What is the best coin sorter?
Sorting coins manually is tedious and time consuming. From the cashier’s drawer to anyone who has a pile of pocket change accumulating, separating and counting coins is a task best left to a machine.
Coin sorters sort large amounts of coins and quickly separate them by size. Some calculate how much money has been sorted. They serve both businesses and individuals and come in assorted sizes designed for commercial and personal use. For its all-purpose features, the best coin sorter is the Cassida C200 Coin Counter, Sorter and Wrapper.
What to know before you buy a coin sorter
Do you want to sort by hand?
Coin sorters are fed manually or electronically.
- Manual sorters require more time, since you have to input the coins into plastic funnels or trays designed to filter the coins by size. Some manual sorters have a hand crank that agitates a pile of coins into the right-sized channel, but they still take longer than electronic sorters. Manual sorters also work with small amounts of change. They are considerably less expensive than electronic sorters.
- Electronic sorters are ideal for anyone who has a large volume of coins and needs fast sorting. They are made of metal and can hold thousands of coins in the hopper. The coins are forced into the channel corresponding to coin size. Most electronic sorters have digital displays that provide the total held inside. They are more expensive than manual sorters.
How many coins are you sorting?
The sorter capacity is an important consideration. If you are counting thousands of coins on a daily basis, you want a large capacity sorter. Some hoppers can hold up to 5,000 coins. Others may limit the amount to 500 or 1,000. Knowing your quantity and frequency will lead you to the sorter best suited for your situation, which can save you money and time.
Do you need to wrap the coins?
If you need to place coins in wrappers, there are electronic sorters with plastic tubes that have a wrapper attached to catch the incoming coins. The wrappers are often sold separately. Inverted plastic tubes are an inexpensive way to manually fill wrappers, but they require you to count out the correct number for each wrapper.
What to look for in a coin sorter
Display
Most electronic sorters have a digital display that keeps a running total of the sorted coins. Some sorters have reporting features that show how many of each denomination has been collected. Others let you add dollar bills and manually adjust the total or remove coins for personal use.
Speed
Basic electronic sorters will separate 50 to 100 coins per minute. Premium electronic sorters can sort 300 to 500 coins per minute.
Anti-jamming
Jams happen even to the best-designed machines. Anti-jamming features automatically loosen stuck coins. Without this feature, you will have to manually unjam the machine, similar to when paper becomes stuck in a printer.
Size
Most electronic coin sorters are 8 to 11 inches tall and can weigh 10 pounds or more when empty. They are much heavier with coins inside. Find a location where the machine doesn’t have to be moved and has plenty of space for coins to be added from above.
How much you can expect to spend on a coin sorter
- Inexpensive coin sorters cost $5-$15. They require manual separation and use plastic trays or funnels.
- Medium-priced sorters run $15-$50. They're also manually operated and have a series of plastic tubes or trays based on the coin size.
- Expensive sorters start at $50 and can reach $1,000. These are electric machines that sort hundreds of coins per minute with digital displays. High-volume commercial machines start at $250.
Coin sorter FAQ
Which coins can be sorted?
A. Pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters are the standard for most coin sorters. A few accept dollar coins. Some machines count foreign coins, and there are even models designed for Canadian coinage.
What causes coin sorters to jam?
A. Dirty coins do not move through them as easily as clean ones. Bent coins may cause a jam if the angle is pronounced. And a foreign coin may not fit correctly, causing the machine to stop.
What is the best coin sorter to buy?
Top coin sorter
Cassida C200 Coin Counter, Sorter and Wrapper
What you need to know: This all-in-one machine counts, sorts and wraps coins and is made in the United States.
What you’ll love: The hopper holds 2,000 coins and processes 300 coins per minute. An electric display provides the total amount and has a report function by denomination. Coin tube attachments simplify wrapping coins. It has a retractable carrying handle.
What you should consider: The machine is bulky and heavy, weighing 12 pounds.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top coin sorter for the money
PM Company Color-Coded Coin Counting Tubes
What you need to know: For those willing to separate coins manually, these tubes provide an easy wrapping method at a fraction of the cost of automated machines.
What you’ll love: Using the four colors the Federal Reserve assigns to coin wrappers, each tube is inverted with a wrapper attached. The coins are dropped in until the exact number for the roll is reached.
What you should consider: Coin wrappers are not included with the tubes.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Jumbo Digital Coin Bank
What you need to know: Doubling as a coin counter and bank, this container is a convenient way to deposit loose change and keep tabs on how much has accumulated.
What you’ll love: The bank holds up to 5,000 coins. It is made from sturdy acrylonitrile butadiene styrene plastic. A digital display totals the contents. A convenient plus-minus feature lets you add dollar bills or remove coins while keeping an accurate total.
What you should consider: The bank requires two AAA batteries.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Steve Ganger writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
