Questions to Ask When Choosing a Pouch Laminator

If you've recently decided to buy a pouch laminator, you're probably wondering what you should be looking for when choosing your device. After all, you're making an investment in something, so you should make sure you get the device that's perfect for your needs. Here are the questions to ask yourself when choosing a pouch laminator:

• What size of documents do you need to laminate? Pouch laminators are available in a number of sizes. Some machines have large 24-inch feed openings while others have openings as small as 4”. Choose a device that will be able to accommodate the things you need to laminate.
• How thick are the laminating pouches you're going to use? Laminating pouches are available in four basic thicknesses: 3, 5, 7, and 10 mil. (A mil is equal to 0.001 of an inch.) The thicker pouches will make your document more rigid but not every laminator can handle them. You might want to get a laminator that can accommodate all pouches no matter how thick they are.
• What do you plan on laminating? Most of the pouch laminators on the market can handle regular copier/printer paper and thin cardstock without any problems. However, you're going to need to look for a higher-end machine if you want to work with photographs and/or thicker materials such as mounting boards. Be sure to look for a machine with such features as a cold lamination setting, heated rollers, and a heat plate.
• What other features do you want? Today's pouch laminators usually have other features that make them stand out. Some of them have reverse modes to make it easy to clear up pouch jams. Variable speed and temperature settings allow you to get the results you need. And some machines have silicone rollers to distribute heat evenly so you can enjoy crystal clear lamination.
• Which brand name do you prefer? Finally, there are a lot of companies that make pouch laminators. They include GBC, Royal Sovereign, Tamerica, and Akiles. You might want to do a bit of research on each company so you can be sure you're choosing a high-quality machine.

These are some of the questions you should ask yourself when choosing a pouch laminator. If you need any help picking out your machine, get in touch with us. We'll be more than happy to help you find the laminator that's right for you. Happy laminating!

If you have any other questions or comments about this article please feel free to
email us at sales@mybinding.com or call us at 1-800-944-4573

Written by Jeff McRitchie
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