Pros & Cons
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- Secure micro-cut shredding.
- Large collection basket.
- Can cut large sheafs of paper at once.
- Also handles paper clips, staples, optical discs, and credit cards.
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- Slower than some other shredders in its class.
In this age where cyber attacks and hacking incidents make regular headlines, businesses can't afford to forget that sensitive physical documents are also at risk of being pilfered. Even shredded documents can be recovered, as anyone who has seen the film Argo can attest to. The TRU RED 16-Sheet Micro Cut Commercial Shredder ($219.99) can slice up paper into tiny bits that nothing short of a very motivated government intelligence service might even try to piece together. Factoring in its combination of micro-cut security, the ability to shred more than 16 sheets of paper at once, its large waste bin, and its knack for shredding items beyond paper, the 16-Sheet Micro (as I will refer to it from here on) is our new Editors' Choice shredder for small businesses that have medium to heavy shredding demands.
Don't Let Shredded Paper Haunt You
TRU RED products, which include pens, markers, desk organizers, journals, and scissors in addition to shredders, are sold online and in stores by Staples, as well as through its partners Quill.com and Hi-Touch. TRU RED shredders range from eight-sheet personal models to 100-sheet auto-feed shredders, at prices ranging from $99.99 to $299.99. They include both cross-cut shredders and the higher-security micro-cut models such as the 16-Sheet Micro. It has a P-4 security level by the DIN-66399 standard, which makes it suitable for shredding all but the most critically sensitive business documents. I measured the bits of arrow-shaped shred at an average of 0.5 by 0.18 inch in size.
The only shredders we have reviewed with substantially smaller shred are the considerably higher priced Swingline SM12-08 Micro Cut Jam Free Shredder and the Fellowes Powershred 99Ms Micro-Cut Shredder, which have security levels of P-5, making them suitable for shredding secret documents. The Editors' Choice AmazonBasics 12-Sheet High-Security Micro-Cut Shredder With Pullout Basket has shred size similar to the 16-Sheet Micro, as does the AmazonBasics 17-Sheet High-Security Shredder.
In contrast, the Editors' Choice Fellowes Powershred 99Ci has considerably longer shred, averaging 0.16 by 1.7 inch. As a cross-cut shredder, it is less secure than the 16-Sheet Micro.
The 16-Sheet Micro's waste bin fits 8 gallons of shred, a generous capacity, if not unusually so. The Swingline SM12-08 also has an 8-gallon basket. The AmazonBasics 17-Sheet High-Security Shredder's waste bin holds 7 gallons, while the Fellowes Powershred 99Ms Micro-Cut Shredder has a slightly larger (9-gallon) basket. In comparison, the tiny, good-looking Swingline Style+ Super Cross-Cut Shredder has a basket that holds a mere 3.3 gallons.
An Attractive Yet Utilitarian Shredder
The 16-Sheet Micro has an understated but handsome design. A floor-standing model resting on four casters (which the user inserts into the shredder's base during setup), it measures 24.4 by 14.7 by 11.5 inches (HWD). Its color scheme is three-tone. The body is glossy black on the top and on the front panel above the basket, with matte black on the sides and back, and gray on the wastebasket door. The door has a see-through panel for monitoring the height of the mound of shredded paper. Despite its "TRU RED" moniker, there is no red on this scanner—except when a warning light goes on, such as when the shredder overheats, the bin is full, or there is a jam.
The feed slot, on top, fits paper up to letter or legal width, as well as optical discs and plastic cards. In addition to paper, the 16-Sheet Micro can handle shredding, CDs, DVDs, credit cards, paper clips, and staples. Many shredders, the Swingline SM12-08 among them, can handle staples and paper clips but not discs. On the other hand, the AmazonBasics 17-Sheet High-Security Shredder can shred CDs, DVDs, and credit cards, but it's recommended that you avoid trying to shred metal items such as staples and paper clips with it. The 16-Sheet Micro is one of a mere handful of shredders rated to handle all of these items.
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In front of the feed slot are the on/off button and an LED panel housing the indicator lights, as well as virtual forward and reverse buttons.
Small Shred, Slow Speed
I measured the 16-Sheet Micro's shredding speed—by feeding it one sheet after another for 60 seconds—at 7.3 feet per minute (fpm), a bit better than its 6.6fpm rated speed. Keep in mind the general rule that the smaller the shred size, the slower the shredder, as it takes work (and time) to dice the paper into such tiny pieces. The AmazonBasics 17-Sheet High-Security Shredder averaged a faster 9.2fpm, while I timed the Swingline SM12-08 at 8fpm.
As you might guess from its name, the TRU RED 16-sheet Micro Cut Commercial Shredder is designed to scan a stack of 16 sheets of paper inserted at once. In testing, it could do that and more—it shredded a sheaf of 20 sheets, though it sounded a little strained in doing so. Nobody is likely to count out the number of sheets they're shredding, so it's good to have a little leeway in its capacity. Many shredders slightly exceed their capacity; the AmazonBasics 17-Sheet High-Security Shredder could also handle up to 20 sheets in our testing.
Nearly all shredders require a cool-down period after a period of continuous shredding. The 16-Sheet Micro is designed for 20 minutes of continuous shredding followed by a 40-minute cool-down period, which is better than many. The AmazonBasics 17-Sheet High-Security Shredder, for one, can also shred for 20 minutes straight, but it requires 50 minutes to cool down.
A Secure, Versatile Shredder
The most notable thing about the 16-Sheet Micro? Although it will not overwhelm you with any single feature or its performance, it is above par in most ways. It provides adequate security for shredding all but the most secure documents. It can shred up to 20 pages at once, when it's rated for 16. Its 8-gallon basket is above average, if not exceptional. Its ratings for continuous runtime and necessary cool-down period are good. And unlike many shredders, it can handle tough media like optical discs, credit cards, and paper clips in addition to paper.
The only area in which it (slightly) lagged its peers is in shred speed, but even there, it beat its own rating. The TRU RED 16-Sheet Micro Cut Commercial Shredder's versatility is enough to make it our Editors' Choice among secure, small-office/workgroup shredders.
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Final Thoughts
TRU RED 16-Sheet Micro Cut Commercial Shredder Review
The TRU RED 16-Sheet Micro Cut Commercial Shredder does nearly everything right, combining secure shredding of up to 20 sheets at once, good basket capacity, the ability to shred many non-paper items, and sustained shredding before required cool-down periods.