Until you find yourself in the market for a laminator, you may not realize all of the options and features that are available in laminating systems. There are many differences in the capabilities of pouch laminators that are available for use in your office.
This article will discuss some of the differences between pouch laminating equipment from two of the largest manufacturers of laminating equipment: Fellowes and GBC. These are both trusted names in the document protection industry, and there is good reason for that. Both of these companies are well known for building reliable binding and laminating equipment. However, there are subtle differences in the capabilities and features of their machines. This article we discuss the relative merits of some of the Fellowes and GBC pouch laminating equipment.
First, let s compare the Fellowes Jupiter JL 125 and the GBC H425. When it comes to entry width, The Jupiter allows for 12.5 inches, while the GBC is 13 inches. This is a minor difference that will rarely come into play, but it is something to consider. Both machines feature four rollers which make the laminating process easier and reduces bubbles or imperfections in the finished laminate.
The Jupiter heats up and is ready to use in four minutes; the GBC H425 takes five. Again, not a huge difference, but the Fellowes machine will allow you to save a little time. Still there are two other differences that are worth noting:
1. The Jupiter features Fellowes patented HeatGuard Technology, a safety measure that ensures that the machine is always cool to the touch. This is an important feature. Laminating machines can get rather hot and inexperienced users may burn their hands if they don t know to be careful.
2. The Fellowes warranty is two years. The GBC warranty is just one year. Both offer excellent warranty service and are easy to deal with in the unlikely event that the machine needs repair or replacement.
The next two machines we will take a look at are Fellowes Venus VL 125, and the GBC H435. They are also two very similar machines with slight variations in their features. The heat up times are the same as the machines we discussed above, as are the number of rollers. Again, the Fellowes Venus VL 125 features the HeatGuard technology while the GBC has no such safety feature.
The GBC H435 does laminate at a slightly faster speed, 22 inches per minute as compared to the Venus 19 inches. Again, as above, with very similar features and capabilities, the Venus lists for around $50 less than the GBC. It also features the HeatGuard, and comes with a 2 year warranty. The Venus is compatible with thicker laminating pouches and can be used with pouches that are 3mil 10mil thick while the GBC H435 can only be used with pouches that are between 3mil 7mil thick.The last two machines we will discuss are the big guns: The Fellowes SPL 125 and the GBC H600 Pro.
In this case, the SPL 125 s heat up time is the clear winner at three minutes vs. the H600 s nine. The SPL also laminates at a faster speed at 35 inches per minute verses 31 for the GBC. However, the real surprising difference in these very similar machines, is the price. The SPL 125 lists at $699.95 while the H600 comes in at $1,876. Clearly the winner here is the SPL 125, especially when you consider that this machine comes with a two year warranty as opposed to the one year warranty .
Author Resource:
Jeff McRitchie is the designer and Director of Marketing for http://www.mybinding.com .He has written over 500 articles on binding machines,binding covers,binders,laminators,binding supplies,laminating supplies,paper handling equipments,index tabs, and shredders.
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