Standard Sheet Capacity: Large jobs will take less time when you can feed a shredder more sheets at one time. Most shredders can handle multiple sheets at once. But this number-of-sheets varies from model to model. And overall thickness matters—Sheets which are folded in half or are extra thick will cut this rating in half. This model can handle an extra generous 20 sheets.
Security (Shred Size): How finely a shredder can shred paper is a key spec. Small shreds make it impractical for someone to read or piece together your sensitive information. The manufacturer claims this model provides a P-4 security level. In our test, the shreds from this model were approximately 0.5-inch long, which earns it an excellent security score.
Speed: For big jobs, a faster model will save you a significant amount of time. We tested its speed two ways: 10 individual pages—this model needed a total of 70 seconds; and one stack of 20 pages, stapled together—this model took 9 seconds. These moderate results award this model a mediocre speed score.
Noise: Paper shredders are generally noisy when shredding, but some are a bit quieter. This model's measurement was a bit on the low, quieter side.
Convenience Features: This model is relatively well-featured. The waste bin holds up to 8 gallons, a generous size. The manufacturer claims this model can run and shred continuously for 30 minutes until it must stop and cool down before continuing—In our "overheat time" test it ran the full 30 minutes, non-stop, as we continuously fed it 20-sheet stacks, which is excellent. It has a pull-out basket—easier to empty than the wastebasket type. The carrying handle helps you grab hold to lift and carry the shredder. The wheels make it much easier to move this model around. Besides paper, it can also shred credit cards, staples, and paper clips. The warranty on this model is 24 months in general, and 84 months for the cutting blades. The manufacturer claims this model has been UL-safety tested.
