Customer reviews from fellowes.com
Fellowes - 5501601 Powershred LX180 16 Manual Sheet Capacity Cross-Cut Shredder - Black
Average customer rating
4.8
(26 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 26 reviews
5 Stars
24
4 Stars
1
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
1
1 Star
0
96%of customers recommend this product.
(
25 out of
26)
Customer Reviews for Fellowes - 5501601 Powershred LX180 16 Manual Sheet Capacity Cross-Cut Shredder - Black
Customer Rating
5
Great, quiet all-around shredder
on August 1, 2021
Posted by: BurningTheDaze
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I received this product free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
This review covers my impressions of the Fellowes Powershred LX180 cross-cut shredder. For context, I will be comparing some of its features to the Fellowes Powershred 73Ci that I have been using for the past 2 years. The LX180 is rated at 16 sheets and up to 20 minutes of continuous use, while the 73Ci is rated at 12 sheets and up to 10 minutes of continuous use. Note that the despite the superior sheet-count rating, the LX180 is not rated for CDs/DVDs, while the 73Ci is (and both are rated for credit cards). I don’t have much occasion to shred data CDs or DVDs anymore, but depending on your shredding needs, this could be a deal-breaker for you.
I use these for my home and home office shredding needs, including receipts, financial documents, work documents, the occasional credit card, etc. For the past 17 months I’ve been working from home, so my 73Ci has been seeing more shredding volume than normal. I typically save up my work documents that need to be shredded in a bin and then do all my shredding once a week. My company is preparing to return to a hybrid work schedule soon (2 to 3 days/week in the office and the remainder at home), so I am planning on taking one of these shredders back to my office at work to replace a much older shredder I have there.
The first thing you notice about the LX180 is that the aesthetic is much different than the 73Ci. It has a more squared-off, blacked-out look compared to the rounded corners and contrasting light gray trim on the 73Ci. In my opinion, the LX180 has a somewhat sleeker, more modern look. It reminds me a bit of high-end air cleaner; maybe that shouldn’t be a surprise since Fellowes also makes those too. While the 73Ci has a bright chrome colored SafeSense strip around the shredder opening, the LX180 SafeSense strip is a dark-gray chrome, allowing it to blend in better. Another big difference in appearance is that the LX180 has the single, centralized multi-function LED indicator bar versus the multiple LED indicators in different locations on the 73Ci. The LX180 has no window on the front of the wastebasket to gage how full it is (like the 73Ci does); you must rely on the LED indicator, which turns yellow when it is starting to get full and then turns red when ultimately full.
Size-wise, these shredders have a very similar height, while the LX180 is both narrower in width and deeper front-to-back compared to the 73Ci. They both have the same capacity wastebasket (6 gallons).
From a functional standpoint, the LX180 has a standard IEC plug on the back and comes with a removable power cord. Like the 73Ci (with its non-removable cord) the power switch is on the back of the unit near the power cord. One thing I dislike about the LX180 is that there is no separate auxiliary power button on the front panel of the unit, like the 73Ci has – your only options are to leave it on standby all the time (not my preference for safety reasons) or reach around to the back of the unit to shut it off.
Once you start shredding, you immediately notice that the LX180 is much quieter than the 73Ci. The 73Ci adjusts its speed based on the “load” the motor senses (i.e., number of sheets running through the shredder), while the LX180 has a constant speed regardless of load. The faster the 73Ci goes, the louder it gets. The LX180 has the advantage here, especially in an office work environment where you are trying to not annoy your co-workers.
Both units have the SafeSense technology that stops the shredder if your fingers get too close to the shredder opening. The LX180 stops the shredder almost instantly when SafeSense is triggered, while the 73Ci has a slight lag to it. Advantage here goes to LX180.
Both shredders indicated shredder “efficiency” or “load” via their LEDs. This gives you an idea of how hard the shredders is working when shredding multiple sheets at once. This is handy to help you gage just how many sheets you can shred at once. While shredding multiple sheets, the LX180 does shake/vibrate a little like it is working hard. The 73Ci case and basket seem a little stiffer/sturdier, and it does not really have the same kind of vibration that the LX180 exhibits.
Both shredders will stop once their baskets are full and show a full basket indicator. The LX180 will not allow any further operation (forward or reverse) until the basket is emptied (or opened and tamped down). The 73Ci will allow you to use the “forward” button to override the shut-off to finish shredding your sheet, or to squeeze a couple of more sheets in before emptying the basket. Advantage here goes to the 73Ci.
The LX180 has a slightly smaller size of shredded pieces (shorter length and same width) versus the 73Ci.
The LX180 has 2-year limited warranty and a 5-year warranty on the cutter blades (compared to 1 year and 5 years for the 73Ci).
The LX180 has a current street price of about $246, while the 73Ci currently retails for $198.
Reasons you might want to consider the LX180 vs. the 73Ci:
• Better looks overall, including cool LED status bar
• Noticeably quieter than the 73Ci, especially when shredding multiple sheets at once
• Quicker SafeSense shut-off when getting fingers near shredder slot
• 16-sheet rating (although functionally similar capacity to the 12-sheet 73Ci)
• 20-minute continuous shredding time (if you are doing lots of shredding on a regular basis)
• Smaller shred pieces
• 2-year warranty
• Better looks overall, including cool LED status bar
• Noticeably quieter than the 73Ci, especially when shredding multiple sheets at once
• Quicker SafeSense shut-off when getting fingers near shredder slot
• 16-sheet rating (although functionally similar capacity to the 12-sheet 73Ci)
• 20-minute continuous shredding time (if you are doing lots of shredding on a regular basis)
• Smaller shred pieces
• 2-year warranty
If I had to choose just one of these shredders, I would probably end up with the 73Ci for the following reasons:
• Cheaper street price
• Ability to shred CDs/DVDs
• Ability to temporarily override full-basket shut-off
• Case and wastebasket seem slightly sturdier overall
• Cheaper street price
• Ability to shred CDs/DVDs
• Ability to temporarily override full-basket shut-off
• Case and wastebasket seem slightly sturdier overall
Pros: Jam Resistance, Quiet Operation, Safety Features, Secure Cut Size, Sheet Capacity, Warranty, aesthetics
Cons: Quality Construction, cheaper fellowes options available, won't shred cds/dvds
I would recommend this to a friend!
Response from fellowes.comBy CM, CS, August 2, 2021
Hi BurningTheDaze. We appreciate the great effort you put into your review and for the details you provided regarding your observations. Thank you for your feedback!
Written by a customer while visiting fellowes.com
Customer Rating
5
Ahhhh... so quiet, yet so powerful!
on August 2, 2021
Posted by: gcactiv
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] My wife and I share a home office space (today's 'new norm') - she works virtually as the accounting mgr for a cellular accessories firm, and I'm a consultant for TV/film composers. Between the 2 of us, we're shredding hundreds of documents per week. We've used a Fellowes 73ci for the past 3-4 years, but due to our current combined output, we've considered purchasing a 'next-level' shredder - capable of shredding more docs at a time, with less noise and more efficiently. As fate would have it, Fellowes launched their new LX shredder line and based on specs we took the plunge with an LX180... with ZERO regrets! Sure, the new features (efficiency meter, 16 sheet cap, jam proof system, color indicators for min/max performance, etc.) are fantastic, but the REAL win is that this shredder runs for 20 consecutive mins without stopping and is just a few decibels louder than a whisper!! Incidentally, the LX aesthetic/design form is ultra modernistic and compliments our Kartell desks/file cabinets and Herman Miller office chairs! The LX180 meets all our needs with NO exception and is the perfect small office shredder for the indi business owner/office space-sharing couple on the grind!
Pros: Jam Resistance, Mess Reduction, Quality Construction, Quiet Operation, Safety Features, Sheet Capacity, modern aesthetic
I would recommend this to a friend!
Response from fellowes.comBy CM, CS, August 3, 2021
We appreciate the great feedback, gcactiv! We are glad you are pleased with the aesthetics as well as the performance!
Written by a customer while visiting fellowes.com
Customer Rating
5
Great home office shredder
on August 3, 2021
Posted by: CatManager
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I’ve been working from home now for about a year and due to the nature of the job I must shred lots of documents on a regular basis. Fast quiet and safe is what I’m looking for. The LX180 does all of these for me. I can process my shredding quickly with the 16 sheet capacity. It shreds quickly and quietly. The safesense feature makes the shredder very sad as it cuts off immediately if I touch the paper entry. This shredder is faster and quieter than the one I have been using. I received this product free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Pros: Jam Resistance, Quality Construction, Quiet Operation, Safety Features, Secure Cut Size, Sheet Capacity, Warranty
I would recommend this to a friend!
Response from fellowes.comBy CM, CS, August 3, 2021
Thank you for sharing your experience and opinion with us, CatManager!
Written by a customer while visiting fellowes.com
Customer Rating
5
Best shredder we've had to date
on August 3, 2021
Posted by: smilinginfederalway
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The control panel area is very nice with indicator lights for everything we could want. The per-sheet capacity per shred run is better than our old Fellowes shredder, it's quieter, and the cool-down period is shorter. I received this product free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Pros: Jam Resistance, Mess Reduction, Quality Construction, Quiet Operation, Safety Features, Secure Cut Size, Service Guarantee, Sheet Capacity, Warranty, shorter cool down
Cons: does not shred cds
I would recommend this to a friend!
Response from fellowes.comBy CM, CS, August 4, 2021
We really appreciate you taking the time to share your opinion with us, smilinginfederalway. We are glad it has been a positive one.
Written by a customer while visiting fellowes.com
Customer Rating
4
LX180
on August 6, 2021
Posted by: chloebug
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] So far this shredder has shown a good performance and has decent features. It is quiet and shreds a good amount of paper all at once. The location of the the on/off button located in the back is awkward if kept in an enclosed location. The major drawback is its shredding capabilities i.e. only accepts paper, plastic credit cards, staples and paper clips. No CDs. I received this product free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Pros: Quiet Operation, Safety Features, Sheet Capacity
Cons: does not shred cds, location of on/off button
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting fellowes.com
Customer Rating
5
LX180 Cross Shredder
on August 7, 2021
Posted by: cgman
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] A great home or small office shredder. I received this shredder about a week ago. It was easy to unpack and set up. Used the plastic bags that were supplied with the shredder and began shredding. The first day I shredded about 10 bags full. I ran the shredder constantly for about 1 and half hours before it showed the yellow Run Time indicator. However, I shut the shredder off for about 5 minutes, turned back on and away I went with my shredding. In total for the day, I ran the shredder for about 4 hours. There were no jams or overheating, no problems whatsoever. The only draw back as far as I am concerned is it would have been nice to have window pane in front to show the how much shredded paper were filling the pullout bin. I continued to use the shredder over the week, shredding approximately the same amount of documents over about the same amount of time each day; about 10 full bags of shredded paper over about 4 hours. The only jam I experienced was when I tried to shred more than 15 pages of 8 and half by 11 inches of paper at one time. As long as I kept the amount to 15 pages or less at one time, all went extremely smooth. No binding or excessive noise. I would highly recommend this shredder for anyone looking for a home or small office shredder. It gets the job done! "I received the product free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review."
Pros: Jam Resistance, Mess Reduction, Quality Construction, Quiet Operation, Safety Features, Secure Cut Size, Sheet Capacity, Shreds Credit Cards, Staples and CDs
Cons: no pullout bin window panel for checking amount
I would recommend this to a friend!
Response from fellowes.comBy CM, CS, August 9, 2021
Hi cgman. We are happy to hear the unit worked well for you! While the shredder is definitely a work horse, please note that there is a recommended daily usage rating suggested in the user guide. We want you to have for your shredder for many years to come so following these guidelines will ensure longevity! We appreciate your feedback!
Written by a customer while visiting fellowes.com
Customer Rating
5
Home Office Workhorse
on August 8, 2021
Posted by: nedrgr
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Wasn't lookin to replace my existing Fellowes 79Ci shredder, but if it ever goes out, this will be the one. Extremely quiet and seems to run forever. I recently had the misfortune of settling an estate of an individual who saved every receipt and document. I received this product free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and took the opportunity to put this shredder to the test. The Lx180 took everything I could throw at it and asked for more. Shredding boxes of documents, I found myself taking more breaks than the shredder was. Extremely quiet and fast. If pressed to find a shortcoming of this shredder, the only thing I could note would be basket capacity. At the rate it was consuming documents, I was pausing to empty it before it could overheat. I liked the sleek and modern design. A great addition to the office.
Pros: Jam Resistance, Quality Construction, Quiet Operation, Sheet Capacity
I would recommend this to a friend!
Response from fellowes.comBy CM, CS, August 9, 2021
Hi nedrgr! We greatly appreciate the positive feedback and five stars!
Written by a customer while visiting fellowes.com
Customer Rating
5
AWESOME
on August 8, 2021
Posted by: Bugsy352
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I received this product free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. Saved stack over 6" high to shred: 2 magazines, multiple staples, 2 plastic credit cards, thick envelopes of junk mail, glossy cardstock ads. Chewed through EVERYTHING like a hot knife through butter! Super quiet. All that shredding never overheated or balked. Best shredder I have EVER used!
Pros: Jam Resistance, Mess Reduction, Quality Construction, Quiet Operation, Safety Features, Secure Cut Size, Service Guarantee, Sheet Capacity, Shreds Credit Cards, Staples and CDs, Warranty
Cons: none
I would recommend this to a friend!
Response from fellowes.comBy CM, CS, August 9, 2021
Hi Bugsy352. We are glad you feel the unit is the best one you have every used! Thank you for sharing your experience!
Written by a customer while visiting fellowes.com