2 Minute Tuesday: Electric vs. Manual Binding Punches

It’s a common question: “Should I purchase a manual or electric binding punch?” And as much as we would love to sell a higher-dollar binding machine, we’d much rather see you purchase the right equipment for your needs. After all, we don’t want you coming back after a couple weeks as an angry customer!

So when should you purchase a manual binding punch?

• Volume is low – under 100 books per week
• Volume is sporadic – 100-500 books every now and then
• You’re just starting out – unsure of your volume (a manual punch is always a great back-up)
• Low budget – to save money!

And why would I buy a manual punch if I had to produce 500 books every couple of months? Well, it’s only 500 books – sure, it’s slower, but it’s only once in a while! That large of a volume on a low-cost electric machine will simply kill the machine quickly.

So when should you purchase one of our low-cost electric binding punches?

• Volume is very low – under 50 books per week
• We suggest SircleBind machines for low volume work

These low-cost electric machines are manufactured in China and are cheap for a reason. If your volume is very low and will stay low, then you’ll be fine. But if you increase your average workload or have a large job every now and then – you will break them quickly. For very low volumes, they are a nice alternative to manual punches.

Our recommendation? Start with a high-quality manual punch, such as the manual machines from Akiles until you can afford to upgrade to a heavy-duty interchangeable die punch, which start at $1,750 for electric models – it’ll be worth the wait and you won’t end up replacing your $400 electric punch year after year.

Still not sure as to what you need? Please leave a comment below or contact us!