Comments for Buy A Shredder, Hamster Powered Or Otherwise

Buy A Shredder, Hamster Powered Or Otherwise

2007-04-12T04:44:47Z

A post on BoingBoing about a hamster-powered shredder reminded us to tell you that you need to buy a shredder. Everyone should have one. We got a small one at Target for 15 bucks.—MEGHANN MARCO

Hamster Powered Shredder [Via BoingBoing]

Comment from Anitra on 2007-04-12

2007-04-12T23:40:43Z

I also recommend the MAILMATE shredder. We've had it since Christmas, and it does a great job of shredding anything we put in it - except for the piece of junk mail that had a *@^%#$ nickel in it! It's best if you keep it near the door, so you can drop your junk mail in it right away. If you're like us, you'll have to empty it pretty often, as the reservoir is small.

Disclaimer: I am a Staples employee. It's still the best shredder I've used.

Comment from Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!) on 2007-04-12

2007-04-12T20:22:07Z

@superlayne: That what they say you should do, use it all as cat litter!

Comment from LAGirl on 2007-04-12

2007-04-12T12:12:26Z

@team gingerbread: 'it's very zen'. i totally know what you mean! there is something very satisfying about having all that paper ground up into nice, neat little bits. must be the anal, organized Virgo in me.

@zolielo: 'If that does not cut it, I think that I will have to step up to a wood chipper'. no pun intended?

Comment from timmus on 2007-04-12

2007-04-12T10:26:13Z

Be careful with ones that start automatically if you have kids or pets.

Definitely. A year ago when our kid was a toddler, I shopped for a shredder and picked one at Office Depot that could not be turned on without simultaneously pressing and sliding a button. We've never shredded anything in his presence and have told him not to touch it. So he's had zero interest in it, and (1) he hasn't played with the mechanism and (2) he hasn't "tested" it with our important papers.

Comment from FLConsumer on 2007-04-12

2007-04-12T08:28:09Z

I'm with the litter box gang... Fellowes heavy-duty crosscut shredder and the shreddings go into my rabbit's litter box. While rabbit excrement isn't anywhere near as vile as a hamster/gerbil's would be, it still would serve as quite a deterrent. For the ultra-sensitive things, I shred then burn.

Comment from nan on 2007-04-12

2007-04-12T07:41:46Z

All is nice and dandy until the hamster glues the strips (not crosscut!) together and steals your identity.

Comment from superlayne on 2007-04-12

2007-04-12T06:58:10Z

@alicetheowl: I used it for kitty litter after Lolo got declawed. That was a funky mess to dig in, there.

Comment from jeblis on 2007-04-12

2007-04-12T06:09:59Z

Royal 160mx

very small crosscuts, shreds DVDs, cds, credit cards, junk mail still in the envelope, large basket. Easily out performs fellowes shredders at 2x the cost. I actually look forward to getting junk mail now.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000A8NSRO/r...

Comment from Veign on 2007-04-12

2007-04-12T05:55:01Z

@LAGirl: I have the same one and its works great. Costs about $50 after a rebate. Handles junk mail (unopened), CDs and credit cards with ease.

Comment from alohanico on 2007-04-12

2007-04-12T05:51:09Z

My Dad (he of practical gift-giving tendencies) bought me a shredder (it's a royal 11-page cross-cut with cd/dvd/credit card shredding). At first I was a little mystified, but I love it. I just save my shredding for a bad day (which are frequent when you work in retail management as I do) - it's very zen.

The other day my boyfriend asked me why I had a shredder, as if I was the crazy one and everyone else in the room was just like "you don't? what's wrong with you?"

He's an engineer, that's what wrong with him, but I digress...

Comment from spanky on 2007-04-12

2007-04-12T05:47:47Z

Be careful with ones that start automatically if you have kids or pets.

Comment from zolielo on 2007-04-12

2007-04-12T05:42:11Z

@LAGirl: I think that I will give the MAILMATE a try. If that does not cut it, I think that I will have to step up to a wood chipper.

Comment from alicetheowl on 2007-04-12

2007-04-12T05:37:25Z

Back when I had gerbils, I'd give all the sensitive documents to them. If anyone wanted to go through the gerbil litter when the gerbils were done to piece them back together, they were welcome to it!

The gerbils doubled as cat entertainment.

Comment from Die_Fledermaus on 2007-04-12

2007-04-12T05:34:02Z

Shredder. Bah! i just rip the mail in half. Throw half out now and the other half a few weeks later. Cost: 0.
Chance that they monitor my garbage and can put together parts of an app seperated by weeks: almost 0

Comment from Maulleigh on 2007-04-11

2007-04-12T04:59:36Z

A friend of mine says he shreds ANYTHING with his name on it. Good practice. I got my hand-held at Duane Reade for $14.

Comment from AcidReign on 2007-04-11

2007-04-12T04:49:56Z

.....There was a big Fellowes unit at Sam's Club this week for $99 that supposedly would eat 17 sheets at once, or a CD. Too rich for my blood, but...

.....Don't give the hamster paper. Puffs plus killed my brother's hamster, and the ink from some of the "worst companies in America" probably is toxic by default!

Comment from MercuryPDX on 2007-04-11

2007-04-12T04:46:51Z

I got a 12-sheet (+ Credit Card slot + CD/DVD Slot) shredder with a removable basket for $89 at Walmart.

This unit replaced the $29 7-sheet shredder that I used for about 6 months before it up and died. At the time I thought "Meh, a shredder is a shredder is a shredder...". Totally wrong there. Shoulda went Heavy Duty from the get go.

I shred everything I get in my mailbox in it, except for the "Free Weekly Newspaper Sample".

Comment from LAGirl on 2007-04-11

2007-04-12T04:34:05Z

i just picked up the MAILMATE shredder at Staples for about $50 (after a $20 rebate). it's claim to fame is shredding an entire piece of junk mail, envelope and all. i've been able to put through several pieces of junk mail at a time.

from staples.com: '10-folded sheets, Heavy Duty Cross-cut, up to 100 uses/day, shreds CDs/DVDs, credit cards, staples & small paper clips'.

works great!

go to:
http://www.staples.com/ and type in MAILMATE SHREDDER

Comment from zolielo on 2007-04-11

2007-04-12T03:57:57Z

They never seem to handle the input load that I want at the cost I am willing to pay.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a high use, heavy duty, paper shredder that does not cost and arm and a leg?