Ah, kids. The seeds of the future. Being their teacher, their tour-guide in this journey of life, it’s not an easy task but it’s rewarding in so many ways. You see their art works, their write-ups, and it’s hard not to overlook the rough gems in the pile.
As a teacher, you would want to put up the finest work for motivation or even create colorful flashy cards for better learning. Hence, a laminator for a classroom is essential. However, what makes the best laminator for teachers?
We have considered all kinds of documents, sizes, pouch refills and have reviewed some of the top options below in this article. Keep reading to find out.
Top Pick
Amazon Basics 9-Inch
- Print Speed: 18 Pages Per Minute
- Warm Up Time: 4 minutes
- Rollers: 2
- Heat Settings: 2 Heat Setting (3mil & 5mil)
Comparison Chart For Laminator For Teachers
| IMAGE | NAME & Details | DETAILS | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Scotch Laminator TL901X |
| Check The Price |
| Scotch Pro Laminator |
| Check The Price |
| Crenova Laminator |
| Check The Price |
| AmazonBasics Laminator |
| Check The Price |
| UALAU Laminator Machine |
| Check The Price |
| YE381 Laminating Machine |
| Check The Price |
| ABOX Laminator Machine |
| Check The Price |
| Blusmart Laminator |
| Check The Price |
| Crenova Laminator |
| Check The Price |
| Fellowes 5736606 Laminator Saturn3i 125 |
| Check The Price |
Best Laminators For Teachers Reviews
1. Scotch TL901X
The Scotch Thermal Laminator TL901X is a lightweight savior that allows you to laminate on the go. It comes in a matte grey-black finish that looks sleek and blends in any classroom, office, or house. But if you are not a big fan of the same old black devices, they now have more updated colors and finishes you should look out for.
The Scotch Thermal Laminator TL901X has a two-roller mechanism that is neatly concealed by sturdy and durable hardware. The two temperature settings help you make sure that your delicate forms or receipts do not face the brunt of it when all you are trying to do is preserve them.
Not only are they ideal for mundane forms but also great for art projects, flash cards, business cards, greeting cards, menus, and many countless possibilities. The great thing about this laminator is that you can use it to laminate anything below A4 size dimensions.
The entry width is about nine inches, so be it a long poster or a small warning sign, the Scotch Thermal Laminator TL901X will get the job done. You can even layer colorful papers or confetti and it will laminate the entire unit as a whole, no problem. This is a great addition to classrooms, especially for kids in the autism spectrum.
Highlighted Features
- It has two temperature settings that you can choose from.
- It has convenient settings for both 3-mil and 5-mil pouches.
- It takes 5-6 minutes to warm and a light turns on to confirm.
- Crafts projects can be easily laminated as long as it fits the thickness.
2. Scotch Pro Laminator
As the name suggests, the Scotch Pro Thermal Laminator is an advanced model of its predecessor with a few key diversities. Firstly, it features two different color accents on white hardware: light green and light blue. You can choose from either depending on what suits your preference the best.
Secondly, it comes with two purchasing options – you can either purchase the laminator solely or even purchase a set with a 200-pouch bundle pack, each measuring to an 8.9 x 11.4 inches. Of course, that comes with an additional cost but if you are someone who hates the hassle of film refill, this is a good consideration.
With a 5-minute warm up time, it signals via an in-built light that it is ready for use. The Never Jam technology recognizes dimensions of 4.00 x 15.80 x 4.00 inches, hence if you input anything beyond these dimensions, the laminator automatically rejects it in order to save your documents and save itself.
This, too, use the two-roller mechanism that pumps out fresh laminated goodies in about 15 inches per minute. Within a 3-mil to 5-mil thickness, this laminator has two heating options that are ideal for your files. Moreover, it has a feeder tray that can be pulled out for your laminated prints to be caught on.
Highlighted Features
- The laminator automatically shuts down after an hour of inactivity.
- It has a retractable feeder tray that is useful when laminating long files.
- It has a release level that dispenses pouches for quick laminating.
- The Never Jam technology ensures that proper dimensions are always fed in.
3. Crenova Laminator
If you are someone who LOVES, absolutely loves preserving photos, making little stickers, or laminating heartfelt notes, you will fall in love with the Crenova A4 Laminator. It is a great starter kit with included tools like corner rounder, paper trimmer, and 20 pouches for a range of A4, A5, and A6 films.
You will not have to buy additional supplies to get the perfectly shaped laminated output. If you are not particularly good with cutting shapes, that is rounding the corners of the laminated files for safety and aesthetics, you have the tools in the kit that will do the work for you.
It has immaculate heat-up times of up to 3-5 minutes, pumping out fresh results in 250mm/min. It’s compact, sleek and fits any average sized desk space. Ideal for schools, homes, and offices, the Crenova A4 Laminator is the go-to laminator if you need laminating services around the clock.
It is frustrating when your paper or the laminating pouch gets stuck, overwhelming you with a sense of panic. Well, there is a special lever known as the ABS Lever which is specifically designed to tactfully un-jam the stuck pieces and remove them smoothly so that you can resume operation.
Highlighted Features
- The laminator comes with additional tools as part of a starter kit.
- In case of jammed papers, there is a lever that releases them smoothly.
- It is petite in size and very portable, fitting all kinds of desk spaces.
- The on/off machine is straightforward, heating up in about 5 minutes.
4. AmazonBasics
Sometimes the basics are the far more favorable options if you are a traditionalist. The AmazonBasics Thermal Laminator is a white box-like laminator that is smooth to the touch and has no complicated control panels. Powered by a cord, switch it on, let it warm up for 4 minutes and you can get to work as soon as it signals you.
There are 3 options to choose from – either you can only purchase the laminator, or the laminator two laminator sheets, or the laminator with a stack of papers. If you do not mind the additional costs you could consider the other options if you see them fit to your preferences.
Again, this has two temperature settings, 5-mil for thinner papers and 3-mil for thicker ones. You need not to worry about the size of the documents it can laminate because it is pretty much compatible with a plethora of paper dimensions.
It is ideal especially for offices, so in case your school is looking for a good laminator for the administration office, the AmazonBasics Thermal Laminator is a good suggestion. Oh, in case of a paper jam, bank your faith in the special user-friendly lever to help you release the tension.
Highlighted Features
- It is compatible with a range of paper dimensions.
- It heats up in about 4 minutes and ready for laminating.
- It is ideal for domestic and office purposes.
- There is lever that helps when there is a paper jam.
5. UALAU Laminator Machine
The UALAU Laminator Machine is yet another starter kit beast because it features all the necessary tools you would need within your vicinity to do your laminating jobs in peace. You get a paper trimmer, corner rounder, and laminating pouches so that you don’t have to constantly get up from your chair to get each supply.
With a 3-5 minutes of heating time, this laminator is quick to get started and spits out prints as fast as 250mm/min. The only drawback, though, is that it can be used for 30 minutes at a stretch, cool off, and then begin again. However, if you are not a frequent user, this should be no big deal to you.
With nine inches entry width, it can suck up various dimensions of papers like, legal forms, letter papers, business cards, ID cards, photos, etc. In case of a jam, this, too, has an ABS Lever that smoothly releases the mishap and lets you operate the laminator exactly how you were before.
If you are new to this or if you know someone who has a passion for arts and crafts, this could be a great first present. It has all the tools needed to teach them skills that will help them do things like shaping, designing, and more importantly, organizing and waste management.
Highlighted Features
- It is a compact laminator with a starter kit for efficient laminating.
- It warms up in three to five minutes, signaling when it is ready for use.
- It has a mouth wide enough for all kinds of paper dimensions.
- You can give this as a present to an arts and crafts aficionado.
Laminator For Teachers Buying Guide
Size
The size is an important factor you must consider when you are purchasing a laminator. You’ll have larger documents and even small pieces to laminate and it is wise to consider these things beforehand. You can either buy one, one that gets most your work done, or a combination of laminators for the “special tasks”
If you want to laminate smaller objects like cards or identification tags, an A3 entry width is just right. If you want to laminate larger documents like essays papers or grading policies, an A2 entry width laminator width would do. However, if you need to laminate even bigger documents like posters, A4 entry width is the way to go.
Lamination Volume
The best laminator for teachers varies for everyone depending on how much you will be laminating.
If you require lamination of documents on the daily for tasks like making flash cards for elementary and pre-school children, you are perhaps better off with a bigger laminating machine. Although, it will probably come with a bigger price tag too.
If you are using the laminator for small tasks around the house or for exemplary class assignments, you do not need to splurge too much and will be fine with a smaller machine. It gets the job done nice and clearly so you need not to worry.
Types Of Laminators
There are mainly two types of laminators: pouch laminators and roller laminators. While both are adept at laminating, there are some distinct differences between them. Pouch laminators use plastic films that open up like a folder; you place the document within and the laminator glues down the sides to entrap it.
Roller laminators, on the contrary, have two rollers of film, one with an adherent to it. When the machine heats up, the adhesive melts and sticks the films together. These are usually ideal for commercial use, posters or any large documents, while pouch laminators come in different shapes and sizes.
Laminating Pouches
We all know the glossy ones. They are less likely to crease or have bubbles trapped in them. Even if you use larger pouches to laminate smaller objects, the flexible pouch makes it easier to cut and shape without opening up or destroying the color of the document inside.
However, if you want to opt for something that has more visibility from afar and less glare, try the matte pouches. Suppose you have notices hung outside and they may be difficult to read with all the lighting. Consider what’s the proper approach depending on where you will be hanging your laminations.
Conclusion
Being a teacher is a very rewarding experience because you get to be a vital part and huge building blocks in many kids’ lives. They may not realize it but their actions show that loud and clear.
While we know nothing about being teachers, we have the utmost respect for all the hard work you do because, we too, were once kids.
We can only help you around the classroom by giving you a guiding nudge towards the best laminator for teachers. We hope this article has shed some light to your confusion. And with that, we thank you for all that you have done and still keep on doing.
