Inexpensive Shredder, Not Up to Specs, Turns Expensive
Pros:
Pleasing design and features, easy to use.
Cons:
Poor construction and durability; easily used up.
The Bottom Line:
Save money: invest in a machine with better construction.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
This product attracted me with its reasonable price, compact design and the viewable basket contents. The specs on the box said the machine would chew up to 8 sheets of paper as well as credit cards, features that were important to me.
The DQ80M initially worked fine at turning 3-5 sheets of paper into confetti, with relative speed and ease and minimal noise. More than 5 sheets slowed and overtaxed the motor considerably.
From day one, credit cards were not handled well at all, in spite of the specs printed on the package. The DQ80M left them whole but creased, bent and unusable (but still insecure because the numbers remained readable) and the motor groaned and strained in the process.
At a usage rate of 80-100 sheets per month and half a dozen total attempts at destroying a credit card, after less than 8 months, my Aptiva DQ80M (Diamond Cut) Shredder is TOAST ... unusable. The rollers are bent and separated and the ends are impacted with paper. Replacement parts are apparently not available.
The amortized cost turned out to be more than seven and a half cents per sheet or $7.50 per month for a machine that did a minimal job, making this one of the most expensive office machines I've ever owned.
If the DQ80M was an employee, I would have laid it off after the 2-week trial period ... "I'm sorry DQ, but this job seems to be a little too much for you. Maybe you can find a position chewing up bathroom tissues or thin sheets of overcooked pasta."
