Which laminator should I get?
What laminators are best?
Working from home or in an office setting can often get a little chaotic. One office tool that’s essential but often overlooked until desperately needed is a laminator. A laminator can help add a more durable surface to important notes and documents. It can also help them look more professional than a layer of tape over them or a clear folder. Here are a few tips to help you find the best one for your needs so you’re not in a time crunch when you need one.
What is a laminator?
A laminator is a device that can help place a layer of stronger material onto documents to help preserve their usefulness. Usually, laminator pouches and materials tend to look somewhat clear or shiny when applied to paper items, such as signs or business cards. One place where you have likely seen laminated items before is a public building with signs in the window or even some restaurants that laminate the menu. Lamination is a useful technique that helps prevent future stains on the document and makes the item more durable.
Why buy a laminator?
Purchasing a laminator is a relatively inexpensive fix that then allows you to laminate items at your leisure. It’s an item that can also help cut down on time once purchased, because it then saves you a trip to a store that offers laminating services.
Most offices tend to have a laminator, so if you work from home, the purchase might help keep your productivity on equal footing with other places. Buying a laminator is also useful if you tend to print or create a ton of documents that need protection or if you simply want documents displayed in highly visible areas.
Best laminator that heats up quickly
Laminators that tend to laminate using thermal can take up to several minutes to heat up before they are ready. Luckily there are laminators on the market that require a short heating period to speed up the overall laminating process. Many of these laminators also offer the option of automatically shutting off to prevent the machines from overheating. Find a machine that fits your time constraints and safety concerns.
Best laminators with shorter heating times
Fellowes Laminator Saturn3i 125
This laminator takes about 60 seconds to heat and comes with the ability to automatically turn off after a period without use. It can laminate with both 3-millimeter and 5-millimeter options. This machine comes in width options of 9.5 inches and 12.5 inches. The machine weighs just over 5 pounds.
Sinopuren 9-Inch Thermal Laminator
The laminator package includes additional accessories, such as a handy paper trimmer that is located on the top of the machine and even 10 pieces of 3-millimeter laminating pouches. This laminator will shut down on its own in order to prevent misuse and overheating. This machine weighs just under 3 pounds.
Best laminators for home
Find the ideal laminator for a home office situation that is both easy to use and simple to store. These laminators range from around 5 pounds in weight and can laminate varying sizes of paper.
It’s important to remember that these more compact versions may not be able to laminate your desired item if it’s larger. If you want to laminate pages of standard printer paper, then keep in mind that you will likely need to purchase a laminator that spans around 12 inches or more.
Scotch Thermal Laminator Combo Pack
This laminator includes 20 pouches, also called sheets, which can help assist in the laminating process. The laminator provides two options: 3-millimeter and 5-millimeter. This machine laminates paper with heat and weighs just under 4 pounds.
Swingline Inspire Plus Thermal Laminator
This laminator is about 9 inches wide and weighs less than 3 pounds. The machine heats up in about 4 minutes and can work relatively quickly. The laminator provides the option to work with hot and cold lamination.
This laminator is ideal for larger documents, thanks to its 12 inches in width. The laminator can work with both 3-millimeter and 5-millimeter pouches. The machine can also function using a cold setting, as well as a hot thermal setting. It weighs a little more than 3 pounds, so it’s relatively light and easy to carry.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.