Reviewing the Xyron 9

Xyron has created some great laminators and crafting tools, from the simple Create-A-Sticker 150 to the innovative Wishblade die cutting machine. One of the company's most basic machines is the ezLaminator. This is a laminator that's good for people who only do occasional laminating of things such as stickers, photographs, scrapbook pages, greeting cards, and so on. It is great for home use and possibly even small office or retail use. This review will talk about the ezLaminator's strengths and weaknesses so you can decide if you want one for yourself.

The Xyron ezLaminator is a basic machine with a 9-inch throat, which means you can laminate items that are up to 8.5" wide. It comes with a 30-foot-long, two-sided lamination cartridge to get you started. This is a cold laminator, so it is good for laminating heat-sensitive items, and you don't need to use any electricity or batteries to use the machine.

One of the best features of the Xyron ezLaminator is how simple it is to use. To use it, all you do is place your document in the machine's opening and then crank the handle. Since there's no heat or electricity involved, even kids could use it during a crafting session with minimal supervision. It is also nice that it is easy to change the laminating film. Changing laminating film can be pretty tricky, but that's not the case with this machine. The film cartridges let you know when they need to be replaced and when that happens, you can just lift the machine's lid and replace the cartridge. It is virtually fool-proof.

The ezLaminator has a couple of other intriguing features. First, it has interchangeable laminating cartridges that allow you to control how your document is laminated. Some cartridges allow you laminate both sides of your document, while others laminate one side and apply adhesive to the other. Your laminating options are pretty open. This machine also has a removable built-in trimmer. You can use this trimmer to cut away the excess laminate from your items, or you could do it by hand. Having a built-in trimmer is a very convenient feature to have, especially in such an inexpensive machine. (The Xyron ezLaminator retails for less than $60.00.)

The ezLaminator does have some drawbacks due to its price. This is a laminator that's really only meant to be used for personal projects. It is simply not able to handle heavy-duty lamination or long runs, nor can it handle documents that are wider than 8.5". Also, unlike other Xyron laminators such as the Creative Station, the ezLaminator can only use cartridges for creating stickers and performing encapsulation lamination. Laminators such as the Creative Station can create magnets and incorporate repositionable adhesive, so if you'd like a machine with those features, the ezLaminator wouldn't be a good pick. Finally, aside from a few metal parts such as the trimmer, the machine is made almost entirely of plastic, so it is not heavy-duty, obviously. But it is very portable, so you can take it with you on your crafting excursions.

Overall, the Xyron ezLaminator is a good machine for people who need a laminator for occasionally laminating craft projects and personal documents. It is nicely priced and easy to use. Plus, it's great that you can use it without any electricity. This is a good machine for personal use, but it's not ideal at all for anyone who needs to do a large volume of laminating.

If you are interested in purchasing the Xyron ezLaminator for your home or office you should really check out MyBinding.com. They have the ezLaminator available for a great price, plus they offer free shipping on all orders over $75.00. The also carry the full line of Xyron Laminating Supplies including cartridges used by the ezLaminator.