Technobabble

Cheap Paper Shredders

Posted by on Oct 21, 2008 | 5 Comments

When my cheap paper shredder gave up the ghost recently, it sent my daily routine into a tailspin. I’m not obsessed with paper shredding … it’s just that shredding the junk mail is a morning ritual. I guess I shouldn’t complain. The cheap paper shredder I bought at Staples lasted roughly three and a half years.

The clerk at the register had asked if I wanted to buy an extended warranty. I decided not to do so, as it was a ridiculously cheap shredder.

If it breaks … well, twenty bucks a pop sure seems like it falls into the disposable razor range … come to think of it, maybe I’ll pick up a spare and store it out in the shed …

So here I am down in Kingstone (er, Staples) again … looking for another cheap shredder.

Only this time, nothing seems to be on sale.

I might not go for the bargain basement model, this go round. But I’ll probably skip that extended warranty again. Now if I could just find a way to turn all that junk mail into fireplace logs …

  • akamuaka

    I’ve been using a moderately priced ($94) Fellowes shredder daily for 3+ years and have been pretty happy with it:

    I don’t know if this model is still sold…?
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000K177
    …but I’m sure Fellowes has an equivalent.

    Wish list: less mess when emptying the bin (have to lift shredding motor and put on floor); a little faster; ability to shred CDs

    …and yes, some way to turn all this shredded paper into fireplace logs!

  • Ronn! Blankenship

    Get a cat. ;)

    The biggest problem I have had with affordable mechanical paper shredders is that because they are so top-heavy with the mechanism at the top, and the cord is attached to that part, it is easy for something to tangle with the cord and thus pull the shredder all the way over and spill the shreds all over the floor. I’m still finding and picking up pieces from the last time that happened (last week). Of course it is one of those which produces tiny diamond-shaped pieces rather than long strips which would be at least somewhat easier to find and pick up. :(

    Anyone know of any cheap shredders which are more stable, or have any suggestions on how to alleviate that problem?

    Oh, to address the actual original question . . . iirc I bought this one at Wal-Mart for a little less than $30, maybe around the time you got yours that just quit. I have had no problems or with it (except for the aforementioned occasional spillage). I haven’t checked recently to see if the same model or a similar one is still available, but you might look there or at similar stores to see what they have . . .

  • John G Teetsel

    Anything I have received with my important numbers on it I just put in the sink while washing dishes, squash into a tight ball and trash it.

  • Gary Foster
  • George

    The web site FileStoreShred.com maintains a list of free paper shredding events at locations from coast to coast. These events are faster and easier than shredding your own stuff.