Shred Reckoning
Popular Mechanics shows how easily shredder output can be de-Humpty-Dumptied
Shredder Showdown
Published in the August 2005 issue.
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The rise of Internet scams such asphishingand nowpharming(see POPULAR MECHANICS, August 2005, page 24) has given identity thieves the luxury of working from home, but a great deal of stolen information still comes from personal documents. The Federal Trade Commission recommends shredding receipts, credit cardapplications, insurance forms, bank statements, etc., lest they fall into the wrong hands. We sent a single page through three new shredders, then gave our intern, Wes Meltzer, 45 minutes to put each of them back together. Here’s what we found.
BY GLENN DERENE
Results photos by Burcu Avsar
ROYAL VF800
PRICE:$52
STATED SHEET CAPACITY:8 pages
FEATURES:Crosscut (1-3/8 x 1/8 in.); handles credit cards, staples and paper clips
THE STRESS TEST
Since we never believe what we’re told, we ignored the Royal’s suggested sheet capacity and kept feeding it until it jammed. True to its word, it started struggling at eight sheets, but by using the “forward” button, we managed to shove in 10 sheets before it ground to a halt.
RESULTS
With its small bucket, few features and eight-sheet capacity, this is not the machine for your company’s first SEC investigation, but it is a bargain crosscutter for the home user.
AMOUNT OF DATA RECOVERED BY INTERN:58%
FELLOWES POWERSHRED P-55C
PRICE:$80
STATED SHEET CAPACITY:8 pages
FEATURES:Crosscut (2 x 5/32 in.); top swings open for access to bin; handles credit cards and staples
THE STRESS TEST
First, we fed the Powershred its own manual, which it swallowed without complaint. Then we incrementally increased the page count to 11 sheets before the strain became too great. The shredder’s speed was impressive, but that high-velocity hunger made things only worse during paper jams.
RESULTS
The Powershred has fast speed and smart design (we loved the garbage-can-style tip-up top). Its drawback was that its crosscut strips were a bit big, making them easier to reassemble.
AMOUNT OF DATA RECOVERED BY INTERN:64%
GBC SHREDMASTER 960X
PRICE:$399
STATED SHEET CAPACITY:10 pages
FEATURES:Crosscut (1-3/8 x 5/32 in.); removable bin; handles credit cards, staples, paper clips, CDs and DVDs
THE STRESS TEST
The big boy of our test, the GBC has a 9-gal. bin, a CD slot and cooling vents. It sucked its manual down as an appetizer, then went on to swallow up to 13 sheets before its auto feed and auto reverse fought like dogs. For dessert, we gave it a sheet with 100 staples, which barely caused a hiccup.
Results
The Shredmaster is a beast with an insatiable hunger–the destroyer of all media. But it is far too big for a home office. Plus, you could buy almost eight Royals for the same money.
AMOUNT OF DATA RECOVERED BY INTERN:49%