There are never enough hours in the day, especially for teachers, and a little convenience can make a big difference. Having access to your own laminator machine can be the best way to avoid lines, waiting for laminators to heat all of the way or the horror of realizing the there is no film or the entire laminator machine is jammed. Luckily, there is a long list of some of the best laminators for teachers. It even includes a cheap laminator that won’t break a teacher’s budget.
While the laminators listed here may not be a full-size thermal laminator, they do use heat settings that will seal the laminating pouches or sheets to protect any documents you choose to laminate. Of course, there are some pouches that come with adhesive that only needs pressure to seal around your document. Those kinds of pouches use a process called cold lamination. The pouch is run between two rollers that apply pressure to seal the adhesive.
Most of the best laminator machines listed are affordable, even on a teacher’s salary, so don’t shy away from being able to laminate documents at your convenience. This list should help you consider which laminator will best suit your needs in your classroom. The best laminators should give you the flexibility to use a range of pouches.
Pouches or Sheets
One of the first things to consider when looking at a laminating machine to purchase for yourself is the type of film that it will use. Laminating sheets are similar to the film found in larger laminators. The biggest difference that teachers will notice when laminating with pouches instead of sheets is the thickness of the lamination. A laminating sheet creates a thin, flimsy cover to protect the paper. A laminating pouch is a much thicker and sturdier cover over the paper.
Laminating pouches are similar to the kind of lamination used on ID cards and other heavy-duty documents. Even an AmazonBasics thermal laminator can create a very sturdy lamination when using a laminating pouch instead of sheets. This allows teachers to choose a cheap laminator while still getting high-quality protection for their documents. Since the pouches are thicker, it does mean that those sharp corners can do serious damage, so the best laminators include corner rounders.
1. AmazonBasics Thermal Laminator Machine
Enhance your classroom materials with this 9-inch laminator. Compact and user-friendly, it’s an essential tool for teachers who are aiming to keep their resources pristine to ensure long-term use. Give it a try and watch your materials stand the test of time!
2. Crenova A4 Laminator
User-friendly settings make this 4 in 1 thermal laminator by Crenova a great choice for a small portable laminator. It even comes with 20 laminating pouches. The 9-inch opening will make it easy to protect normal papers with good thermal lamination. It even has a corner rounder, so that you won’t have pokey, sharp corners.
This laminator has a will warm up quickly and it laminates at a crazy 2500 mm/min speed. This will make it easy for teachers to get their laminating done quickly without wasting any time. Combine the quick heat time with the rapid lamination and the ABS level to stop jams as they happen, and you end up with a great thermal laminator for teachers.
3. Blusmart Multiple Function A3 Laminator
Here’s a laminator that’s best summed up with one word- adaptable! For teachers who handle varied document sizes, the YE381 offers easy versatility thanks to its capability of laminating A3, A4, and A6 sizes. Whether it’s lesson plans or student projects, choose between thermal or cold laminating to best suit your needs.
4. Apache AL13 13″ Thermal Laminator
The Apache 13 inch laminator is another great option for laminating larger pages. It comes with 20 pouches and has high-quality parts that keep working for a long time. There are two silicone rollers to keep the pouches moving through the laminating machine and it has a power and ready LED light to make it easy to use.
This laminator is lightweight and allows you to use 3 mil or 5 mil laminator pouches, so you ‘ll be able to choose the right laminator pouch for your project. It’s a convenient and easy-to-use thermal laminator that will exceed the expectations of most teachers.
5. Scotch Brand Pro Thermal Laminator
The name Scotch means that you are getting a good quality office product, and this thermal laminator is no exception. The Scotch Pro Thermal Laminator is one of the best thermal laminators for teachers because it is affordable, easy to use, and does a great job laminating your papers.
It will warm up in less than 5 minutes and shut off automatically after 1 hour. It can handle papers that are 9 inches wide and will let you use 3 mil or 5 mil thermal pouches. It even has a system that prevents it from jamming, so that you won’t have to worry about the mess that comes with partially laminated papers getting jammed in the laminator.
6. Scotch TL901X Thermal Laminator
Teachers, meet your classroom’s new best friend. The Scotch TL901X Thermal Laminator promises easy operation whilst delivering consistent, high-quality lamination, to help you ensure that your educational materials remain intact and professional-looking for years to come.
7. Swingline Laminator
Much like Scotch, Swingline is a name brand that you know you can trust to provide the best office supplies. Their Swingline Thermal Laminator is just as awesome as their heavy metal staplers. It heats up quickly and is designed to work with standard, letter-size paper that is no more than 9 inches wide. After as little as four minutes, you will be ready to seal 3 or 5 mil pouches at a rate of 9 inches per minute!
It has a cold setting in addition to the normal heat setting so that it can be used with pouches that have adhesive and just need the pressure to seal. This laminator is very easy to use since it has just one setting. The laminator can still handle different kinds of lamination pouches, and you can quickly and easily clear any jams that may happen by using the jam release lever.
8. 5 in 1 Laminator Machine
Perfect for multifaceted tasks in a bustling classroom, this 5-in-1 laminator doesn’t just laminate; you can also enjoy a precise paper trimmer and a handy corner rounder! Whether you’re preparing handouts or crafting classroom posters, this all-in-one tool will help you deliver every project with a polished finish.
Conclusion
While there are many portable thermal laminators available for teachers, you will want to consider a few things before selecting the one that is right for you. Be sure to consider the size of documents that you usually laminate as you choose between a 9 inch and 13-inch wide model. You’ll also want to consider the kinds of pouches you want to use. Sometimes you may prefer pouches that use cold lamination, while other times thermal lamination will be the order of the day.