Fellowes Lyra 3-in-1 20 Sheets Punched Comb Binding Machine with Document, White/Gray

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Machine is very good quality, heavy duty & easy to use. Heavy base so it doesn't slide or move while using it. Punching for 3-ring binding or using binding combs at your fingertips. Built-in stapler makes it convenient & doesn't get misplaced while binding lots of documents. Very well constructed machine. Fellowes brand is always a reputable brand & stands by their name for excellent quality. I received this product free in exchange for my honest & unbiased review.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] OVERVIEW The Lyra (pronounced “LEE-rah”) offers three ways to bind your documents: 1) stapling your papers together (up to 30 sheets at a time); 2) punching three holes in your papers (up to 30 sheets at a time) for insertion into a ring binder; and 3) punching your papers (up to 20 sheets at a time) and fastening them to a plastic binding comb. 1. STAPLING This is basically a regular stapler built into the body of the Lyra. So no more having to hunt around for one. The Lyra comes with a small box containing 1,000 ¼” staples. Each staple holds a maximum capacity of 30 sheets of paper (20lb weight), which is the maximum stack that the Lyra can staple at one time. Not sure what is 20lb paper? It's the typical photocopy paper found in most homes and offices. Like any stapler, you pull up the handle and insert a strip of staples (each strip contains 50 staples). Note that this is not an electric stapler. You push down on the handle to staple your stack. There is an adjustable depth guide on the side that you push your paper up against to determine the location where you want to place your staple. With this guide you can place the staple anywhere from 1” down from the top edge of your paper to as little as 1/8” from the top edge of your paper. Stapling the maximum of 30 sheets of 20lb paper was effortless. Just a gentle and consistent pushing down of the stapler was all it took while seated and having the Lyra at my desk. I have a variety of staplers that each have their quirks. With some, I have to slam down hard while others require a steady push from above with my weight – otherwise the staple does not go cleanly all the way through. With the Lyra, even pushing down with two fingers gave me a clean stapling – impossible to do with my regular staplers. 2. THREE HOLE PUNCH As with the stapler, there is also no need to have a separate three-hole punch to take up more surface space. The Lyra has one built in and it operates in a similar way. You lift up the Lyra's handle and insert your documents into the slot on top of the machine. Make sure your documents are flush up against the left so that all of your edges are even. I used the maximum – 30 sheets of 20lb paper. With the Lyra on my desk, I was able to push down on the handle – while I was seated – and get three cleanly cut holes ready for inserting my documents into a three-ring binder. So it doesn't take a lot of leverage or effort. There will be some resistance when the handle makes contact with the paper. But it's not like you have to stand and push down with your weight. And there's no confetti to clean up. The chads get collected in a small drawer on the bottom of the Lyra. I also tested the Lyra using 60lb paper. Since it is much heavier, I limited my stack to 10 sheets. I punched three stacks and, each time, the Lyra had no problem cutting clean holes. 3. COMB BINDING The steps for comb binding are: A) punching the holes; B) measuring the stack; C) loading and threading the binding comb. A. PUNCHING HOLES The process is similar to three-hole punching. But, instead of three round holes, the Lyra punches 19 small rectangular holes. Note that, unlike with stapling and three-hole punching, the maximum stack of 20lb paper you can punch is 20 sheets, not 30 sheets. The Lyra's top lifts up to reveal a separate slot into which you insert your documents for punching the comb binding holes. Fortunately, this slot is designed so that if you accidentally put in 30 sheets – like I did – it will not fit in. For consistency, it would be ideal if the Lyra was able to comb bind a maximum of 30 sheets also. Again, I operated the Lyra while seated and having the machine on my desk. Punching 20 sheets of 20lb paper did require a stronger downward push on the handle than it did for the three-hole punch. But this is to be expected as more pressure is needed to cut 19 smaller holes spaced closer together than three large ones spaced further apart. B. MEASURING THE STACK Next, you hold your stack up against a guide printed on the Lyra to determine what size binding comb you need. I punched 40 sheets (two 20 sheet stacks of 20lb paper), which fit the 3/8” (10mm) binding combs I was provided with. C. LOADING AND THREADING THE BINDING COMB Now that I know what size to use, I inserted the binding comb into the claws of the Lyra. They may look like claws, but they are not sharp enough to cause injury – the points are rounded. Be careful, though, when extracting the binding combs from the box. They are packed tightly – 25 to a box – and the corners at each end of the binding combs are pointy enough to elicit an “ouch” from me. As a first-timer, threading the binding comb took some patience and bright lighting to see what I was doing. After inserting the spine of the binding comb into the claws, you then gently pull a comb opening lever toward you so that the claws pry apart the rings of the spine. Now you can manually thread or insert the rings of the spine into the holes in your document (and covers). As a beginner working under dim light, I missed some of the holes and found it easier to do when I broke up the document into smaller stacks rather than trying to thread the entire stack in one go. Once inserted, you push the lever forward so that the claws close up the rings to secure your document. FINAL THOUGHTS The Lyra is a “green” machine – no electricity is needed to operate this mechanical device. The machine is about as wide and as deep as many home printers, but certainly not as tall. So it won't take up too much surface space. The Lyra has a solid build. Nothing feels cheap or flimsy. The style and color of the unit will blend in with all of your home office products. Paper instructions are included. The English portion is only four pages with lots of diagrams and pictures – so there's not a lot you have to read. But I suggest downloading a PDF version so that you can easily do searches for specific subjects. The instructions with accompanying pictures were easy to follow though I did view the company's two-minute video to get a quick overview. Like many products today, the Lyra is made in China. Overall, I am very pleased with the machine. I present educational workshops and routinely distribute paper materials. So now, with the Lyra, I can continue to have these materials stapled or I have the option of punching them for use in a ring binder or binding comb. Prices will vary, but I found that the 3/8” (10 mm) binding combs come to about 20 cents each and presentation covers about 50 cents each. So, apart from the initial cost of the machine, I can present my materials with a professional looking finish at a fairly nominal cost.