My husband took some papers to work with him to laminate for me awhile ago, I wanted sheets for my sons speech practice laminated....he brought them home and they had a plastic covering....but they were super flimsy, not sturdy at all, not what I had hoped but they had plastic on them so, we moved on.  Fast forward to now when the Scotch laminator entered my life, I did receive it for free but this opinion is totally true....this machine is the BOMB.  It's super fun to use and watch it do its magic, the sheets come out as hard plastic (which is what I hoped for!) and within seconds my items are done! The only problem I have is I may become addicted to laminating things!! Highly recommend this.