GBC TAA Compliant Commercial Shredder, CM15-30, Micro-Cut, 15 Sheets

The GBC CM15-30 is a TAA-compliant, German-made commercial shredder that cuts paper to 2 x 15 mm (3/32 x 5/8 in) particles, DIN 66399 level P-5, at 15-17 sheets per pass. It accepts staples, paper clips and credit cards and empties into a 100-liter pull-out bin. It is aimed at departments that handle confidential records every day and need a recognized micro-cut level without slowing everyone down.

CM15-30 at a glance

• P-5 micro-cut, 30 mm² per particle
• 15-17 sheets at 70 g/m²; 13-15 at 80 g/m²
• Takes staples, paper clips and credit cards (not CDs or DVDs)
• 640 W motor, on/off continuous duty
• 100-liter (approx. 26-gallon) pull-out bin
• Made in Germany, TAA compliant

A P-5 cabinet that people will actually use

The CM15-30 shares its cabinet and bin with the P-7 CHS10-30, but its head is set for a coarser, faster cut. The payoff is practical: two to three times the sheets per pass, and stapled or clipped documents go straight in. Nobody has to strip a file before feeding it, which is usually what decides whether a shared shredder gets used or bypassed. Large binder clips and ring binders still need to come off.

The electronic capacity control lights up as a stack approaches the limit, so users learn the right handful quickly. With continuous duty and a 640 W motor, the machine keeps pace with steady departmental use. For planning, US 20 lb bond sits between the two published paper weights, so expect about 14 or 15 sheets in normal use.

What P-5 covers, and placement

A P-5 particle may be no larger than 30 mm², and the CM15-30's 2 x 15 mm cut is right at that line, far smaller than the 160 mm² allowed at P-4. It is the level organizations typically choose for HR files, patient records, client financials and legal correspondence when they want clear headroom above the commercial baseline. It is not a classified-material machine.

Plan its spot before unpacking: the cabinet is 19.5 x 18.5 in and 36.5 in tall, weighs 106 lb, and ACCO rates it under 70 dB, which is fine in a copy room but noticeable between desks. Running costs are shredder oil and bin liners, neither included.

CM15-30 specifications

CM15-30 compared with other TAA-compliant GBC models

• GBC CHS10-30: same cabinet and bin at P-7 (0.8 x 5 mm), but only 5-7 sheets and paper only. Needed for classified paper, slower for everything else.
• GBC CX22-44: P-4 at 4 x 40 mm with a 400 mm (15.75 in) opening, 19-22 sheets at 70 g/m² and a 165-liter bin.
• GBC CX34-44: up to 34 sheets through the same 400 mm opening, also at P-4.

Who the CM15-30 suits

It suits an HR, legal, finance or clinical team that shreds confidential paper daily and wants P-5 with staples tolerated. Look elsewhere if a classification level requires P-7, if you also need to destroy CDs or DVDs, or if a large floor will queue at it; the wider CX models trade particle size for throughput.