Swingline Ingento 18" x 18" Maple Guillotine Cutter - 1152

Perhaps the greatest feature of the Ingento 18" x 18" is the Ingento name itself. These paper trimmers are considered the industry standard and they are in use in schools, churches, and commercial print shops all over the world. They have a great reputation that they have earned by providing years of faithful service, and we see no reason why this machine won't do the same.

Part and parcel of the reputation for durability, of course, is the solid construction of the Ingento 18" x 18". Using a base that is made of a chunk of solid maple, and a cutting arm that has been die cast of high-quality metal, this is a machine is built to last. This is a machine that has a nice weight to it, giving you a solid feel that leads to clean and precise cuts. There are rubber feet on the bottom of the machine that prevent it from slipping as well.

Safety features are very important when it comes to guillotine paper cutters, and the Ingento 18" x 18" has a few that are worth noting. First, there is a latch for keeping the cutting arm locked down and immobile when the machine is not being used. There is also a steel spring tension system that keeps the cutting arm up in any position so that it will not drop if you take your hand off of it. And finally, there is a guard rail located on the base that will keep the fingers of the hand that is holding your paper well away from the blade.

The blade itself is made of high quality stainless steel and actually sharpens itself while you are using it. It can handle not only regular paper, but photos, laminated sheets, and heavier stocks as well. Of course, any blade can get a few dings over time from accidental misuse and the like. The blade of the Ingento 18" x 18" can be taken off and sharpened, or replaced entirely if need be, saving you money over the cost of a new trimmer.

The 18 inch blade on this machine not only allows you to cut letter and legal sized sheets with ease, it can handle larger custom sized projects as well. It may take up a little more space than its little brothers on the line, but it will still fit on the average desktop, and the increased capacity makes it worth it.

The safety features are well conceived, but guillotine trimmers like this one should not be used by inexperienced users unless they are being closely supervised. The same, obviously goes for children, should you be buying the machine for a school.