Plextor has sent over a new product for us to test that gives a whole new meaning to the word "burner". The PlexEraser PX-OE100E is the only device that we know of on the market today that actually destroys the data layer portion of a CD or DVD to make the data unreadable. So why not just break your disk in half and call it good right? Well, that may be good enough for you and I, but it's not good enough for companies or agencies that must protect their data as if it were a matter of life or death. This just may be the perfect solution for law firms and government agencies who must ensure they completely destroy the data on the disk itself before the disk can be destroyed or recycled.

Specifications

     PlexEraser can destroy eight types of disc formats in both 12cm and 8cm sizes: CD-R/CD-RW/DVD-R/DVD+R/DVD-RW/DVD+RW/DVD-R DL/DVD+R DL.

EASY SETUP
     The PlexEraser requires no personal computer setup and runs upon insertion of a disc. Just plug it in. Pop in a disc. Destroy.

ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY
     Since the PlexEraser doesn’t physically destroy the disc, you never have to worry about releasing toxic particles into the atmosphere as with conventional disc destruction methods. The PlexErasure meets RoHS 1.2 environment standards.*

LOW POWER, SILENT, CONTINUOUS DESTRUCTION
     The PlexEraser runs on a minimum amount of power in both data destruction and standby modes. Moreover, the PlexEraser fits well in the corner of a quiet office, while never emitting more that 35 decibels. And since the PlexEraser never needs to cool down, data can be continuously destroyed.

     * The RoHS directive prohibits the use of the following elements in electrical/electronic equipment sold after
7/1/2006: cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs).

Out of the box...

Above is a photo of the package contents. All you need is the PlexEraser and power cord.

Notice the big yellow warning lable. You definitely don't want to mistake the PlexEraser for an external optical drive.

Testing

     The PlexEraser is as easy to use as the average toaster. If fact it's a lot like making toast. You simply put a disc in the tray, close the tray and the PlexEraser does the rest. You don't push go, you don't plug it in to your computer, there is no software... It just doesn't get any easier. I tested the PlexEraser on a recorded CD ROM and it only took a couple minutes to turn the disc into a drink coaster. Plextor claims that this device will even erase an entire DVD in just 4 minutes and only 6 minutes for dual layer discs. . That's pretty quick.

     So how does the PlexEraser work? The PlexEraser uses a laser beam to destroy the data-logging portion of a CD/DVD disc. This directly obliterates the data recording layer in the disc, which means the data is unreadable and unrecoverable. After the data is destroyed, the drive automatically marks the disc to show which ones have been destroyed and which have not.  The robust, professional drive is designed to be used continuously if necessary.

Here you see the blue light which tells the user the PlexEraser is in use.

Conclusion

     From an environmental standpoint, the PlexEraser is a great idea I don't think many people have really considered. I don't believe the environmental impact of shredding a disk or tossing one in the garbage has ever crossed my mind. So with a fresh point of view, anything that can help save our planet is a great product, especially when we live In a world where recycling has become a way of life. However, I feel the consumers who would benefit the most from this product are still those who's main concern is data protection and destruction. Saving the planet would simply come as a bonus.

     With a retail price of $249.99, the Plextor PlexEraser is fairly expensive, but with a name like Plextor, you know you're getting a top quality product. 250 bucks may seem like a lot for a product that does so little, but what is true data protection and destruction worth to you?