippery papers and many punching or coil binding machines will struggle with this kind of material.
Paper margins can change how flat the book lays. You might want to have your book lay flat for use as a workbook or coloring book, or maybe you want to have a book that performs more like a regular book and does not lay as flat. The margins that you choose will impact this performance in the final product.
The sharpness and design of the knife will directly affect the way that cuts are made and what kinds of paper can be cut when binding with each machine. Make sure that you think about this when choosing which machine, you want to use for your binding process.
Not every machine is made to be used with every single binding type or with every coil type. Many machines will only work with one kind of binding style. You will want to be sure that you know which binding type you want to use before you buy and whether or not the machine allows you to bind with various sizes of each type of binding.
The durability of your machine can be directly linked to what uses you are planning to have it for. If you are trying to bind items for the classroom a few times a month, you might not need as durable a machine as someone who binds books for a living.
Durability can offset features and functions because you want your machine to hold up to the use that you need it for.
Easy operation and easy customization can matter for many people. If you have never used one of these machines before, there is a learning curve associated with each process. If you need a lot of help and guidance you will want to gravitate toward machines that offer great directions as well as easy function settings.
The price of the machine might matter if you are planning to use it for just a few jobs here and there or if you are wanting to use it on a daily basis for items that you are paid to make. Many of these machines are sold at a very reasonable price but that can also mean that they are not rated to handle as many jobs as you want to create with them.
The warranty on an item can be very helpful if you run into issues with its function after you buy it. If you pick a machine with a low-quality warranty, you might be let down if you run into issues within the first year of its use. Machines that need to be used for daily operations should have a superior warranty.
We looked at the best binding machines for many uses and determined which ones we thought were the best. Our Editor’s Choice is the MAKEASY Comb Binding Machine that we gave a 9.8 rating to due to its reliability and overall performance at its price point. We gave the Fellowes Star+ a Best for Homeschool rating because it will not break the bank and will generate workbooks and handouts with ease. For Best Functionality, we chose the TRUBIND Spiral/Coil Machine because you can bind in both ways with this machine without hurting your body.
The Thermobind TB500 offers the best thermal binding experience for your needs and the Tianse BM-1255 represents the best binding machine for your needs if you need durable construction in your machine. This is a really nice set of units that will take care of your binding needs with ease, both big and small!
