Review HSM Shredstar X10

HSM Shredstar X10

The HSM Shredstar X10 is almost as quiet as the professional league and yet it offers decent performance and is also economical.

Admittedly, it wasn't love at first sight with the HSM Shredstar X10. In a bland shade of white, it somehow looks a bit yellowed and doesn't really look new when new. In addition, the very small and dark viewing window in the collection container immediately catches the eye, through which you can hardly see anything.

But the main thing that matters is the performance and, above all, the cutting size. With 4.5 x 30 mm, the X10 does not produce the smallest snippets, but it achieves security level P-4. This is more than sufficient in the private sphere and in some cases clearly stands out from the cheap document shredders.

 

Safe and easy operation

The operation of the HSM shredstar X10 can really be described as foolproof. Laterally further back there is a small toggle switch as the main switch. If it is not activated, nothing works either, which also makes it a bit childproof.

In order to finally put the X10 on standby, the power button, which is clearly recognizable as such, has to be pressed briefly afterwards. That's it already. It starts shredding when a sheet of paper is inserted into the appropriate slot.

In addition, there is another button with a capital R for reverse. This can be used to activate reverse gear in order to clear blockages or to clear the cutterbar of snippets. It is positive that the reverse gear only works as long as the button is pressed.

 

Sensible waste separation

We didn't attach much importance to the possibility of shredding CDs or DVDs in the document shredder test. The time for such storage media has simply run out. However, the HSM Shredstar X10 offers this function and that's why we take a closer look.

That brings a plus and a minus point. It is positive that there is an extra container in the collection container for plastic waste from CDs, DVDs or bank cards. Negative that you can also operate the paper shredder without this container, with all waste falling to the paper.

The optical data carriers are cut into strips about 15 mm wide. On the very outside remains a piece that is around 25 mm wide. That corresponds to the lowest security level 0-1. Whether more is needed in the private sphere or whether someone is ever interested in the data is another matter. The shredder can also destroy credit cards.

 

Small corners with comfort

Sometimes the simplest things fail. Most shredders can be emptied by removing the top cutter and then moving the bucket to the paper bin. All upper parts (with a few exceptions) have recessed grips. Sometimes they are better and sometimes worse.

But if you want to move the entire paper shredder, perhaps to wipe the office, the wheat is separated from the chaff. Very good models are on wheels and can be easily moved. But most don't plan to do that.

They may not be large and there are no comfortable recessed grips, but the HSM Shredstar X10 also has small heels on the collection container, which can be used to carry just the container or the entire shredder. This makes it much easier to change places.

 

Powerful and visible cutting

The manufacturer promises a cutting capacity of 10 sheets of paper at 80 g/m² with its HSM Shredstar X10 document shredder. We could absolutely understand that in the test and from the sound of the engine, more would probably be possible.

However, when destroying 20 sheets – our overload test – it also stopped according to regulations and even switched to reverse gear briefly to clear the blockage. The reaction to an overload must look like this and nothing else. Unfortunately, only a few document shredders were able to do this in the test.

The small viewing window in the collection container is not quite as positive or useful. It doesn't deserve the term »view«. But it's not that tragic, because as one of the few document shredders, the HSM has an extra display for it. But you can smile a little at »Bin full«.

 

Quiet and economical

Paper shredders can't work silently and much of the "noise" they make comes from the paper. So it cannot be avoided. At 70.4 dB, the HSM shredstar X10 is clearly one of the quietest and is only beaten by a professional device.

The HSM is also very economical when it comes to energy consumption. With a sheet of paper it only consumes 53 watts and with 10 sheets it is 211 watts. The record for one leaf is 132 watts in the test and 277 watts for 10 leaves.

 

HSM Shredstar X10 in the test mirror

So far there have been no other serious tests from our test winner. Stiftung Warentest and Ökotest have not yet tested any document shredders either. Should this change, we will post the test results here for you.

 

alternatives

In the test, we found that good document shredders are not cheap. It is more likely that the price spiral will continue upwards. But with our alternative recommendations, there should be something for everyone.

1. Hama Premium M10
2. Dahle Shredmatic 90
3. Fellowes Powershred 6C
4. Fellowes Powershred LX50
5. Fellowes Powershred 6C
6. Dahle Papersafe 420
7. Olympia ‎PS 53 CC
8. Leitz IQ Home Office P4

 

Also good: Hama Premium M10

The Hama Premium M10 is also a document shredder for small offices or home offices with business applications. Although it "only" achieves security level P-4, it offers by far the smallest snippets.