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Technical Details
- Ideal for large offices. 1 step, worry-free thermal binding
- Binds up to 600 sheets in one step
- 1-3 minute thermal binding cycle with 4-minute heat-up time
- Auto document thickness detector selects thermal binding settings for the user
- HeatShield safety barrier prevents accidental contact with the heating plate
Product Details
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Product Description
Ideal for frequent use in large offices, the Fellowes Helios 60 Thermal Binding Machine features an auto document thickness detector with auto-binding cycle that selects thermal binding settings for the user. Binds documents up to 600 sheets in a single step. 1-3 minute thermal binding cycle with 4-minute heat-up time. Heat Shield safety barrier prevents accidental contact with the heating plate. Visual indicators signal when machine is ready for thermal binding and heat cycle begins once document is loaded. Ready-beep sounds when thermal binding cycle is complete. Internal clamps hold documents in place during thermal binding process. Auto shut-off safety feature prevents overheating. Stylish design folds flat for storage. For use with thermal binding covers only.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Vine™ Review
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I have to say that this thermal binding system is fairly magical. Essentially, you could take anything as short as a pamphlet to as long as a novel and bind it with about as much strength as you would get from a professionally binded book. Once the process is complete, those pages are stuck for good and you'll be more apt to ripping the paper itself before being able to actually unglue them.
The design is sleek, storage-friendly, and overall well crafted. The "cooling rack" is the weakest attribute, consisting of little more than a bar to rest the pages, but serves its purpose just fine.
Still, it's hard for me to really celebrate the product without considering the economic downfalls. Unlike comb-binding machines where you can buy a 100-pack of spare combs for $8, buying thermal covers can run up to $15 for a 10 pack. Definitely pricey if you happen to be binding more than just an occasional chunk of papers. One big advantage the heat-binding system has over combs, though, is that it can bind huge amount of paper - up to 600 pages, it claims. That is pretty amazing.
Here's a shortlist of some of my pros and cons.
PROS:
- Easy to store
- FAST! Small documents can be binded in seconds and a minute or two at most for larger.
- Easy to flip through: literally your documents are binded like a book, so flipping from page to page is simple.
- Thermal Binding looks more professional than comb or loop binding.
- Can bind huge amounts of pages (up to 600) unlike other binding devices.
CONS:
- Replacement thermal covers expensive and only come in small quantities
- More expensive than other binders, and, if you use it with any frequency, could result in unnecessary overspending.
Overall: I'm not really for sure who the ideal customer of this product would be. It seems like a business owner would opt for a more economical method of binding, as would school teachers or anyone else who binds frequently. Maybe novelists who want to send out manuscripts in a book-like way could get some good use out of it, or anyone else who needs to be able bind large numbers of pages. Basically, for me at least, it all boils down to the fact that thermal binding covers are way too expensive. This is easily a 5-star machine that works wonderfully, and I recommend it highly, but you have to be aware that if you bind with some regularity you'll end up having to spend a lot more than just the cost of the machine.
***EDIT: Thanks Phil B for the comment! He found a place that sells the thermal covers for a lot cheaper than I've seen on Amazon or in stores. Still expensive in comparison to other forms of binding, but not quite as bad, that's for sure.
The design is sleek, storage-friendly, and overall well crafted. The "cooling rack" is the weakest attribute, consisting of little more than a bar to rest the pages, but serves its purpose just fine.
Still, it's hard for me to really celebrate the product without considering the economic downfalls. Unlike comb-binding machines where you can buy a 100-pack of spare combs for $8, buying thermal covers can run up to $15 for a 10 pack. Definitely pricey if you happen to be binding more than just an occasional chunk of papers. One big advantage the heat-binding system has over combs, though, is that it can bind huge amount of paper - up to 600 pages, it claims. That is pretty amazing.
Here's a shortlist of some of my pros and cons.
PROS:
- Easy to store
- FAST! Small documents can be binded in seconds and a minute or two at most for larger.
- Easy to flip through: literally your documents are binded like a book, so flipping from page to page is simple.
- Thermal Binding looks more professional than comb or loop binding.
- Can bind huge amounts of pages (up to 600) unlike other binding devices.
CONS:
- Replacement thermal covers expensive and only come in small quantities
- More expensive than other binders, and, if you use it with any frequency, could result in unnecessary overspending.
Overall: I'm not really for sure who the ideal customer of this product would be. It seems like a business owner would opt for a more economical method of binding, as would school teachers or anyone else who binds frequently. Maybe novelists who want to send out manuscripts in a book-like way could get some good use out of it, or anyone else who needs to be able bind large numbers of pages. Basically, for me at least, it all boils down to the fact that thermal binding covers are way too expensive. This is easily a 5-star machine that works wonderfully, and I recommend it highly, but you have to be aware that if you bind with some regularity you'll end up having to spend a lot more than just the cost of the machine.
***EDIT: Thanks Phil B for the comment! He found a place that sells the thermal covers for a lot cheaper than I've seen on Amazon or in stores. Still expensive in comparison to other forms of binding, but not quite as bad, that's for sure.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
First off, I never thought I'd say this for a machine such as this, but it is a really nice looking, sleek design.
But that's beside the point.
Functionality-wise this is a really great machine for the most part; with a few minor glitches.
Binding Thicknesses:
The minimum thickness you can put in is 1/4 of an inch, which is 60 pages and takes 60 seconds to bind. The maximum is 2.5 inches, or 600 pages, which takes 180 seconds to bind. In addition this unit will accept multiple binders at once, assuming they don't exceed a combined maximum 2.5 inches in thickness.
NOTE: I did not find Fellowes selling binding covers for more than 240 pages per binder. So the total you can bind at once is 600 pages but that's with multiple binders, as far as I understood.
Binders:
Sold SEPERATELY. The binders DO NOT cover standard computer sized pages all the way; about 1/16 of an inch juts out. After completion of binding I can't say that this unit bound symmetrically; meaning, the black binding (as opposed to the clear plastic covers connected to it) was slightly more to the front than the back, which may have accounted for the paper jutting out a bit of the clear covers. I guess it takes practice to insert the pages in correctly or you just need to buy the right binder size.
Function:
When I first turned it on I noticed that for some reason it wasn't working. The red temperature light was on right away and I guess it's because it was 80* outside and I had my windows open (you need the light to be green to begin binding). But if you use it in an air conditioned building that shouldn't be an issue. So, make sure to have the LED at green, otherwise it will look like it's working but will actually do nothing at all if you insert the binder in and press OK.
Regardless, I turned on the A/C and the machine was soon ready to work. I put 70 pages into the binders I bought SEPERATELY and then proceeded to put the binder on a thickness scale right on the machine that tells you which of 10 setting the machine will use (it auto-senses the thickness when you insert the binder and you try to adjust the settings); you can override the time it takes to bind manually if you need to. It begs the question of why you need the thickness scale except for the minimum and maximum thicknesses, this thing auto-senses the thickness when you insert it inside to bind.
Anyway, I didn't put in the binder/pages into the machine and began to adjust the setting to fit what I had measured, and DID NOT press OK to begin binding. Guess what? This thing turned on!!!! I couldn't believe it, it really quickly got hot (which is good in terms of saving you time but not safety-wise), but when I pressed the power button to turn it off, it wouldn't turn off. So I had to switch it off at the back.
IT TURNS OUT that the power button on the machine itself is only a power-on button, not power off. You need to use the switch at the back of the machine to power it off.
Anyway...I'm not sure why it began heating up without me pressing ok but it didn't happen the next time. Once I accounted for this and pressed OK, the machine took about one minute to bind everything. I removed the binder and put it on the cooling tray on the unit itself and 20 minutes later I could use the book.
Overall I give this unit a 4 out of 5. It works well and looks nice. I'm still not sure why it auto-powered on and why the power on button doesn't function as a power-off button as well on the unit console.
UPDATE: WARNING: The hinges used to hold the cover to this unit are placed at the bottom of the machine, right below the heating tray. THEY GET REALLY HOT. DO NOT pick-up this unit until it's cooled off completely or you may accidentally get burned.
But that's beside the point.
Functionality-wise this is a really great machine for the most part; with a few minor glitches.
Binding Thicknesses:
The minimum thickness you can put in is 1/4 of an inch, which is 60 pages and takes 60 seconds to bind. The maximum is 2.5 inches, or 600 pages, which takes 180 seconds to bind. In addition this unit will accept multiple binders at once, assuming they don't exceed a combined maximum 2.5 inches in thickness.
NOTE: I did not find Fellowes selling binding covers for more than 240 pages per binder. So the total you can bind at once is 600 pages but that's with multiple binders, as far as I understood.
Binders:
Sold SEPERATELY. The binders DO NOT cover standard computer sized pages all the way; about 1/16 of an inch juts out. After completion of binding I can't say that this unit bound symmetrically; meaning, the black binding (as opposed to the clear plastic covers connected to it) was slightly more to the front than the back, which may have accounted for the paper jutting out a bit of the clear covers. I guess it takes practice to insert the pages in correctly or you just need to buy the right binder size.
Function:
When I first turned it on I noticed that for some reason it wasn't working. The red temperature light was on right away and I guess it's because it was 80* outside and I had my windows open (you need the light to be green to begin binding). But if you use it in an air conditioned building that shouldn't be an issue. So, make sure to have the LED at green, otherwise it will look like it's working but will actually do nothing at all if you insert the binder in and press OK.
Regardless, I turned on the A/C and the machine was soon ready to work. I put 70 pages into the binders I bought SEPERATELY and then proceeded to put the binder on a thickness scale right on the machine that tells you which of 10 setting the machine will use (it auto-senses the thickness when you insert the binder and you try to adjust the settings); you can override the time it takes to bind manually if you need to. It begs the question of why you need the thickness scale except for the minimum and maximum thicknesses, this thing auto-senses the thickness when you insert it inside to bind.
Anyway, I didn't put in the binder/pages into the machine and began to adjust the setting to fit what I had measured, and DID NOT press OK to begin binding. Guess what? This thing turned on!!!! I couldn't believe it, it really quickly got hot (which is good in terms of saving you time but not safety-wise), but when I pressed the power button to turn it off, it wouldn't turn off. So I had to switch it off at the back.
IT TURNS OUT that the power button on the machine itself is only a power-on button, not power off. You need to use the switch at the back of the machine to power it off.
Anyway...I'm not sure why it began heating up without me pressing ok but it didn't happen the next time. Once I accounted for this and pressed OK, the machine took about one minute to bind everything. I removed the binder and put it on the cooling tray on the unit itself and 20 minutes later I could use the book.
Overall I give this unit a 4 out of 5. It works well and looks nice. I'm still not sure why it auto-powered on and why the power on button doesn't function as a power-off button as well on the unit console.
UPDATE: WARNING: The hinges used to hold the cover to this unit are placed at the bottom of the machine, right below the heating tray. THEY GET REALLY HOT. DO NOT pick-up this unit until it's cooled off completely or you may accidentally get burned.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
The Fellowes Thermal binding Machine is an excellent, affordable choice for your small office needs ...
May 4, 2011
Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
If you can say any machine kicks, this thermal binder does. It does have its advantages and disadvantages over the ring binder machine. I can aptly compare because we've been using a ring binder for a long time. I was excited to receive this machine, primarily for its advantages.
First, as with anything, if you actually use the machine you need to read the directions carefully. You can claim anything you want, but I royally frustrated myself by not following a few basic tips. The main one is that one cover does not fit all. You simply cannot find 200 sheets in a cover that will accommodate only ten. This machine claims it will bind up to 600 sheets, but I feel any document that heavy would be unstable and would recommend splitting it up.
This binder does not come with any covers. Here are the different sized covers that you might want to think about having on hand prior to purchasing the machine:
1.4 mm 1/16" (2-15 sheets)
3 mm 1/8" (16-30 sheets)
6 mm 1/4" (31-60 sheets)
10 mm 2/8" (61-90 sheets)
12 mm (1/2" (91-120 sheets)
18 mm 3/4" (121-180 sheets)
25 mm 1" (181-240 sheets)
If you've used a ring binding machine a few of the disadvantages are that you cannot stack your material easily, it takes extra time to bind large numbers of pages, you need to be careful collating, and on and on. This Fellowes Performance Thermal Binder simplifies the whole process tremendously. One thing that is the same ... if you yank on the pages or are not kind to your bound material it will simply fall apart.
PROS:
++ Very attractive presentation bindings.
++ The sheet capacity is up to 240 pages.
++ The covers can be easily stored and take up very little space in comparison to the ring binder combs.
++ The binder itself folds up for easy storage. The dimensions are (HxWxD) 20.9" x 9.4" x 3.9".
++ There is a width guide that calibrates the width of your pages (takes the guesswork out of choosing the appropriate cover).
++ It has a cooling tray that keeps your document from falling apart as it cools.
++ The `Auto-Sense' cycle will automatically time the heating cycle for you and signals when the document is ready to be removed from the machine.
++ It has an automatic shut off after thirty minutes.
++ The binding machine heats up quite quickly and was ready to work within four minutes.
++ Visual directions are imprinted on the machine, a real plus if you are new to the machine or have lost the directions.
++ If you make a mistake you can reprocess your document (unless you really mess it up like I did).
CON:
- When binding, unless great care is taken the sheets extend beyond the front plastic presentation cover. It will take a bit of practice to get this process down.
This binder is not perfect, but it is by far a much better alternative than the expensive ring binder for an office setting. It's definitely less bulky and the only thing that disappointed me was the fact that once again an assortment of binders would have to be purchased. However, as I did mention, these covers take up much less space. This is a perfect machine if you want to have great looking presentation documents and I'd highly recommend it.
First, as with anything, if you actually use the machine you need to read the directions carefully. You can claim anything you want, but I royally frustrated myself by not following a few basic tips. The main one is that one cover does not fit all. You simply cannot find 200 sheets in a cover that will accommodate only ten. This machine claims it will bind up to 600 sheets, but I feel any document that heavy would be unstable and would recommend splitting it up.
This binder does not come with any covers. Here are the different sized covers that you might want to think about having on hand prior to purchasing the machine:
1.4 mm 1/16" (2-15 sheets)
3 mm 1/8" (16-30 sheets)
6 mm 1/4" (31-60 sheets)
10 mm 2/8" (61-90 sheets)
12 mm (1/2" (91-120 sheets)
18 mm 3/4" (121-180 sheets)
25 mm 1" (181-240 sheets)
If you've used a ring binding machine a few of the disadvantages are that you cannot stack your material easily, it takes extra time to bind large numbers of pages, you need to be careful collating, and on and on. This Fellowes Performance Thermal Binder simplifies the whole process tremendously. One thing that is the same ... if you yank on the pages or are not kind to your bound material it will simply fall apart.
PROS:
++ Very attractive presentation bindings.
++ The sheet capacity is up to 240 pages.
++ The covers can be easily stored and take up very little space in comparison to the ring binder combs.
++ The binder itself folds up for easy storage. The dimensions are (HxWxD) 20.9" x 9.4" x 3.9".
++ There is a width guide that calibrates the width of your pages (takes the guesswork out of choosing the appropriate cover).
++ It has a cooling tray that keeps your document from falling apart as it cools.
++ The `Auto-Sense' cycle will automatically time the heating cycle for you and signals when the document is ready to be removed from the machine.
++ It has an automatic shut off after thirty minutes.
++ The binding machine heats up quite quickly and was ready to work within four minutes.
++ Visual directions are imprinted on the machine, a real plus if you are new to the machine or have lost the directions.
++ If you make a mistake you can reprocess your document (unless you really mess it up like I did).
CON:
- When binding, unless great care is taken the sheets extend beyond the front plastic presentation cover. It will take a bit of practice to get this process down.
This binder is not perfect, but it is by far a much better alternative than the expensive ring binder for an office setting. It's definitely less bulky and the only thing that disappointed me was the fact that once again an assortment of binders would have to be purchased. However, as I did mention, these covers take up much less space. This is a perfect machine if you want to have great looking presentation documents and I'd highly recommend it.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Helios 60 Works Great!
I purchased this item elsewhere but...Oh boy! What a pleasant surprise! I placed a binder containing 60 pages using CoverBind's 1/4" Thermal Classic Antique Binder and it worked... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Melan Perez
Great, once i'd read the insructions.
Great, once i'd read the insructions. I was trying to fit it in at an off angle, resulting in a no-go condition. It's quite foolproof until you give it to a fool. Read more
Published 5 months ago by V S
Works great, professional finish
This is a great thermal binder. It claims it can bind up to 600 pages, but I never tried binding that many pages together. It's small, and fits comfortably on my work desk. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Dat Hong
Solid and reliable, but consumables are pricey
I've used a comb and Wire-O binders and both leave something to be desired in terms of ease of use. In fact, they're a PIA because unless you fork out some serious money for an... Read more
Published 7 months ago by fair_deal_guy
Highly recommend for those who want to make their projects look more...
If you can follow directions you will enjoy using the "Fellowes Thermal Binding Machine" to make your projects look professional. Read more
Published 8 months ago by R. Neil Scott
Binding machine
The machine is easy to use, it heats up quite quickly, and it binds the materials quickly, too. It has a master switch on the back, so do not panic when you press on power switch... Read more
Published 8 months ago by ganka
Great for a Small Office
I have never used a thermal binder before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The binder is easy to use and I must admit the binding is not only well attached but also looks very... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Book Reviews Weekly
Professional-like binding
We have been using this for handouts and manuals and so far results have been great!
Before getting this we used the classic ring binders, they may have advantages over... Read more
Before getting this we used the classic ring binders, they may have advantages over... Read more
Published 10 months ago by R.Suarez
Industrial strength binder
Where I work, there are a /lot/ of archival recipes and the like, and they would often take up a large amount of space in 3-ring binders. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Dinakar Sarma
Works as advertised, no issues
Fellowes makes great laminator and thermal binding products. I've found the price points to be always very reasonable. This machine works well as advertised with no issues. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Ivan W. Ong
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