East-tec Eraser 2010

East-Tec Eraser is designed to clean computers of the tracks we all leave when we use them.

In this case it can deal with both the cookies and history left in internet browsers and the physical traces of files on your computer’s hard disk.

The program can clear browsing traces from both Firefox and Internet Explorer, as well as from Opera, AOL’s browser, Chrome and Safari. Most of the big browsers have their own tools for clearing traces, and while East-Tec Eraser is considerably more thorough, we're not sure that such extra security is particularly valuable.

The program also cleans disks so that you can give them away or sell them – deleting or formatting won’t usually get rid of all the data. It worked well in our tests, and has a couple of nice touches such as the ability to erase single files or folders, not just whole disks.

East-Tec Eraser was easy to set up and use, although it was not the friendliest tool we’ve seen. The fact is, though, that the free products Ccleaner and Eraser 6 will do a similar job without any cost.

It's true that East-Tec Eraser is more thorough than either, and it combines both functions into one product, so if you'd prefer the peace of mind of having a single program that will thoroughly clean your computer, this would be a good choice.