You’ve got a lot of options for replacement or beginner paper cutters, and it can be confusing to sift through all the features to find the perfect trimmer. This guide is meant as an overview of the different trimmers available and my favorite machine in each category.

Manual Guillotine Paper Trimmers

Guillotine paper trimmers come in either wood or metal base. The base will either have its own clamp to secure the paper, or you will hold the paper in place while cutting. They also have an arm with a blade underneath and handle that you operate to cut the paper. This type of paper cutter is meant for occasional or low volume paper cutting- usually they can handle between 10 and 30 sheets of paper at a time.

A good choice for a smaller guillotine paper trimmer is the Dahle 212 Professional Cutter. Unlike some other low-volume hand trimmers, the blade arm stays open until you make a cut. It prevents injuries and unwanted cuts that can happen with a loose, falling arm. The maximum length of paper you can cut with the Dahle 212 is 12 inches.
This is the easiest to use and least expensive type of paper cutter, and the 212 is only about $80.

Martin Yale also has a line of high-quality guillotine trimmers ranging from small, tabletop models to larger floor models. At the same price and style as the Dahle 212, the Martin Yale W12 will cut up to 15 sheets at a time and features a plastic blade cover for extra-safe cutting.

Going into large floor model paper cutters, you can cut up to 30 sheets of paper at a time, thicker papers, and card stock. Floor models are also well-suited to cutting large drawings, art board, and other materials.

Dahle, again, has a high-quality floor model trimmer for about $1600. The Dahle 585 Guillotine has a maximum cutting length of up to 43 inches, and a foot operated clamp makes it ideal for large format work.

GBC’s Ingento CL570m Classic Maple Series is another option for large floor models. It will only handle paper up to 36 inches wide at 15 sheets a time. However, it is more versatile than the Dahle 585 in that its stand can be removed to convert it to a tabletop model, and less expensive at only about $560.

All manual guillotine trimmers have a maximum length of paper they can cut. If you need to cut larger or varying lengths of paper, a rotary trimmer might be a better option.

Rotary Trimmers

Rotary trimmers are distinct from other trimmers in that they can cut greater lengths of paper and newer models offer a variety of cuts other than just straight lines. You have more control with a rotary trimmer because you slide a small, two sided blade up and down the length of paper to make cuts. High-quality rotary trimmers typically make cleaner cuts than guillotine trimmers, and come in manual or electric models for large volumes of preset cuts.

Keencut makes a sturdy, economical manual rotary model - the 18 inch Keencut Technic Advanced Rotary Cutter. It boasts a well-built aluminum and silver anodized base, but is only good for paper up to .08 inches and not thicker materials. But for just over $200, it’s an economical option.

Page 1 of 2 :: First | Last :: Prev | 1 2 | Next