When you laminate paper, you create a protective barrier that helps keep the paper from getting torn or destroyed. It makes it much more durable and easier to handle. With a laminating machine, you can laminate a variety of documents and photos. Depending on the type of machine you get, you can laminate items as small as business cards all the way up through legal-sized paper. And since most laminated paper makes the perfect backdrop for a dry erase marker, you can create reusable mazes, worksheets, and puzzles to keep your kids entertained. You can also laminate ID cards, Polaroid photos, and other treasured keepsakes (hubby's love notes, perhaps) to preserve them. You'll find so many different ways to use a laminator machine in your home. To help you find the perfect one for you and your family, here are some of our favorites. AmazonBasics 12-Inch Thermal Laminator Machine Easy PeasyThe user-friendly controls on this laminator machine make protecting your papers a breeze. Best OverallFind on Amazon With this AmazonBasics laminator machine, you can quickly and easily laminate a whole bunch of different documents. Once you plug it in, it takes about four minutes to heat up. You can run laminating pouches up to 11″ x 17″, so you’ll be able to protect even slightly oversized documents and photos. You can also use smaller pouches so that you don’t create extra waste when laminating small items. In addition to being able to handle a variety of sizes, this laminator accepts both 3-mil- and 5-mil-thick pouches. This means you can decide on how thick you want the lamination to be. This machine runs smoothly, and you’ll have your finished product out and ready to trim in about a minute. And if anything ever goes wrong in the process, there’s a jam release lever to help you quickly clear it and get things running again. With all these great features, this machine is an excellent choice for any home or office. Pros Two heat settings so you can run through 3-mil or 5-mil pouches Compact, sleek design that’ll look nice sitting on a desk or shelf Green ready light shows when it’s hot enough to work, so there’s no guesswork for you Cons It takes longer than some units to laminate each page, so if you have a whole bunch of lamination to do (such as for a classroom), you may want a faster model. However, this is perfect for low-volume use Toyuugo Laminator Machine The Price is RightYou can get started laminating without spending a fortune with this machine. Best ValueFind on Amazon This laminator from Toyuugo proves that you don’t have to spend a ton of money to get a great laminator machine. That said, we didn’t choose this one solely because it’s inexpensive; no, this beauty also delivers solid results. The two-roller design helps to get all the wrinkles out of your lamination so they’re clear and easy to read. And on top of that, it’s surprisingly quiet to operate, so you won’t have to listen to any loud, annoying sounds while it’s in use. You can use this machine for up to 30 minutes at a time. Since it can do a letter-size sheet of paper in about a minute, you’ll be able to do a lot of laminating before you risk overheating it. It can handle papers up to 9.05 inches in width, so you’ll be able to laminate a wide variety of things. Pros Features a hot and a cold mode for two different types of pouches Low price point to help you get started laminating without making a large investment Smooth lamination without ugly bubbles or wrinkles in your finished product Cons It only comes with a few thermal pouches. You will need to purchase cold lamination ones if you prefer that style The opening is a bit narrow, so there’s not much room for error when inserting a letter size paper. You’ll need to be careful to get it lined up properly to avoid curling edges Merece Thermal Laminator Machine Ready for AnythingNeed your laminator to do double duty at the home and the office? This compact laminator is the one you want.Most PortableFind on Amazon Are you looking for a compact laminator that you can easily bring along with you when the need arises? This one from Merece is small and lightweight, so it’s very portable. Most importantly, it works like a champ. You can feed in pouches up to 9 .05 inches. When you’re ready to laminate, the thermal mode heats up quickly, so you won’t have to waste much time sitting around waiting for it to preheat. This laminator machine also comes with some great accessories that make preserving your documents even easier. There’s a paper cutter so you can quickly trim off any excess lamination. You also get a corner rounder to eliminate sharp edges and make laminated items safer for your kids to hold. As a bonus, the rounded edges give your finished products a professional look. Pros ABS-release button, so if any documents get stuck, you can remove them safely Can run continuously for up to 45 minutes, allowing you to laminate many different items in one setting Two-roller system for smooth lamination Cons Doesn’t have a switch to adjust the heat differently for 3-mil or 5-mil pouches, though you can run both through Scotch Advanced Thermal Laminator Heats in a JiffyWith only a three-minute heating period, you'll be ready to laminate in no time.Fastest Warm Up Find on Amazon A leading name in the world of laminator machines, you’ll find this Scotch Advanced Thermal Laminator to be a solid workhorse for all of your laminating needs. It’s jam-packed with features including its ability to heat up super quickly — it’s usually ready to go within a minute of turning it on. This machine also has an extra-large opening. You can fit in pouches up to 13 inches wide, so feel free to laminate ledger size documents or small motivational posters. It can handle both big and small projects, so you’ll find plenty of ways to put it to work. When you’re finished for the day, the auto-off feature comes in handy. There’s also built-in cord storage so you won’t accidentally damage the cord by leaving it dangling. It’s very durable, which means you’ll get a lot of use out of this laminator. Pros Two heat settings for 3- or 5-mil pouches Built-in handle makes carrying it easier Shuts off automatically after an hour of not being used, so you won’t have to worry if you forget to turn it off Cons A little loud during the lamination process. It’s not burst-your-ear-drums loud, but a bit harsh nonetheless HOPVISION A4 Laminating Machine You're Hot and You're ColdThis machine has both a thermal and a cold laminating setting, so it accommodates a wide variety of pouches. Most VersatileFind on Amazon If you have a special photo or an old document to preserve, you may not want to risk running it through a thermal laminator. Any photo can be damaged by heat, though pictures printed on an ink-jet printer are most at risk of that. To avoid a catastrophe, it’s much safer to use a cold laminator. This laminator machine from HOPVISION allows you to select between the thermal and cold setting, so it’s perfect for pictures. You’ll need to use a special type of pouch for cold lamination, so be sure to pick up some of those when you order. This machine does come with 30 thermal laminating pouches that you can use for documents that can handle the heat. You’ll appreciate how simple it is to line up your documents properly with this laminator. The front is marked with sizes, so you can line up your pouch and get it running through straight. Your finished product will come out smooth and bubble-free, just the way it should be. Pros Quick heat-up time (2 minutes) to help you get started faster Simple to use, the buttons are self-explanatory Comes with a paper cutter and corner rounder as a bonus Can use the cold setting to preserve photos or precious documents Cons Only has a 9-inch width, so you won’t be able to preserve larger items with it Frequently Asked Questions How hot does thermal lamination get? If your thermal laminator can handle 5-mil laminating pouches, it will get to be about 275 degrees Fahrenheit. When you pull the document out the other end, it will be hot to the touch. You will want to use precautions to avoid getting burned and keep your children and pets away from your laminator. How do I use a thermal laminator? Once your laminator has heated up, it’s ready to go. First, make sure you select the correct size pouch. Once that’s settled, you simply take the object you want to laminate and slide it into the pouch. You want your document to have a small border of pouch all the way around the edges to ensure it seals properly. Once it is in place, you gently place the pouch into your laminator. It will run through slowly, moving just over 11 inches in a minute on average. Once it’s all been fed through, you can carefully pick up your pouch. After it cools, you can trim off any excess lamination. Just be sure to leave a tiny border all the way around, or you risk having the lamination begin to curl or peel.