Do you know that feeling when you need to cut a piece of paper or a photo, but somehow the scissors go the wrong way? We are all familiar with that feeling, which is why the best tool to get that fixed is a paper cutter. You can find it in most offices, but it cannot hurt to have one at home. It can always provide perfection when it comes to trimming papers, which is why most people have a strange feeling of satisfaction.
Paper cutters have been around for quite some time, and you may be familiar with the old paper guillotine. It used to be a common tool in schools, although it is not the safest tool to have around children. Nevertheless, they have evolved in the past few decades, and now we even have electric paper cutters. They come in different designs, and manufacturers came up with new mechanisms over the years.
Types of paper cutters
Since we live in a day and age when we have more ways to do the same thing, there are multiple types of paper cutters. They are not all designed to get the same results, which is why it is better to know which kind you must buy according to your needs.
Photo cutters
Photo trimming is still something that people do, and a paper cutter is the best tool to do it. Some people may argue that any such device can trim photos, and while that may be true, photo trimmers are explicitly designed for that job. If you are a photographer and you want to cut photos, the best idea would be to invest in the best photo cutter for perfect results. That is because some models have features like built-in lights that can help you get more accurate trimmings.
Economic paper cutters
This type is quite common, and I am sure you know what I am referring to. The economic paper cutters are the ones that have the wooden base and the metal arm that you used to see in schools. They are quite handy if you want to cut papers now and then. Most models can cut 10 sheets of paper at the same time without fraying the edges.
Arm cutters
This type is very similar to the previous model, and some people confuse them. If you do not take a closer look, you may even say that they are one and the same. However, the arm cutter is designed to withstand more abuse. It means that you can cut more paper than you would usually cut. You can trip up to 50 sheets of paper with this type.
Rotary paper cutters
People buy rotary paper cutters if they want perfection. They provide maximum precision. It is designed with a round blade in a cutting head that will slide along a bar made of metal. The rotary paper cutter is one of the easiest to use. Just slide the blade along the bar and you are done.
Guillotine cutters
Last but not least, the guillotine paper cutters are a heavy-duty model that is able to cut a lot of paper with a single move. You will not see these in homes because nobody has so much paper to cut at home. Unless you are binding books in the basement. Guillotine cutters are both manual and automatic. The latter is ideal for more significant jobs.
What to consider when buying a paper cutter
If you want to buy a paper cutter, the biggest mistake you could make is to buy a random product. Make sure that you read the specifications so that you purchase exactly what you need. If you do not know what to look at when you are shopping for a paper cutter, take a look at the factors you need to consider.
- What do you need to cut – paper cutters are designed to cut more than paper. Some models can be used to trim cardboard, foam, and other materials. You should probably know that there is a paper cutter fit for almost all jobs, which is why you need to consider this before you make a purchase. Why is that important? Because you would not slice bread with a meat knife, would you?
- How frequently you will use it – when you buy one for a home, there is no need to invest too much money in a paper cutter. However, if you buy one for your office, where you need to cut paper on a daily basis, my advice is to invest in a heavy-duty paper cutter, something that is made of durable materials and can withstand the everyday abuse. Otherwise, you may end up buying a new one every couple of months.
- How much paper do you need to cut at once – as I explained above when I was writing about types of paper cutters, the number of sheets you need to cut in a single blow matters when you buy such a device. That is because they are all designed with a maximum of sheets of paper that can be cut in one move. This is entirely up to you, but my only advice is to always go for a guillotine if you need to cut a lot of paper. It will save you some time.
- Automatic vs. manual – as you can imagine, an electronic paper cutter is a lot more expensive than a manual paper cutter. I think that the reason is self-explanatory. However, if you buy a paper cutter for your office, and the activity there involves trimming a lot of paper, then you may want to consider an automatic paper cutter. Think of how much time and effort it will save everyone. I do not know if you cut a lot of paper at some point in your life, but doing this job over and over again over the course of one day can make your arm muscles sore. The pain is pretty similar to the one that you have after the first time you go to the gym.
What are the best paper cutters?
Now that you learned how to choose the best paper cutter, it is time to put that to good use and actually make a choice. Do not forget to look at all the specifications mentioned above so that you buy the right device. Reading some paper cutter reviews online may also help because that is the only way you can find out what other people think of the product they bought. That way you can avoid false advertising and buy the best paper cutter for you. If that is not for you, you can always go for one of the models below.
Jielisi 12-Inch Paper Trimmer
If you do not want to invest too much money in a paper trimmer, but you still want a high-quality product that will get the job done, then the Jielisi model is perfect for you. It is ideal for cutting A4 and A5 paper, and you can use it for a vast variety of purposes. You can cut photos, labels, cardboard, and other paper products. The gliding cutter can cut through chipboard and cardstock, and the model is ideal for both home and office use.
The Jielisi model will help you get those straight trimmings every single time. However, the blade is not made to withstand heavy-duty jobs. You need to consider this before you buy it. It is perfect for home and office use when you do not need a paper cutter all day every day, but anything more than that can damage the device.
The overall construction is durable. The blade, just like any other blade, will become blunt at some point. But do not worry. The manufacturer provides blades that you can buy separately. The blade is very easy to change, and the manual includes all the instructions. The device is sleek and very lightweight, and you can carry it anywhere. You can cut at angles of 45 and 90 degrees, and you can cut a maximum of 12 sheets of paper at once. The surface of the base has a scale for more accurate trimmings. I am sure you are going to enjoy using it.
Swingline Paper Cutter
The paper cutter from Swingline is a guillotine cutter. It is different from the previous product, but it provides accurate trimmings every single time you use it. You can cut 10 sheets of paper at once, and the maximum length is 12 inches. It is reasonably easy to use, and I am sure you are going to love the sound it makes. It is one of those little things that people enjoy. The very sharp edge will get you the perfect cut every time you use it.
The construction of the Swingline paper cutter is durable. The base is made of durable plastic, which is quite comfortable. The square design will make trimming quite convenient. At the same time, the device is lightweight, and thus portable. You will see that it has an alignment grid and a dual-scale ruler that will help you with precision. It is somewhat hard to mess up the job with this product.
One of the things I think you will like about the Swingline paper cutter is that it is equipped with safety features. The device has a protective guard rail that will keep your dinger safe during use. Plus, the blade latch hook will lock the blade in place when you are not using the paper cutter. It is a very useful feature if you have children around.
Firbon Titanium Paper Cutter
Last but not least, the paper cutter from Firbon is yet another product that may pique your interest. It is a gliding cutter that will provide clean cuts every time you use it. you will be able to cut straight during whatever project you may be working on. The blade will become blunt at some point, but that will be far in the future because the blades for this model are made of durable titanium. Plus, the blade is very easy to replace. The manual will teach how to do it in just a minute.
You can use the Firbon paper cutter for A3, A4, and A5 paper. You can also use it on cards, laminated items (maximum 1.5 mm thick), and whatever paper products you can think of. You can cut maximum of 12 sheets of paper at once, but that should be enough for regular users. Thanks to the angle measuring plate and the scale on the base, you can perform accurate trimmings every time.
The Firbon paper cutter is lightweight and portable. It is safe to use, especially around children. The blade will glide only when you press on it, so if the children around do not know that, there is no way they can use it. As for the rest, this product is versatile which makes it ideal for home use, office, and school use. I am sure that if you opt for it, you will be more than satisfied.
My recommendation
I believe that all three products are capable of delivering the results you want, but if I were to make a choice, I would go with the Swingline Paper Cutter. The heavy-duty blade and the fact that it makes a sound that is specific to guillotines pushes me to choose it. The sound is not decisive, as you can imagine, but there is something incredibly satisfying about it. I think the Swingline model is one of the best paper cutters you can find in this price range.
Conclusion
A paper cutter will always prove to be useful around your home and office. It is a basic device, and there is nothing out of the ordinary about it. Even so, it comes in handy, which is why I recommend you buy the best one for you. One of the three products above should be perfect for the regular user, and no matter which one you go for, I am sure you will be satisfied with your choice.
Last Updated on February 7, 2023