If you’re running a business, you probably have employees. As is the case with any business, employees need to be paid, which requires the use of a time clock. If you are in the market for an employee time clock, consider using the Acroprint ES700 atomic time recorder. This is my review.

Acroprint is currently one of the largest manufacturers of employee time clocks, recorders and stamps. This includes digital, card punch and biometric time clocks. Acroprint has developed a great reputation over the past decade for producing high quality products.

The ES700 has always been a customer favorite and it has recently undergone some minor changes. The older cream color has been replaced by a more modern gray and black design. Another change is that the Acroprint ES700 is now atomic. This means that the time now synchs automatically (with the National Institute of Standards and Technology), ensuring extremely precise and accurate time. It can also easily handle transitions of daylight savings.

The Acroprint ES700 is what we call a punch-style time clock. This is because it uses punch cards. While this time clock is manually operated, it does implement many modern-day digital features.

Punch cards are easy to read, easy for assimilating data and don’t require any special training to use. The LCD screen is large, clear and easy to read. The power requirements on the ES700 are 120V or 240V and can be adjusted by toggling a switch on the power supply. Overall, the design is very business friendly.

Not only can the ES700 be used for time & attendance tracking, but it can also be used as a text and time stamp. It is very easy to feed documents, forms and other material into this time recorder. It can be used to stamp 13 different preset messages such as RCVD, SENT, IN, OUT, CFMD, FILED, PAID, USED, FAXED, VOID, ORIGIN, APR’D and CMPL’D.

Depending on the time cards you are using, the ES700 can do left or right side printing. The margin is also adjustable for easy positioning of text and numbers. The print font size can also be adjusted.

Security is a pretty big deal with time clocks. Nobody wants the time clock to be tampered with. For this reason, a 4-digit password is required to access the time clock’s settings and adjustments.

The ES700 is definitely an affordable option for most businesses and can be used for small to medium-volume jobs. The build quality on this time recorder is exceptional and far surpasses the typical punch time clock. This is a great option for most small to medium-size businesses.

You can find the Acroprint ES700 atomic time recorder here and our entire selection of time clocks & recorders here.

There are few things that can drop your spirits faster than discovering you’ve been duped by a fake bill.  Let’s face it, counterfeiters are getting better. Fake bills are harder to tell apart and methods that used to detect bills 10+ years ago aren’t catching everything. If you run or operate a business, you probably need a counterfeit bill detector. One solid model you should consider using is the Cassida 2200 counterfeit bill detector & scanner. This is my review.

Cassida is well versed in money handling. They currently manufacture several different models of bill counters and coin counters. It should come as no surprise, with their years of experience, that Cassida would also make several reliable counterfeit detectors.

The Cassida 2200 counterfeit bill detector is designed for low to medium-volume use. While manual effort is involved to use the 2200, built-in technology cuts down on human error. When used correctly, the Cassida 2200 should catch just about any counterfeit bill out there.

The Model 2200 utilizes several different detection technologies. This includes infrared (IR), ultraviolet (UV), watermark (WM) and magnetic (MG) detection technologies. With the ability to combine all these different technologies, counterfeit bills don’t stand a chance.

The Cassida 2200 has a relatively small footprint, allowing it to be used at most desks and workstations. It only weighs in at 3 pounds, allowing it to be easily moved from one place to another.

The control interface on the Model 2200 is extremely easy to use and very little training is required to use this machine. Once it is up and running, it shouldn’t take more than a minute (at most) to determine a bill’s authenticity.

Using the Cassida 2200 is easy. Simply place a bill on the work surface. Once in place, a bill can be scanned using infrared detection technology. An IR image of the bill is sent to the build in monitor, highlighting the bill’s characteristics. This makes it easy to quickly point out counterfeit bills at a glance. Few modern counterfeit detectors feature infrared scanning technology.

As previously mentioned, the 2200 also has IR and WM technology. If you’re not satisfied with the IR scan, you can scan the bill for fluorescent UV marks and watermark properties. The UV and WM detectors are also great for checking the validity of checks, credit cards, ID card and more. UV scanning is done by a black light under the hood of the 2200 and the WM backlight is located on the base of the 2200.

The Cassida 2200 can also scan the magnetic ink properties of bills. This is done by rubbing the bill on a magnetic ink scanner located on the base of the 2200.

Overall the Cassida 2200 is very thorough. It implements the latest in counterfeit technology and is a must-have machine for low to medium-volume bill scanning. I feel confident in recommending this machine for use in most retail environments.

You can find the Cassida 2200 counterfeit bill detector & scanner here and our entire selection of counterfeit bill detectors here.

Feel free to speak with one of our counterfeit bill detection experts by calling toll-free at 1-800-658-8788. They should be able to answer any questions you may have.

If you run, own or work for a business that handles money on a regular basis, you probably have the need for a reliable and affordable coin counter. With so many models out there, you may be a little overwhelmed. One great machine for low to medium-volume use is the Cassida C100 coin counter & sorter. I have used this machine and this is my review.

There are a lot of garbage coin counters out there. Most of these coin counters are sold for a “great deal” at department stores around the U.S. While these coin counters may be a “great deal,” they typically fall apart in a few months (if you’re lucky enough to get them working at all). The coin counters offered at ABC Office are designed for business use, not hobby use.

Cassida is probably one of the top bill counter manufacturers around. While Cassida is best known for their line of bill counters, they also make a couple of reliable coin counters and sorters.

The Cassida C100 is both a coin counter and sorter, all in one machine. I’ll start off with the sorting capabilities. You will notice in the picture that the C100 has separate trays for each denomination. This makes it possible for the C100 to separate coins and place them in their own respective containers. Included coin tubes make coin wrapping very easy. The C100 will automatically stop and notify you when the bank roll is full.

The bin on top of the C100 can hold up to 1600 coins. While not terribly common with coin sorters, the C100 can sort $1 coins. It can specifically count and sort 1¢, 5¢, 10¢, 25¢ and $1 coins. This versatility allows the C100 to handle just about everything in the U.S. market. The C100 is also available in a Canadian version for Canadian denominations.

Not only does the C100 sort coins, but it can also count them. It does this by adding the total quantity of coins. It will provide you with a grand total of coins or a denomination total of coins. The large display will even provide you with the total counted value.

The C100 can also batch count coins (0 to 500). Batch counting can be specifically set for individual denominations. This is especially nice for wrapping coins.

Having used the Cassida C100 myself, I can personally vouch for the easy-of-use. It literally takes a minute or two to get this machine up and running. From my own experience, I can say that the C100 is very accurate. I have run and re-run coins through this machine with accurate results every time.

I feel safe in recommending the Cassida C100 for light to moderate use. I would not recommend it for high-volume use. It operates at a speed of about 250 coins a minute.

You can find the Cassida C100 coin counter & sorter here and our entire selection of coin counting machines here.

As is the case with any cross cut shredder, they all eventually need to be oiled. While oiling a shredder isn’t terribly difficult, it is hard to remember when to do it. An un-oiled shredder will prematurely wear out. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a shredder that oiled itself? There is! One shredder you may want to look at is the Formax FD 8650CC AutoOiler office shredder. This is my review.

Formax is a leading manufacturer of paper shredders, folding machines, bursters, letter openers and much more. They currently make about 13 different models of paper shredder. Their shredder line is generally considered to be some of the best available, especially for office use.

The FD 8500CC AutoOiler is a cross cut shredder capable of shredding up to 28 sheets of paper at a time. A 28 sheet shredding capacity is impressive for an office cross cut paper shredder. The FD 8500CC utilizes a level 3 cross cut pattern that measures in at 5/32″ x 1 19/32″. This is small enough for most confidential documents.

A 16″ wide opening is capable of handling most document sizes. This includes letters, envelopes, legal documents, printouts and much more. At an operational speed of up to 30 feet per second, the FD 8500CC gets the job done very quickly.

This shredder is perfect for office and departmental use for many reasons. To begin with, it is extremely secure (Level 3). Secondly, it has a 53-gallon bin, which means fewer bag changes for you. It is relatively quiet and the control panel is extremely easy to use.

The control panel has a start, stop and reverse button. Lights let you know when the bag is full and when the door is open. A guide on the right side of the control panel indicates the load being put on the shredder. This makes it easy to determine how many sheets you can put in it without actually counting the paper prior to shredding.

The motor on the FD 8500CC is designed to be used continuously throughout the day. Casters make this shredder easy to move around, and because it can be used throughout the day, it is easy to put in a centralized location for use by multiple people. The motor is relatively quiet, which is also great for office use.

One of the best features on the FD 8500CC is the AutoOiler feature. As this shredder runs, it automatically oils the shredder blades. This helps prolong the life of the heat-treated steel blades and creates less work for you.

The build quality on the FD 8500CC is exceptional. It features metal gears, heat-treated cutting blades and a durable metal cabinet. It can even handle staples, paper clips and credit cards. It is clearly designed for heavy-duty use and for durability.

I have no problem recommending this shredder for use in any office. It is a solid piece of machinery and the AutoOiler is a huge plus.

You can find the Formax FD 8650CC AutoOiler office shredder here and our entire selection of Formax paper shredders here. You can also find our entire selection of paper shredders here.

Are you looking for a well-built manual paper folding machine that can hold up to some of the toughest folding jobs? There are a lot of options out there. One affordable option you may want to consider is the Martin Yale 1611 AutoFolder paper folding machine. This is my review.

Martin Yale recently redesigned the popular Model 1601 paper folding machine. The old 1601 is now the Martin Yale 1611. While this new folding machine is essentially the “next generation” 1601, Martin Yale has really gone out of their way to make some significant improvements.

One thing I like, although not functionally important, is the new design of the 1611. The black color and the well-rounded design looks great. It fits in well with most business environments. While looks aren’t everything (especially with office equipment), it is still nice to have an aesthetically pleasing piece of office machinery.

Looks aside, the Martin Yale 1611 is also packed with a wide range of features. To start with, the 1611 has a nice 150 sheet (20# paper) feed table capacity. While this isn’t enough to hold an entire ream of paper, it is still leaps and bounds better than manually inserting paper. The 1611 folds 150 sheets in just minutes. It is a fast machine. It is also relatively quiet for the size.

As far as build quality is concerned, the 1611 AutoFolder gets high marks. Even the folding plates are more robust than they used to be. If you remove the folding plates, you will notice that they are thick and extremely durable, versus many other manual setup folding machines. While you still have to manually set up the fold plates, it takes just seconds to a few minutes (depending on the operator’s experience).

The Model 1611 can handle a nice range of paper sizes. It will fold paper ranging from 3 ½” x 5″ up to 8 ½” x 14″. Unlike many manual setup folding machines, the Martin Yale 1611 can create most folds with the larger legal-size 8 ½” x 14″ size. This includes letter folds, Z folds, single folds and more.

Unlike folding machines of 10+ years ago, you do not need to fan the paper prior to placing it in the machine. This is a huge plus in my book. Fanning paper, at least for me, often led to paper jams. The “drop-in” system the Model 1611 is very efficient and dramatically cuts down on paper jams.

One very unique feature of the 1611 AutoFolder is the bypass tray for multi-sheet folding. You can manually insert a stack of up to 5 sheets of paper into the feed bypass for quick multi-sheet folding. The process is very simple.

For low to medium-volume paper folding, the Martin Yale 1611 AutoFolder is a great choice. It is affordable, features a great build quality and can be used on just about any table or desk in the office.

You can find the Martin Yale 1611 AutoFolder paper folding machine here and our entire selection of Martin Yale paper folders here. You can find our entire selection of paper folding machines here.

One of the most monotonous things about shredding paper is sitting near the machine and feeding it sheets upon sheets of paper. The entire process, for a stack of 100 sheets, can take 2-10 minutes, depending on the shredder. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just leave the paper at the shredder and let it do the rest? Such a shredder exists. It is called the Formax FD 8500AF AutoFeed paper shredder. This is my review.

Formax currently manufactures about a dozen different paper shredders. Models range from strip cut shredders to high-end high security paper shredders. Formax shredders easily make the top 5 shredder brands we currently offer online.

The FD 8500AF is a fairly unique paper shredder. This is because it has what’s known as an AutoFeed function. A slot, located on the top of the machine, can be opened up allowing you to insert up to 175 sheets of 11” x 17” paper (20# thick). This slot then pulls a sheet of the stack and shreds it. The FD 8500AF will continue pulling in paper until it is done shredding the stack.

This saves the operator a lot of time, especially throughout the day. Simply put, the FD 8500AF doesn’t need babysitting to get the job done. When watching it in action, the AutoFeed looks remarkably similar to a printer, folding machine or copier. You can see a video demonstration of the 8500AF here:

Formax FD 8500AF AutoFeed Shredder Video Demonstration

You don’t have to run the Formax FD 8500 in AutoFeeder mode. It also has a traditional slot on the front of the shredder where you can manually insert paper. The manual slot can shred up to 18 sheets of 20# paper at a time.

The Formax FD 8500AF is a Level 3 cross cut shredder. That means it can be used to shred most sensitive documents. The particle size measures in at 5/32″ x 1 1/5″ in size. The high-quality shredder blades are not only capable of shredding paper, but can also handle staples, paper clips and credit cards.

The FD 8500AF is a centralized office shredder. This means it can be situated within a department for use by several different people throughout the day. It is robust and durable enough to be used continuously without any need for a cool-down period.

The control panel on this shredder is very easy to use and easy to read. It lets you know if the door is open, the bag is full, if it is running in reverse and much more. It even includes a load indicator that lets you know how much stress the shredder is under at any given time.

I really like this shredder. The quality is where it needs to be and it is from one of the most reputable manufacturers we carry. The AutoFeed is a huge time saver. I give this shredder high marks. Just about everything on this shredder is made out of metal. It is an excellent machine.

You can find the Formax FD 8500AF AutoFeed paper shredder here and our entire selection of Formax paper shredders here. You can find our entire selection of paper shredders here.

Do you need a tough, robust paper folding machine that can handle hundreds to thousands of folds a day? If so, you don’t want to settle for a basic paper folding machine. You are probably going to want something automated. One great machine you should consider using is the Formax FD 38X automatic paper folding machine. I have personally used this folding machine and this is my review.

Formax is best known for their line of envelope stuffing machines, but they also make a great selection of bursters, shredders, paper folding machines and more. I can tell you from experience that Formax have a great track record and a great reputation with our customers.

The Formax FD 38X encompasses the very meaning of automatic paper folding machine. This machine, from the control interface to the electric folding plates, is completely automatic. The only manual effort involved is selecting a fold from the control panel, placing paper in the machine and removing the folded paper. That’s it!

The FD 38X is a robust machine, capable of accepting paper sizes up to 12″ x 18″ large. The feed tray can hold up to 500 sheets of paper. Once the machine has started folding paper, you can leave it and let it do the rest. It will automatically stop once the paper has been folded.

The Formax FD 38X handles all the most common folds (18 pre-programmed) and even has room in the memory to store up to 35 custom folds. Common folds include the C fold, Z fold and single fold. It can even handle the cross fold (aka French fold), which causes most other folding machines to jam.

Formax FD 38X Folding Machine Video Demo

As mentioned earlier, the folding plates are powered. When a fold is selected from the LCD menu, the folding plates adjust themselves. This is fast and provides for extremely accurate folds.

The FD 38X control panel is very easy to navigate. The right side of the FD 38X includes a test button, a green “go” button and a red “stop” button.

The exit tray on the Formax FD 38X is completely powered. This means as paper exits the machine, it is quickly carried to the end of the tray in an organized manner. The tray is completely telescoping, allowing it to hold up to 500 sheets of paper. Exit conveyors are extremely nice for keeping folded material in alphanumerical order.

One of the more unique features of the FD 38X is the multi sheet tray. If you look at the top of the FD 38X, you will notice a vertical slot coming out of the machine. You can manually insert up to 4 sheets of stapled or unstapled paper in that slot. The machine will then fold all 2-4 sheets of paper at once.

The build quality on the FD 38X is excellent. It is made out of solid metal components. It weighs in at 74 pounds, which gives you an idea just how robust this machine is.

Overall I have to say that I am very impressed with this paper folding machine. Having used it myself, I have to rate it a solid 5 out of 5 stars. It is fast, reliable and relatively quiet for a folding machine.

You can find the Formax FD 38X automatic paper folding machine here and our entire selection of paper folding machines here.

Are you tired of your laminated photos, signs and cards being ruined by your laminator? Sounds like it’s time for you to upgrade to something a little more reliable. One great pouch laminator you should consider buying is the Akiles iLam 240 9″ pouch laminator. This is my review.

To start with, Akiles has been making thermal pouch laminators for several years now. They are already well known for the ProLam and UltraLam line of pouch laminators. The new iLam series is available as the 9″ 240 and the 13″ 340.

At first one might think that the iLam is an entry-level machine, perhaps below the Akiles ProLam or UltraLam line. The iLam 240, in all truth, is a pretty robust machine capable of medium to even high-volume pouch laminating. It is packed with features as I will soon explain.

The 9″ width of the iLam 240 allows this laminator to handle most paper sizes, including the ever-popular letter size. While you may need something wider for menus and other signs, the 9″ width is optimal for most people.

I personally like the easy control panel the iLam 240 uses. Setup is as simple as turning a dial on the side of the laminator. The control dial allows the operator to set the laminator thickness and temperature in just seconds. Everything is clearly laid out on the dial. The dial changes colors, letting you know when it is ready to be used.

A reverse button is located on the left side of the machine. This button makes it easy to back out mis-fed items and makes jam clearance easy. If for any reason a jam occurs that the reverse button cannot fix, simply open the laminator and remove it yourself. Two latches allow for easy to access the heated rollers.

Unlike many pouch laminators that simply use a heating element to warm the pouches and film, the iLam 240 has heated rollers. A total of 4 rollers pull material through the laminator, evenly distributing heat as needed. As a result of a heated roller system (2 hot / 2 cold), results are clear, clean and crisp. There is no need to worry about cloudy results.

The Akiles iLam 240 utilizes a heavy-duty motor. This motor allows you to use the laminator on a continuous basis without causing any damage. The build quality on the iLam 240 should allow this laminator to be used for several years.

Overall I consider the iLam 240 to be a perfect laminator for home, business or copy center use. It is tough, robust, easy to use and pretty much portrays everything Akiles quality is known for.

You can find the Akiles iLam 240 9″ pouch laminator here and our entire selection of pouch laminators here.

Do you need a paper shredder that’s more robust than a deskside shredder that can be used on a departmental level? If so, you may want to consider a centralized shredder like the MBM Destroyit 2503 paper shredder. This is my review.

MBM Destroyit (by IDEAL) makes some of the most reputable and best recognized office paper shredders today. These shredders are engineered and build in Germany. To date, Destroyit makes over 20 different models of shredders. This doesn’t include the strip cut, cross cut and high security variations.

The Model 2503 has been categorized by Destroyit as a centralized office shredder. This means it is designed to be placed in a centralized location for use by multiple people. This also means the 2503 has a continuous-duty motor that can be used throughout the day without needing to cool down.

While capacity is always nice to have in a shredder, speed is also very important. The Destroyit 2503 is fast. This shredder takes your paper and shreds it in just seconds. This is a stark difference from other shredders that seem to chug along while trying to shred paper. Speed is ideal for an office environment and is great when you are shredding a lot of material.

The Destroyit 2503 is available as a strip cut and two different cross cut variations. The Level 2 strip cut shreds about 19-21 sheets, the Level 3 cross cut shreds about 12-14 sheets and the Level 4 cross cut shreds about 8-10 sheets of 20# paper at a time. The higher the security level, the smaller the particle size. The smaller the particle size, the lower the capacity typically is.

While most paper shredders are designed to accept paper up to letter-size, the 2503 has a large 10 ¼” opening. This makes it easy to shred envelopes, letter-size paper, jumbled paper and much more. It is extremely easy to use.

One of my favorite features is the user interface. The newly-designed interface is about as simple and useful as they come. The rocker-style button lights up green when on (making it easy to see the shredder is on) and can be tilted back for reverse mode. Several LED indicators let you know when the back is full, door is open and much more.

The cutting blades on the Destroyit 2503 are made from high quality steel. These blades are nice, designed to handle paper for years and can easily handle staples, paper clips and credit cards. The strip cut and Level 3 cross cut versions of this shredder can even handle CDs and DVDs.

The 26 gallon shred bin holds a lot of paper. This means fewer bag changes for you. Because this shredder has a cabinet door design and a pullout bag frame, bag changes are extremely easy. Casters also make this shredder easy to move around.

I have to say that few shredders compare to the 2503 in an office environment. This shredder is excellent and well worth the price. This shredder will outlast other cheaper shredders by 2-3 times longer or more. It simply has an excellent rack record.

You can find the MBM Destroyit 2503 paper shredder here and our entire selection of paper shredders here.

Padding presses are cool little devices. They make it easy to recycle paper, create notepads and scratchpads. So what do you do if you need to pad thousands of sheets of paper at a time? What you need is a giant padding press like the Martin Yale J1824 Giant Padding Press. This is my review.

Martin Yale is probably better known for their shredders, paper cutters, forms cutters and paper folders than for their padding presses. While Martin Yale doesn’t make dozens of padding presses, like they do paper cutters, they certainly hold up well.

The Martin Yale J1824 Giant Padding Press is called giant for a reason. It can pad a stack of paper up to 19 ¾” high by 17 ¾” wide. Now break out a ruler and take a look at those dimensions. Big, isn’t it? Not only can the J1824 pad larger paper, it can also be used to pad two separate stacks of letter-size 8 ½” x 11″ paper (or A4 paper) at a time.

This padding press can be used to pad paper, carbonless forms, note pads, scratch pads and more. Paper thickness doesn’t really matter. This makes it possible to pad notepads with chipboard on the bottom, with card stock and much more.

The J1824 is a pretty simple machine, and that’s by design. The first thing you will want to do is put your paper in the padding press. The padding press tips back, which in turn helps to jog the paper being padded. This keeps everything squared up and aligned.

Once the paper is in the Martin Yale J1824, two sets of wing screws are tightened down. This helps apply pressure along the back of the paper stack. This helps to produce a neat and professional pad of paper. Once the screws are tightened, glue can be applied. Once the glue has dried, the wing screws can be loosened.

Depending on how thick the pad of paper is, you may want to consider using a padding knife to cut the separate stacks of paper apart. Once everything has been removed, you are able to use the padding press again. You are really only limited by the glue drying time as far as padding speed is concerned.

The build quality on the J1824 is exceptional. Unlike many pressed wood padding presses out there, the J1824 is made from sturdy steel construction. This makes the J1824 durable, reliable and easier to clean up.

I would personally recommend the J1824 to anyone interested in light to medium volume paper padding projects. Weighing in at only 26 pounds, this padding press can be used on most tables and desks.

You can find the Martin Yale J1824 Giant Padding Press here and our entire selection of paper padding presses here. Good luck and happy padding!