Our office processes a lot of paperwork. We make jokes about the paperless office of the future and just can’t see that vision over the mounds of paper surrounding us. Thank goodness for the convenience of our Swingline Model 535 3-hole Electric Punch.


Description

This Swingline 3-Hole Electric Paper Punch measures 16.6" wide x 7.8" long x 10.3" high. It weighs 9 pounds and is a white/platinum color. It has a 6-foot black power cord.

A vertical paper holder sits atop the unit. The papers that are being hole-punched rest against the sturdy plastic holder. A button is pressed to set the punch into drilling action. The paper chips fall into a shallow drawer set beneath the front of the unit. This drawer slides out for emptying. Should a paper jam occur, there is a reverse button. The Start and Reverse button share opposite ends of a rocker switch.

The manufacturer advertises this model as a “Commercial Electric Punch”. It will drill holes through 28 sheets of 20-pound paper (ex: copy paper). The hole size is 9/32" with hole spacing of 4.25".

A tri-fold sheet of instructions come with the machine, written in English, French and Spanish. There are also abbreviated instructions in English written on the plastic vertical paper holder.


Set Up

This electric hole punch came packaged in a cardboard box and had thick styrofoam pieces on each end of the machine. All we had to do was remove the machine, attach the vertical paper holder, and plug the machine into an electrical outlet (120V 60Hz AC). Make sure the machine is set on a flat surface.


How We Came to Own This Machine

Previous to this model, we used an Acco Model 525 3-Hole Electric Punch (same manufacturer). The Acco 525 did not have as large a paper capacity as model 535. As I said, our office produces a lot of paper that needs to be 3-hole punched. Someone in the office used the Acco 525 for a long period of time without giving the machine a rest. The motor burned out.

Well, we couldn’t be without our electric paper punch. We are spoiled! The office clamored for an immediate replacement. Our office supply buyer contacted Staples and purchased the next model up from the 525 ... model 535. We liked the fact that model 535 handled more pieces of paper and was advertised as a Commercial Electric Punch.


Our Experiences

We have been using this machine for several months now. It is so easy to use. Just place up to 28 sheets of 20-pound paper against the vertical paper holder. The paper rests in a recessed opening. When the Start button is pushed, the edge of the paper is punched with three holes. This machine is fast! Every time we use the machine, neat precision holes are visible. No jagged edges. Perfect holes every time.

The instructions note that when punching multiple batches of 28 sheets of paper, to let the machine rest briefly after three cycles of punching. Also, do not use the machine for more than 15 continuous minutes. I find it interesting that the instructions state that this electric hole punch is not for heavy commercial usage. While the packaging states the punch is for commercial use, the manufacturer probably means for office use rather than for something as busy as a print shop. (At least, that’s my interpretation.)

A drawer along the front base of the unit catches the punched circles of paper. The hole punchers act as mini trash compactors. If you hole punch 28 pieces of paper, those 28 paper circles are compressed together and dropped into the drawer. If one piece of paper is hole punched, then the single circles of paper will drop into the bin. The narrow drawer doesn’t look like it will hold much, but the size is deceiving. In the area of the office where our hole punch is located, about seven people steadily use it. We empty the drawer about once a month. The instructions say to empty the drawer frequently. A too-full drawer can cause the machine to jam.

I’m careful when opening the drawer. I grab the small built-in recessed finger area, and pull the drawer out. The drawer slightly sticks in place. I put one hand on either side of the long drawer and pull it out the rest of the way. Keeping a steady hand, the paper chips do not spill out of the drawer until I am ready to empty them into the recycling bin.

We keep our electric hole punch in the main part of the office where it is centrally located for all the offices connecting to that area. We set the machine on a sturdy table. There is lots of room on this table for people to organize their paperwork as they are using the electric hole punch.


Paper Jams

I have never had this machine jam. The paper always punches smoothly. However, should a jam occur, there is a Reverse switch. Pressing this switch reverses the cycle and also resets the machine.



But How Noisy is It?

It is like any noise that you frequently hear. The sound is on the peripheral edge of awareness. The machine emits a whine that sounds a bit like a dental drill. We have a person in the office who is terrified of dentists, and she does not mind the sound of this electric hole punch.


Benefits

* Easy to set up
* Simple to use
* Consistently accurate, aligned holes
* Holes are neatly punched with smooth edges
* Drills holes in under a second
* Saves time and enables one to work faster
* Cut-out paper circles fall into a closed drawer
* Great for anyone with arthritic or weak hands


Limitations

* The hole-punching heads are not replaceable.
* The spacing between the hole punchers is not adjustable.
* Cutting more than 28 sheets of paper at a time might cause a jam.


Purchasing

Our office supply person bought this electric hole punch from Staples for $163.29. It is available at the same price from Office Depot.


Summary

The Swingline Model 535 3-hole Electric Punch is a wonderful machine to have in the office. Everyone in the office loves the convenience of this hole punch. We won’t go back to manual hole punches. The electric hole punch makes our work easier and faster to do ... and saves our hands from the repeated stress of using hand-operated hole punches. We love this machine.

I hope you have found this review useful.

Enjoy your day,
Dawn
http://dlstewart.com


Additional Information

Warranty: “The product is covered by a two (2) year limited warranty. Please retain a dated copy of your billing as ‘proof-of-purchase’ or mail in your warranty card for registration.”

Acco Brands, Inc.
300 Tower Parkway
Lincolnshire, IL 60069-3640

Toll-free Phone: 800-820-6220

www.swingline.com


Please read my other reviews:

Acco Model 525 Electric 3-Hole Paper Punch

Stanley Heavy-Duty Stapler for up to 120 pages

Avery Durable Ring Binder – 1" Capacity

Avery Durable Slant-Ring Binder – 2" Capacity

Avery Big Tab 3-Ring Notebook Dividers

Avery Ring Reinforcement Labels

Avery File Folder Labels for both inkjet and laser printers

Pendaflex Hanging File Folders with InfoPocket

Sony MicroVault 512mb USB 2.0 Flash Drive

Toshiba Satellite Notebook Computer

Belkin Emergency Battery Backup UPS – 550AVR

Canon PowerShot A400 Digital Camera



Copyright 2005 Dawn L. Stewart

Recommended: Yes