MBM Destroyit 3803 Shredder Review

The Destroyit 3808 is a heavy duty shredder that the manufacturer posits as a centralized, heavy-use office shredder. Here we take a look at this machine, and give you what we consider to be some of its strengths and weaknesses.

Strengths:

1. The first thing we noticed (and liked) was how surprisingly quiet the 3803 was during operation. If you work in a fairly busy office and the shredder you purchase will be in use throughout the day, this is a feature you will definitely appreciate, as the constant noise from a typical shredder can be pretty distracting.
2. We also liked the cabinet's wood construction and the sleek off-white look of the 3803. Wood, you say? We were surprised too, but were really pleased with the "substantial" feel of the cabinet. Especially when we compared it to the world of cheap plastic bins that are used by many other comparable paper shredders.
3. When you are looking for a shredder for centralized office use, safety is a big concern, and we were impressed by the safety features included on the 3803. First, there is a clear plastic guard that is electronically controlled, and keeps fingers and clothing (such as ties) from entering the paper feed. The controls are backlit and color coded, making it easy to tell what operational mode the 3808 is in at any given time. The 3808 will also go into automatic reverse mode if there is ever a paper jam, and power will cut off if the cabinet door is opened, or the shredder bin is full.
4. The cross cut version of the 3808 that we tested handled staples, paper clips, and credit cards with ease, and Destroyit claims that the strip cut model can destroy compact discs as well. They include lifetime warranties on the cutting shafts of both models, so it's safe to say that they have confidence in this quality of these machines.
5. The 3808 is a pretty weighty machine, so you will really appreciate the wheels on the bottom that make it much easier to transport from room to room.
6. The 3808 is rated for continuous use, and try as we might, we could not cause this machine to overheat or slow down. It is a beast.

Weaknesses:

1. Though the strip cut model of the 3808 can shred compact discs, the cross cut version cannot, at least according to company literature. Most companies prefer cross-cut shredders for the extra security that they offer. It would be really nice if MBM would include the ability to destroy discs on the cross-cut model.
2. The wood construction and casters are great, but like we said, this is a pretty heavy machine at 155 lbs. If you ever need to move it up or down some stairs, you are going to need a little bit of assistance. We'd come help you, but we're busy that day
3. Though the manufacturer states that the 3808 should be able to handle 23 sheets at a time, we found it struggled just a bit at that volume. Twenty was no problem at all though, and our difficulties could have been related to the thickness of paper we were using or the power source we had the shredder plugged in to.