Master Shredder

Master Shredder is a simple-to-use, yet powerful software application that enables you to permanently delete files and folders, in order to prevent unauthorized users from recovering confidential data using specialized software.

It features advanced settings for experienced users and, at the same time, it is simple enough to be handled by novices.

The installation procedure is over in just a few seconds. When it comes to the interface, Master Shredder is packed in a regular window with a simple and minimalistic structure, where files and folders can be selected for shredding by using the file browser, tree view or drag-and-drop support.

Batch processing is supported, which means that you can wipe multiple items at the same time to reduce the workload.

The main frame shows the name, path, size and type of each entry. As far as wiping options are concerned, Master Shredder processes NTFS file streams, compressed, encrypted and sparsed files, as well as wipes file names by default, but any of these options can be disabled. You can select the preferred erasing algorithm, ranging from 1 pass (fastest, most insecure) to Gutmann's 35 passes (very slow but highly secure).

The app may take a while to shred files and folders, depending on their size and settings applied. However, we have not come across any issues in our tests, since it did not hang, crash or pop up error messages. It runs on low CPU and RAM, so it does not hog system resources.

Thanks to its intuitive interface and advanced settings, Master Shredder should meet the requirements of most users looking for a simple and secure way of permanently deleting files and folders beyond recovery. However, the full package is a bit too expensive.