GBC / Ibico has been known for years for making superior laminators for schools. If you are a customer who wants to replace the Ibico or CBC laminator that you already own, the differences that differentiate the GBC Ultima 65 from the GBC HeatSeal H800Pro might not be obvious. Much of the confusion arises from the fact that both machines can be purchased for about the same price, and they also have a similar appearance. Closer inspection reveals a few significant differences, however. Read on for a brief overview.
1. The GBC Ultima 65 model employs a heat roller, which a majority of school laminators use. It’s very likely that if you’ve made use of a laminator at a print shop or a school, you’ve been using one with a heat roller. Alternately, the GBC HeatSeal H800Pro model employs a ‘heat shoe’. While both of these laminating mechanisms are useful for different purposes, most people feel that laminators which use a heat roller work better with frequent usage and film loading. This is why most school laminators use heat rolling mechanisms.
2. The GBC Ultima 65’s heat roller delivers a higher intensity of heat than the GBC HeatSeal H800Pro’s heat shoe mechanism. Because of this, you’ll find that the H800Pro is not compatible with the usual films that school laminators use. The H800Pro will only function with low melt films, which are more expensive. Because this type of lamination roll costs more than the usual films used for lamination, supplying the H800Pro with material costs a lot more than the materials for the Ultima 65 machine.
3. Schools all over the United States employ the Ultima 65 more than any other machine. It’s not hard to use, it rarely breaks down, and it’s easy to take care of. Over time, you’ll put a lot less money into the Ultima 65. It’s simply easier to operate than the GBC HeatSeal H800Pro model, and parts can be replaced with greater ease. Ultimately, the GBC HeatSeal H800Pro is a more expensive machine to operate and maintain than the Ultima 65 is.
Considering these three elements, in addition to the fact that the GBC Ultima 65 and the H800Pro are similarly priced, it’s obvious that the Ultima 65 is a superior machine to choose. Of course, the heat shoe technology used by the GBC HeatSeal H800Pro may simply suit some people better, so either model is still a smart choice to make.
