subject: GBC Shredmaster 4550X Cross Cut Departmental Shredder Review [print this page] For a secure departmental shredder able to handle the daily needs of a busy office, check out the GBC Shredmaster 4550X Cross Cut Departmental Shredder. This machine is built to withstand the heavy duty needs of an entire department or small to mid-size company. Designed for easy use and equipped with a powerful motor and sturdy blades, the 4550X is both convenient and efficient. Let's take a closer look at the strengths and weaknesses of this shredder.
Strengths:
With automated features for easy use, even inexperienced users can operate this device without any problems. The blades sense items in the feed and shred on cue. If a jam occurs, the shafts automatically stop and reverse to send the overfed paper back out to the user. The blades also automatically shutoff if the shred bag is full. SmartShred electronics keep the user constantly updated by the use of a lit display panel.
The continuous duty motor is another excellent feature on this device. This allows you to shred all day without having to wait for your machine to cool down.
A wide 12 inch throat utilizes a deep funnel design to guide wide documents and messy stacks smoothly into the blades. The protective shield prevents fingers coming into contact with the sharp blades. Up to 16 sheets of stapled and paperclipped documents can enter at once and are shred as fast as 30 feet per minute.
The cross cutting blades take in full size documents and leave only small pieces that measure 5/32" by 1-1/2" in size. These paper remnants provide a level 2 security rating, perfect for general office shredding. The cross cut particles float down into a generous 36 gallon shred bag.
GBC provides a 3 year warranty on this device, which covers parts and labor and includes on-site service. The solid cutting shafts are covered by warranty for life.
Weaknesses:
The paper confetti pieces only offer a low level 2 security. While this is fine for the disposal of most unwanted office documents, such as old work orders and memos, any confidential items should go through at least a level 3 shredder. We recommend the GBC 5550X.
With a weight of about 100 pounds, this device is fairly heavy. However, it is mounted on casters for easier portability and we don't think this will be a problem for most.
This shredder doesn't take in credit cards or CDs. Depending on the needs of your office, this may or may not be an issue for you. For a similar shredder with this capability, check out the GBC Shredmaster 4500S.
Clearly the 4550X is more than capable to handle the shredding needs of a busy office. Departments with 10 or more users could easily place this device in a high traffic area and have it stand up to the high volume use needed. Providing both convenience and efficiency, this is one machine to seriously consider if you're in the market for a central shredder. We highly recommend the GBC Shredmaster 4550X Cross Cut Departmental Shredder.
