Sheets per load
The number of sheets that the shredder is capable of processing at one time — in other words, the largest size of a stack of sheets that can be loaded into the device. Most modern shredders can handle multiple sheets;
up to 5 pcs at a time is considered a very limited indicator,
up to 10 pcs — a small one,
11 – 15 pcs can be called an average value,
16 – 20 pcs — quite good, and in the most powerful models this figure
exceeds 20 pcs.
Note that this parameter is given for paper of a certain grammage (and, accordingly, thickness). At the same time, the East European standard for office paper is a grammage of 80 g/m², and in many European countries thinner paper is used with a grammage of 70 g/m², and it is for it that the capacity of many shredders is indicated. Therefore, if this moment is not specified in the specs, it is best to load the shredder not up to limit values, making a margin of 1 sheet per 8 sheets of capacity — 1 sheet with a stack thickness of up to 8 sheets, 2 sheets with a stack thickness of 8 to 16 sheets, etc. However, other conditions for density may be specified in the user manual.
Also note that the number of sheets per load is determined by manufacturers based on the results of tests under perfect conditions — in the absence of staples on paper, with low humidity,
...optimal voltage in the mains, perfect sharpening of knives, etc. In fact, any deviation from these indicators affect some decrease in efficiency.Duty cycle
The duty cycle of the shredder is the maximum time that it can work without interruption.
Limit of operating time is due to the fact that the destruction of documents and other media is associated with quite significant loads on the electric motor and gear. This leads to strong heating, while the breaks allow the hardware of the shredder to cool down. Actually, there are models with the possibility of continuous operation, but they are expensive and not always really necessary; see "Features" for details.
In small shredders for domestic use, the work cycle is often only a few minutes, and among powerful professional devices there are values of
half an hour or more. Also note that in some models, shutdown after a full cycle is provided automatically due to overheating protection (see "Features"), however, the presence of such a system does not mean the presence of an automatic shutdown on time — it can only work with a critical increase of temperature.
Break time
The minimum break time required by the shredder after a full cycle of work (see above).
A break is required so that the motor and mechanisms of the device can cool down after the intense loads that they are subjected to during operation. Moreover, if the operating time was less than a full cycle, then the break can also be made shorter; however, if the device has worked for more than half of the cycle, for a full assurance it is still worth to take a break for all the time intended for it. Some models may provide other recommendations in this regard — they should be specified in user's manual.
Sheet autofeed
The number of sheets of paper that can be loaded into
the shredder's auto feed system at one time. Auto-feed greatly simplifies work with large volumes of documents: instead of loading them manually in portions and making sure that each portion size does not exceed the recommended value (for more details, see "Sheets per load"), it is enough to place the entire stack into the automatic feeder tray and the shredder will independently process the entire stack in the optimal mode.
Note that the number of sheets is often indicated for paper, which specs differ from those accepted in East European office work; see "Sheets per load" for details.
Wastebin capacity
The volume of the waste bin that is filling with shredded materials after passing through the shredder. The larger it is, the less often you will have to empty the basket; at the same time, large containers increase both the weight and dimensions and the cost rate of the device. For comparison: the volume of a standard household bucket is about 10 liters, a shredder with a basket of such a capacity will have dimensions of about 35x30x15 cm and belongs to the entry level in terms of capacity.
