This is a pretty standard feature on electric hole punchers, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a model that includes a guide. GuideĪ guide helps to keep several sheets of paper together and ensures that the holes are punched in exactly the same place on every page from batch to batch. You can figure out the machine’s footprint by checking its product page or contacting the manufacturer. Choose a compact model if you don’t have much room on your desktop. Think about where you intend to place the electric hole punch and make sure you have enough space for it. Some machines can be plugged in and run off batteries, giving you the best of both worlds. But if you don’t want to worry about batteries dying, a traditional electric hole punch might be a better fit. A battery-powered electric hole punch is more convenient if you need something mobile or if you don’t have an outlet nearby. Some electric hole punchers must be plugged into an outlet, while others run off of batteries. Electric hole punch features Power source The manufacturer should list the hole punch’s capacity on its product page, or you can reach out to the company directly to ask. Think about how often you intend to use the electric hole punch and let that dictate the capacity of the machine you need. If you’re going to be punching laminated paper, you might need to insert fewer sheets at once. Most electric hole punchers hold between 20 and 30 sheets at a time, and some hold more. This won’t be an issue if you only need to punch a page here and there, but if you have lots of paper to punch, a small-capacity machine could slow you down. CapacityĮlectric hole punchers can only hold so many sheets of paper at a time. If you purchase one of these devices, you’ll need to remember to check the setting every time you use it. These convert from two to three holes, so you can choose the configuration that best suits your needs. This isn’t an issue if you habitually use the same type of binder, but if there’s a chance you’ll need a three-hole punch and you only have a two-hole punch, you’ll need to go back and add the third hole manually.Ī better option is to purchase an adjustable machine. Some machines can only do one or the other. Configurationĭepending on the type of binder you’ll be using, you need either a two- or three-hole electric hole punch. The two biggest factors to pay attention to when looking for an electric hole punch include the configuration of the punched holes and the number of sheets the machine can handle at once. To use an electric hole punch, simply stick the paper into the slot and press the start button.