Customer Reviews

Fellowes Cosmic 9.5 Inch Laminator (5206801)

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I bought this laminator based on the ONE, five-start review on this product - what a mistake! It makes a very loud "vibrating" noise the entire time, takes FOREVER for it warm up, and it doesn't seal the pouches all the way, creating air pockets all around the items that is laminated. I'm very disappointed and I'm returning this item straight away.

The problem with this product is that it only suports 3 mil lamination pouches. this is never mentioned in the specs. You will be disappointed if you think running a 5 mil through two or three times will make it work - it will not.
i'm returning it

I've used this laminator a few times since I bought it. It works quite well. So far, I have no problem with it. I like how it has a handle to carry, and the outcome of laminated papers all came out pretty good.

Length:: 2:50 Mins

The Fellowes Cosmic Laminator does everything that I need. It can take a standard letter sized document and quickly laminate it. It is easy to use, and so simple that you can have it mastered in only a few minutes.

A few notes -

- The Cosmic 95 comes with 10 hot laminating pouched. I was almost surprised to see that additional pouches are quite affordable.

- The Cosmic 95 heats up in less than 5 minutes and can laminate a single page in under 1 minute

- I found the machine to be pretty quiet - just a low hum

- The machine did not get hot to the touch - I was worried that the Cosmic 95 was a 2nd degree burn waiting to happen. Not so...

- Uses 3Mil lamination pouches and NOT the larger 5Mil pounces

- Is capable of doing both hot (as seen in the video) and cold laminations

- Easy to store with a handle on the front

- Also gives you the ability to laminate things that are smaller than 9.5" x 11" - such as pictures, business cards and such.

- Good lamination quality (see video) - no air pouches

Final Verdict - I am very happy with the Fellowes Cosmic 95 Laminator. In fact, I am not sure how it could be improved!

5 Stars

This works great for home use. For professional use, I would recommend a system that laminates thicker plastic.

I've used this product for years with no issues at all. It does take a few minutes to warm up, but that is the only issue at all. I have use it to laminate 3 mil, 5 mil and even 10 mil with no issues at all. I have no idea why the other reviewer had issues. I also never have any air pockets or any other issues. It works fantastic. It's great for saving my kids' school work or other mementos over time ..

Got this in Vine and gave this to my son in Virginia as he is an 8th grade science teacher and told me he could use it for his work. First project was to laminate some cards with the elements chart. He told me that the plus was the ease of use and the portability of the device (it was easy for him to carry in his school backpack that he uses daily). On the down side, he told me the sizes he was able to use were not optimal, as his charts were intended to be larger and this product would not support them (so he had to readjust his copies to be smaller so he could laminate them). He also brought up the noise of the unit (which I see was mentioned here in another review). He couldn't understand why the unit was so noisy as the general unit that the school provides for free is far quieter and little to no vibration. Overall, this is a relatively inexpensive device if you really need a portable laminator. However, for larger needs or if you operate in an office where noise may be an issue, this is not for you. Like I said, as a teacher, the school already has these devices for the use of the teachers, so I am not sure there would be a need for this otherwise.

All one needs to do is sort through an old shoebox and discover fading family photos from the pre-digital era or yellowing old birth announcements or family related news articles to appreciate the value of a laminator in protecting and preserving such irreplaceable items. However, buying the right laminator for the right job is extremely important as laminators are not a one-size-fits-all product. Before wasting money on a laminator that does not meet the desired effect, or worse, destroys the very item you are trying to preserve, it is pertinent to ensure the lamination job is within the laminator's capacity.

I found the Fellowes Cosmic 95 laminator to be both suitable and versatile in covering my somewhat simple home/home office laminating needs (which is predominantly photos and documents ... a 3 to 5mm lamination thickness somewhat in-between the thickness of a glossy magazine page and a credit card). Why I was impressed with this laminator:

1) Versatility: the Cosmic 95 offers both a hot and cold lamination option. Although hot lamination is preferred because it provides a better seal and is more durable ... some photos cannot handle the heat generated by hot lamination and a cold lamination may be necessary. I can also laminate anything up to a 8.5 x 11 size ... perfect for all my photos and letter-size documents.

2) Ease of Use: It takes only a few minutes for the laminator to generate enough heat for use ... a green light will signal readiness. The laminating process itself is simple, quiet and quick. Simply position the photo/document into a lamination pouch and ease into the slot so the laminator can "grab" the pouch and push it through on its own ... it only takes a few seconds (depending on the size of the item). If there is a jam, a release lever on the back allows for easy removal of the problem.

3) Pouches: I personally like to use laminating pouches as they are simple and keep the laminating layers even ... reducing the likelihood of bunching, feeder jams and bubbles. There is a variety of pouches to cover specific needs: photos, business cards and 8.5" sheets. While I prefer the pouches, the Cosmic 95 will also accept individual lamination sheets.

4) Simplicity of Design: The Cosmic 95 has a smart and sleek design that integrates a built-in handle as well as a power-cord holder without creating any awkward protrusions. The feeder guide snaps over the feeder slot when not in use. The laminator should easily fit into most standard drawers.

I liked the Cosmic 95's ability to address my laminating needs and appreciated its design and versatility. If my laminating needs were to change and I would need to consider purchasing another laminator, I would use my experience with this Fellowes laminator as a template.

The Fellowes Cosmic 95 Laminator seems to be a good choice for light duty home lamination or occasional office laminating. I have only tried the hot lamination setting, and in that mode the unit takes about five minutes to heat up. It has a visual red LED that changes to green when the laminator is ready to take a sheet. There is also an audible tone that chimes when it is ready for you, so you can do something else until it is ready.

Once the Cosmic 95 is ready (and you inserted you material in a laminating pouch) you just feed it into the slot and it will grab it from you. It takes about a minute for a full 8 1/2 X 11 sheet to feed through in its entirety. You can only use 3 mil sheets on anything larger than an index card, so keep that in mind if you are thinking about purchasing this unit.

I was pleased with the results, there was no bubbling, was sealed nicely and brought out more detail in the original than just plain paper. My test lamination was a printout on a cheap sheet of multipurpose computer paper. I would even admit the paper was crappy. With this paper I did notice a slight curl to the final lamination - nothing that would make me say I have to re-do it, but it was just there. I will have to further experiment with heavier paper, I'm confident that the paper is definitely at fault there.

This would be a great addition to any household especially for scrapbooking and to preserve the kids artwork. If you have a lot of garage sales this would be a cheap way to make durable signs that will last in the hot summer downpours. There are a number of great uses for this laminator. Just use your imagination. Oh and if you have smaller photos and business cards you can use the thicker 5 mil pouches so this machine is versatile too.

I have a GBC laminator. It has functioned for years with regular daily use. I had it in my work office for use by a number of people who needed to laminate documents for durability purposes. With this recent Fellowes Cosmic 95 laminator in my possession, I decided to bring my old laminator back home and try out this new one.

The most notable thing about this Fellowes laminator over the GBC is that the Fellowes does not use pouches -- feeding the plastic sheet directly into the hot laminator was a bit unnerving compared to pouch based units. You see, if you feed a plastic, unpouched cover into a laminator that requires them, you have a melted mess and ruined machine. This "no pouch" approach takes some getting used to, especially when other workers have used the pouch for years. They are looking around for the pouch...

As far as lamination quality, all seems good with few bubbles and good adhesion properties with both the Fellowes and my prior GBC. Both can do cold and hot lamination. I am not totally certain if the Fellowes will accept GBC lamination covers, I hesitate to try because of the no pouch treatment. I do know that Fellowes lamination pouches work perfectly well in the pouched GBC. In the absence of a pouch, Fellowes provides a cleaning sheet to keep the insides of the unit clean, nothing extraordinary. Instructions indicate that any suitable sheet can be used, most likely a 24# clean piece of paper.

Styling is decidedly more upscale on the Fellowes with blue plastic feeder and on/off switch, along with white and gray accents. Build quality is acceptable, although the on/off switch seems wobbly.

As for pouch vs. no pouch I am leaning to the pouch for piece of mind. It keeps the hot document clean as it cools and there is zero risk of gumming up the insides of the unit. We will see how the Fellowes unit holds up over time with more use -- for now, if this type of laminator meets your expectations for price, it can produce quality work.

Lamination is a great way to protect documents. The Fellowes works perfectly fine on a daily basis, and local workers are used to