The Ultimate Buyer's Guide for Purchasing sheet laminating machine

Use this handy guide to help you make the right choice of laminator for your specific needs. Asking yourself these questions will help to ensure that the machine you purchase best suits your requirements. Make sure you take into consideration all the aspects shown. You can also visit our Laminators & Laminating Machines Blog for a wealth of useful information on laminating machines, laminating film and laminating pouches. Alternatively of course, you can call one of our advisers at standard rates on   for assistance.

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What Is Lamination?

Lamination or encapsulation is a fast and simple way to protect documents, signs, artwork and graphics. Strictly speaking, the term 'lamination' refers to applying a protective film to one side of an item that can be trimmed right to the edge of the item without the bond breaking down. In this case, pressure-sensitive or single-side heat-sensitive film is used ' always in the form of rolls. Examples of this would include the protective film on the front of a business card; self-adhesive wall or floor graphics; good quality restaurant menu; or estate agent house brochure.

'Encapsulation' describes the process where low-melt film in the form of pouches or rolls is used, leaving a border of about 5mm all the way around the edge of the item to ensure the integrity of the lamination. Most people will be more familiar with this technique and indeed, it will be the technique they need to use. Trimming to the edge of the item using encapsulation film will result in the eventual breakdown of the lamination bond, hence the need for the border. Examples of this would include large and small format posters in schools, shops or at exhibitions; photos; office signs; identity badges; etc.

In the real world, the term 'lamination' has tended to become a catch-all or generalisation to describe both the main processes described above, so it is important to be clear on your requirements before proceeding. Call us on  if you are unsure.

Encapsulated items become completely waterproof and tear-proof, because the clear film is bonded all the way around the edge of the document. Laminated items benefit from surface protection.

Benefits of Laminating Documents

• Enhancement and preservation of colour and contrast to images
• Professional, quality-looking documents
• Long-term protection of documents that need frequent handling
• Quick and easy, with immediate results
• Avoid creases, wrinkles, sun damage, abrasions, tears, smudges, fingerprints and grease marks
• Protection from  spills, rain and mild chemicals

How would you best describe your daily usage?

Light Duty: Up to 5 sheets per day, a Home Office or Small Office machine should be adequate for your needs.

Light - Medium Duty: Up to 10 sheets per day, a Small Office machine should be adequate for your needs.

Medium Duty: Up to 15 sheets per day, an Office laminator would be best suited to your needs.

Heavy Duty: Up to 25 sheets per day, a Heavy Duty machine is strongly recommended for this level.

Professional: 25 sheets or more per day, a Professional or Roll laminator is strongly recommended for this level.

What maximum width of item do you need to laminate?

It's important to bear in mind that the laminating width shown for all our machines is the maximum they can laminate. This means they can laminate all sizes up to that maximum. For example, an A3 machine can also laminate A4 and even smaller sizes such as credit card, ID, badge, etc.

On the flip side, an A4 machine can laminate no bigger so it's important to consider carefully if you will ever need or wish to laminate something bigger - albeit the requirement may be infrequent - before making your choice.

As a guide, most people need to laminate A4 paper (normal size printer paper) almost all the time but also need to process A3 occasionally. This means that the trend in sales is towards A3 machines, which enables people to deal with these two key sizes.

Of course, if your requirements are even more flexible, such as wide format or long lengths then you should look at one of the roll laminators or commercial laminators in our Wide Format section.

What is the maximum pouch thickness you are likely to use?

Standard pouches of 75 or 80 microns per side (total 150/160 microns when laminated) are fine for items that will get little handling and not be exposed to the elements. Typically, most documents will get a very good level of protection with a pouch of up to 125 microns per side (total 250 microns when laminated). Commercial, industrial or professional applications will require pouches of a greater thickness for maximum protection and an appropriate machine will be needed to take these pouches. Check the machine's specification carefully to ensure it can handle the pouches you wish to laminate.

Do you need to laminate photos?

All the pouch laminators we offer can handle photos.

What is a pouch carrier and do you need one?

A pouch carrier is a Teflon or cardboard protective sleeve consisting of two sides and sealed or hinged at one end, that a pouch with the item to be laminated within, is itself inserted into before feeding into the laminator.

With the exception of the Peak Educator series of laminators and GBC Academy laminator, all our pouch laminators can be used without a carrier. Carriers also are not applicable to roll laminators. The Peak Educator series and GBC Academy are designed to be used at all times with a carrier such as the Lifejacket (see below).

Other, modern laminators do not need a carrier except if you intend to use your laminator for the lamination of small, multiple items in a larger pouch (i.e flash cards or similar to be cut out after lamination); odd-shaped items (i.e. stars, speech bubbles, etc.); any item that does not match the pouch size; or uneven items like children's artwork, collages or other uneven materials. In this case you should purchase a Lifejacket pouch carrier with your order. Using a Lifejacket pouch carrier in these instances dramatically cuts down on the likelihood of a jam. Failure to do so may invalidate your warranty if you then laminate such items and require technical support as a consequence.

A cardboard carrier should not be used with a modern laminator but we do have cardboard carriers available for older laminators in our Pouches and Carriers category.

Rollers

The more rollers that a machine has the better quality the lamination and the less likely it is that jams will occur. This is because with more rollers, the path through the machine is smoother and the heat applied to the pouch more consistent. Wherever possible select a machine with the highest number of rollers that your budget will allow for the best results.

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TLDR

With so many different pouch laminators available on the market, it can be tricky to make sure you're getting the right one. In this article, we'll show you the key factors to consider for finding a pouch laminator perfectly tailored to your needs.

Choosing a laminator can be challenging if you're unfamiliar with products currently on the market. With factors like different feed widths, number of rollers, and special features like variable temperature and speed control, not all machines have the same specs or capabilities.

In this comprehensive buyer's guide, we'll cover:

Contact us to discuss your requirements of sheet laminating machine. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

• Pouch laminator basics
• How to select pouches
• Best practices for using pouch laminators 
• Creative ways to use pouch laminators
• Recommendations for some of the top laminators 

What is a Pouch Laminator?

Pouch laminators use heat-activated adhesive pouches to create smooth and durable laminated documents. These machines are used in homes, offices, and institutions to create documents like laminated ID cards, menus, booklets, flyers, training materials, and much more. Once you place a document inside the pouch and feed it into the machine, heated rollers apply even pressure to warm up the adhesive and ensure it sticks evenly to your document.

Although there are other types of laminators, pouch laminators are usually more affordable than other solutions on the market. Compared with roll machines'the most common alternative'pouch laminators are much smaller and lighter. Pouch laminators also require minimal training to use and often come equipped with high-tech features that make them easier to operate. 

Types of Pouch Laminators

Hot vs. Cold Lamination

Hot lamination is what is considered standard or traditional. Cold laminating, however, uses no heat, instead relying on even pressure from the rollers and unique pressure-sensitive pouches. This technique protects sensitive documents like digital prints and photos from heat damage.

Size and Capacity

Pouch laminators usually have less width capacity than roll laminators, but there are still a wide variety of options. Most machines handle standard-sized documents with ease, but some, like the ProLam Ultra XL, can handle up to 18.9'.

Beyond width, you should also consider thickness capacity. Most machines can accommodate 3-10mil thick pouches, but offerings from Spiral like the Speedy-Lam can handle up to 14 mil. 

Hot Rollers vs. Heat Plates

Many laminators use hot rollers to apply adhesive evenly and create a blemish-free, even finish. Generally, the more rollers used, the better the results, and you'll often find that higher-end machines use more rollers to get the job done. The silicone material remains consistently hot from end-to-end, even after continued use. 

While most machines use rollers, some use heat plates. In these machines, a flat piece of metal heats up the adhesive instead of a roller. While they're more commonly seen in industrial applications, some desktop-sized machines combine heat plates and rollers, like the Quick-Lam DH330.

Features

One very important feature to consider is whether or not the machine has adjustable temperature controls. Adjustable temperature allows you to laminate a wider variety of documents and can help if you're having trouble getting pouches to adhere. 

Adjustable speed controls are also critical, as these can also help rectify laminating issues and optimize machine function for certain pouches.

Having these two features also opens the door to more than laminating, getting you one step closer to the capability to foil laminate.

In addition, some machines have special features that make them easier to use, like automated cool-down cycles, reverse functions to clear jams, and adjustable laminating thickness settings. 

Selecting the Right Laminating Pouches

When looking at pouches, the first thing you should consider is thickness, which influences how thick and rigid your finished document will be (measured in mils, aka thousands of an inch). If you're looking for a laminating pouch size compatibility guide, know two basics. First, make sure any pouch you buy is wide enough to provide at least a 1/4' border around the document, but skinny enough to fit in the machine. Second, in terms of pouch thickness, some machines can only accommodate certain sizes, and exceeding this limit can damage the machine or cause poor results. 

There are now many types of laminating pouches available, including:

1. Thermal Pouches: As long as you have a thermal laminator, these heat-sensitive pouches work great for most standard documents.
2. Cold/Self-Laminating: Ideal for heat-sensitive documents like old photos and inkjet prints. Some self-laminating sheets can be used without a machine.
3. UV Protective: Great for displaying information outside, these protect documents from fading due to sun exposure.
4. Single-Side Sheets: This approach is perfect if you have something that only needs one side laminated (like a book cover).
5. Finishes: Depending on your preferences for aesthetics and usability, you can choose gloss or matte finishes. Generally, gloss can help designs stand out, but matte finishes limit glare and arguably make for easier reading. 

Regardless of the type of pouch you choose, it's important to get something high-quality. Binding 101 sells pouches that use high-quality materials and adhesive to ensure you get consistent laminating results. We also sell pouches with true mil sizes'some companies sell '5 mil' pouches that are actually only 2.5 mil on each side. 

Best Practices for Pouch Laminating

Preparing Your Documents for Laminating

Before you begin, ensure that there's no debris or dust between the document you want to laminate and the pouch, as this can cause defects in the end result. Make sure that you've selected the right size pouch, and we recommend making sure the document isn't too close to the pouch edge.

Maintenance Tips for Your Pouch Laminator

Using a pouch carrier is one of the easiest ways to protect your machine. Over time, adhesive can leak from lamination pouches and onto your rollers'and carriers do a great job of preventing this. Even if you use carriers though, it's a good idea to clean adhesive residue off rollers every 6-12 months or so. They also prevent rolling of your pouches onto the rollers if placed backwards by mistake.

Additionally, allowing your laminator to cool properly after use is key to preventing damage and ensuring your machine will last for years to come. Some modern laminators, like the Spiral Speedy-Lam 330R10, have automatic cool-down functions to do this for you. Simply unplugging your machine will force the rollers to cool down too quickly and can warp them over time; always use the cool down function on your machine.

Troubleshooting common issues

Often, the most common laminating issues impact the appearance of the document or the quality of the adhesion. 

• If the pouch isn't sealing, or you get a cloudy, milky finish'consider raising the temperature on your machine and lowering the pass-through speed. However, if you go too high on temperature and too low on speed, you can get a wavy or wrinkly finish.
• Bubbling. If you're getting bubbles, try lowering the heat settings and check the alignment between the print and pouch. 
• Peeling edges. This usually indicates that your document is too close to the pouch edge. Adding a ¼' margin between the print and pouch edge can help alleviate this.
• Pouch wrapping around the roller. This can happen if your laminating temperature is too low or if you put the pouch open-end first. Using a pouch carrier can also help prevent it, and if you've got a reverse function on your machine, it's easy to remove the pouch and redo it.
• While pouch jams and misfeeds can happen, you can avoid them by using a pouch carrier and ensuring materials are aligned and loaded slowly.

Creative Uses for Pouch Laminators

Laminators can do a lot more than protect documents and photos. Consider the following creative ways you can transform ordinary materials into long-lasting crafts and professional-looking information tools.

Innovative projects and applications

• DIY Dry-Erase Sheets: If you laminate a simple template or blank sheet, you can write on it with a dry-erase marker. This is great for to-do lists, calendars, and learning materials for teachers.
• Homemade Flashcards: Laminating index cards or flashcards can make them durable enough for repeated handling during study sessions.
• Arts and Crafts: Lamination doesn't have to stop with paper. You can enhance scrapbooking or craft projects with laminated flowers, fabric, or whatever you can dream up.
• Emergency Information: Allergy cards, medical information, and emergency contacts are ideal for lamination and can fit neatly in wallets or for travel.

Laminating Foils

One surprising feature of many thermal laminators is their ability to double as a foil machine. With laminating foil, you can use your laminator to add metallic, holographic, or iridescent accents without additional specialized equipment. Foil can help emphasize complex designs like logos or be used to add elegance or excitement to nearly anything. 

While foil will usually work with any toner-based ink and a pouch carrier, there are some key factors to keep in mind.

1. If you don't have adjustable temperature settings, you'll struggle to get consistent results, as different foil products require different heat settings.
2. For lamination to work, you'll need to make sure that your laminator can do at least 300° F (or higher for special foils like holographic looks).
3. In addition to having adjustable temperature settings, having adjustable pass-through speeds is key to achieving quality foiling results.
4. Consider pouch thickness. If your machine can't accept at least a 10 mil pouch, you won't be able to fit the required pouch carrier through the machine.

Reviews and Recommendations

With so many excellent options on the market, it can be tricky to choose a laminator to invest in. But by thinking carefully about features and attributes, you can hone in on something that fits your unique needs best.

Best for Speed

Undoubtedly, the best laminator for raw speed/volume is the Speedy Lam 330R10. Capable of laminating 12 feet per minute (144'), it's the fastest pouch laminator on the market and among the most well-regarded high-speed pouch laminators for office use.  It's also equipped with a high-tech 10-roller system, auto-cooling, and controls for variable heat and speed. 

Best for Business Use

While not quite as fast as the Speedy Lam, the Sprinter-Lam's quickness (3 and 6-inches per minute) and robust construction make it an excellent choice for

businesses. It incorporates the same reliability and advanced features as the Speedy Lam but in a more economical package.

Best Affordable Photo Laminator

Tailor-made for laminating photos, the Akiles ProLam Ultra Photo is a feature-packed premium photo laminator at a reasonable price. Its easily adjustable temperature and speed settings make it perfect for laminating trickier items like photos and inkjet prints.

Best Mid-Level Pouch Laminator

The GBC Swingline Fusion L is an affordable laminator that packs versatile features like optional cold lamination. It comes with an Intelligent Auto Power Off' system for energy conservation and a jam alert system with a pouch release function.

Best Affordable Pouch Laminator

The Fellowes Spectra 95 is a steal in the laminator market, perfect for light office or home use. While it doesn't have the features of higher-priced options, it's a great first foray into laminating or for those who only need to occasional laminate standard documents.

Choosing the Right Pouch Laminator

The five laminators mentioned in the previous section are fantastic'but picking the right one requires an honest assessment of your needs. A great starting point is to think about the finished product. Having the capability to do photos, foiling, and cold lamination can require considering completely different models. In many cases, these more complex functions require adjustable temperature and speed settings which some machines don't have.

Beyond this, laminators vary widely in their output, measured in feet per minute, and how robust they are. If you need to laminate many feet per minute and frequently, high-speed pouch laminators for office use make perfect sense. Conversely, if you'll only laminate occasionally or at home, you can get away with something cheaper and lower output. Generally, more expensive laminators are faster, built out of stronger materials, and include more advanced features.

Tips and Techniques for Pouch Lamination

While modern pouch laminators often have great features that make them easy to use, it's important to follow some basic setup steps, know what to do when things go wrong, and stick to best practices.

Proper Setup and Operation

1. Allow your machine to warm up to the recommended temperature, which varies on the thickness of the pouch and document type.
2. Select the right size (width) and thickness (measured in mil) of the laminating pouch. Using one that's too thick or thin can impact lamination results negatively.
3. Make sure the document is aligned in the pouch, and that you don't load the open end in first. Feed the pouch in gently.
4. When you're done, always allow the laminator to cool down properly to prolong the life of your machine.

Best Practices for Achieving Great Results

1. Do a test run whenever possible to make sure the pouch thickness and settings are right, especially for important documents like rare photos.
2. Clean your laminator when possible, especially for adhesive seepage that can get onto rollers and moving parts. Make sure you follow the manufacturer's instructions and avoid harsh solvents that could damage rollers or electronic parts.
3. Don't overload the machine by exceeding its maximum pouch thickness, as this can damage your machine and compromise lamination quality.
4. When you're done, let laminated materials cool on a flat surface to prevent warping, especially if they're very thin. 

Shop our Pouch Laminators

Picking the right laminator involves understanding your specific requirements and how you'll use the machine. The ability to do hot and cold laminating, photos, foiling, and document size requirements are all major factors that should be critical considerations. But you should also think just as much about how often you'll use it, how much speed or output you'll need, and special features like variable temperature and speed control. Once you understand what you're looking for in a machine, Binding 101 is ready to help you find a pouch laminator that aligns perfectly with your needs and budget.

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