Fellowes is a big name when it comes to paper shredders. In fact, they make some of the best paper shredders around whether it's a large, commercial sized units or a personal shredder that can be used at home. One of their smaller shredders is the Powershred DS-2 and it's a great machine that has a unique look and an impressive set of safety features. Plus, it offers the ability to destroy credit cards. This review will talk about the strengths of the DS-2, as well as take a look at its couple of limitations.

The Fellowes Powershred DS-2 paper shredder is one of the company's least expensive models, retailing for about $134.00, but as is typical of Fellowes products, cheaper doesn't mean inferior. The DS-2 is a pretty impressive machine with the ability to shred up to eight sheets of paper per pass. This is a cross-cut shredder that turns paper into 5/32" x 2" chads that will be impossible to reassemble. The machine has a 9-inch throat that can easily take in both letter-and legal-sized documents and it can destroy credit cards, envelopes, staples, and paper clips. When being used to its full capacity, this is a powerful machine that's capable of destroying 145 sheets of paper in a minute which is pretty impressive given the machine's low price.

Fellowes is known for making their shredders safe to use and the DS-2 is no exception. It's equipped with Fellowes' patented SafeSense technology that can detect when body parts are near the machine's opening. If it detects body heat, it shuts the machine down automatically to prevent injury, so you won't have to worry about the machine eating your fingers. You can also be assured that nothing bad will happen to your kid or pet when you use this machine.

One of the things that makes the DS-2 stand out is its appearance. This isn't your normal, box-like paper shredder. The DS-2 actually looks like a fairly stylish garbage can due to its cylindrical body and the handle on top of the unit. The handle makes it easy to dispose of the waste, as well as transport the shredder. The wastebasket area has 4.8-gallon capacity, as well as a convenient window so you can see when it's time to empty the bin.

The DS-2 is the perfect shredder for home use (bye-bye, credit card offers!) and it could also be used as a deskside shredder in an office setting. However, this shredder isn't designed for heavy-duty, continuous use. There's also no jam-prevention feature, so make sure to only shred the recommended amount of paper. Otherwise you'll have a big, annoying paper jam to clear up. Also, the machine lacks casters which are often found on paper shredders. However, the handle makes up for this omission.

Overall, the Fellowes DS-2 paper shredder is a good choice for people who need a safe shredder that offers a high level of security and is easy to use. The fact that this shredder is also affordable should make it irresistible to people who need a machine for everyday shredding needs.