AmazonBasics 8-Sheet Strip-Cut Paper/CD/Credit Card Shredder

• 8 sheet stripcut
• Shreds cds and credit cards
• 3 position switch auto,on ,reverse
• Ships in Certified Frustration-Free Packaging

As a person who owns their own business I am in constant need of a shredder, and because of this need I go through them like I go through socks. Often.

I decided to take a chance on this shredder for 1 reason. My current shredder took a trip shredder heaven (aka it went up in smoke and is now acting as more of a corner catch-all than a functioning piece of equipment.

Anyways, here are the pros and cons I have discovered over the last few weeks.

Pros:

*It's compact

*It shreds "paper" like a dream (even if it will only take 8 or so sheets at a time) The motor speed is crazy fast

*Easy to set up, Easy to use.

*The shredder head detaches from the top of the basket making clean up/out a snap.

Cons:

*Even though it has a slip for cards/CD's it struggles to shred them. (I found myself having to feed them though at least 2 times before they were properly demolished.)

*It's not a cross-cut shredder which is a bit of an issue if you are running a business that deals in highly classified or sensitive material. (This is obviously not an issue if you are just using if for basic bills or junk mail.)

*When the bin/basket is full the motor will continually run. (Don't know why...but it's a fact.)

All in all...I think it's a reasonably price shredder for home use, but is lacking for anyone needing a business shredder.

Buy AmazonBasics 8-Sheet Strip-Cut Paper/CD/Credit Card Shredder Now

I have a long history of shredders. I bought a Royal first. Then I got a Fellowes that was in the same price range as this one and it doesn't hold a candle to it. First off the Fellowes slows down if you run more than 2 sheets of paper through it at a time. This unit will slightly slow down when running multiple sheets but does 8 at a time without any problem. It is however a strip cut so it is obviously not a level 5 security machine. (Level 5 means you turn the document into smoke :-)

I also bought a MS-460Ci 100% Jam Proof Micro-Cut Shredder(sold individuall) and that is a level 4 that turns your documents into fine confetti; way more than the typical cross cut shredder. Of course with that fine of a cut it limits how much you can put in it at one time. I just placed an AARP envelope unopened and it started to take it, then stopped halfway with a red light lit, and then proceeded to finish the job after the pause.

This Amazon Basics 8-sheet ripped right through 2 envelopes unopened, and only slightly slowed down. That is the big advantage of strip-cuts, they don't have as tough of a job to do, and that results in the max performance for the least amount of money.

I also wanted to mention that this unit from Amazon Basics also sounds like a precision machine. The whir of the motor while it is doing its job is much better than what you would expect at this price point. This unit is not large so it fits snugly under a desk if need be. It looks attractive. Be sure to oil it. So if you are looking for a good unit for an extremely attractive price, and don't need level 5 security then this is for you.

Read Best Reviews of AmazonBasics 8-Sheet Strip-Cut Paper/CD/Credit Card Shredder Here

Update: April 4, 2012

I had the unit sitting on top of a 15-inch wastebasket, supported by the extension (see product images). Obviously, the extension was not heavy-duty enough to support the weight of the shredding mechanism, as the whole thing just collapsed. The extension broke off at the body of the shredder. It now BARELY sits on top of the basket that it was designed for. Since I thought that the basket was too small to begin with, this part failure pretty much turned the shredder into a doorstop as far as I am concerned. Downgraded from four stars to two stars. I've posted a photo of the broken part.

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Original review.

Let's make things straight from the start this is not an industrial-strength shredder. It is only rated for eight sheets of paper, and it's not lightning fast. That said, it seems to be perfectly well suited for home use. One of the primary reasons that I was interested in this unit is because I want to be able to shred old credit cards rather that cut them up by hand.

To test this unit, I ran an old CD, an expired credit card, and several sheets of paper through the unit. It's actually more accurate to say that this device breaks (rather than shreds) CDs, as a CD is rendered into four pieces. The credit card was, however, shredded. (See product images.)

The CD goes into a different slot than the credit card and the paper. To get the CD and credit card into the machine, a slight bit of pressure needed to be applied. Only one credit card or one CD at a time can be run through the machine.

Pros:

The machine accepted up to 14 sheets of paper at a time, but it ran slowly. It was asking a bit much of the poor thing to have it shred 16 sheets. It did it, but only reluctantly, and I wouldn't recommend doing so. I didn't push it further, as I didn't want to have to clean out a jam. Therefore, I would say that the 8-sheet rating is accurate, and you don't have to closely count the number of sheets before you shove them in. For the long-term health and continued cheerful cooperation of the unit, it's probably not a good idea to consistently ask it to do more than its job description requires.

It shredded the credit card and broke the CD without any problem whatsoever.

The instruction sheet is very clear, and contains information regarding use and basic maintenance.

Cons:

A couple of "features" of this shredder are not so hot (at least from my perspective):

(1) the size of the basket it's about 11 x 12 x 6, smaller than the posted dimensions suggest.

(2) the shape and size of the shredding mechanism.

3) this is not a cross-cut shredder, and therefore not the best for confidential documents.

When I first saw the small size of the basket I assumed that the shredding mechanism could easily be set on top of a larger wastebasket. Well.... not really. As Maxwell Smart might say, "Missed it by that much."

The top piece is adjustable, and can be extended to about 15 inches. However, the ends are curved, and the unit doesn't sit that snugly on top of a rectangular wastebasket. Let's call it a "meh" fit. It would probably be difficult to find a larger basket that it would fit nicely. (Update: I have been using it on top of a 15-inch wastebasket. While it only sits on top of the basket, I have found it to be more stable than I originally anticipated.)

Toss-up:

I would prefer to be able to detach the cord from the shredding mechanism, but it is permanently attached. In this case, some people may like this configuration, others might not.

The real test of this device will be in terms of its long-term durability. Of course, that is impossible to judge durability at this time. It does come with a one year warranty, and the Amazon product page shows a 1-800 customer service line for the device. I am using it every single day to shred junk mail, and will see how it holds up.

If it dies a premature death, I will update this review with all the gory details. Likewise, if this shredder proves itself to be a shredder beyond shredders, a paragon of its species, I will be sure to give credit where credit is due.

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This shredder is without a doubt worth the $30 price, but the reviewers who said it is quiet must be next to deaf. It is not quiet but it's not an issue as that is not the reason I bought it. It does the job quickly and efficiently.

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So last night, I went to bed, only to wake up to a horrible stench around 2AM. The stench that only electrical components burning up makes. I spent nearly an hour going from room to room, sniffing my house--with breaks to go outside in the FREEZING COLD to clear my head and give my lungs a break--before narrowing it down to the area by my refrigerator. Crap...the last thing I need is my fridge to burn up. I kept peering behind it, trying to see what was going wrong--it was late; I wasn't thinking clearly--when I realized that the smell was coming from the paper-shredder, which sits next to the fridge. The shredder is only a few months old, and hardly over-taxed. Moreover, it was plugged in but NOT ON! Trust me--I wasn't sleep-shredding prior to waking up.

I called Amazon and the second CSR (we won't talk about the first; normally Amazon's CSRs are first-rate) I spoke to refunded my money after offering to replace it. I need a new shredder, but I'm not going to trust my life to another one of these.