DESIGN & FEATURES The pullout basket is a sizable 8.9 gallons, which holds a ton of micro-cut pieces. It removes easily when you need to empty it and goes back in pretty smoothly as well. Removing it also activates a sensor that automatically disables the motor for added safety. The three-position auto/off/reverse switch works well but is the only way to keep the shredder off, other than unplugging it. The Namibind has a separate safety lock to help prevent yourself and your kids from accidentally activating the shredder. I always unplug the shredder when I'm not using it, but if you like to keep yours plugged in, just keep in mind that there's no additional lock.
NOISE I measured the noise of my old namibind MC15 with an American Recorder SPL-8810 sound level meter and got 91.8 dBA. The Arun Automation, which benefits from the enclosed basket design, measured at 82.2 dBA -- almost a full 10 dBA quieter than the namibind. The ambient noise level was about 34.7 dBA and I measured both shredders right near the mouth.