AmazonBasics 17-Sheet High-Security Shredder - Review 2022

The AmazonBasics 17-Sheet High-Security Shredder ($159.99) tin can chew through a lot of newspaper at once, and is a good choice for upwardly to heavy-duty employ in a small or habitation office or a workgroup. Its shred size isn't every bit minor every bit the Fellowes Powershred 99Ms Micro-Cut Shredder, but it'due south tinier than most cross-cut shredders, instilling confidence that the documents you shred will be gone for good. The Editors' Choice Fellowes Powershed 99Ci is however a ameliorate overall selection as a heavy-duty transmission-feed shredder for a small or abode function, just it isn't quite as effective in thoroughly dicing confidential documents as this AmazonBasics model.

Design and Features

As is conforming a shredder that is intended for fairly heavy-duty use, the 17-Canvass Micro-Cutting Shredder is on the large and heavy side for a transmission-feed shredder. This black shredder with silver trim measures 26.two past xvi.3 by eleven.9 inches (HWD), and weighs 38 pounds. Information technology is a floor-standing model, set up on four casters for easy mobility. The base contains a pull-out basket, with a small window in front to show you how full it is. The 9-inch feed slot can fit CDs and DVDs likewise as letter-size paper. The slot is partially protected by a metal strip; to insert paper, you angle it forrad under the strip rather than straight down. Behind the slot is a ability push and switches for automatic shredding and contrary.

Basket Capacity and Shred Size

The vii-gallon basket for collecting the shredded paper is in upshot a drawer that can easily be pulled out when y'all need to empty it. This bin is reasonably large for a personal or pocket-sized-part certificate shredder; units we take tested range in capacity from 3.3 gallons up to the 9 gallons found in both the Fellowes Powershed 99Ci and the Fellowes 99Ms.

Due to its relatively small shred size, the 17-Sheet Micro-Cutting Shredder tin can concord more than shredded pages per gallon than an equivalent cross-cut model. I measured the shred size at 0.56 by 0.19 inches, essentially the same size every bit the AmazonBasics 12-Sail Micro-Cutting Shredder but twice the width of that from the Fellowes 99Ms. And so although the shred is non particularly small for a micro-cutting shredder, it is smaller than cross-cut shredders nosotros have reviewed, including the AmazonBasics 12-Sheet Cross-Cut Paper, CD/DVD, and Credit-Card Shredder (1.8 past 0.19 inches), and the Editors' Choice Swingline Manner+ Super Cross-Cut Shredder, which at 0.9 by 0.16 inches has the smallest shred of any cantankerous-cutting model nosotros've looked at. The bottom line is that the 17-Sail Micro-Cut Shredder can handle any standard and even well-nigh sensitive business documents, just is non suitable for shredding classified or surreptitious documents.

AmazonBasics 17-Sheet High-Security Micro-Cut Paper, CD, and Credit Card Shredder

Shredding Speed and Endurance

When I fed ane sheet at a time through its slot, the 17-Sheet Micro-Cut Shredder shredded at an average speed of 9.2 feet per minute (fpm), faster than the AmazonBasics 12-Sheet Micro-Cut Shredder, which we timed at 7fpm. It was considerably slower than the AmazonBasics 12-Sheet Cross-Cut Shredder (xiii.2fpm) and the Fellowes 99Ci (13.1fpm)—not to mention the moderate-duty Swingline Style+, which zipped through pages at a 17.4fpm clip—and was edged by the Fellowes 99Ms (x.5fpm).

This shredder had no trouble tackling a stack of 17 sheets at once. Information technology seemed a little labored when fed with 20 sheets, but finished the chore. It jammed when I tried 22 sheets at once, but was hands cleared by reversing the feed. Almost nobody will be counting sheets before inserting them in the shredder, but it'south adept to know that it can handle the number of sheets information technology's congenital for plus a few extra. These results essentially matched the Fellowes 99Ci, which (barely) made it through a 20-sheet stack.

AmazonBasics 17-Sheet High-Security Micro-Cut Paper, CD, and Credit Card Shredder

The 17-Sheet Micro-Cut Shredder is designed for xx minutes of continuous shredding followed by a l-minute cool-down period. Information technology doesn't have quite the endurance of the Fellowes Powershred 99Ci, which can shred for a one-half 60 minutes direct, followed by a 40 minutes of residuum. This significantly exceeds the 8-minute run time of the AmazonBasics 12-Sheet Micro-Cut Shredder and the Swingline Fashion+, which can shred continuously for 6 minutes, followed by thirty minutes of rest. The Swingline EX14-06 can run for up to eight minutes before needing to cool downwardly for 40 minutes, and the Staples 16-Sheet Shredder can shred for ten minutes before needing 40 minutes of downtime.

This Secure Shredder Devours Paper

Although information technology's priced higher than the AmazonBasics 12-Sheet Micro-Cut Shredder, the larger AmazonBasics 17-Sheet High-Security Shredder is built for heavier-duty shredding, with the ability to chew through upwards to 20 sheets at in one case. It can dice paper into smaller pieces than the Fellowes 99Ci, merely otherwise is slower than that model, with a smaller basket chapters and a shorter duty cycle. The Fellowes 99Ci remains our Editors' Choice heavy-duty manual-feed shredder for a small or home office. However, if you demand the modest shred size and the higher security it provides, the 17-Sheet Micro-Cut Shredder is a adept option, as is the Fellowes 99Ms.