Top 12 Best Laminators for Teachers, Commercial, & Home Use - Ultimate Buying Guide
If you are looking for the best laminators for teachers, or the best commercial or home use laminators, read on to find out what our best picks are, and a compilation of what ALL the reviews say so that you don't have to search the whole internet for the very best information!
My Three Readers is all about reading for kids, and we provide lots of reading printables to help teach reading to kids. A lot of times, you either need to laminate your printables, or you just want to, so that they'll last for a long time.
Toward the bottom of this article, you can find your FREE printable checklist to decide which laminator is best for you.
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Best Laminator Options
Be SURE of what you are expecting and hoping for in your new laminator. I've broken up this overview into two sections for you:
The top 6 are the very best laminators if you are a TEACHER, or want to craft at HOME, or if you are a HOMESCHOOLING parent.
The next 6 listed are what your SCHOOL or BUSINESS will be looking for - the more heavy duty, industrial, or commercial purchases for larger institutions.
Take a look at what our research has uncovered about the supposedly “best” laminators.
Here are the top 12 BEST laminators. (Top 6 for individual, lower 6 are the larger, commercial sized):
- Amazon Basics Thermal Laminator
- Scotch TL901C-T Thermal Laminator
- Swingline GBC Thermal Laminator
- Fellowes Laminator Saturn3i 125
- 5 in 1 Blusmart OL288 Laminator
- Scotch PRO Thermal Laminator
- Budget 2700 Plus Thermal (hot) 27" School Office Roll Laminator
- Minikote 27" Roll Laminator
- USI Thermal Roll Laminator, ARL 2700
- AlphaLam 27" Thermal (Hot) School Office Roll Laminator
- Pinnacle 27 Thermal Roll Laminator
- Gbc Bindrite 1737174 Spire Iii 44T 44" Thermal Wide Format Laminator
Part I:
Best Laminating Machines for Teachers, Home Use, Craft Use, Homeschooling:
Which laminator for teachers is best? Here is what our readers have to say!
These are THEIR picks for the Top 6 Laminators for Teachers:
Now, we have our own picks, but we think what our readers say is MUCH more valuable to you.
Our readers picked these 6 laminators as the best options for teachers to use in the classroom or the home - or for families to use at home, and a great option for homeschoolers and crafters.
We think they made some great picks this year! For example, this laminator for home use and teachers is their #1 choice – and it’s a good one!
On this page, you can read THEIR reviews, compare prices AND see which of the Top 6 are on sale TODAY.
Ok, let’s jump in and review the best laminators for teachers and home use…
If you are curious (or in a hurry):
This specific Laminator for Teachers or Home - the AmazonBasics Thermal Laminator Machine, is the most popular.
It’s a good quality laminator, yet you’ll also find that it is also one of the cheapest laminators for personal use you’ll find online.
It has several different sizing options for laminating projects, and different width of laminating pouches.
in the picture:
AmazonBasics Thermal Laminator Machine
other options for adding paper and laminating sheets - get more info:
AmazonBasics Thermal Laminator Machine
Scotch TL901C-T Thermal Laminator
Swingline GBC Thermal Laminator
The folks at Amazon also have their own list of Best Laminators for Teachers and Home Use below - many are on sale.
Which Laminator for Teachers and Home Use is Best?
When it comes to the best laminators for teachers with the best reviews, these are the 6 best devices for teachers and crafters to choose from. All are great machines and very affordable. (Compare these 6 Laminators for Teachers and Home Use here.)
Laminators for Teachers and Home Use - Best Choices:
- Amazon Basics Thermal Laminator –
info page - Scotch TL901C-T Thermal Laminator –
info page - Swingline GBC Thermal Laminator –
info page - Fellowes Laminator Saturn3i 125 –
info page - 5 in 1 Blusmart OL288 Laminator –
info page - Scotch PRO Thermal Laminator –
info page
in the picture:
AmazonBasics Thermal Laminator Machine
other options for adding paper and laminating sheets - get more info:
3 Best Laminators for Teachers and Home:AmazonBasics Thermal Laminator Machine
Scotch TL901C-T Thermal Laminator
Swingline GBC Thermal Laminator
The folks at Amazon also have their own list of Best Laminators for Teachers and Home Use below - many are on sale.Which laminators for teachers and for home use is best? Our readers have spoken!
These are THEIR picks for the Top 6 Laminators for Teachers and Home Use
Reviews for Laminators for Teachers and Home Use - YouTube Video
I found this video on YouTube to be helpful for deciding which laminator to buy for personal use at home or in the classroom. Feel free to watch and see if you can get some insight into what will be the best laminator for your use!
ANY of the 6 laminators for teachers, home use, or crafters in the list above are great units that you should be very happy with.
Compare ONLY the Top 6 Laminators for teachers on one page here.
Buying tip: Watch that page above for deals on the Amazon Thermal Laminator - if it's under $30, it's a GREAT deal. Also, note that there is an option to add on laminating sheets and paper, plus you can get a 3-year protection plan for $2.99.
Compare laminators for teachers & Laminator Reviews
Below are the six best laminators for teachers and home use this year:
(Click on links to check current prices and laminator reviews)
Amazon Basics Thermal Laminator
Scotch TL901C-T Thermal Laminator
Swingline GBC Thermal Laminator
Fellowes Laminator Saturn3i 125
5 in 1 Blusmart OL288 Laminator
The Best Laminator for Teacher and Home Use WINNER
Which laminator for home and teachers is BEST? If we had to only pick ONE teacher's laminator, we agree with the results below:
Amazon chooses this laminator as their 'Amazon Choice' 2020 Winner. The price is GREAT, it's "Prime eligible", so shipping is free, and you'll get it FAST, it has the option of adding laminator pouches & sheets (and a 3 year protection plan), and it's an all-around great laminator for teachers and home users to have!
In my opinion, and via all the reviews of this laminator, based on price, user experiences & feedback, value, quality, size and options – this is the best laminators for teachers you can buy that fits all budgets and needs for crafters, teachers, homeschoolers and general home use.
In fact, Amazon readers ALSO pick this laminator for teachers as the BEST laminator too!
A quote from one review,
"I can't tell you how much I love this laminator! I am a first grade teacher and I do a lot of lamination, which is actually an understatement.
In fact I laminate everything I put on my classroom walls -- and my walls are covered with word walls, center information, behavior charts, "I can" statements, learning targets, DOIL's, and data.
This little gem has saved me an immeasurable amount of time and frustration. I no longer have to wait for the school laminator to heat or be re-filled with laminating film. I am able to laminate right in my classroom when I have an extra minute and hang items immediately.
What a time saver -- and any elementary school teacher knows that every second we can save during our work day is worth our weight in gold! And it even has settings for 3mm and 5mm weights of paper.
Be sure to purchase the Amazon brand laminating pouches. I'm sure other brands might work in this laminator but the Amazon pouches are very economical -- $12.00 and change for 100 pouches. But the best part is that your finished laminated sheet will be sturdier than the product your school laminator produces.
A real money saver since you will not need to print your items on card stock -- regular weight copy paper will be just fine.
At the price point Amazon is asking for this laminator and pouch bundle you can't go wrong! Teachers, you NEED this! Believe me!"
This laminator is great for doing crafting projects, laminating home paperwork (like organizers, hanging menus or "to-do" lists), or of course - any teacher project you need to laminate for school use at home or in the classroom.
For an additional $2.99, you can get the 3-year protection plan, which I think is a great deal for just a few dollars, and for your peace of mind.
This laminator can be adjusted for multiple styles and thicknesses of paper (cardstock or regular), and only takes about 3 minutes to warm up.
And with their one-year limited warranty that it comes with, you can return within one year if needed, unless you get the 3 year plan for a few more dollars for more years. That is a great deal!
**See today's Best Laminators for Teachers list**
Let's talk laminators! My focus for the purposes of the page is to make sure you grab the best laminator for not only teacher projects, but for those of you who are crafters, or who like to laminate home projects.
When searching for the laminator for your own use, it’s easy to get very overwhelmed with ALL the choices. That’s why we like to really look into the questions we get from reviewers and turn them into helpful articles – like this one. Thank you for your wonderful questions!
Of course, everyone is different with all kinds of needs for a laminator, but there are a few things you definitely need to keep in mind when purchasing.. So, here is the BEST INFORMATION for deciding on a home or classroom laminator. Put together for you by a crafting, homeschooling, former-teacher mom - The Ultimate Resource Guide for laminators!
Best laminator under 50
The Top 6 laminators I've mentioned above are all at a good price for you at under $50. You can also view these laminators under $50 and more on this Amazon page, as well. (In fact most of these are $25 and under). When you are considering a lower-priced laminator under, you DO need to consider a few things:
- Temperature Setting
- Paper width
- Heating time
- Paper jam technology
- Paper thickness
- Bells & Whistles
I'll get into more detail with these items below:
What to look for in a laminating machine
To know which laminating machine to purchase, you DO need to consider a few things. Of course the first one is the most important. The volume of laminating you will need will drastically affect the price point of the laminator you are looking for.
- Volume (Commercial or teacher/ home/ crafting/ small office use?)
- Temperature Setting
- Paper width
- Heating time
- Paper jam technology
- Paper thickness
- Bells & Whistles
I'll get into more detail with these items below in regard to choosing a laminator for your personal use:
Best laminator for home use
In a little more detail, here are some factors to consider when making your home, classroom, or small office laminator purchase:
Temperature Setting: Laminators can come with different temperature settings. Most projects I've used a hot temperature lamination, but you should consider what your needs are.
For instance, if you are laminating precious documents that are sensitive to heat, you may want to consider a cold laminator (pressed with an adhesive). These may cost more. A hot, thermal laminator usually will cost less, and is great for your typical project.
Paper width: Be sure that you select a laminator that can accomodate the width of the project(s) you need. Most home laminators will come with at least a 13 inch width with adjusted smaller sizes, but check to be sure if you have a specific project in mind.
Heating time: Choose a laminator that won't take long to prep. A good laminator can heat in about 3 to 5 minutes.
Paper jam technology: Check to see if the laminator you choose has a paper jam release. The Scotch Pro even has what they dub "paper jam technology", so that a paper is fed into the machine at a perfect angle, preventing jams.
Paper thickness: If you are planning to use different thicknesses of paper (ie: from cardstock to basic computer paper), be sure to see if the settings on the laminator allow for different thicknesses.
Bells & Whistles: Several of the smaller, at-home use laminator have some fun bells and whistles that come with the laminator. Check to see what is available that might interest you. Some examples would be paper cutters, corner rounders (Blusmart), included paper pouches, warranties, etc.
Picked as "An Exceptional Educator's Dream"
Scotch Thermal Laminator
Here is another laminator for general use, with good reviews, and the favorite of many, so it's worth a look at.
Check Current Price Here (Hint: This laminator is a good price for under $25 - that is GREAT!)
Notice the awesome reviews from what I've read on Amazon.com for the Scotch laminator - people really love this one and give it high ratings for home use.
One reviewer says, "This is my second laminator. My first one finally quit , I believe it was probably my own doing. It served me well. I cut out very detailed snowflakes , when gifting them or displaying them some of them tore very easily.
So I started thermal laminating all of them. I can honestly say I have laminated more then 10,000 snowflakes over the past two years. I use very inexpensive copy paper, 500 sheets per pack. Since July of this year I have cut out and laminated 3 packs .
This machine is a beast, I used some very fine glitter on some of my snowflakes before laminating them. Some sealed without problems, after that, well I had to order a new one .
Now snowflakes with glitter get introduced to an inexpensive iron I purchased. I believe my first laminator would still be running strong . I took it apart and was able to see the glitter wasn't flat enough causing friction between the two rollers in the laminator , therefore causing the rollers to turn inconsistently.
LESSON LEARNED. I give this machine 5 stars because I know how much I used it and how wonderfully it did the job.'
*UPDATE* thousands of snowflakes later, still working great. I again have to order more pouches. This machine is in my opinion a little work horse. It has continue to perform well for me every time I turn it on.
I again would recommend this laminating machine.
Best laminator for foiling
Did you know that you can use a typical laminator with laminating foil to create beautiful craft projects? I didn't know this either until recently!
The way it works: On a good quality sheet of paper or cardstock using a laser printer, print out the pattern, invitation, or whatever graphic you want to be "shiny" onto a regular sheet of paper.
Then, you'll cut out a piece of laminator foil (I'll put a few pics below), place it shiny side up over that paper, and another sheet of (cardstock) paper on top of that.
Feed these through the laminator, possibly more than once for optimal heat and pressing to get the foil to adhere, and the foil will print out on the patterned paper! Voila - you have a beautiful image with a gold or other-colored laminate.
Of course the whole point to this transfer process is the heat. So you can choose any thermal laminator to create your foiling projects that will transfer with heat, using the 5 mil heat setting. Any of the 6 best laminating machines above will do.
And note, that the paper you transfer onto DOES make a difference for the quality of foiling you will get. I've heard either cardstock, parchment, or the very smoothest paper you can find will be best. Set your media type to “plain paper,” printed in 1200dpi (make sure your image is at least 300dpi!).
Also - please note - don't use the laminating pouches - you are not laminating your item, you are using the heat from the laminator to transfer foil to paper.
Best Laminator for Crafts
Crafting with a laminator - the possibilites are endless! Here are just a few ideas of what you can accomplish with a laminating craft project:
- Bookmarks
- Photo collages
- Scripture display or scripture memory cards
- Dry-erase menu display for the fridge
- Dry-erase weekly or daily "to-do" list
- Chore list with a dry-erase "check-off" list
- Goals Display for each day, week and for the year!
- Name cards for seated dinner events
- Nametags
- Door hangers
- Luggage Tags
This list could go on and on! And which is the best laminator for these type projects? Any of the 6 I have named above. You can't go wrong with the Amazon Basics Thermal Laminator or the Scotch TL901C-T Thermal Laminator
Best Laminator for Cardstock
If you are a crafter, teacher, or homeschooler, you are definitely going to want to be using cardstock for your laminating projects.
Cardstock is a sturdier, thicker paper that is more durable and longer-lasting than your regular computer paper. It has a higher quality feel and look that you'll want for your crafting and educational projects.
So - as I mentioned above, be sure that there are thickness settings on your laminator. Because a cardstock will need a larger thickness setting as it runs through the laminator.
For instance, the Scotch PRO Thermal Laminator has a two roller function with dual temperature settings, and you can use laminating pouches of 3 and 5 mil settings, for different thicknesses.
Best Laminator for Homeschool
There are so many uses for a laminator if you are a homeschooling parent.
I know for me, I homeschool my youngest son, and we need to have a lot of visual display around the house in order for him to really take in concepts.
And we are great at destruction, over here with multiple kids! So if I want to hang up times tables, posters, or memory charts of any kind, we have to laminate, or it'll be ripped off the wall for trash in no time.
There are a ton of uses for having a laminator as you homeschool. I'll list a few here. Meanwhile, the Amazon laminator or any of the other 5 laminators mentioned above will be great for you!
Here are some great homeschool ideas for laminators:
- Matching games
- Flashcards
- Dry erase ANYTHING! (cursive, handwriting, math)
- Placemats
- Chore charts
- Homemade tangrams, or puzzles
- Bookmarks
- Chore Lists
Best Laminators for Teachers 2020
Now that we've talked about the best laminators for teachers and home use, and Amazon reviews, let's take a look at the best laminators for teachers according to the reviews and ratings.
Best Laminator for Teachers and Home Use Reviews & Features
- Laminate documents up to 9 inches wide; compatible with letter-size, legal size, business card size, and photo size papers
- Two heat settings: '3mil' and '5mil'
- Works with any 3 mil or 5 mil laminating pouch; includes two 3 mil thick, 8.9 by 11.4 inch laminating pouches
- Quick 4 minute warm up with ready indicator light
- Jam release lever for easy clearing
- Product Dimensions: 13.4 x 4.8 x 2.4 inches (LxWxH) ; 2.6 pounds
- Laminates items up to 9 inches wide
- Two roller system for a professional finish
- Suitable for use with photos
- For use with both 3 mil and 5 mil Thermal Pouches
- Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 15.5 x 3.8 inches
- Warms up in as little as 4 minutes for quick and easy use, and has a convenient ready indicator light.
- Laminates at 9 Inches per minute
- Compatible with any 3 and 5 mil laminating pouches, laminating up to 9" in width
- Jam release lever quickly clears any jammed pouches
- WARRANTY & POUCHES INCLUDED: Laminator comes with a 90 day warranty and 5 letter size, standard thickness thermal lamination pouches, which provide a clear, glossy finish.
- COLD VERSATILITY: A cold lamination setting provides more laminating options. Cold lamination works with pressure sensitive adhesive pouches including GBC SelfSeal pouches, sold separately
- Product dimensions: 11x11.7x13.2 inches
- Advanced thermal laminator with 1-minute warm-up with InstaHeat Technology
- 12-1/2" entry width accommodates multiple document sizes. Maximum Laminating Speed (inches/minute)-12
- Hot lamination for 3-mil or 5-mil and cold setting for self-adhesive pouches
- Auto Shut off save energy and prevents overheating
- Jam Release lever disengages pouch for re-centering or removal.Voltage: 120 V
- Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 20.9 x 4.1 inches
- Includes 1 laminator, 1 corner rounder, 1 paper trimmer, 20 laminating pouches(5 A4&A5, 10 A6), 10 photo frame
- Rapid 3-5min warm-up time and 250mm/min laminating speed! Hot & cold modes are perfect for different types of laminating pouches and ABS button resolves paper jam issues effectively.
- 230mm (A4 size) throat entry, works with 160mic (2x 80mic) to 250mic (2x125mic) pouches, and great for professional letter/legal/ business card/photo size papers laminating.
- Includes easy-to-handle paper trimmer makes a neat and beautiful cut.
- 12-month hassle-free warranty and a lifetime best in class customer support.
- Product Dimensions: 15.3 x 3.9 x 5.5 inches
- 5 minute warm-up time. Light signals when machine is ready
- Assembled product dimensions (L x w x H) 4.00 x 15.80 x 4.00 inches.
- Never jam technology automatically prevents misfed Items
- 2 roller machine. Laminates at speed of 15 in/Min. Use with 3-5 Mil thick thermal pouches, up to 9 Inches Wide
- Auto shutoff after 1 hour of inactivity helps conserve energy
- Laminating machine throat width: 6 inch-10 inch
Best Laminators for Teachers & Home Use WINNER This Year
The Amazon Basics Thermal Laminator!
Make certain you are a Prime member before you purchase your laminator! Prime Members get all kinds of goodies including free shipping on many items, including free books, movies, and more. You will make your money back quickly with free shipping on all your orders.
For me, the laminator I would choose for myself at home and in the classroom is the Amazon Basics Thermal Laminator, which easily fits my budget and gets the job done for me for all sorts of projects.
Budget 2700 Plus Thermal (hot) 27" School Office Roll Laminator
Check prices & More info here
USI Thermal Roll Laminator, ARL 2700
AlphaLam 27" Thermal (Hot) School Office Roll Laminator
Pinnacle 27 Thermal Roll Laminator
Gbc Bindrite 1737174 Spire Iii 44T 44" Thermal Wide Format Laminator
I hope these options give you a place to start as you search for the perfect laminator, whether it's for the best laminator for teachers, or the very best commerical laminating machine.
There are several to choose from, and there may be a different fit for your exact needs. Let me know if you have any comments or opinions on the laminator you are currently using in your home!
Table of Contents
- Here are the top 12 BEST laminators. (Top 6 for individual, lower 6 are the larger, commercial sized):
- Which Laminator for Teachers and Home Use is Best?
- Reviews for Laminators for Teachers and Home Use - YouTube Video
- Compare laminators for teachers & Laminator Reviews
- The Best Laminator for Teacher and Home Use WINNER
- Best laminator under 50
- What to look for in a laminating machine
- Best laminator for home use
- Best laminator for foiling
- Best Laminator for Crafts
- Best Laminator for Cardstock
- Best Laminator for Homeschool
- Best Laminators for Teachers 2020
- Best Laminators for Teachers & Home Use WINNER This Year
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