**** I received a Saturn Laminator compliments of Penny Wise Office Products and Fellowes, in exchange for my honest opinions. No further compensation was received. All photos below are copyright Momma Told Me Blog 2013.
Momma Told Me: If you treasure it, protect it!
Growing up, we were always the house on the street with all the gadgets, and latest technology. We had 3 PCs in the mid-80s, and an office full of the latest appliances and electronics. Looking back, I realize I used to take this for granted. I'd bring in beautifully bound reports with laminated covers and wonder why my reports sparkled more than those of my friends. Didn't everyone have a copy machine at home? Wasn't a laminator as common as a Polaroid? The truth is, my parents probably spent a small fortune to have these 'cutting edge' consumer products; while owning your own office components today is much more affordable. Companies such as Fellowes have been leading office innovation for decades, and strive hard to tailor their products to their consumers with multiple levels of sophistication and cost to fit every need.
The Fellowes collection of personal Laminator machines are named after planets, with the Saturn falling mid-range, with three hot/cold laminating depths, while the more professionally suited Neptune can process documents up to 12.5" wide and 7 mil thick. Choosing the right laminator for you can be a little overwhelming, but the company has a complete guide to cover hot/cold laminating specifications, as well as necessary document sizes and thickness. The Fellowes Saturn 95 Laminator sells for just over $100 at Penny Wise Office products, and is the perfect starter laminator for those beginning to dabble in basic lamination crafts (jewelry creation), or simple office organization and memory preservation.
I still recall our family's first laminator. It had a bulky roll of 'film' that I'd have to fuss with to pull apart, and half the time I'd break the lamination is I cut too close to the document seal. Then there were the basic safety concerns of a hot surface, high energy use, and complicate operation (nor was it very quiet). Using the Saturn 95 for the first time was equal to a breath of fresh air- Not only were the illuminated buttons easy to navigate, but the operation of the machine was whisper quiet. My new Fellowes laminator came with a package of lamination pouches which were easy to organize (for maximum space management), and bypassed the traditional fuss of lamination rolls and feeding. Operation was as simple as allowing the unit to heat up, selecting the optimal thickness of the items being laminated, then inserting the lamination pouch, sealed end first, into the front of the unit. The
Fellowes Saturn 95 then 'grabs' the pouch and automatically feeds it through to the opposite end.
It had been a few years since I'd last invested in a laminator, and the operation was night and day. I couldn't believe how cool to the touch the front of the machine was, during operation, or how utterly silent the process was. It was so simple our 10 year old (with an adult watching) could do it- and boy did she get a kick out of seeing her favorite drawings 'preserved for all time.' Naturally, having a Fellowes Laminator around will come in handy for various projects, especially school projects, throughout the year; but there are many creative uses for a home laminator too. When I make 'meals in a jar' this holiday season I will be laminating my recipe cards to tie to the lids. Children's parties can come to life with home-made 'Pin the Tail' games, or custom Bingo cards (use candy for markers), templates for which can easily be found free online. You'll also find a great assortment of office supplies and project tools, as well as Laminator sheet refills at
Penny Wise Office Products, online and through their catalog.
I also got a head start on holiday entertaining when I made a few Name-Tag samples for the Thanksgiving table, and our lunches got just a little more magical with some re-usable joke and encouragement note cards to slip into Sabrina and Jay's lunches. Laminating items can also easily transition them into an easy clean surface for chore charts, grocery lists, and more. Use Expo or Sharpie markers to write on the laminated surface and wipe off with a gentle alcohol/water spray. It's really that easy! Having a laminator in the home is not the first thing one thinks of when they're shopping for home office necessities, but the whole family is sure to find a much needed use sooner or later (my money's on sooner).
What would you do with a home laminator?
What Daughter Says: Preserve memories, and make life a little less messy, with a Fellowes Laminator.
One Momma Told Me reader will win a Saturn 95 Laminator, from Fellowes and Penny Wise Office!
