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Royal HT88

*Est. $50

Reviewed

March 2012

by ConsumerSearch

Pros

Crosscut confetti
Shreds credit cards, staples
Auto-start, reverse

Cons

Loud
Not for CDs
No safety features
Mesh bin can leak dust

Where to Buy

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Our Analysis
Specs
98 Amazon Reviews

The Royal HT88 crosscut paper shredder is a budget model that shreds paper, staples and credit cards. It has basic features such as auto-start and auto-reverse, but no special safety features. Royal rates this model for eight unfolded 20-lb. sheets at a time; some users recommend shredding about half this for best performance. The motor is protected from overheating by a short duty cycle of just two minutes of continuous shredding, followed by a four-minute cooling off period. Users say this is fine unless you have a big backlog of paper to shred. The 3.7-gallon wire mesh bin is a mixed blessing: it's easy to see when it needs emptying, but users say it can leak some dust. One suggests lining it with recycled plastic bags from the grocery store.

ConsumerReports.org doesn't test this specific Royal model, but does test a similar eight-sheet Royal shredder that uses the same motor-head unit. We found over 30 reviews of the Royal HT88 paper shredder at Amazon.com, with detailed comments as well as overall ratings. Probing for more information, we did locate the HT88 manual online, and since the photo at Amazon.com is of a different model, we found an accurate photo at eBay.com that shows the top slots and controls quite well.

Where To Buy

Royal Machines HT88 Shredder 8-Sheet Full Size Cross Cut with Wire Mesh Basket

(98 reviews)
Buy new: $69.99 $45.87 46 Used & new from $28.45

In Stock. Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping

Store Rating	Notes	Total Price
116 store reviews	In Stock.	$59.99	See It
1,251 store reviews	In Stock. Earn 2% eBay Bucks on qualifying purchases! Backed by eBay Buyer Protection Program. Terms and Condi	$58.69	See It
8,525 store reviews	In Stock. QVC has a Hassle-Free, 30-Day Return Policy. See site for details.	$61.96	See It
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Our Sources

1. Amazon.com

Nearly three dozen owners rate and review the Royal HT88 paper shredder here, with about 80 percent giving it quite positive reviews. Satisfied owners say this shredder is fine for household use, and some even find that it shreds eight sheets at a time. Owners appreciate the small footprint and the way this model is protected from overheating. The main drawback is noise.

Review: Royal Machines HT88 Shredder 8-Sheet Full Size Cross Cut with Wire Mesh Basket, Contributors to Amazon.com

2. ConsumerReports.org

In this roundup review of 19 shredders based on thorough objective tests, editors test two other Royal paper shredders -- including a budget 8-sheet model, the Royal CX88. The only difference between the CX88 and the HT88 is the type of basket; both use the same motor, so reviews should apply equally to both units.

Review: Paper Shredders, Editors of ConsumerReports.org, October 2011

3. Menards.com

The manual for the Royal HT88 is brief, not specifying a maximum number of passes per day or whether or not it's OK to line the mesh bin with a plastic bag.

Review: Royal HT88 Manual, Royal Machinery

4. eBay.com

The photo featured at Amazon.com is actually of a different model, the Royal HT66, but zooming in on the photo at this site clearly shows that it's the HT88. Unlike some photos of the Royal HT88, this view shows that it has two slots: one dedicated to credit cards.

Review: Royal HT88 8-Sheet Cross-Cut Shredder, Editors

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