I'm submitting this review in case others are debating, as I did, between this shredder and the Mailmate desktop format shredder. They seemed similar, so I initially purchased the Mailmate based on its then-discounted price at a certain office supply company named after a paper fastener. The particular item I got was a lemon that would not turn on, so I returned it, but it was immediately clear that I was not going to request a replacement--the build quality was just too flimsy, and the buttons seemed cheaply made and poorly seated. Instead, I purchased this Aurora model. This is basically the same size (maybe a smidge deeper) than the Mailmate, but it feels so much more solidly built. It also wasn't clear to me whether the Mailmate had an "auto" function as opposed to just forward and reverse. This one does. Compared to the GoEcoLife shredder it replaced, the Aurora is much quieter. The sound is surprisingly un-annoying, and I don't feel like I have to worry about bothering the neighbors when I shred. Even though I can't imagine giving this alleged "desktop" model as much real estate as it would need on my desk, the compact size is convenient for unobtrusive positioning in a corner. The receptacle for shredded paper is small, but it's not a problem for home use: the micro-cut waste falls more densely in the bin and creates much less volume than standard cross-cut for the same amount of paper, so you don't need to empty it as often as you might think. The pull-out bin is incredibly convenient, creating much less mess than older models that require you to lift off the shredder section and track confetti everywhere during emptying. The white color makes it less noticeable and minimizes the office-y effect of having a shredder in your room. There is also an Amazon-branded shredder that in photos looks identical to the Aurora except in black, but I preferred to get a white shredder for less visibility and paid extra (unfortunately typical across shredder brands) for the white one.
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