The pros:

• The RBM-1200 has a decent punching capacity of 12 sheets of 20 lb. paper per lift. It can bind documents with combs up that are 1" thick. A document bound with that size of comb can contain up to 150 pages.

• This machine has three disengageable dies so you can punch and bind oversized paper and covers. It has an 11-inch throat so it's ideal for working with letter-sized documents (8.5" x 11").

• The RBM-1200 has a fairly small footprint. Its dimensions are 14.5" (width) x 9.0" (depth) x 5.5" (height), making it great for offices that don't have a lot of room for binding equipment. It weighs a mere 11 pounds so moving it to a new location won't be very difficult.

• This product is equipped with an adjustable margin depth guide for perfect punching. There's also a paper edge guide.

• This machine is pretty easy to operate. You can both punch and bind by using the same handle.

• If you need help selecting the appropriate cover and comb for your document, there's a chart on the side of the device that can give you a hand.

• When you need to punch paper, just insert the pages into the device and lower the lever. To open a plastic comb, place a comb on the teeth and then push the lever back. It's that simple. Plus, emptying the chip tray is easy and it isn't too messy either.

• The RBM-1200 isn't very expensive. Plus, it comes with a limited one-year warranty.

The cons:

• Due to its punching and binding capacity, the RBM-1200 isn't the ideal machine to use if you need to bind a lot of documents quickly. Also, although a 150-page binding capacity is fine for some people, if you routinely bind longer documents you should consider a different machine.

• The handle has been placed on the right side of the machine. Although the handle was designed to be ergonomically friendly, left-handed operators might encounter some problems when using it for obvious reasons.

Overall, the Royal Sovereign RBM-1200 isn't the best choice for people who need a device for heavy-duty use. They should select a different machine simply because the punching and binding capacities are a bit on the low side. (Left-handed users might also want to pick something different.) However, this really is a great machine for offices that need a budget-friendly plastic comb binder for smaller documents. It has a handful of features usually found on more expensive devices, such as the disengageable dies, and it's generally easy to operate, even for beginners. If this machine sounds right for you, consider getting one today so you can begin putting that finishing touch on your documents.