Its strengths:

• The RBE-2000 has a pretty impressive punching capacity. If you're working with 20 lb. paper, it can punch 20 sheets per lift. (Naturally, the punching capacity will be a bit lower if your paper is heavier.) Punching is easy and you can either do it by pressing a button or using the included foot pedal.

• When binding with this device, you can use combs that are up to 1.5" thick. Documents can contain up to 300 pages.

• This machine has dies that are completely disengageable so you can create documents that are larger or smaller than standard letter-size (8.5" x 11"). Depending on the punching pattern you choose, your document can have up to 21 holes.

• The RBE-2000 has an adjustable margin guide so you can control how far away the holes are from the edge of the paper. Utilizing this feature can lead to having documents that are more securely bound. This device also comes with a paper edge guide.

• Each unit has a chip tray that's easy to empty.

• This product comes with a limited one-year warranty. It's also pretty reasonably priced for an electric device.

And now, its weaknesses:

• Unlike Royal Sovereign's manual comb binding machines, such as the RBM-1200, the RBE-2000 has a fairly large footprint. It measures 16" (width) x 13" (depth) x 8.5" (height). Plus, it is rather heavy, weighing in at 33 pounds.

• A 20-page punching capacity is pretty good for a plastic comb binding machine. However, make sure you take into account that it can take about 15 lifts to punch all the pages you need for a 300-page document. Thus, if you're binding a lot of lengthy books, it could wind up being rather time-consuming.

• As with other Royal Sovereign comb binding machines, the lever is on the right-hand side of the unit, making this a challenging device for people who aren't ambidextrous or right-handed.

Overall, the Royal Sovereign RBE-2000 would be a pretty solid choice if you bind thick documents fairly regularly. It is terrific that all of its dies can be disengaged and that you can either use the foot pedal or lever to punch your paper. However, just be aware that since it can punch 20 pages at once, it might be a bit tedious if you need to produce a lot of thick documents in not a lot of time. Otherwise, the RBE-2000 is a great machine and would be a fantastic selection if you need a comb binding device.