Do you use, own or want a paper shredder but don’t want to hassle with jogging paper together to try and fit it all through a tiny slot on the top of a shredder? If this scenario sounds familiar to you, you may need what’s known as a hopper fed  paper shredder. These shredders are versatile and often ideal for office environments.

Hopper fed paper shredders are commonly used for office and departmental use as they are designed to be used by multiple people throughout they day. These types of paper shredders essentially feature a top loading feed hopper that sits above the paper shredders blades. They are typically designed for high-volume / continuous use.

The top loading feed hopper allows you to empty jumbled, disorganized and crumpled paper into the shredder. Some of these shredders allow you to dump an entire stack of paper, while other feed hopper shredders have a separate slot for stacks of paper. The hopper is often assisted by paddles that help pull paper into the shredder blades.

Shredders with feed hoppers are typically ideal for high-volume paper shredding and are known for their convenience. Because the hopper can take crumpled and jumbled paper, there is no need to tray and straighten or align paper prior to being fed into the shredder.

At ABC Office we offer a few different hopper-style shredders. Here are the four most popular models we offer:

1. HSM 412.2 Office Hopper Fed Shredder
2. Destroyit 4605 High-Volume Top Loading Feed Hopper Shredder
3. Dahle 20452 and 20453 Strip and Cross Cut Hopper Shredders
4. Intimus 852CC Industrial Top Loading Hopper Style Paper Shredder

Hopper fed shredders often accept entire magazines, newspaper and other paper. Some, like the Intimus 852CC industrial shredder, have hoppers that can even accept CDs, DVDs, credit cards, 3.5″ disks, passports, ID cards, Microfiche, audio cassettes and more.

This is a demo of the Destroyit 4605 high-volume hopper fed shredder.

I hope this helps you understand exactly what a top loading hopper fed paper shredder is. These shredders are convenient, great for high-volume shredding and are typically extremely fast. You can find our entire selection of paper shredders here.

Do you need a paper shredder that is fast, secure, capable of shredding large volumes of paper and can handle CDs, DVDs, credit cards, you may want to consider a machine like the Dahle 20453 high capacity cross cut shredder. There are many reasons why your business or organization may need a high capacity shredder. This is my review.

Dahle manufactures some of the best German paper shredders available today. This includes home office, departmental, high security and high capacity shredders. Dahle shredders are known for being quiet, solid and very reliable.

The Dahle 20453 can be categorized as a high capacity or industrial shredder. While there are larger shredders that can shred hundreds of sheets of paper at a time, this particular shredder can shred 65 sheets of 20# paper at a time. This is very impressive. Not only does this shredder have a high-capacity shredding capability, it is also fast.

Let me focus on the motor. As mentioned earlier, it is fast. It runs at a speed of 42 feet per minute. I am personally impressed with shredders that run at 20 feet per minute and the Dahle 20453 is double that speed. The 20453 uses a 3 phase, 208 VAC motor that puts out 4 hp. That’s tough.

The motor is thermally protected. That means it will not overheat with continued use. This is especially ideal for departmental and business use where shredders are run and operated on a continuous basis.

The solid steel cutting cylinders cut paper at a level 3 security level. This ends up being about 1/8″ x 3 1/8″. This security level is more than adequate for most office shredding needs. A large 50-gallon bin holds shredded particles. In case you aren’t familiar with shredders, a 50-gallon bin is huge. This means fewer bag changes for you.

The Dahle 20453 uses a hopper-style feed tray. This means you can take a garbage can of paper and dump it into the hopper for convenient shredding. It also means you can take a stack of paper and toss it into the hopper as well. Many businesses prefer a hopper on the shredder simply because it is convenient and faster than trying to organize paper to fit through a slot.

This particular shredder is an ideal replacement to an expensive shredding service. I personally consider using a shredder like the Dahle 20453 to be far more secure, and in the long run less expensive, than using a shredding service.

As is the case with all Dahle shredders, the 20453 is extremely secure. It utilizes safety controls and is built from the ground up to be safe and secure.

The build quality on the Dahle 20453 is excellent. Metal construction makes this shredder extremely durable and a series of fold out tables / shelves make it easy to shred stacks of paper. I recommend this for any business, office, department or mailroom where high-volumes of paper are shredded on a daily basis.

You can find the Dahle 20453 high capacity cross cut shredder here and our entire selection of Dahle paper shredders here. You can find our entire selection of paper shredders here.

Do you still have questions? Please feel free to contact one of our paper shredder specialists by calling 1-800-658-8788.

Some of our most popular office equipment is made by MBM. This includes Destroyit paper shredders, Kutrimmer paper trimmers, Triumph paper cutters and much more. In an effort to save you money, we are offering free shipping on over half the MBM products we offer. We are excited to offer this great deal to you, our valued customer.

What you will need to do is look for our free shipping logo, which looks like this:

Our MBM office machines are broken up into the following categories:

• Destroyit Paper Shredders
• Triumph Stack Paper Cutters
• Kutrimmer Guillotine Paper Trimmers
• MBM Paper Folding Machines
• MBM Booklet Makers
• MBM Business Card Cutters
• MBM Paper Drills
• MBM Paper Joggers
• MBM Paper Collators

These machines are solid, reliable and have a great track record with our customers. I have personally used MBM machine in each of the above listed categories and I have always had a pleasant experience.

Feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions related to our MBM free shipping promotion.

If you are looking for a cross cut paper shredder, you may have come across the term micro cut shredder. So exactly what is a micro cut paper shredder? Based on the name, you would assume it was a paper shredder that cuts paper into tiny particles, but isn’t that what a cross cut paper shredder already does? I will explain the subtle differences.

To begin with, a cross cut paper shredder is a shredder that cuts paper in multiple directions, creating tiny particles of paper. Cross cut paper shredders are often called particle cut shredders, diamond cut shredders and confetti cut shredders. These terms all mean the same thing.

A micro cut shredder is a type of cross cut shredder, but not all cross cut shredders are micro cut shredders. I hope that isn’t too confusing. What it all boils down to is the term micro cut shredder is synonymous with the term high security shredder. While the term high security shredder is probably the more common term used, many manufacturers (such as MBM Destroyit) like to use the term micro cut.

Let me break this down even further. A micro cut paper shredder (high security shredder) is any shredder that falls within security level 5 or security level 6 specifications. On paper, this is what it means:

Security Level 5 – Anything that falls within 0.78mm x 11mm. Security level 5 used to be the highest security level available up until a few years ago. It was used for all government “high security” shredding.

Security Level 6 - Anything that falls within 1mm x 4-5mm. A few years ago the NSA established the security level 6 standard for the most top-secret documents. Few shredders are available in a security level 5 as almost all high security micro cut shredders are now level 6.

Do you need a micro cut paper shredder? I would say most people do not require a micro cut, unless you are government or a business that is worried about professional-level espionage. Most individuals and businesses will receive more than enough security from a level 3 cross cut pattern, which measures in at 3.9mm x 30-50mm.

You can find our entire selection of micro cut paper shredders here. Remember, micro cut and high security shredders are the same.

When shopping for a paper shredder, chances are that you want something that’s affordable, a great value and reliable. It is possible to find the right shredder that hits all the points your business needs. One great option for a small business or organization is the Destroyit 3104 cross cut paper shredder from MBM. This review will cover its various qualities, specifications and if any, weaknesses.

If you’re new to the paper shredder industry, or are simply not familiar with MBM, let me get you up to speed. While there are a lot of “OK” brands out there, Destroyit is considered to be the “crème de la crème” of shredders. In other words, businesses and government entities that do a lot of shredding often go with the Destroyit shredders.

There are a lot of reasons why Destroyit shredders are so highly regarded, and the Destroyit 3104 cross cut shredder hits all these points. To begin with, the Destroyit 3104 is a German engineered and built shredder. This means it has been put together with the highest-quality parts available, unlike many comparable shredders that are built with “budget” parts.

While I personally think any business would be happy with the Destroyit 3104 cross cut, it is best suited for use in small to medium-size businesses or as a departmental shredder. I would say this shredder could easily be used constantly throughout the day by 5-10 people without a problem. By constant, I am referring to heavy use.

The MBM Destroyit 3104 utilizes a thermally protected motor that is designed to be used continuously without suffering from overheating. Many shredders require a cool down period. Not so with the 3104. The 3104 uses a 1 horsepower (0.64 KW) single phase motor that runs on 110-120 volts of electricity. The motor is powerful, fast (18 feet per minute) and reliable.

I remember years ago when we used to tell customers to remove paper clips and staples (if possible) prior to shredding paper. The Destroyit 3104 uses a strong hardened steel cutting shaft that can easily handle staples and paper clips without suffering any damage. It can also be used to not only shred paper, but credit cards, DVDs and CDs as well. MBM is so confident in the cutting shafts that they are covered by a lifetime warranty.

The control panel on the Destroyit line of shredders, including the Destroyit 3104, is one of the easiest-to-use available today. IF you look at the picture, you will see a large round button. MBM calls this the “Easy Switch.” You can run pretty much every operation on this shredder from that button. It tilts to turn the shredder on or put it in reverse and built-in backlit symbols let you know the status of the shredder. This includes when the cabinet door is open and the bag is full.

This is a video demo of the Destroyit 3104 in use:

The throat on this shredder measures in at 12″, which is more than enough for most paper, forms and documents. The sheet capacity on this shredder is 22-25 sheets at a time, which is impressive for a level 3 cross cut shredder. Once shredded, paper is turned into tiny 3/16″ x 1 1/2″ (4 x 40 mm) particles. A large 32-gallon bin holds the shredded paper, which is pretty large. This means fewer bag changes for you!

Overall I have to give this shredder a solid 5 out of 5 stars. I am confident you will enjoy this shredder. It should provide you with years of reliable use.

You can find the Destroyit 3104 cross cut paper shredder here and our entire line of Destroyit paper shredders here. We also offer a great selection of other brands. You can find our entire selection of paper shredders here.

Do you need repairs on your Destroyit paper shredder? Give our Service Department a call at 1-800-658-8788 x129. We are an authorized Destroyit service center and can provide you with repairs, parts, training and more.

What is it that you want in your office paper shredder? Most people would respond that they need speed, security, capacity and reliability. If these four points sound like something you need in a machine, consider looking at the MBM Destroyit 3804 cross cut paper shredder. This is my review.

MBM Destroyit (known as IDEAL in Europe) have been making shredders for decades. One thing remains constant, their shredders are considered to be some of the best in the industry. Shredder designs and styles range from home office up to industrial shredding. The Destroyit 3804 is one of the latest additions to this tradition.

The MBM Destroyit 3804 cross cut shredder encompasses pretty much everything I would want in a paper shredder. Let me start with capacity. This shredder hits high capacities on just about every level.

To begin with, the Destroyit 3804 has a massive 44-gallon shred bin. Consider the fact that most cars have a 15-25 gallon gas tank. This shredder can hold about double that amount in shredded paper. This means much fewer bag changes for you and makes it possible for multiple people to use this shredder without the “Bag Full” indicator always being on.

Another “capacity” feature of this shredder is the wide capacity shredder throat. This machine can shred paper up to 16″ wide. That means you can shred a lot of small stuff or larger computer forms. Not only can you feed paper into this beast, but it can also handle shredding credit cards and CDs and will accept staples and paper clips without a hitch.

The next feature that impresses me is the speed. While the Destroyit 3804 cross cut already has an impressive 20-22 sheet shredding capacity, it can shred that paper at a speed of 20 feet per minute. That means you can shred over a football field’s length of 20-20 sheets in an hour. That’s just plain fast.

Also consider the fact that this shredder cuts paper down to a Level 3 security level, which is the most sought-after security level for office paper shredding. That means the Destroyit 3804 CC cuts paper into 3/16″ x 1 1/2″ (4 x 40 mm). Break out a ruler and measure that out. Small….right? You aren’t putting that back together.

Shredding speed, capacity and security all make this shredder perfect for departmental and centralized office shredding. Now let’s cover the “dependability” part of this review.

While I love stuff made in the USA, I have complete respect for German products. German shredders are THE benchmark when it comes to office paper shredders. From the hardened steel blades to the twin drive single-phase motor, this shredder is designed for heavy-use.

Even the motor has been thermally protected for continuous use. You will never have to wait 30 minutes for the motor to cool down with a Destroyit paper shredder.

In summary, you can do much better than a Destroyit paper shredder, and the Destroyit 3804 cross cut is one of the best options you have for office paper shredding. The build quality is excellent, it is reliable, secure and very fast. I use Destroyit shredders here at ABC Office and love them.

You can find the MBM Destroyit 3804 cross cut paper shredder here, our entire selection of Destroyit paper shredders here and our huge selection of all our paper shredders here.

Feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 to speak with one of our paper shredding specialists.

If you read this blog on a frequent basis, you probably know how much I like Dahle paper shredders. Dahle shredders are known for being quiet, reliable and holding up for years. They are especially popular with the government and military. Over the weekend Dahle announced their new line of CleanTEC paper shredders. This new lineup looks very promising. I’ll explain.

To begin with, the new CleanTEc line of paper shredders are one of the most technologically advanced paper shredders available. This is because they implement sophisticated dust filtration system. These new shredders are also extremely energy conscious, designed from the ground up to save on electricity.

To date, Dahle has released about 21 new CleanTEC paper shredders. This includes small office, office, small department, department and high security designs. Their new lineup includes the following models:

• Dahle Small Office Shredders: 41206, 41214, 41306, 41314, 41330
• Dahle Office Shredders: 41406, 41414, 41422, 41430
• Dahle Small Department Shredders: 41506, 41514, 41522, 41530
• Dahle Department Shredders: 41606, 41614, 41622, 41630
• Dahle High Security Shredders: 41334, 41434, 41534, 41634

We are in the process of adding these shredders to our site now. If you see one that you are interested in, call 1-800-658-8788. While they are not all online yet, we are still an authorized Dahle dealer and call still sell you these new shredders.

Here are a few videos on the new Dahle CleanTEC filtration system and shredders:

Introducing DAHLE CleanTEC Document Shredders

DAHLE’s CleanTEC solution to fine dust particle research

So why would you want to buy a Dahle CleanTec paper shredder? Here are a few reasons you may want to consider:

Dahle CleanTec Filtration: As you may know, air in the office is often full of particles. This can lead to sneazing and overall bad health. Paper shredders create a lot of dust. The new Dahle CleanTec filtration system removes up to 98% of paper dust created while shredding.

Dahle CleanTec Safe Technology: Have you ever used a voice-activated shredder? The Dahle shredder, in the event of an emergency, will stop by the operator simply saying “Stop.” These shredders also feature several design elements that make these shredders extremely safe to use and operate.

Dahle CleanTEC ESP Protection: Have you ever experienced a paper jam while shredding paper? This can be time consuming and costly. The new line of Dahle CleanTec shredders can actually have ESP (Electronic Sensing Protection). The shredder, at all times, knows how much stress is being put on the motor. If too much paper is inserted, these shredders will stop before a jam can occur.

Dahle SmartPower: We all want to save energy, power and electricity. The new line of CleanTec paper shredders utilizes several technologies designed to save power. After 10 minutes of inactivity, these shredders will go into an idle sleep mode. After 30 minutes, these shredders will shut down to a point where there is 0% energy draw.

Dahle EvenFlow Lubricator: Paper shredders have a lot of moving parts, and as a result, they need to be oiled. This will help your shredder run at optimal levels and will result in a longer lifespan. The new line of Dahle CleanTEC shredders have automatic oilers that keep parts properly lubricated, which should provide you with some peace of mind.

German Engineering: Unlike many shredders available online, Dahle paper shredders feature superior German engineering and design. They are also made in German by Dahle Bürotechnik GmbH. The end result is an extremely reliable paper shredder that features cutting shafts / blades made from the best steel in the world….German Solingen steel. These cutting shafts have a lifetime warranty. Dahle German CleanTEC shredders also feature rubber shocks, electronic sensors and thermally protected motors.

So there you have it! Dahle’s new line of CleanTEC paper shredders. Having seen a presentation of these shredders, I have to say that I’m impressed. If these end up anything like Dahle’s older lineup, you should be very happy with your purchase.

You can find our current lineup of Dahle paper shredders here. As mentioned earlier, while not all online yet, you can still order Dahle CleanTEC paper shredders from us by calling 1-800-658-8788. You can find our entire selection of paper shredders here.

As you may have noticed, word definitions can vary greatly from one person to another. A great example of this is the term “Industrial Paper Shredder.” An industrial paper shredder to you may be something entirely different to me. I deal with office paper shredders, commercial shredders and industrial shredders on a daily basis. This is what I consider an industrial paper shredder to be.

To begin with, I have had customers look an office shredder and ask me if it was an industrial shredder. I can understand. To many people, an over-the-can strip cut shredder is pretty high-end. I can tell you that most industry experts would consider an over-the-can shredder to be very low volume in capabilities and most office shredders to be medium-volume in output capacity.  Industrial shredders are not used at home and seldom in the office.

Here are features I would consider to be “industrial” in a paper shredder:

Sheet Capacity – While many office shredders are capable of shredding 20-40 sheets of paper at a time, most industrial paper shredders can shred in excess of 50 sheets of paper at a time or more. Some can even shred in excess of 500 sheets of paper at once. Pretty impressive….right? As is the case with most shredders, industrial strip cut shredders typically cut a lot more paper per pass than an industrial cross cut shredder.

Continuous Capabilities – An industrial shredder has to be able to run continuously throughout the day, for hours at a time. Many industrial shredders are used in shredding trucks or in warehouses and are literally used “continuously.”

Paper Disposal – While most standard paper shredders have a waste bin, many industrial paper shredders use what’s known as a baler. If you’re shredding 100s of sheets of paper at a time, you’re more than likely not going to want to empty a massive bag of paper. It would require multiple people and would be very cumbersome. Industrial shredders use a special type of compactor that will create a bale of paper much like a farm baler creates a bale of hay. This bale can then be carted of for disposal or recycling.

Dust Extractors – As you might imagine, shredding thousands upon thousands of sheets of paper per day can result in a lot of paper dust. Many of the highest-volume industrial paper shredders use special vacuums called dust extractors. These extractors remove dust during shredding to keep the work area clean. I hear it’s pretty nice for the sinuses as well.

Pre Shredders - Some paper shredders run at such fast speeds and handle so much paper at a time (entire phonebooks, reams of paper) that they need a pre shredder. Pre shredders cut paper down into more manageable pieces of paper before they enter the final shredder. This helps streamline the shredding process and creates less stress on the final shredder motor.

Here is a video of a mid-range industrial paper shredder. This is the MBM Destroyit 4107 industrial paper shredder:

I don’t know if this helps you better understand what an industrial paper shredder is, but I certainly hope you no longer think a shredder purchased at a local department store is an industrial shredder.

At ABC Office we offer a great selection of paper shredders. You can find our entire selection of industrial paper shredders here and all our paper shredders here.

Many people ask me which paper shredder brand is the best. I usually start off with my three favorite brands, which include Destroyit, Dahle and Formax. As far as Formax paper shredders go, the Formax FD 8600CC is one of the best we offer. It is solid, reliable and great for office use. I had a chance to use this shredder and we ended up shooting a video demo.

Formax makes the FD 8600 in a cross cut and a strip cut version. They are the FD 8600CC and Formax FD 8600SC respectively. These shredders feature continuous-duty motors, high shredding capacities, all-metal gears and large 16″ wide openings. The basically feature everything you would want in a department paper shredder.

Because these shredders feature casters, than can be wheeled off to centralized locations in the office. I don’t see any reason why 6-8 people couldn’t use one of these shredders throughout the day. Simply put, they are designed to hold up for years.

This video will probably do a better job at explaining the FD 8600CC’s benefits:

So there you have it! The Formax FD 8600CC paper shredder. Again, this is a solid shredder. It is perfect for office use and the build quality should allow this machine to hold up for years of continuous-duty shredding.

You can find the Formax FD 8600CC paper shredder here and our entire selection of paper shredders here.

So you need a home paper shredder and are looking for something under $100? You are entering the danger zone. That is, the sub $100 paper shredder range can be one of the scariest price ranges for shredders. There are a lot of garbage paper shredders out there and many of them float under the $100 price level. Here are a few tips that should help you stay in the clear.

Capacity, durability and reliability are all features you need in your shredder. Don’t settle for less. Be aware, however, that sub $100 shredders aren’t designed for office use. This range of paper shredders is specifically for home use….and occasional use at that. If you need something for the office, that can be used throughout the day, you’re going to need a shredder that costs more than $100. That said, here are a few sub $100 shredders that you should be happy with for home use.

Best Paper Shredders Under $100

1. Intelli-Shred IS100 Paper Shredder – This is probably the best $100 shredder around. It is an excellent value for the dollar. I know, it is technically $109, but I had to fit it in this list. It is just too good a deal not to mention.
2. Martin Yale 1000 Paper Shredder – These guys make Intimus, which is a highly reputable brand of shredders. Considering this shredder is a cross cut, it is a great value for the dollar.
3. Fellowes P-35C Cross Cut Shredder – This is one of the least expensive home paper shredders available today. It isn’t designed for continuous use, but is excellent for shredding mail, receipts, invoices and other material.
4. Fellowes W-11C Paper Shredder – This is a great shredder to have at home and can even be used next to a home office desk. It is safe to use and provides you with a secure cross cut pattern.
5. Fellowes DS-2 Paper Shredder – This shredder was designed from the ground up for home use. It has a nice Security Level 3 cross cut pattern and includes a nice bin opening for the discarding of other material.

This 5 paper shredders are all a great value and a great option for home paper shredding. If you need something a little more robust, or perhaps for the office, you can find our entire selection of paper shredders here.

If you still have questions, feel free to speak with one of our paper shredder specialists by calling 1-800-658-8788.