Need a teacher gift? This pro-level Scotch laminator is down to $56 — nearly 60% off

With all the whiz-bang, state-of-the-art devices that occupy us in this digital world of ours, it's easy to forget about the humble laminator. But we shouldn't, because we all have myriad uses for one, especially when we want or need certain documents to withstand the elements and multiple hands pawing them over for years on end, or we'd simply like them to appear especially important to anyone stumbling on them. Enter the Scotch Brand PRO Thermal Laminator, which is now marked down to $56 at Amazon.

Scotch

Scotch Brand PRO Thermal Laminator, 9 inch

$53$76Save $23

At less than 18 inches long, six inches high, and nearly 60% off, this genius appliance is easily stored and even easier to afford.

$53 at Amazon

There are nearly 9,000 five-star reviews of the PRO and, not surprisingly, many of them are from educators. There's just no substitute for laminating when it comes to lesson plans, curriculum rundowns and exam/answer templates. And hey, when teachers rave about a product, you best sit up and listen...and maybe take heed of a great gift idea, what with the holidays approaching. Got a teacher in the family, or one at your child's school who's like family? This is a thoughtful, uber-useful present they'll never forget.

Maybe you're thinking, That's all well and good for Miss Crabapple and Mr. Bergstrom, but what do I want with a laminator? You'd be surprised. Herewith, some suggestions:

• Maybe you're a Scout leader? Coach of your kid's team? After-school tutor? What better way to keep your organizational docs clean and forever legible?

• Attention, amateur chefs: All those index cards you have with your cherished recipes? Seal 'em up and they'll be at your fingertips when it comes time to prepare your next holiday feast (not to mention that they'll make for a sweet and treasured legacy for your kids and grandkids long after you've become worm food).

• Everyone's got certain important (or just close-to-their-heart) family photos and certificates that need better protection than a photo album and a classier presentation than a jpeg on your phone. Here's how to keep them from cracking and fading into sepia-toned relics.

• Do you keep standing lists of important reminders, chores and schedules on the family bulletin board (i.e., the fridge)? Here's a way to add some gravitas to those while shielding them from the gropings of your brood's mayonnaise-, ketchup- and peanut butter–stained hands.

• Who doesn't have insurance, medical, Social Security and various sundry membership cards that need to last years, if not decades? Seal 'em up!

• Do you host an Airbnb or lease out a summer property? Laminate that all-important sheet of paper — you know, the one that lays out the Dos and Don'ts of the property, provides neighborhood shopping tips and instructions on operating the home's appliances, and, of course, the all-important Wi-Fi password.

Now do you see why you need a Scotch Brand PRO Thermal Laminator in your life?

Here's a sampling of those aforementioned five-star raves....

"Have I told you enough how much I love this laminator?" Why, no — knock yourself out! "I bought this for my wife. We are both teachers and the laminators in the library, big ones that cost several hundred dollars and no one is allowed to use without special training, are constantly out of commission for various reasons. My wife absolutely LOVES this one!... Over the month we've had it (she opted to keep it at home so I can use it too) she and our teen daughter have run through about 300 sheets without a single jam or problem."

"Let me just say right up front that I'm a geezer [hi, Pops!], and when you become one, you'll wonder why Medicare sends you a paper ID card that will begin to get dog-eared and frayed after presenting it to your health providers and going in and out of your wallet a few times. This is the perfect answer, and the modest price of the machine is less than it would have cost me to go to a store to have my wife's, my neighbor's and my cards laminated professionally (they actually use a machine just like this one)."

"The little laminator that could!" gushed this DIY educator. "First year homeschooling my kid and just beginning a new reading program. I wanted a laminator to give longevity to my new word cards and it worked perfect!... almost 50 sheets of laminating before it needed a break! Not a single jam. The cord wraps up nicely under the machine and it’s so compact, it makes for easy storage with its small footprint."

Scotch

Scotch Brand PRO Thermal Laminator, 9 inch

$53$76Save $23

At less than 18 inches long, six inches high, and nearly 60% off, this genius appliance is easily stored and even easier to afford.

$53 at Amazon

If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $25 or more.)

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

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