MBM Destroyit 4005 Micro Cut Paper Shredder - DSH0502

The MBM Destroyit 4005 Level-4 Cross-Cut Shredder offers large busy offices a high level of security along with capacity and safety features. Here is a look at some of the strengths and weaknesses of the MBM Destroyit 4005 Level 4 Cross-Cut Shredder.

Strengths:

1. This Destroyit 4005 shredder comes with a lot of features, but perhaps the best is the superior level of security that it offers. Level 3 is the lowest that we recommend for the destruction of most confidential information (and is in fact required per 2005 federal FACTA laws), and the MBM Destroyit 4005 Level 4 does that one better by producing shred particles of 3/32" by 5/8" that are rated by the shredder industry as Level 4, and thus appropriate for the destruction of documents that contain information crucial to the existence of your business.

2. The Destroyit 4005 Level 4 is a very capable machine giving you the ability to shred up to 20 sheets at a time (quite nice considering the high security level), and is rated for continuous use.

3. The cutting heads of the Destroyit 4005 Level 4 are guaranteed for life, and are made of hardened German steel.

4. The Destroyit 4005 Level 4 can not only handle staples and paper clips (fairly standard these days) it can also shred credit cards and CDs.

5. Shredder safety is something we always take a good hard look at in our reviews, and in this realm too, the Destroyit 4005 Level 4 impresses. There is a clear, hard plastic shield at the feed opening to keep hands and other objects away from the cutters, and which also keeps shards from flying out of the opening when you are shredding CDs. The machine also has a paper-jam preventing auto reverse mode in case you try to feed it too much paper--which is unlikely thanks to the capacity indicator lights. If a jam does occur, the machine will cut off power immediately. Other safety features that are nice, if fairly standard in the industry, are the power cutoffs when the cabinet door is ajar and when the waste bin is full.

6. The Destroyit 4005 Level 4 is a simple machine to operate with its large, easy to read control button and color coding system to show you what mode the machine is in. You can set the shredder to start automatically when you place paper in the feed (and stop when the job is over), so you don't have to turn it on and off - a nice time saver. There's a sleep mode that kicks in after an hour of inactivity, which saves energy too.

7. All shredders need periodic oiling, it's just that some are easier to maintain in this way than others. The Destroyit 4005 Level 4's automatic oiling system makes the lubrication process just about as easy as it could possibly be. There isn't even any pumping involved like in some other shredders. The handy indicator lights let you know that the oiling system is working and also tell you when the oil bottle is empty.

Weaknesses:

1. When is a strength a weakness? While the Destroyit 4005 Level 4 offers a high level of security, there is a little bit of a trade off in sheet capacity. While the capacity is great for a Level 4 machine, the Destroyit 4005 Level 3 offers a security level that is FACTA-compliant and also gives you the ability to shred up to 32 pages at a time (compared to the Level 4's 20 sheets). The machines generally cost the same, so you will have to decide which is more important to you.

2. This is a large shredder that is designed for centralized office use. It has a large motor and is a sizable machine. As such, this machine costs almost five thousand dollars. That may not be in the budget for all organizations. However, it is comparable to other level four central office shredders.