GBC HeatSeal 9" Creative Laminator - 1701860

Staff Review

GBC HeatSeal 9” Creative Laminator Review

Laminating is a great way to protect important documents and photographs as well as create your own placements, bookmarks, name badges, and more. There is a large number of laminators on the market, but if you’re on a budget, you may be wondering if there’s one you can afford. You’ll be glad to know that there is. It’s the GBC HeatSeal 9” Creative Laminator. It’s a very basic machine that will allow to laminate a lot of different items while keeping some cash in your wallet. Here are the strengths of this device, as well as a look at what could be improved.

Strengths:

• The HeatSeal has a feed opening that’s 9 inches wide. This is large enough for letter- and legal-sized documents that measure 8.5” x 11” and 8.5” x 14” respectively. You’ll also be able to laminator smaller items such as name badges and bookmarks.
• This machine is able to process items rather quickly. It can laminate up to 10 inches of material in a single minute, so it won’t take you very long to get the results you need.
• The HeatSeal is pretty small and measures 14.25″ (width) x 4.25″ (depth) x 4″ (height). It’s just about the perfect size for any desk.
• You’ll find this machine very easy to use. All you need to do to operate it is turn it on and wait for it to warm up. When it’s ready, just feed the document into the machine. It’s really that simple.
• This device has a one-year warranty so it can be repaired or even replaced if necessary.
• Finally, one of the best things about the HeatSeal is that it’s incredibly affordable even if your budget is tight. It won’t cost you more than $50.00 which is quite a steal considering it’s a GBC product.

Weaknesses:

• Only 3 and 5 mil pouches are compatible with this device. The HeatSeal can’t handle thicker pouches (i.e. 7 and 10 mil) nor can it work with mounting boards.
• While the 9-inch throat is good for the most common sizes of documents, it can’t be used for items that are wider than 8.5 inches. Thus, if you regularly work with larger items, you should select a machine that has a wider opening.
• This machine lacks a release lever so removing jammed pouches will be a bit challenging.
• It takes a little bit of time for the HeatSeal to warm up. You can expect it to take 5 or 6 minutes before it’s ready for use. An LED light will turn on when you can begin laminating.

The GBC HeatSeal 9” Creative Laminator is pretty basic machine that’s pretty easy to use and offers you a quick way of laminating your documents. This isn’t really a device for high-volume use, but it would be a great choice if you need an inexpensive laminator for the home, classroom, or office. Just make sure that you’re okay with the device’s warm-up time and throat size, and that you won’t need to use 7 and 10 mil pouches. If that’s the case, consider getting this machine today so you can start laminating.

How to Use the GBC Creative Laminator

If you need to protect and preserve important documents, one of the best ways is by running them through a pouch laminator. A popular machine is the GBC Creative Laminator, a compact device that is perfect for the home, office, and school. This machine has a 9-inch feed opening so it can be used to laminate a variety of documents- from papers that are letter-sized to smaller pieces such as business cards. Here is a step-by-step guide to using the Creative Laminator:

• To start, plug this device in and turn it on. The Creative Laminator needs about 6 minutes to warm up. This machine only has one temperature setting so you don’t need to adjust any settings which can be convenient.
• Select a laminating pouch for your document. This laminator can handle pouches that are 3 mil and 5 mil thick. (Read this article about stock weights for more information.) You should choose a pouch that is slightly larger than your document so that it will be completely encapsulated. If you want, you can trim away excess film once the laminated item has cooled off.
• You need to use a carrier when using the Creative Laminator. The carrier will prevent adhesive from gumming up the interior of your machine. It also protects the document from heat and it reduces the risk of pouch jams. Center your item in the carrier and place it in the machine’s feed opening. The folded edge needs to go in first.
• Once your document is placed in the feed opening, the Creative Laminator will begin laminating automatically. It takes about a minute to laminate a letter-sized document. When the item comes out of the machine, place it aside and let it cool.
• Keep in mind that this device is meant to laminate documents and photographs only. You should never use it to laminate three-dimensional. This means items like kids’ artwork decorated with glitter should not be placed in the machine. Laminating anything other than documents and photographs will damage the machine eventually. With a broken machine, you’ll either need to repair or replace it, which can be expensive. This laminator does have a 1-year warranty but you can avoid using it by making sure to only place two-dimensional documents into it.
• Repeat the above steps if you have any other documents to laminate. When you’re done, turn off the Creative Laminator to protect the motor and conserve power.

Using the GBC Creative Laminator is easy. The most important thing to remember is to use a carrier whenever you laminate your materials. Unless you use a carrier, adhesive will build up inside the machine which can damage essential parts and potentially cause more pouch jams. As long as you use a carrier, you’ll find it quick and easy to laminate your important documents.