Fellowes AutoMaxª 100MA Auto Feed Shredder

The Fellowes AutoMax 100MA is a lightweight auto-feed shredder that accepts 100 sheets in its hopper and cuts them to P-4 particles of approx. 5/32 x 15/32 in (about 4 x 12 mm). It weighs 22.66 lb, stands 20.25 in tall and empties into a 4.5-gallon bin. It is aimed at homes and small offices that shred occasionally and want hands-free feeding at a modest size and weight.

The 100MA at a glance

• 100-sheet hopper, 10-sheet manual slot
• P-4 under DIN 66399, around 47 mm² per particle
• Takes staples and credit cards with the paper
• Run time about 5 minutes manual, around 7 minutes on auto-feed
• 4.5-gallon pull-out bin
• Warranty: 1 year on the machine, 3 years on the cutters

Built for one load at a time

The 100MA gives you the same 100-sheet hopper as the larger AutoMax 100M, but the rest of the machine is scaled for light duty. Its continuous run time is short, so it suits the pattern of filling the hopper, letting it work through the stack and then leaving it alone. A single load is easy; a long clear-out will run into cool-down pauses. Auto start/stop, auto-reverse jam prevention and a bin-full indicator take care of the basics, and Fellowes lists SilentShred for its acoustic design without a published decibel rating.

What goes in, and what does not

Fellowes lists paper, staples and credit cards for the 100MA. Paper clips are not on the list, which is narrower than on the 100M, so pull clips off before loading the hopper. CDs and DVDs are not accepted either. The P-4 cut suits household finance papers, medical bills and routine business records; policies that name P-5 need a finer machine.

Size, bin and upkeep

At 20.25 x 13.38 x 9.81 in, the cabinet slides beside a desk or onto a shelf and is easy to carry between rooms. The trade-off is the 4.5-gallon bin, which fills after not much more than one full hopper. Oil the head each time you empty the bin with Fellowes non-aerosol oil, part 35250, and never use aerosol lubricants.

AutoMax 100MA specifications

Choosing between the 100MA and its AutoMax siblings

• AutoMax 100M: same 100-sheet hopper with a 6-gallon bin, a 15-minute run time, paper clip capability and 2 years machine / 7 years cutter cover, at 37.2 lb.
• AutoMax 350C: a 350-sheet hopper and 18-gallon bin for shared use, with a P-4 particle of about 4 x 38 mm.

Who the 100MA is for

It is a good choice for a household or spare-room office that shreds a stack every week or two and values low weight. If you shred most days, rely on paper clips, or want longer cutter cover, the 100M is the better buy.