If you think about laminating , what do you think of? Perhaps you think of a large roll laminator like you would see in an elementary school, or maybe a little pouch laminator used to create name badges. Those are two of the most common types of laminators available on the market. However, they aren’t always the right solution for every application. In fact, a laminating machine that uses no heat (also called a cold laminator) is a better choice in certain circumstances. Here are five reasons to choose a cold laminator for your laminating needs.

1.Cold laminators tend to be more versatile than hot laminators. Cold laminators allow you to laminate, create stickers and sometimes even create magnets. You may not think that you will ever use some of these features. However, having a laminator that can laminate one side of your document and put adhesive on the back side can come in very handy when creating signage.

2. Generally, cold lamination is safer than hot lamination. With no heat, there is no chance of starting a fire, burning your hand or having a child accidently touch the hot outer shell of the laminator. With a cold laminator it is virtually impossible to hurt yourself or have someone else hurt themselves. This reduces potential liability.

3. Cold lamination is easier to use than hot lamination. With heat based lamination you have to worry about how hot to set the laminator, how fast to run the documents through and then worry about whether the thickness of your paper and the film will work for your application. With cold lamination all you need to do is crank the handle. It doesn’t get easier than that.

4. Most cold laminators don’t require power. This means that you can use them almost anywhere. They are often small enough that you can pick them up and take them home, use them at a scrapbooking party or stash them away in a cupboard when you aren’t using them. Compared to most hot laminators this is a huge improvement.

5. Cold laminators will not damage your heat sensitive documents. With a cold laminator you can laminate heat sensitive documents, photos and signs without having to worry about whether the laminator will ruin them. You also don’t need to worry about curl or melting if you are laminating thin documents or plastic materials.

Cold lamination is not ideal for every application. However, there are a number of things that set cold laminators apart and make them ideal for certain applications. If you are looking for a laminator that is versatile, safe, easy to use, doesn’t require power and is capable of laminating heat sensitive documents. Maybe you should consider a cold process laminator.