I've had this for three plus years and use it regularly in my insurance practice, home office.

I've never had it overheat to the point where it shut down on its own, even when I've run a lot of paper through it.

The machine will take 4-5 sheets copy paper but prefers 1-2. Really grinds at more than four.

Instructions call for oiling it by putting light machine oil (Office D sells "shredder lubricant",I use 3in1 oil -- good enough for my Singer, good enough for my shredder). Have done that less often than the instructions asked.

Have had a problem with some clogging, bunching up at one end. Tonight it go so badly clogged that it finally stopped. Couldn't reverse or forward it.

I noticed the top had "popped" away from the bottom part of the working part of this machine and that there was a significant amount of paper above the gears. It took the better part of 30 minutes using my Leatherman's needlenose pliers to pull all the paper out. Now it works again.

I think if you use this judiciously, it is worth the price. You want/need high volume, pay for a better machine that's built for that or pay a shredder service.

This Unit looks fine, stylish wire mesh basket, smooth lines, black and silver. But thats where it stops being the right choice. The performance on this unit is pathetic at best. While it is advertised as being able to manage 8 sheets of paper, it choked and stalled on 8 sheets of standard copier paper. One business size envelope stuffed with a single sheet glossy flier, brought it to a screeching halt and it broke! You could hear the gears grind up and that was it.



Here's a more detailed run down of its beginning and ultimate demise:

Unpacked it, nice looking, but while it play?

1. run multiple single sheet feedings, no problem except the feed slot is combursome and a single sheet does not feed easily past the feed sensor... have to force it in.

2. ran 2-4 sheet feedings, 2-3 was ok, but 4 showed significant workout

3. Ran 2 CD's through the CD Slot, definitely not sounding healthy, but it managed to mangle the cds into 4 slices, not small bits like the paper.

4. gobbled up 4 old credit cards without incident, but the pieces could have been retrieved and put back together without any problem, thus regaining the numbers... Not adequate for identity theft prevention.

5. Finally ran 6 sheets of copier paper, this thing is smelling warm and I think it was sweating profusely

6. 8 Sheets and this baby is busting a gut! serious sounds and not at all happy.

7. The final straw was a single business size envelope with a advertisement flier inside (junk mail, presenting no more than 5 layers of paper, it stalled and broke, making gear nashing sounds... thats it she's history.

8. back in the box and back to Office Depot you go!