Mailmate m7 12 sheet cross cut shredder full#

We noted how easy or difficult it was to empty the wastebasket, and how many pages the bin could hold before needing to be emptied.We didn’t test with paper clips in this round because in previous tests we found that they tended to break the machines. We tested whether the shredder could destroy staples, credit cards, and CDs (if the shredder maker advertised that it could).

We timed the shredder’s run time and cooldown time.

Stick to the maximum page capacity recommended by the manufacturer, or fewer, to avoid overworking your shredder and potentially shortening its life.)

We purposely inserted more pages than the maximum load to see when the shredder would jam and how easily we could clear jams.

We put batches of letter-size paper through (based on the shredder’s recommended maximum load) in succession to see if the shredder would jam or overheat under normal operating conditions.

Ability to shred stapled documents, paper-clipped documents, CDs, and credit cards: Handling stapled documents and plastic credit cards is a must for any shredder.

The shorter, the better, if you want to get back to your shredding job as soon as possible.

Cooldown time: This refers to how long your shredder’s timeout needs to be after you exceed the run time.

Mailmate m7 12 sheet cross cut shredder full#

In our testing, most of the shredders’ bins got full within 10 to 15 minutes of nonstop shredding, rendering claims of ultra-high run times moot. Less-expensive shredders have run times of under five minutes, while the best home and small-office models have run times rated at 10 minutes or more. Run time: The higher the shredder’s run time, the more you can continuously shred before the unit needs to take a break and cool down.Most of the micro-cut shredders in our target price range can handle six to 12 sheets at a time. Page capacity: Having a shredder with a higher page capacity means you can shred more paper at once, including several folded sheets.More-expensive shredders are designed for offices where they’ll shred stacks of documents throughout the day they’re overkill for a typical one- or two-person home office. Price: We look for paper shredders from major manufacturers that retail for less than $200, with a strong preference for those priced closer to or lower than $100.