I've been using this Royal Shredder (Model # VF1012mx) for the past seven months. Two other people also use this machine, and it sees light to moderate use.
Description
This is a nice looking cross-cut shredder. It is a light gray color and measures 9 1/4" x 19" x 14". It is a heavy machine at 21 pounds. A nice feature is that the shredder has four caster wheels so that the machine can be rolled across the floor. The casters can lock in place to keep them securely immobile if desired.
Labeled as a moderate-use shredder, it is designed to shred up to 12 pieces of paper at a time as well as credit cards and CDs. There is a slot along the top of the shredder for the paper to vertically feed through. A separate slot is for feeding CDs.
The shredder features a medium-size easy to pull-out bin (literature says it holds 1.6 liters). Beneath the handle on the front of the bin is a small see-through window to view the bin’s interior. A safety feature is that when the bin is pulled out, the machine automatically powers off.
The controls are operated by a sliding switch that looks like a knob on top of the shredder. The control options are Off / Auto Start / Reverse. There are LED lights to indicate an Overload, Overheating, and if the unit is Ready. This shredder also has a cord measuring about six feet long.
Our Experiences
We use this shredder to primarily shred office documents and unwanted mail. Most of the paper is 20-pound weight copy/printer paper as well as those infamous credit card offers that come in the mail. We don’t shred everything ... just those items that we feel are sensitive and merit more through disposal that just tossing them in a recycling bin. Rarely, a credit card or CD will be run through the machine.
This shredder has seen light to moderate use. It is not used every day, but at least a few times each week. It does an excellent job at shredding. The paper bits are small enough to definitely challenge someone intending to reassemble them. The manufacturer states that the paper shreds to 1/8" x 1 5/8". We find that the shreds are a bit larger ... but close to that size. The machine has also dealt with credit cards and CDs without issue, though we do not have to destroy many of these.
The bin is adequate for us. If you are a heavy shredder, though, you may find it needs frequent emptying. The bin easily pulls free from the machine, and we empty the contents into a recycling bucket. There is window in the front of the bin to see where the shredded paper level is. However, the window is small and only effective if the paper level is high.
I like the Auto Start feature. The shredder remains on, and only when something is inserted into the slot does the machine turn on. There is a caution sticker on top of the shredder with the typical warnings about not placing fingers into or near the slot. We are also careful that we don’t have any type of dangling clothing or jewelry that might become “sucked” into the machine.
This is not a jam-free machine, but it’s been pretty good to us. Sometimes (rarely) it will jam if we feed it too heavy a paper or more than the maximum twelve sheets. As a rule, we don’t place the maximum number of sheets through the shredder. The Reverse button moves the offending jam backward out of the shredding mechanism. Then it is easy to pull the rest of the jam free from the machine.
The noise factor is a definite consideration. This machine is loud! I would not want to have this shredder located near a telephone that was in use.
The machine is also very heavy. It’s great that it is on casters so that it can roll from one location to another if needed. I wouldn’t want to carry it! The wheels work best on flooring that is not carpeted. It will roll on carpeting, but not as easily as if on a hard surface such as a wood floor.
Another consideration regarding this machine is how others feel about using it. After we purchased this shredder, we found product reviews that gave it mostly average to poor ratings. We have not had problems with the shredder. However, you may want to keep your receipt in case the shredder doesn’t operate well for you.
Purchasing
This machine cost around $60.00 at a local discount store. It costs $67.99 from Amazon.com, and I have seen it sell for as high as $99.00, so definitely shop around for the best price.
Summary
For our simple needs, this Royal Shredder has worked well for us. We especially like the Auto Start feature, that the shredder is on casters, and that the bin is easy to remove and empty. I just wish it was less noisy.
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