Powershred LX65 Cross Cut Shredder

The Fellowes Powershred LX65 is a P-4 cross-cut shredder with SafeSense, which halts the cutters when a hand touches the paper entry. It takes 10 sheets of 20 lb paper per pass through a 9 in opening into a 6-gallon bin, and suits home offices or shared rooms where people, children or pets pass close to the machine.

Powershred LX65 at a glance

• SafeSense hand-contact cut-off
• 10 sheets per pass at DIN 66399 P-4
• Particle about 4 x 40 mm (157 mm²)
• 6-gallon bin with a bin-full indicator
• 6 minutes on, 20 minutes off
• Machine warranty 1 year, cutters 5 years

Where SafeSense earns its place

A floor-standing shredder beside a desk is easy to reach into without thinking. SafeSense watches the entry and stops the blades on contact, which is the feature that separates the LX65 from the lighter LX45. It does not replace sensible placement, but it removes the worst case in a busy room.

Everyday handling is straightforward: automatic reverse backs out a jam, a manual reverse helps clear an oversized handful, and the indicator tells you when the 6-gallon bin needs emptying. Staples, paper clips and plastic credit cards all go in with the paper.

Speed, cut and run time

The LX65 feeds at about 7 ft/min, slower than the LX45, so its two extra sheets per pass do not make the job proportionally faster. Its 6-minute run and 20-minute rest are the same as the LX45, which keeps it in personal-shredder territory.

At about 157 mm² the particle sits close to the 160 mm² ceiling for P-4. It is a valid P-4 machine, but at the coarser end of the level. If you want a noticeably smaller fragment, the LX200 family cuts to about 48 mm².

Powershred LX65 specifications

LX65 versus the LX45 and LX200

Compared with the LX45, the LX65 adds SafeSense, two more sheets and a larger 6-gallon bin, but it is slower. The LX200 runs 10 minutes instead of 6, takes 12 sheets and cuts about three times smaller, though it lacks SafeSense. Choose the LX65 when safety around the machine is the priority.

Good fit, poor fit

The LX65 suits a family home office, a reception area or any room where the shredder sits within easy reach of passers-by, and the volume is routine mail and household papers. It is a poor fit for anyone who shreds in long sessions, needs CDs or DVDs destroyed, or works to a P-5 policy.