Laminators are critical machines that have a wide range of functionalities – from home to office and academic institutions.
Top 5 Laminator Brands on The Market:First-rated manufacturers like GBC and Fellowes are famous for manufacturing pouch and roll laminators, while brands like Staples could have similar performance but relatively less popularity.
There is a mammoth of perks associated with purchasing laminators from well-known brands. Beyond the obvious perks of protecting your documents and ID cards, laminating helps preserve the aesthetics of the material and enhances its overall presentability.
Purchasing a laminator from the best laminating machine brands helps you preserve value for your money since the machine’s durability ensures it gives you long-term service.
While laminating may sound like a daunting task, having a machine from a well-known brand makes the job pretty straightforward. Top laminating machine manufacturing brands are careful to manufacture devices with user-friendly interfaces that will reduce the probability of you making mistakes.
It is common for all brands to market their machines as top-rated or best-suited for laminating all sorts of documents. However, there is a significant disparity between a machine produced by a top-rated brand and a low-tier brand. This means that a fine line distinguishes top-rated and common machine brands.
The 8 Best Laminator Machine Brands on The Market
Here are the best laminating machine brands you should consider:
1 – Scotch Laminator
The Scotch is a laminating machine solution that produces equipment to preserve and protect home, school, and office documents. This US-based company manufactures laminators that are quick to warm up, hence ideal for small offices and homes.
All PRO thermal laminators have a Never-Jam technology that automatically prevents paper jams from thermal laminators with heat-free and self-seal capabilities.
The advantages of laminating machines produced by Scotch are that they have a friendly interface and feature a Zero-jam provision.
Some Scotch laminators have included laminating pouches and sheets in their packages to offer a seamless and complete laminating process.
An example is the Scotch thermal laminator TL906 with a double-roller system that automatically prevents jamming and a warm-up time of fewer than 5 minutes.
With a speed of 15 inches per minute and a 3 to 5-millimeter thickness that accommodates paper up to 9 inches wide, this is undoubtedly one of the top Scotch laminating machines.
Personal laminator machines manufactured by Scotch have a grounded 120V outlet, and most are unsuitable for voltage or outlet converters.
When using machines manufactured by the Scotch laminator brand, make sure the machine is warm and ready for use before feeding the document. The on and off buttons are always located at the back or as a toggle switch at the top. Primarily, they are used to power the machine on or off.
Select the pouch thickness, either 3 or 5 mils, then center the item inside the pouch keeping in mind that you have to leave some laminate margins on every side for maximum sealing efficacy.
As you feed the pouch inside the laminator, avoid obstructions like pulling the pouch as it enters the machine. Keep in mind that the object will be hot after sealing, so you need to take extra caution.
The price range of Scotch laminating machines spans from $18 to $40. This range, however, varies depending on excise duties and shipment fees.
2 – Fellowes Laminator
Fellowes is a laminator manufacturing company that’s been there for more than a century.
Established in 1917, this company started by manufacturing top-tier file boxes, also known as “Bankers Boxes,” and then went ahead to make additional products over the years.
This company manufactures the best laminating machines like the Voyager VY-125 – an exquisite Fellowes lamination machine that can process items with a width of up to 12.5 inches.
While the company manufactures a whole range of laminator types, it currently does not make roll laminators.
The advantages of Fellows laminating machines include their incredible HeatGuard technology, which maintains the device’s temperature, hence protecting the documents from burning and keeping you safe from excess heat.
Fellowes laminating machines are 100% jam-free and have an aesthetic, professional finish that ensures the paper has a durable, quality finish.
The Fellowes laminating machines have been developed with a wide range of users in mind. Laminators built by this brand come in a wide range of sizes and have pouch thicknesses between 80 and 250 microns.
Before deciding on what type of Fellowes machine to settle on, let’s look at a brief overview of the Fellowes Laminator Saturn 3i 125 machine that has a one-minute warm-up time and InstaHeat technology.
It accommodates 12.5-inch entries and a maximum laminating speed of 12 inches per minute, coupled with both hot and cold settings for self-adhesive pouches.
To prevent overheating, the machine has an auto-shut energy saver and a Jam release lever that disengages the pouch for removal.
Different Fellowes laminating machines have varied specifications, which generally broaden the price range to about $70 to $200.
3 – GBC Laminator
When it comes to office machines, GBC undoubtedly produces one of the best devices. It not only works well for industrial uses but is also suitable for home and small-scale laminations.
This company has been operating since 1947, and its headquarters is near Chicago.
With an impeccable manufacturing experience of close to 80 years, this company manufactures binding machines, roll, and pouch laminators. The GBC pouch laminators typically belong to the HeatSeal category – a series that includes a handful of roll laminators as well.
Pouch laminating machines that are manufactured by this company are suitable for office use. At the same time, the roll laminators make incredible accessories for print shops and small-scale laminating processes.
The company’s top goal is to be efficient and reliable in institutions, offices, and large businesses, which is probably the top reason this company produces top-tier laminating machines.
Versatilities offered by GBC laminating machines include portability, ease of storage, user-friendliness, and perfect for moderate usage.
One perfect example of a machine produced by GBC is the GBC Fusion 1000L thermal laminator.
The GBC Fusion 1000L is one of the best quick-speed and high-productivity laminators that warm up in less than a minute.
With an impeccable laminating speed of 13 inches per minute and versatility to handle a wide variety of projects, the GBC Fusion 1000L is an incredible option for schools, small offices, and homes.
If a paper fold occurs along the way, fixing the jam is pretty straightforward: press a specific button to let go of the jammed pouch, and that’s it.
Generally, laminators produced by GBC have intelligent jam alert systems and smart power management systems that power off the machine after 30 minutes of inactivity.
Considering the perks offered by this machine, the price range of $40 to over $2,400 makes it a worthwhile investment for office, school, or commercial use.
4 – Swingline Laminator
Swingline is a branch of the ACCO brands corporation that manufactures high-end thermal laminators, staplers and hole punches. The company’s headquarters was relocated from Long Island City to New York, United States, then finally to Nogales, Mexico, before the year 2000.
Found in 1925 by Jack Linsky, this laminating machine manufacturing company has a history of performance and producing high-end laminator machines.
The most noteworthy perk of machines manufactured by this company is their user-friendliness. Laminating machines are elegant and compact, making them ideal for school, small office, and home use.
An example of a machine manufactured by the Swingline laminating machine company is the Swingline GBC Inspire Plus laminator that has a jam release lever to clear any jammed pouches.
This machine has cold versatility that increases laminating options, and it works well with pressure-sensitive pouches to provide a bright, glossy finish.
Laminating is pretty straightforward with a single power setting, which enables you to alter the pouches based on thickness and get an impeccable finish. Besides, the machine has a warm-up time of less than 4 minutes and a speed of up to 9 inches per minute.
With a price range of $13 to $57, Swingline laminating machines have a wide range of versatilities that make them stand out in the landscape of laminators.
5 – Xyron Laminator
One thing that sets apart Xyron from other laminating machine brands is the popularity of creating customized stickers such as the Xyron X150 Sticker Maker – a handy tool for making stickers.
The institution was built in 1996 and has been in business for close to three decades. Its popularity is the capability it has to manufacture the best cold laminating machines like the Creatopia, which can be used to adhere, cut, and emboss paper besides laminating.’
They also manufacture products that are ideal for business uses such as the professional roll laminator that can handle documents with a width of up to 25 inches and also includes mounting boards.
Xyron laminating machines boast exquisite design and can work in areas without electricity, making them suitable for outdoor activities. For this reason, the laminating machines manufactured by Xyron are considered easy home laminators. You don’t need a power source as it exclusively relies on pressure and adhesive.
This feature probably makes Xyron laminating machines the best products since you wouldn’t get burned when using them and can also work in adding magnetized backings to your documents.
A perfect example is the Xyron Anna Griffin Creative Station that, on first handling, welcomes you with an incredibly elegant top golden finish and a white bottom finish.
When using it, apply the edge-to-edge adhesive with limited turns of the handle and minimal clean-up since the machine has no warm-up time.
It comes with two cartridge sizes that enable it to tackle small and big projects alike as well as maximize flexibility and minimize wastage.
Besides the elegant design, this laminating machine has a no-mess adhesive that enables you to replace messy glue sticks, double-sided tape. It ensures all-around professional results for an endlessly creative, card, educational flashcards, and wedding invitations.
In this category, laminating machines have a price range of $24 to $58, and all of them come with pre-loaded 25-foot by 9-inch cartridges to maximize usage flexibility.
6 – Amazon Laminator
Amazon has a colossal number of store brands that work as in-house brand offerings, but separate from the exclusive brands. AmazonBasics, which was launched in 2009, is a private label offering office supplies, tech components, and home goods.
Its growth has been exponential over the years, and one of the latest markets that this company wants to venture into is the Indian market.
With a price range of $24 to $40, laminating machines manufactured by AmazonBasics fall in the category of cheap laminator machines. They can laminate documents with widths of up to 9 inches and are suitable for legal documents, business cards, and photo-sized papers.
The most significant advantages of this machine are the compact design, a quick warm-up time of fewer than 4 minutes, and a ready indicator light and jam release lever for effortless clearance.
For perfect results, the laminating machine has three mil and five mil settings – suitable for light documents and relatively thick papers, respectively.
The AmazonBasics Thermal laminator machine is a perfect example of a device within this category.
This thermal laminator enables you to complete tasks within an incredibly short period with high-quality fast-warm laminating capacity.
It has a dual roller feeding system for 8.5 to 9-inch documents and can accommodate a width of 3 to 5 mils. While the five-mil setting is firmer than the three-mil document size, the latter produces more pliable documents since the machine heats faster.
The AmazonBasics laminator ships in a certified zero-frustration package and has a compact design for home and classroom usage.
The thermal-ready indicator lets you know when the machine has warmed up and has two heat settings to enable you to laminate documents extremely fast.
Overall, laminators manufactured by AmazonBasics are easy and fast to use for home, office, and small-scale commercial purposes.
7 – Royal Sovereign Laminator
Since 1986, Royal Sovereign has been at the forefront of manufacturing top quality products for office and home use.
When it comes to roll laminators, this company is undoubtedly one of the most recommended ones to consider. The models that are manufactured range from the 15-inch tabletop to the 65-inch wide laminators for pressure-sensitive and thermal lamination.
They also manufacture top-tier pouch laminators that can for home and small-office uses.
One of the most sophisticated Royal Sovereign laminating machines is the RSH-1651, an incredibly colossal laminator that can handle documents with widths of more than 65 inches.
If your business needs limit you to work with thermally sensitive items, machines from Royal Sovereign company could probably be the ideal option for you.
Store locations for this company are in Los Angeles, Chatsworth, Louisville, and San Diego – and all of them operate from Monday to Friday through regular office hours.
Below, we have reviewed the Royal Sovereign 9-inch desktop laminating machine: which is a perfect example of a device manufactured by Royal Sovereign laminators.
From laminating documents with a width of up to 9 inches and thickness ranging from 3 to 5 millimeters as well as a jam release lever, the $22 investment you’ll make on this machine would certainly be worthwhile.
The item weight is 2.43 pounds, making the machine portable and versatile enough for usage in different environments.
In addition to versatility and portability, the laminating machine is user-friendly. It has one-touch controls for smooth operation and a red indicator light that works as a signal to show the user that the device is ready for use.
The Royal Sovereign laminating machine preserves documents with up to 9 inches wide and has a double-roller system to provide suitable pressure to prevent hazing, bubbling, and wrinkling.
8 – Staples Laminating Machine
This company started its operations on 1st May 1986 by opening its first store in Massachusetts. It gradually grew over the years, and by 2014, it had acquired several office supply companies despite the competition from existing e-commerce stores.
Over the years, Staples has been selling office supplies, business machines, and offered digital printing, photocopy, lamination, and solutions for promotional products.
While most products are produced by the company in-store, complex processes – like those requiring PVC signs – are done in various locations throughout the country.
Since the company has been in business for close to 40 years, they’ve specialized in producing machines that have not only cutting-edge technology but also elegant design. The machines have little warm-up time and Jam-release levers that ensure seamless lamination.
One top-tier machine manufactured by this company is the Staples 11171104 9.5 inch which has both cold and thermal laminating functions.
It comprises a cold and thermal laminator that has 4-minute warm-up time and a laminating speed of 12 inches per minute as well as a throat width of 9.5 inches.
Taking into consideration the perks associated with this machine, the price ranges from $80 to $100 – which is undoubtedly a worthwhile investment.
Conclusion
Laminating relevant documents using machines with cutting-edge technology requires a significant amount of investment. With cost consideration in mind, the top laminating machine brands listed in this review not only offer excellent performance, but they are incredible and have versatility in a wide range of environments.
While different working environments have varied lamination requirements, we’re confident that you’ve found the laminator brand that best suits your business needs. Before choosing one, you should consider its manufacturing company to make informed, tailored decisions that would suit you perfectly.
