Both hot and cold types have their disadvantages, but one is better than the other. Cold types utilize pressure and films with stronger adhesives, while hot types utilize thermal heat. The former is safer than the latter because there’s no tendency for your document to get burned during the lamination process. However, it’s generally costlier. It’s advisable to get a product that lets you use the hot and cold methods, or you can opt for a machine that offers two heat settings so that documents with low thickness can be safe. Cold lamination should be your choice approach for very sensitive materials to heat—for example, old photographs and others.