Akiles iCoil Plus Oval Hole Spiral Binding Machine (Discontinued)

Expert Reviews

Expert Product Review: iCoil Plus  by Mallory Morsa
           
Hi everyone! My name is Mallory Morsa, and I am the product expert at Binding101. I have been a part of the Binding101 team since 2008, where I started out in service and sales, learning our customers' needs and how to offer truly exceptional service. After a of couple years, I moved into a role of product management that required in-depth product research, as well as training of our staff. And in my honest expert reviews, I am proud to share that extensive knowledge with you. Take a look at the product review below, which will highlight both the pros and the cons, as well as identify the ideal customer. If you have any questions or need more information, please call our customer care team at (866)537-2244. Thank you for stopping by, and please check out our Binding101 social media channels by clicking the icons above.

I RECOMMEND THIS FOR: 
The iCoil+ seems to be a good little machine for offices that want the ease of oval holes (offering easier coil inserting) and who could benefit from a mini electric inserter, all at a lower price-point than other machines with these features that may have been built for more industrial use, such as the CoilMac ECI+. The iCoil spiral binder is only meant for low-volume, so I would only recommend it for individual or small-office users who do less than 15-20 books per month, and who only do letter size books. Do you bind even less than that? Take a look at the Rubicoil spiral binding machine as an alternative option.
 

WHAT I LIKE:
The fact that a little personal/small office binding machine has an electric inserter included on it is a pretty cool feature. Even though it is small, so not as efficient or as high-quality as the larger machines, it is still a nice way to avoid those frustrations that we get from inserting the spirals one hole at a time. I also like that the oval holes are standard on this binding machine, because that only assists with the ease of coil insertion even further. I also like all the little sizing features that this comes with, because picking a coil size can be difficult without them and so they will help you get that perfect and pretty finished bind that is professional and clean.
 

THINGS TO CONSIDER:
I’m not a huge fan of the fact that this is a plastic machine, even though it is meant for real low volume or at home users, I just prefer the feel of a punch made with a metal handle (if you’ve ever tried both, you will understand what I mean)… it just feels more structured and you know in your heart (is that weird to say?) that you are getting a higher quality finish. The inserter does not span the length of the machine, so don’t expect it to work as smoothly as the bigger ones, but it is still nice to have and definitely assists in making the process faster than by-hand. It also is a closed-in punch (meaning you can’t do any sheets bigger than letter size) and does not have pins that you can disengage (to prevent a single hole from punching) so it is not recommended for those looking to do a big variety of sheet sizes. But that being said, at-home users like those who would buy this machine don’t need a really high-quality or heavy duty unit, and this is actually a pretty nice choice for making your own coil bound journals and crafts at home.
 

THE BOTTOM LINE: 
This spiral binding machine is good option for individual users who want some of the efficient features of an office machine, but that was built for low-volume and craft use. Because it was designed for the home-user or small office, it is pretty easy to use, so simple self-training from our iCoil+ product overview video on YouTube, plus a little practice, should be enough to get you familiar and comfortable using the machine.