10 Best Laminators for Home or Office

Whether you’re looking to protect your work files or preserve your projects at home, a good laminator can go a long way. Of course, you don’t just want a mediocre laminator; there are all types to choose from and you want the best laminator specific for your individual needs and one that keeps to your budget. So keep reading to find out more about the ten best laminators for your home or office.

We did the hard work, so you don’t have to! Check out our ten best laminator contenders, so you get the perfect laminator for your home or office.

This laminator comes with all the bells and whistles! This 7-in-1 deluxe lamination set includes a laminator, a hole punch, a paper trimmer, a corner rounder, three-book rings, ten photo frames, and 25 laminating pouches. This laminator also features LED on/off indication lights and has a laminating speed of 9.8 in/min.

Pros:

• Two roller system supports both cold and thermal laminating
• It warms up in 3-5 minutes
• Maximum 13-inch width
• Features jam release button to prevent paper jam
• Supports business card to A3 paper laminating pouches

Cons:

• Hard to keep sheet straight when feeding them in
• It might smoke if it overheats

This laminator has a compact design and is easy to use, even for beginners. Unlike other pricier laminators, this one is just as valuable and efficient while being more affordable! It adheres quickly, with no bubbles, and even has cord storage. 

Pros:

• Two temperature settings on two roller system
• It warms up in 5-8 minutes
• Maximum 9-inch width
• Ready light lets you know when it’s heated up 
• Features 3 and 5 mil pouch settings

Cons:

• It doesn’t have a jam release button
• It doesn’t come with laminating pouches

This laminator comes with a starter set and is perfect for your home or office! It includes the laminator, 20 laminating pouches, a paper trimmer, and a corner rounder. This laminator is lightweight, compact, portable, and can fit on almost any surface in your home or office.

Pros:

• Two roller system supports hot and cold laminating
• It warms up in 3-5 minutes
• The paper trimmer has a scale ruler and alignment grid
• Specially designed lever prevents paper jam with just a push
• Laminating speed of 9.8 in/min

Cons:

• Maximum width only 9.45 inches
• It doesn’t have cord storage

This is one of the best laminators out there. It has high power, low noise and comes with 15 laminating pouches. This laminator is easy to use and laminates automatically, without bubbles or fogging. It’s moderately priced and can satisfy all your project needs.

Pros:

• Two roller system supports hot and cold laminating
• It warms up in 3-5 minutes
• Maximum 13-inch width 
• Features jam release button to prevent paper jams
• Laminating speed of 10.1 in/min

Cons:

• It doesn’t have cord storage
• It doesn’t have a carry handle

This laminator is one of the best because it’s easy to use on all projects at home or in your office. This laminator shuts off automatically to prevent overheating and save energy. It also heats up faster than the average laminator. Even though it costs more than most other laminators, this one is definitely worth the extra money. 

Pros:

• Two roller system supports hot and cold laminating
• It warms up in 1 minute
• Maximum 12.5-inch width
• Jam release lever prevents paper jams
• Laminating speed 12 in/min

Cons:

• More costly than other models 
• On the bigger side (21 inches long)

This laminator comes with 100 pouches and is perfect for schools or creative studios where you might be laminating more delicate or unusual projects that require extra TLC. It’s well worth its cost, with a specially designed internal system to preserve your projects and prevent paper jams. Plus it’s lightweight and easy to move. This laminator also features rubber feet that keep it stable on any of your work surfaces.

Pros:

• Two roller system supports hot and cold laminating
• It warms up in 3-5 minutes
• Maximum 9-inch width
• Project damage prevented by a special anti-blocking system
• Laminating speed 9.8 in/min

Cons:

• More costly than others
• It doesn’t come with any paper trimmers or corner rounders

This is one of the best laminators because of its versatility and lightweight design. This laminator is low in price while being high in value. It’s beautifully designed with easy to use controls, and the retractable feed tray helps align your pouches. This laminator is lightweight, features cord wrap storage and an added release lever that allows for quick pouch release. While it’s a great on-the-go laminator, it, unfortunately, doesn’t come with a carrying handle.

Pros:

• Two roller system supports hot and cold laminating
• Automatically shuts off after 1 hour of inactivity to prevent overheating and conserve energy
• Maximum 9-inch width
• Automatically protects projects with never jam technology
• Laminating speed 15 in/min

Cons:

• It warms up in 5-6 minutes
• It doesn’t have a carry handle

This 4-in-1 device combines a laminator with a corner rounder, a paper trimmer, and a cutter lock to give you the most versatile project experience. This laminator comes with 16 laminating pouches and auto-laminates with low noise. This device will also go into standby mode after 30 minutes of inactivity to prevent overheating and to conserve energy.

Pros:

• Two roller system supports hot and cold laminating
• It warms up in 3-5 minutes
• Maximum 13-inch width
• Features anti-blocking system against paper jams
• Laminating speed 9.8 in/min

Cons:

• On the heavier side (6.5 pounds)
• It doesn’t have cord storage

This laminator certainly lives up to its name. If you don’t have heavy laminating needs and just want a simple budget laminator to pull out a few times a year, this is for you. It’s a basic model that does everything you need without all the fuss. It’s super lightweight and easy to move. It’s also extremely affordable and easy to use. It comes with a 1-year limited warranty and ships in frustration-free packaging.

Pros:

• Roller system with two heat settings for 5-mil or 3-mil thick pouches
• It warms up in 4 minutes
• Maximum 12-inch width
• Prevent jams with jam release lever
• Laminating speed 10.6 in/min

Cons:

• No small tray for feeding in pieces so laminating small items can be hard
• Can be noisy when when heating up

If you need a laminator that does everything, this laminator offers a lot of extra features. It heats up faster than the average laminator and comes with photo frames, a paper cutter, a round corner trimmer, and 30 laminating pouches. This laminator also comes with a 24-month warranty and can shut off automatically to prevent overheating.

Pros:

• Two roller system supports hot and cold laminating
• It warms up in 1.5 minutes
• Maximum 9-inch width
• Prevent paper jams with a quick-release button
• Laminating speed 15.7 in/min

Cons:

• It doesn’t come with cold laminating pouches
• It doesn’t have cord storage

There are cold laminators, and there are hot laminators. Although both do similar jobs, they function very differently.

Cold laminating seals your projects with pressure. Hot laminating seals your projects with heat-activated adhesives. Cold laminating is best for sensitive documents and is safer and easier to do than hot laminating, though your projects may not last as long. 

Hot laminating is more durable and helps save your projects for longer, although you do have to be careful if you’re trying to hot laminate for sensitive documents. There are specially made pouches that can be used for hot and cold laminating, so be sure you’re using the right one when trying to laminate a project!

There are a few key differences between a good laminator versus a great one, and we’ve got the perfect checklist to make sure your new laminator checks all the boxes.

As we’ve mentioned, some laminators use hot laminating, and some use cold laminating. However, some offer both! If you’d like to have the option for either laminating style, several laminators now feature two roller systems that support both styles. 

Laminators tend to heat up at varying times, although most are usually ready in under five minutes. It really just depends on what you want and what works best for you, but sometimes waiting for even just five minutes can seem like forever. If that’s the case, consider a laminator that heats up in as little as three minutes or less. 

Some laminators only work for certain projects. Most laminators max out at around nine inches, but some can go up to fifteen inches or bigger. If you know most of your projects won’t be super big, maybe you don’t have to worry about the maximum width as much. 

However, if you’re looking to save larger documents, be sure to look for a laminator with a bigger than average width.

Accuracy and efficiency are two of the most important factors to consider when you’re looking at the best laminators for yourself. Most laminators can print about ten inches a minute, but some can print even faster at fifteen inches per minute. 

Cold laminating usually takes less time than hot laminating, but both can affect how long your projects take to finish. If you have a lot to laminate and want to finish in a reasonable amount of time, be sure to look for a laminator with a faster than average printing speed.

Outside of the bare necessities, of course, it’d be nice to have a laminator with some bonus features. Today, many laminators have jam release buttons that you can push if your project gets stuck to prevent damage to your documents. 

Some laminators shut off automatically after periods of inactivity to conserve energy and prevent overheating. Some have cord storage that helps you store your laminator away easily. Some laminators come with extra gadgets like paper trimmers and corner rounders that can help you with putting the finishing details on your projects. 

Although none of these features are technically necessary, they can certainly make it easier for you when it comes to laminating your files or trying to save precious memories.