There are many personal shredders on the market today. But one to stop and take note of is the GBC Shredmaster GEX106 Jam Free Cross Cut Paper Shredder. Designed for light duty use in a small or home office, this machine offers powerful performance in a compact package. Automatic features and jam free technology provide simple, easy use. Here is a closer look at the strengths and weaknesses of the GEX106.
Strengths:
- The petite dimensions of this device allow it to be tidily stored under a desk or table for easy access right when you need it. And since it only weighs about 25 pounds, moving it around shouldn’t be much of a hassle.
- An automatic on and off mechanism allows you to use this machine one handed. Items are detected when inserted and activate the blades to begin shredding. Once everything is through, the device turns the blades off to avoid unnecessary wear and tear on the cutting shafts and motor.
- Intuitive Jam Free technology senses when too much paper is in the feed. The throat will glow red to warn the user. Simply remove the excess and the machine will begin shredding again. If paper does get clogged in the blades, the automatic reverse function will feed the items back out to the user.
- Up to ten stapled or paperclipped sheets can enter the nine inch wide paper entry. Items are shred as fast as 6.5 feet per minute. The blades can even destroy CDs and DVDs.
- The cross cutting mechanism tears full size documents into tiny pieces virtually impossible to reassemble, providing a level three security rating. This keeps safe confidential materials with social security numbers, employee identities and strategic information.
- Paper confetti drops into a six gallon waste bin. The container easily pulls out for simple removal and replacement of the shred bag.
- GBC provides a two year limited warranty on this product. The cutters are covered by a 20 year limited warranty.
Weaknesses:
- The shreds created only provide a level three security rating. For all-purpose office shredding, this keeps safe generic and confidential material. But businesses required to meet NSA guidelines for document destruction will need a higher security device, which GBC also makes.
- As with many deskside shredders, this one is not rated for continuous run. After about four minutes of constant use, the thermal cut-off will kick in and power down your machine for a 30 minute cool down period. For light duty use, you may not ever run into this. Offices looking for a shared shredder between more than four users may prefer a device with a more powerful motor rather than be constantly idly waiting for the shredder to be ready.
Overall, the GBC Shredmaster GEX106 is an excellent personal shredder. The many automatic features offer ease of use and convenience. Cross cutting blades keep your confidential information safe and secure. And quality craftsmanship is guaranteed by a 20 year warranty. We think the GEX106 is a great choice for your next deskside shredder.