Formax OnSite FD 8402SC Strip-Cut Level P-2 Paper Shredder

Staff Review

Formax FD 8400SC Strip-Cut Paper Shredder Review

The Formax FD 8400SC gives the busy office some formidable shredding power and capacity. Here is a look at some of the various strengths and weaknesses of the FD 8400SC, along with some recommended sites where you can get more information.

Strengths:

1. The FD 8400SC appears to be a rather rough and ready machine, and company literature states that this shredder has a capacity of an impressive 30 sheets of paper per pass. We found that it did indeed operate at or around that level, but your mileage may vary (as the saying goes) depending on such factors as the strength of your electrical power supply, the weight of the paper you are shredding, and even the humidity where you live. The rugged, specially-geared motor runs at 30 feet per minute, and the solid steel cutting heads come with a lifetime warranty and handled paper clips, staples, and credit cards quite easily. We like that the 12 inch feed opening will accommodate the most common paper sizes, and the LED panel that makes this shredder a breeze to operate.

2. Keeping the FD 8400SC in peak operating form is also made easy with the many user self maintenance features. For starters, anytime you notice the machine's production level lagging, you can simply press the reverse button for 5 seconds and the machine will run in reverse for one minute, clearing the cutting heads of paper dust and particles that may have collected over time. Timing the oiling of the cutting heads is no longer a problem, as there is a light on the LED control panel that will let you know when it is time to lubricate the mechanism. This can be made easier still with the purchase of Formax's add on oiling system, which is pump operated and features copper nozzles that deliver a steady dose of oil, and are built to last a lifetime.

3. If the FD 8400SC ever needs a service call, there is a computer on board that makes note of such user statistics as overall operation time, the frequency that the auto reverse function has been engaged, and has the volume of paper that the shredder has processed and can display this information to your service technician.

4. The FD 8400SC comes with some rather nice safety features as well. There is a load indicator that warns of possible overfeeds, as well as an automatic reverse function that kicks in when a paper jam occurs. There's also automatic power cutoff when someone opens the cabinet door or when the waste receptacle is too full for the machine to safely operate, and this machine has its own circuit breaker to keep the shredder from overworking your electrical system.

Weaknesses:

1. The FD 8400SC is a powerful shredder, but you should be aware that it's a strip cut model which only offers a security level of 2. If you are looking for a higher security machine without sacrificing much of the capacity, you may want to take a look at the cross cut (level 3 security) version of this shredder, the Formax FD 8400CC.