Akiles CoilMac-EPI Electric Punch & Electric Coil Inserter

CoilMac-EPI Review
by Mallory Morsa
Hi! I am Mallory and I am the editor here at BUY101. I have been with the team since 2008, where I started out as a customer service representative, learning the in's and out's of every product we offer. I then moved into a roll of product management that required even more product research as well as new product training, sharing my extensive product and industry knowledge with our entire BUY101 team, and now, with you in my honest reviews.

I RECOMMEND THIS FOR: 
The CoilMac-EPI is an electric punch and an electric binding system for spiral binding coils that I recommend for small print shops or offices that need to bind frequently, even multiple times a day, or is large (but not production) volumes. For the same power, but with additional features, consider the EPI Plus version, or for something a little less rugged, check out the CoilMac-EX Plus.
 

WHAT I LIKE: 
Akiles is a pretty well-know and trusted brand, that does a good job making quality machines for the binding industry. Their EPI binder machine is no different, so I am happy with the quality of components. It’s made of a durable metal, not cheap plastic, so sits firmly on a work station for a stable work environment. It is fairly easy to use for the industry it is directed to…as in, a print shop or facility that is familiar with coil binding on a basic level. If you are brand new, training and learning the machine is very easy too. Integrated features like 5 disengageable pins, dials, guides, etc. make it easy to get the perfect punching pattern for a variety of common sheet sizes.
 

THINGS TO CONSIDER:  
When it comes to an “all electric” machine, it is a bit of a bummer to realize you still have to manually crimp and cut the coils to finish them. Granted, the pliers are included for free, but an electric crimper function would make this an all-in-one machine. The price is also a little off putting, when you consider that there is an all-electric machine available for less, called the Rhin-O-Tuff® System 3000. But what you should keep in mind is the recommended volume… the EPI is rated for users who bind daily or even multiple times a day in higher volumes, so has a more powerful motor. There have been a few complaints over the years about inner parts being difficult to replace and easily damaged, but as long as you don’t push this machine (or any machine, for that matter) to the max capacity 100% of the time, this will rarely come up. This was designed for standard sheet sizes, such as letter size, half size, legal size, etc. with the 5 punch pins that can be removed. If you need more customization opportunity, the EPI Plus model requires only a little more investment and packs several bonus features.
 

THE BOTTOM LINE: 
Akiles is a reliable brand with a one year warranty that protects you against defects, offering more assurance than the common 90 day warranty offered by other manufacturers. It has several features designed to help you customize your punch, as well as get a professional finish, each and every time. At the end of it all, I recommend the CoilMac-ECI spiral binding machine as a start-up machine for users that bind coil on-demand for clients, such as Kinko’s, or as a durable office machine for client books, inter-company presentations, and more.