What's the Cheapest Letter Folding Machines in 2024?
The cheapest price on a decent letter folding machine is around $135, with mid-grade models reaching the $900 – $1200 mark.
If you’re interested in the most affordable letter folding machine on the market, you can probably find something very basic for around $212. However, this machine will be quite simplistic, and only useful in very limited circumstances. Most machines retail for several hundred dollars, with high-end units used in high-volume situations costing up to $10,500. The price that you actually pay is related to factors including:
- Speed
- Capacity
- Folding options
- Envelope stuffing
- Types of paper
Speed and capacity are certainly going to be the largest factors at work when it comes to determining the cost of a given machine. There is a vast difference between a letter folder for use in a small one-man office and the type that is used by printing companies to stuff mass mailings. So, the more letters that a machine can accept at once, and the faster it can fold them, the more you can expect to pay.
Envelope stuffing is an added feature that is extremely useful for most people who have a need for a letter folding machine. However, this is also a feature that will cause the overall cost of the unit to go up. The upside is that when the product comes off the machine, it is ready to go in the mail, with no further processing required.
Other features are often viewed as useful in certain situations but not essential to the majority of customers, and these will also cause the cost of your unit to go up. For instance, the more different types and sizes of paper that a folding machine can work with, the more you can expect to pay.
3 Tips to Getting the Cheapest Letter Folding Machine
Selecting the most economical letter folding machine requires balancing cost, efficiency, and the specific needs of your business. Here are three tips to help you find the cheapest letter folding machine:
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Determine the Right Capacity for Your Needs:
- Why: Choose a letter folding machine that matches your specific volume requirements. If your business typically handles a low to moderate volume of mail, a smaller, less expensive machine may be sufficient. These machines are generally more affordable and have lower operating costs. Conversely, investing in a high-capacity machine for a small volume of mail can lead to unnecessary expenditure on both the purchase price and operational costs.
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Consider Refurbished or Used Models:
- Why: Purchasing a refurbished or used letter folding machine can offer substantial savings compared to buying a new one. Many used machines are in excellent condition and capable of meeting your folding needs. It's important to buy from a reputable seller and ensure that the machine has been properly serviced and maintained. Refurbished models often come with a limited warranty, providing additional assurance of their reliability.
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Compare Prices and Features:
- Why: Research and compare different models and prices. Look for machines that offer the essential features you need without unnecessary extras that can drive up the cost. Simple, straightforward machines can often meet basic folding needs at a lower price point. Additionally, comparing prices from different suppliers can help you find the best deal. Don't forget to consider the cost of consumables and maintenance when evaluating the overall cost-effectiveness of the machine.
By carefully considering these factors, you can choose a letter folding machine that provides the functionality you need at the lowest possible cost, ensuring efficiency in your mail processing tasks without overspending.
What to Look for in Low Cost Letter Folding Machines?
When shopping for a letter folding machine, the first thing you need to determine is how many letters you need to fold on a regular basis, and how quickly you need them processed. For smaller companies, there is a multitude of modest desktop units that should be more than adequate for letter-folding purposes. The most common item to look for are:
- Paper Type (20lb, cardstock, glossy, brochures)
- Paper Volume – Will you print small jobs or 10,000 copies an hour?
- Fold Types – Standard, Z-Fold, Half, Double-Parallel, Gate, etc
For larger companies, the speed at which these machines can operate is the main determining factor in which machine is right for you. Letter folding machines are rated based on how many letters they can fold per hour. In the high-end models, 10,000 or more letters per hour can be folded. The capacity of letters that can be loaded into a machine at once should also be looked at. An extremely fast machine isn’t much good if it has to be reloaded every two minutes, so if large volume folding is important, also look for a large capacity unit.
Look for a machine that is compatible with the type of paper that you want to use in your mailings. If you prefer to send out normal letters printed on 20lb stock or lighter paper, then almost any machine on the market should meet your needs. If you plan on creating materials on heavier stock however, you’re going to need to shop for a machine that is specifically rated for that type of paper. Flexibility regarding the size of the paper the machine can fold is also quite useful. This allows you to expand your marketing materials to use different sizes of paper for different promotional opportunities – something which can help keep your marketing material fresh and different looking over time.
Bargain Letter Folding Machines with Discounted Prices
If finding a bargain is the most important part of your search for a letter folding machine, then either of these two companies is an excellent place to start your search. Both offer extremely good deals and provide customers the opportunity to get the machine that suits their needs at the most discounted price.
Duplo: Duplo is a significant player in the paper folding business, offering a variety of models that offer both friction-fed and air-fed mechanisms. For high-volume machines, they are at the cheaper end of the spectrum, with base models starting at $2500 that can process as many as 120 sheets per minute. Even though Duplo machines are capable of producing folded letters in large volumes, the machines themselves take up a relatively small footprint, making them convenient in offices where there is limited space.
Martin Yale: Martin Yale is another standard-setter in the paper folding industry. Martin Yale offers many desktop units that are perfect for use in entrepreneurial and small business settings. Units can be found at a bargain for as little as $200.
Whatever brand you choose to buy, it is recommended to always look into the warranty plan that is sold with the product. Folding machines have a number of moving parts, and as such, hold plenty of potential for future mechanical failure. A strong warranty should be one of the most important factors to recommend choosing one brand over another.