The Swingline SX12-08 Paper Shredder: A Review

GBC recently phased out their lineup of paper shredders and Swingline has stepped up to the plate to put quality machines out on the market. One of their devices is the SX12-08, a high-security shredder that has both strengths and weaknesses. Here's a look at them so you can decide if it's the right machine for your needs.

Strengths:

• The SX12-08 is a micro-cut machine that will turn your documents into just a handful of minuscule shreds. It has a Level 4 security rating so you'll be able to protect your most private information: names, Social Security numbers, credit card information, medical records, and more. It will not only help you prevent identity theft, it will assist you in complying with certain rules and regulations, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
• This machine operates very quietly so it's a great choice for offices that want a whisper-quiet shredder. The device could be shared between two or three people because it has an 8-gallon waste bin. When the bin gets full, you just need to pull it out and dump the shreds. It's really easy to do.
• One of this device's great features is its power save mode. The machine will go to "sleep" when it's not in use so you can conserve power. (It also prevents the motor from overheating.) The shredder will snap "awake" when you're ready to use it.
• This device offers jam-free shredding which is great. If you try to shred too many sheets at once, the overfeed indicator will let you know so you can remove some to prevent a jam. Clearing up paper jams can be time-consuming and frustrating, so you'll really enjoy not having to deal with them.
• The SX12-08 is compact enough to fit beside or beneath your desk for convenient access. Its measurements are 22" (height) x 17" (width) x 13" (depth). The shredder only weighs 39 pounds so moving it from one place to another won't be too difficult.
• Swingline usually gives their products pretty good warranty protection and that's definitely the case with the SX12-08. The machine is covered by a limited two-year warranty. The limited warranty for the cutters lasts for one year.

Weaknesses:

• The SX12-08 can shred 13 sheets of paper at once. This isn't a very large amount so this machine might not be a good choice if you want to shred dozens of sheets at a time.
• Unlike some of the other shredders on the market, the SX12-08 can't shred credit cards. It also can't shred CD's or DVD's. If you need to shred those kinds of items, a multimedia shredder would be more suitable.
• This isn't a particularly large shredder, so it's really best for use by just a few people. However, you could get several of the shredders and place them around your office.




• Hopefully this review helped you decide if the Swingline SX12-08 is a good choice for your shredding needs. Good luck in your search and happy shredding!

About the Author: Jeff McRitchie is the Vice-President of Marketing for MyBinding.com. He regularly writes articles, reviews, and blog posts on topics related to bookbinding, laminating, paper shredding, and office equipment. More than 2,500 of his articles have been published in thousands of locations on the Internet. If you're looking for information about paper shredders his articles are a great place to start.