Pros & Cons
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- Small shred size provides good security.
- Can shred continuously for up to 20 minutes.
- Effective jam protection.
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- Can't shred credit cards, CDs, or DVDs.
- Not built for speed.
The Swingline SM12-08 Micro-Cut Jam Free Shredder ($399.99) is a good choice for busy micro offices or small workgroups who need a durable and secure shredder. As a micro-cut shredder, it chops documents into small enough shreds to minimize the possibility that anyone could reconstruct them. It features effective jam protection and can shred continuously for long enough to make it a fitting choice for medium- to heavy-duty shredding needs. The SM12-08 is on the pricey side, but privacy- and security-conscious offices will find it worth the extra cost.
Design and Features
Designed for use by up to 5 users, the SM12-08 ($399.99 at Swingline) is a sturdy black shredder with silver trim that measures 22 by 13 by 17 inches (HWD). Unlike many small-office shredders, it has no casters on which it can be rolled, instead resting directly on the floor. On top, in front of the 9-inch feed slot, is a switch that can be toggled between various shredding modes: Reverse, Forward, and On/Automatic. Behind the slot are two warning lights, for overheating and paper jams. Unlike many shredders, including the Editors' Choice AmazonBasics 12-Sheet High-Security Micro-Cut Paper, CD, and Credit Card Shredder With Pullout Basket , the SM12-08 can't shred optical discs or plastic cards, although it can shred staples and paper clips in addition to paper.
As a micro-cut shredder, the SM12-08 cuts paper into very thin and short shreds, which I measured at 0.65 by 0.09 inches, nearly as small as the shreds from the Fellowes Powershred 99Ms Micro-Cut Shredder ($402.12 at Amazon) (0.5 by 0.09 inches) and smaller than those from the AmazonBasics 12-Sheet Micro-Cut Shredder (0.5 by 0.19 inch), the other two micro-cut shredders we have tested. By the DIN 66399 international shredder security standard, the SM12-08 ranks at P-5, meaning that it can shred paper into small enough pieces to be suitable for destroying sensitive, though not classified or top secret, documents.
The small shred size, combined with a large (8-gallon) wastebasket, means that you should be able to shred for a long time with the SM12-08 without having to empty the basket. Manual-feed shredders designed for small-group or home use seldom have baskets that exceed 9 gallons, a capacity we have seen with the Fellowes 99Ms and Fellowes 99Ci 100% Jam Proof Cross-Cut Shredder ($333.48 at Walmart) . The Editors' Choice Swingline Style+ Super Cross-Cut Shredder personal shredder has a tiny (3.3-gallon) basket, but its relatively small shred size—smaller than standard cross-cut shredders—makes the basket slow to fill.
Performance
Typically, the smaller the shred size, the slower the shredder, and that is true of the SM12-08. I timed it at 8 feet per minute (fpm) when feeding it one sheet at a time, slightly exceeding its 7 fpm rated speed. The AmazonBasics 12-Sheet High-Security Micro-Cut Paper, CD, and Credit Card Shredder With Pullout Basket shredded at 7 fpm, the Fellowes 99Ms shredded at 10.5fpm, the AmazonBasics 12-Sheet Cross-Cut Paper, CD, and Credit Card Shredder ( at Amazon) at 13.2ppm, and the Swingline Style+ zipped through pages at a 17.4ppm clip.
The SM12-08 is designed to shred up to 12 sheets at a time, and it even shredded up to 13 pages in my testing. When I added more, a red light went on and it wouldn't shred. This is effective jam protection, relying on prevention. Although you could override the warning by pushing the main switch to Forward, it's not worth it to chance a jam for a little extra capacity.
The SM12-08 has a robust duty cycle, designed for 20 minutes of continuous shredding followed by a 10-minute cool-down period. The Fellowes 99Ci can shred for 20 minutes straight, but then needs a 40-minute break. Few lower-priced shredders can shred for more than 10 minutes before needing a break. The AmazonBasics 12-Sheet Micro-Cut Shredder can shred continuously for 8 minutes before needing a 45-minute cooldown period, and the Swingline Style+ can shred continuously for just 6 minutes, followed by 30 minutes of rest.
Conclusion
You'll pay more than many competitors for the Swingline SM12-08 Micro-Cut Jam Free Shredder, but it will be worth it for many small offices with lots of paper to shred, including sensitive documents. For lower-volume, relatively secure shredding, the Editors' Choice AmazonBasics 12-Sheet Micro-Cut Shredder fits the bill at a budget price, and it can shred CDs or credit cards, which the SM12-08 can't. Instead, it is able to scan for much longer before needing to cool down, and it has a nice range of features including effective jam protection, a larger basket, and the ability to slice and dice into minuscule shreds.