The Xyron 900 looks a lot like a printer...stuff goes in one end and comes out the other.  In the Xyron 900 case, what happens in between takes a lot of the mess and tedium out of something we all do...applying glue to the back of things.

This machine is very well designed, with a lot of thought given to ease of use and ergonomics.  This is something Apple would have made if they made machines for scrapbookers :-)

First is the simplicity of the unit.  It is lightweight.  The paper supports double as dust covers when the machine is not in use.  The top opens completely with a lift of the lever.

Changing cartridges is quick and easy...just pull on the cartridge's integrated handle and the entire unit lifts out.  There is no mess, nothing drips, and the cartridge only fits in one direction.

The Xyron 900 cartridge is similar to the ink cartridge of some fax machines.  There are two rollers that stretch tight a film of material.  With the Xyron 900, the type of film determines the kind of adhesive or laminate (repositionable, permanent, magnetic, etc...) applied.

To put in a cartridge, just align with the guide (red arrow) and insert.  The cartridge will click into place automatically.

This machine is hand powered by a crank on the side.  The material to be laminated is placed in the front, and the crank feeds the item through the machine and combines it with the film.  We'll have more details on how this works in the FirstUse review.

Xyron understands their users and knows they will be moving this unit around.  When we grabbed the lid to move the machine out of the way, our hand naturally found the handle in back of the unit...nice!

There is an integrated trimmer in the back of the Xyron 900 to cut the laminated piece from the roll of film.  The cutter rests on a lift which allows the material to slide underneath the blade when exiting the rear. The cutter is also removeable for use as a regular trimmer. 

We like everything we saw about this unit...it's size, weight, and overall design is well suited for its designed task and audience.  It is a simple machine to understand.  We are looking forward to our FirstUse experience!

We are familiar with glue guns, glue sticks, and double-sided tape.  When we first saw the Xyron 900, we weren't quite sure what to make of it.  

After a quick demo by Beth at the CKC show, we caught on to its possibilities pretty quickly.

Not only will this unit make short work of putting adhesives on the back of delicate paper and intricate cutouts, it will also laminate, and make refrigerator magnets!

In the FirstLook review, we will take a look at this hand-held adhesive applicator/laminator/sticker maker and all its parts.

In the FirstUse review, we'll see just how easy this thing is to use.  If you can't wait, check out the short video clip of it in action at the CKC Scrapbooking Convention :-)

NOTE: The video clip is about 10 MB, so don't try viewing it unless you have a broadband connection :-)

Review:

1. FirstLook

2. FirstUse

Review Summary:

Initial Impression - Well designed

Usability - hand-cranked, portable

Durability - test in progress

Price - $100

Other Xyron Reviews:

1. DesignRunner

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