Last Updated: October 7, 2019 (Refresh Now)
AmazonBasics 12 Sheet High Security Micro Cut Paper CD and Credit Card Home Office Shredder with Pullout Basket
Last Updated: October 7, 2019 (Refresh Now)
8.2
SCORE
/10
Total Reviews
1000
Old Reviews
0
Unverified
31
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32 meters
SIZE
Review Analysis - 969 recent, verified reviews
Detailed Mode
Fit
317shreds, shredding, shred, credit, sheets
+76%
-24%
" ... I like the confetti pieces, I like the container where it goes into. ... "
" ... Very small shredded piece of paper. ... "
" ... I purchased 2 of the AmazonBasics 12-Sheet Cross-Cut Paper, CD, and Credit Card Shredder. ... "
" ... So far this has been a great little shredder. ... It even shreds those sticky address labels with no gumming up and jamming! ... The basket holds a lot too. ... "
" ... I shredded nonstop for almost an hour and it did just fine, (I was shredding 8 - 10 pieces of paper at a time) ... "
" ... I like the removable basket that makes emptying easier than having to lift the whole shredder from the basket. ... "
" ... Love this shredder. ... "
" ... It shreds paper and credit cards into very small pieces and is very quiet. ... "
Product Reliability
147stopped working, auto, lasted, died, shredders
+48%
-52%
" ... I think for $100 it should have lasted longer than a year. ... "
" ... My Fellows lasted 10 years, I would be suprised if this one lasts 6 months. ... "
" ... It stopped working 14 months after we purchase this item. ... "
" ... Bought in July and already not working with minimal use. ... "
" ... It has stopped working. ... "
" ... The motor never stops running unless you physically turn it off. ... Now, after less than a year the paper feed into the shredder has stopped working. ... Unfortunately it was past the return period when the problems started. ... "
" ... On the 6th use it just stopped working. ... "
" ... I have one jammed on there now. ... "
Storage
144basket, sheets, shreds, shredded, empty
+88%
-13%
" ... I had a huge bag of papers that needed shredding when I cleaned out my filing cabinet. ... "
" ... It's quiet compared to my last shredder and the pull out bin is so much more convenient. ... "
" ... does 8 to 10 sheets with ease., micro shredded, the bin for shredded paper is larger than most. ... "
" ... I just kept storing it away. ... "
" ... The tray catches a lot of shredded and is very convenient because I was used to lifting the motor and blades from the top of the basket. ... "
" ... I love the wheels ... "
" ... 8 sheets is about what I'd consider to be the outside limit of its capacity-for extended use.) ... I would advise no one to put that many full width sheets through at once-EVER. ... The "excess" capacity turned out to be a good move as I now have no qualms about fine shredding at about half its CLAIMED capacity, which is more in line with my ACTUAL need. ... So far I have run about 10 bin loads through the machine and I am satisfied with its performance ... "
" ... I like the confetti pieces, I like the container where it goes into. ... "
Ease of Use
63easy to use, easy to empty, shredder, empty, difficult
+84%
-16%
" ... The particles are very, very small, the machine is easy to operate and relatively quiet. ... "
" ... It's also beyond simple to empty. ... "
" ... It works so well and the pull out trash can makes it easy to empty without the mess. ... "
" ... Quiet and easy to empty ... "
" ... Yes this paper shredder is easy to use. ... But when you think about it all paper shredders are easy to use. ... The things I like about it most is the pullout basket, makes it extremely easy to empty, and being that it's a larger than most of the baskets available I don't have the NT is often. ... "
" ... easy to use, lightweight, and easy to move from one room to another. ... "
" ... The top part is easy to remove and empty the trash in the bin. ... "
" ... Holds quite a bit and was very easy to pull out to empty. ... "
Price
63money, worth, worth the money, waste, cost
+83%
-17%
" ... Price is right. ... "
" ... Spend the extra money, believe me it's worth it. ... "
" ... Definitely worth the cost. ... "
" ... I shopped around a lot and this is definitely the nicest one I could find for the price. ... "
" ... I love it much better than my last Fellowes that cost me more money and failed in what I would consider a short period of time. ... "
" ... Works very good for the money. ... "
" ... Especially for the price!! ... "
" ... A decent value for what you get. ... "
Overall performance
53quiet, slow, fast, speed, sheets
+92%
-8%
" ... It does a great job and is quieter than the other one while doing it. ... "
" ... It is powerful and gets the job done. ... "
" ... I wish it were a bit faster, but it definitely does a good job and it is very robust. ... "
" ... Fast and durable. ... "
" ... I would recommend this product if you needed something that works and fast (as in need it to arrive fast, I did) and/or didn’t feel like reading and comparing tons of different product reviews and waiting for a sale. ... "
" ... It really gets the job done! ... "
" ... I use this in a small office and we are very happy with the performance. ... "
" ... This shreds at a fast pace and with many sheets at a time. ... "
Hair
45shredder, micro cut, cut, cross cut, micro cut shredder
+91%
-9%
" ... I bought this shredder to replace a smaller cross-cut shredder. ... "
" ... This shreds so much better/faster than my 7-sheet Fellowes cross-cut shredder. ... "
" ... Gears/cutting blades are working great so far. ... "
" ... I really needed a shredder and wanted a good one that cross cut. ... "
" ... This a one of the better ones I owned I like how small it cuts the paper ... "
" ... The micro-cut is essential as well for confidential items needing to be shredded for my home business. ... "
" ... This is what makes cross-cut better than strip cutting and worth a bit extra. ... "
" ... I had a shredder, cross-cut. ... "
Cleaning
42mess, cleaning, shredder, bin, empty
+67%
-33%
" ... This is easier for me and if it is not overloaded, no messy pieces to pick up. ... "
" ... quiet, small shred, no mess ... "
" ... I cleaned it with the pre-lubricated sheets also sold here. ... They worked very well and aren’t at all messy. ... "
" ... Cleaning these 2 areas out is a chore, best done by removing the bin and turning the shredder upside down. ... "
" ... I did find A LOT of paper stuck in certain areas and did some work to clean it up but got to the point I said "Life is too short". ... "
" ... The wheels smoothly glide across the carpet. ... "
" ... The top part is easy to remove and empty the trash in the bin. ... "
" ... It continues to do this now, despite thorough cleaning. ... "
Sound Quality
39noise, noisy, powerful, sheets, noise level
+74%
-26%
" ... Yes, it is noisy, but it works very well. ... "
" ... It is rather noisy when it is shredding but it does such a great job, I can live with the short time noise. ... "
" ... Quiet and powerful. ... "
" ... Quiet and works great. ... "
" ... It functions well with a reasonable level of noise. ... "
" ... It is very quiet when operating. ... "
" ... it’s so quiet!!! ... "
" ... Everything it said it would do, it did, including being very, very quiet. ... (Don't know about the review about sleeping next to it, but it is close to that level of noise. ... "
Marketplace
36products, basics, works as advertised, purchase, next
+75%
-25%
" ... Thank You Amazon Basics for a great product ... "
" ... Excellent service and merchandise. ... "
" ... The last one I had was also an Amazon Basics and it was great as well. ... "
" ... I normally have very good success with the Amazon products I purchased. ... "
" ... Works as described. ... "
" ... Usually Amazon Basics products offer equal or better quality for less cost than the "brand names," so I figured I'd give the AmazonBasics 12-Sheet High-Security Micro-Cut Paper Shredder a try. ... "
" ... BEST Amazon purchase i’ve made!! ... "
" ... Product came as expected. ... "
Build Quality
36broke, shredder, metal, wheels, plastic gear
+53%
-47%
" ... Part of the benefit is that you don't have to bend over as far. ... "
" ... Only had it about a month, but it works perfectly and feels very well made. ... "
" ... I also love fact that I could purchase a protection plan on it ... "
" ... You won't have to worry about anyone potentially going through the scraps and putting the pieces back together ... "
" ... Quality made product ... "
" ... If you need a tough and durable shredder, buy this one. ... "
" ... Fit and finish are top notch. ... "
" ... Cute plastic cards with ease. ... "
Size
28small, wheels, desk, quiet, compact
+100%
" ... Size is compact and easy to place in tight spots ... "
" ... Easily fit under my desk and wheels out when I need it. ... "
" ... It is strong, quiet, and having the wheels makes it so easy to move around. ... "
" ... Lite, rolls easily. ... "
" ... And I like how small the pieces are. ... "
" ... They weight accurately. ... "
" ... Good size, doesn't occupy a lot of space in office/home. ... "
" ... Wheels around nicely. ... "
Features
27feature, manually, shut, mode, automatic
+33%
-67%
" ... Bought in 2017 and now broken after 18 months of light use. ... "
" ... I had to turn it off manually and then put it back into Auto mode. ... "
" ... After 9 months the machine would not shut off in automatic mode. ... "
" ... The first thing that should have warned me is that the green light was so faint that I could not see it without cupping my hand around the light. ... I did not know that I had filled the bin, no light came on. ... The "hot" light or the "full" light probably should have come on. ... "
" ... Wish this had a lock function and on/off switch, so it didn’t have to be unplugged all the time. ... "
" ... Beyond that, the auto feed feature quit working after about 8 months. ... So, after that point it would not automatically start & stop, I had to manually turn it on and off as it could not sense that paper was in it. ... "
" ... The switches are very bad. ... "
" ... I would say you get what you pay for, but for $99 - such light use should have gone A LOT further! ... "
Capacity
24home, use, perfect, recommend, years
+92%
-8%
" ... We bought this for our office. ... "
" ... Perfect for my home office and is used by three family members who receive a ton of stuff that can't go in the trash. ... "
" ... Overall perfect for the home or home/small office and i'd definitely buy again! ... "
" ... It’s perfect for office use. ... "
" ... Would recommend for anyone with a home office. ... "
" ... Works great for my home office ... "
" ... Perfect for home or business use. ... "
" ... This product is designed very well and blends very nicely in the computer room. ... "
Volume
17shredder, volume, old, shred, quieter
+59%
-41%
" ... Performs well and not ear crushingly loud. ... "
" ... Very quick and convenient and I don't have to worry about whether it can handle the volume that we shred at our business. ... "
" ... Tad bit loud, but it works really well ... "
" ... The sound is not loud. ... "
" ... It’s not nearly as loud as my old Mailmate and the bin holds a lot and is easy to empty. ... "
" ... Works quite well and is not too loud. ... "
" ... It's not as loud as my old shredder. ... "
" ... Not too loud. ... "
Print Quality
16printer, pages, shred, sheets, fed
+81%
-19%
" ... It really dices up the paper easily. ... "
" ... Usually, when the paper crumpled, this product handled it with no problem. ... "
" ... It can handle up to about 5 pages if they are normal copy paper thickness and fed in a perfect stack. ... "
" ... This is the best printer on the market. ... "
" ... Does a great job especially with multiple pages. ... "
" ... Really does a great job of shredding the paper. ... "
" ... Paper path a little strange but it chews up paper well. ... "
" ... It was tens of thousands of pages . ... "
For Running
15run, time, strong, runs, quit
+60%
-40%
" ... It's easy to move around if needed and so far I have not run into any issues. ... "
" ... Still running strong! ... "
" ... No problems with run time,it ran for longer than the description states without needing to cool down. ... "
" ... Running strong after a year and a half. ... "
" ... Typically we were running 2 to 5 sheets at a time. ... "
" ... Fairly quiet when running. ... "
" ... runs nicely and is reasonable. ... "
" ... it gets a workout almost daily. ... "
Returns
12returned, replacement, try, returning, replace
+17%
-83%
" ... I am returning after 1 days use. ... "
" ... I never even got to try it on the tax returns. ... I am returning it as soon as I can. ... "
" ... I had to turn it off from the switch in order to stop it. ... "
" ... Waited to long to return it, now im stuck. ... "
" ... Unfortunately it was past the return period when the problems started. ... "
" ... I will let it sit overnight and if it doesn't work in the morning, it will be returned ! ... "
" ... Will return and won't make the same mistake a third time. ... "
" ... back into the box and returned to Amazon. ... "
Delivery
12received, box, promptly, promised, opened
+83%
-17%
" ... Opened the box plugged it in and it worked. ... "
" ... The shredder arrived promptly (and before the originally scheduled delivery date). ... "
" ... Product came as expected. ... "
" ... Received the unit as promised and put it to work immediately. ... "
" ... Item was received ... "
" ... Good product, timely delivery. ... "
" ... It arrived on time and in perfect condition. ... "
" ... Just what I ordered ... "
CD/DVD
11credit cards, shred, cds, shredded, dvd
+91%
-9%
" ... Very reliable and great with plastic and Cd's ! ... "
" ... it has no problem in slicing and dicing cd's & dvd's and credit cards. ... "
" ... I have shredded credit cards, cd/discs and paper and the resukt is awesome. ... "
" ... I have tried multiple items including CD's, credit cards, envelopes, papers with and without staples. ... "
" ... It has this one piece of guidance in the reference manual not to keep your finger in the center hole of CDs/DVDs while you feed them into the shredder and I feel this is a self-fulfilling predicament if one's wits aren't focused. ... "
" ... Love that it also will shred cd's & credit cards and the micro-cut is great. ... "
" ... I haven't done anything with CDs, but then again I don't really have any CDs in need of shredding. ... "
" ... Shreds papers, dvd's, credit cards efficiently. ... "
Comfort
9one, last, feels, bought, shreds
+44%
-56%
" ... Ok so thats the only flaw, but its the BIGGEST FLAW IMAGINABLE based on what it pretends to be. ... "
" ... It didn’t even show signs of breaking a sweat. ... "
" ... I imagine replacing it will be a pain. ... "
" ... Fell very short. ... "
" ... awkward push/slide start-stop lever. ... would have preferred more ergonomic press on/off toggle button instead. ... "
Other
8auto, went, safety, items, front
+25%
-75%
" ... Sensor didn't work so u have to turn on and off manually. ... "
" ... The sensor is defective and it isn't old enough to be breaking down. ... In June 2019 the sensor (or auto detect) stopped functioning properly. ... "
" ... It's too bad these shredders are "disposable" just because of a very poor quality power switch and sensor. ... "
" ... I cleaned the sensors but didn't fix the automatic sensing. ... "
" ... The idea of using the cotton swab to clean the sensor is pretty much a joke. ... You barely can see where the back sensor is located and can't see the front one at all. ... "
" ... The sensor needs to be set for BEFORE the basket cannot be opened. ... "
Product As Described
7described, works
+100%
" ... It works as advertised. ... "
" ... Works as advertised ... "
" ... Works as advertised ... "
" ... Works as described. ... "
" ... Exactly as described ... "
Ease of Cleaning
7easy, clean
+71%
-29%
" ... Easy to clean out and use. ... "
" ... It continues to do this now, despite thorough cleaning. ... "
" ... I used it all weekend cleaning up my office and it worked well. ... "
Setup
6simple, instructions, directions, easy, use
+83%
-17%
" ... Easy to use and simple directions. ... "
" ... Just follow the simple directions and you're good to go! ... "
" ... Follow the instructions to not burn it out. ... "
" ... I totally love this shredder, I have 2 of them, and if you do it right and follow directions it will work just fine. ... "
As Gift
6husband, christmas, would
+100%
" ... Bought it as a gift for my mother. ... "
" ... I got this for my husband for Christmas. ... "
" ... a gift 4 my Son ... "
" ... I would even buy this again as a gift for someone if I knew that it would make their life easier. ... "
" ... This was a gift for my mom for Christmas, but I had the chance to use it as well. ... "
" ... Gift for my husband. ... "
Heating
5heats, really, minutes, hot, heated
+40%
-60%
" ... The shredder over heats quicly ... "
" ... Luckily it did not burn because the motor was very hot. ... "
" ... No wasn't over heated. ... "
Design
5look, little, feels
+100%
" ... Fit and finish are top notch. ... "
" ... Cute plastic cards with ease. ... "
" ... It pulls out easily and is the best design. ... "
" ... The scales are streamlined and attractive. ... "
Washing
4feature, automatic
+100%
" ... I do miss my old Fellows that I had for a long time because it had an automatic unjamming feature, but they have gotten to cost more than I wanted to spend. ... "
" ... Very good machine ... "
" ... Takes a nice load. ... "
User Manual
4shredder, also, oil
+25%
-75%
" ... Manual shredding quit in eight months. ... "
" ... I took the actions called for in the owner manual but the problem persists. ... "
" ... Also, there was no manual or info with this shredder. ... "
For Kids
4year, old, home
+100%
" ... I used to play with rulers and staplers when I was a kid. ... "
" ... I unplug it when my 2 year old grandson is here. ... "
" ... Bought for daughter-in-laws home. ... "
" ... Mine is very easy to open, I would say a 6 year old kid could do it. ... "
Controls
4switch, quality, control, stopped working, reviews
-100%
" ... Since there are many good reviews, and significant negative reviews, there must be a manufacturing quality control issue. ... "
" ... would have preferred more ergonomic press on/off toggle button instead. ... "
" ... I notice the on/off switch is not loose like the other one was. ... "
Door
4open, closed, would, go
-100%
" ... It was only used for paper but within a year the unit would not recognize the door being closed and would no longer operate. ... "
" ... It will go in reverse but won't go forward much of the time I have to open and close the door multiple times and then I can normally get it to work. ... "
" ... My complaint is this: I could NOT open the door to the bin. ... "
Software Platform
3hazard, fire
-100%
" ... Runs on it's own, gets extremely hot and is a potential fire hazard. ... "
" ... User unable to restore. ... "
Defective Delivery
3opened, box
+33%
-67%
" ... The switch seems to be defective. ... "
" ... Don't know how it works, it was broken when I opened the box. ... "
Screen Protection
3+67%
-33%
" ... This is a must have if you want to protect your privacy. ... "
" ... I did buy the protection plan. ... "
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Specifications
Body
Size: 32 meters