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Best Paper Shredders

Updated: Feb 20, 2024 3:56 PM
best paper shredders guide that shows the top best home appliance model

Shredding documents is a necessary process to make sure your personal information doesn’t get in the wrong hands. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to have a shredder at home if you receive a lot of junk mail in the post. To help you discover the best paper shredder we eliminated any shredders that couldn’t cut more than paper and opted for multi-capable credit card shredders that can cut up thicker materials, such as plastic, credit cards or CDs. We also want you to feel confident that your private information won’t get stolen. Therefore, we opted for models that offer at least cross-cutting (security level P3) to cut the paper into confetti-size pieces, making it difficult to reassemble. I

Of our diverse selection, we rated Fellowes Powershred 99Ci Paper Shredder the overall winner. This best paper shredder is equipped with extensive safety features to prevent injury to your fingers during use. It’s also an ideal height to park next to your desk without having to bend down. This shredder can continuously shred for 30 minutes without overheating, making it great if you’ve reserved a pile of documents to dispose of.

Top 7 Best Shredders Compared

 #1  Fellowes Powershred 99Ci

Award: Top Pick

WHY WE LIKE IT: The Fellowes Powershred 99Ci securely shreds around 180 pages per minute, gobbling up paper, CDs and credit cards to 3.9 x 38mm. This makes the shredder have a level P4 security, making it suitable for shredding bank statements or documents stating your address.

Pros
  • Excellent safe sense tech to avoid cut fingers
  • LED indicator notifies when the bin is full
  • Can shred staples
Cons
  • Difficult to store under your desk
  • The feed slot is a bit small
  • Expensive compared to other products on this list

This shredder has an impressive run time and continuously runs for 30 minutes non-stop before needing a cooling-off period. This is an impressive feature, and offers 10 times the amount of time most shredders offer. It shreds 18 sheets per use, making it suitable for disposing multiple sensitive documents quickly. Alternatively, you can place fewer papers into the feed, but with thicker materials. We don’t expect you to sit and count the total number of paper you have, as the shredder will pause to notify you it can’t handle any more material. Simply place the paper in the slot, and it’ll automatically begin shredding. It also operates quietly so as not to disturb others.

Fellowes designed this product with four casters for convenient mobility around your home. With a nine-gallon bin, it’s an appropriate size for 1-3 users, and you won’t have to empty the bin regularly. This shredder cuts through material quickly, with an average of 180 pages per minute.

 #2  Bonsaii EverShred C169-B

Award: Best Honourable/Best for Large Volumes

WHY WE LIKE IT: The Bonsaii EverShred C169-B shreds documents to ¼ inches to keep your personal information illegible and safe. These specifications gives the shredder a security level of P4, meaning no-one can ensemble shredded pieces of paper to make sense of them.

Pros
  • Overheating & overloading LED indicators
  • Relatively quiet when in use
  • Equipped with thermal overheating protection
Cons
  • Doesn’t notify you when the bin is full
  • Only comes with a one-year warranty
  • Shreds 70 pages per minute, with the market average being 100

This cross-cut shredder measures 12.9 x 9.5 x 19.9 inches, making it a suitable size to store under your desk. The Evershred C169-B has no issue eating up envelopes, credit cards, and CDs. If you stick to a maximum of 10 sheets at a time, it will shred paper to tiny chunks in seconds. The shredder is perfect for a first-time purchase and its interface makes it easy to use and understand. There are three lights in total to show when the machine is on, if it’s overheating, and when the motor is overworked. With a single switch, you can switch from a shredding setting to reverse.

When in use, it produces a quiet low hum while shredding paper into a cross-cut shape. The automatic jam setting is a unique feature that saves you having to step in and press a button if the paper becomes jammed. Bonsaii claims this shredder can handle 14 sheets/pieces at a time, but this capacity will cause the shredder to moan and groan. Unlike the best office chairs under $100.

 #3  Amazon Basics 8-Sheet Shred

Award: Best Budget

WHY WE LIKE IT: The Amazon Basics shredder cuts paper into 6mm wide strips, and CDs into four chunks. These cross-cuttings shred documents to a security level P3, so you can dispose old tax returns and more.

Pros
  • Can easily shred credit cards
  • The credit card/CD slot is protected with a plastic cover to prevent fingers getting stuck
  • Quiet when in operation
Cons
  • The 4.1-gallon bin is one of the smallest on the market
  • Shreds at an average speed of 14.6 feet per minute, though not the quickest on the list
  • 8 or more documents can lead to paper jams

This shredder cuts paper into narrow strips to improve security of shredded documents, which also means you can shred more before emptying the bin. You could shred a letter and try to piece the shreddings together, and you’d fail. Alternatively, you can select a larger cutting pattern to shred less-sensitive documents quicker. Open the feed slot to place a credit card into the larger feed so the shredder can chop it into chunks. You can also place a disc into this section, though don’t place more than one item at a time.

Related: See also the best clipboard for work.

You can continuously feed the shredder for three minutes with documents, and it won’t seize working. This Amazon Basics product can handle eight documents at one time to destroy paper quickly. Plus, the angled slot makes it convenient to feed paper without having to line documents up first. You can do it all from the best office chair.

 #4  Bonsaii 6-Sheet Cross-Cut Paper Shred

Award: Easiest to Use

WHY WE LIKE IT: The Bonsaii shredder can bite through staples, saving you time de-stapling all of your documents. It also dices paper into 4 x 45mm and has a security level of P4 to securely shred any paper to safeguard your personal livelihood.

Pros
  • Convenient handle for emptying paper
  • Small design to fit under desks out of the way
  • Transparent bin so you can see when it needs emptying
Cons
  • You have to fold some paper in half to fit in the feed
  • Requires a 40-minute cool-down period
  • Can’t shred more than six sheets of paper at one time

This petite cross-cut paper shredder easily bites paper into micro-cut confetti pieces to ensure no-one can read your personal data, measuring 4 x 45mm. The auto-start function lets you place paper through the feed while the sensors detect when material is present so you don’t have to press a button every time you need paper shredding. It can also run for four minutes at a time, making it suitable to keep on top of shredding home documents.

Bonsaii designed this shredder with a thermal protection system to prevent the motor from overheating. It’s also a compact design, so you can store it under your desk until you need to use it next. This Bonsaii shredder is built to last, thanks to the solid steel cutters that destroy paper, clips, credit cards, and staples. To improve safety, the shredder automatically switches off when you lift the lid to prevent any accidents. You may also want to read about the best office chairs under $500 for your desk.

 #5  Aurora AU650MA Shred

Award: Best Value/Best for Children Present

WHY WE LIKE IT: The Aurora shredder has a security level P4, cutting paper into micro-cuts. This level of security makes this model suitable for shredding bank statements, while its auto power-off with forced entry makes this shredder safe to use around children.

Pros
  • Automatically switches off to prevent accidents
  • Can continuously run for two minutes
  • Can shred staples and clips
Cons
  • Struggles shredding thick envelopes
  • You can’t see when the bin is full
  • Can only shred for two minutes continuously

This product is built to shred important documents into micro-cut paper chunks securely. As such, it’s suitable for destroying credit cards, paper, and can even tackle clips and staples with ease. You can insert six pieces of paper at one time to speed through the process without any issues. The shredder is designed with safety in mind, so it detects any thicker than six pieces of paper in the feed, it won’t shred, in case it’s a finger.

Its durable design makes this product a winner if you’re searching for a long-lasting shredder to use regularly. The 3.7-gallon wastebasket makes the shredder perfect for limited spaces. As is the best sit stand desk.  Its responsive to paper and rarely gets jammed, thanks to the sensors that feed the paper neatly through the machine.

 #6  Royal 112MX Shred

Award: Highest Security/P5

WHY WE LIKE IT: The Royal 112MX shredder can cut through 12 sheets of paper at one time, and the tiny shreddings make this model a security level P5, the highest on our list. It also comes with separate feeds for paper and plastics so it’s capable of destroying all sensitive information and the most secure at doing so.

Pros
  • The bin can hold around 220 pieces of paper
  • Long-lasting, tough design
  • Shreds CDs into tiny pieces
Cons
  • No child-safety feature
  • No warning light to indicate when it’s too hot for use
  • Produces a smell when burning CDs, etc.

This shredder’s nine-inch paper entry makes it easy to tackle through tough materials or 12 pieces of paper at one time – though, depending on thickness, it can sometimes chomp through more than this. This is great if you wish to shred documents quickly and tend to reserve a pile of paper for shredding. The auto-start and stop feature helps to make the shredder convenient to use without the need of pressing a button.

Royal designed this shredder with wheels to easily transport around a room. although you may not need to move it around from room to room, this is a convenient feature for taking it to the bin to empty your shreddings. Its unique bin opening provides a stylish touch and makes emptying after use hassle-free. Plus, the clear-viewing allows you to see when the basket is full.

 #7  Giantex 10-Sheet Shredder

Award: Quietest

WHY WE LIKE IT: The Giantex shredder has a large bin capacity of almost 4 gallons, making it suitable for multiple users. It also operates at a low noise level, so you can use it without disturbing others.

Pros
  • Low noise level when in use
  • Can easily shred up to 7 sheets at one time
  • Fitted with safety features
Cons
  • The lid doesn’t easily fit on after emptying paper
  • Sometimes the auto start doesn’t recognize paper in the feed
  • Not a large bin capacity for multiple users

This product is fitted with an LED indicator that notifies when it’s overheating before automatically switching off. Most shredders switch off instantly, but Giantex likes to warn you how much time you have remaining. Some shredders can dice paper into tiny chunks and leave traces in the blades, but Giantex dispenses all shreddings into the bin to make it easier to clean when it’s time for maintenance.

This shredder cross-cuts paper, so no-one can read through your documents once they’re shredded. It can also tackle credit cards and staples without damaging the shredder. The four-gallon bin capacity is great for regular use. Though, it only weighs 9 pounds in total, which is light enough to move around your space.

How We Decided

Finding the best shredders for home use involves following a strict criteria. During our research, we discovered shredders with a security level of at least P3, so you can remove bank statements, personal letters, and documents with names and addresses without your impeding your security. All shredders above can cut an A4 document into 200 pieces of more.

We also only included shredders that feature an anti-jamming sensor, so you can reverse the paper should it become jammed in the shredder. We included some shredders with a manual button and some that automatically reverse the paper if it’s too thick for the feed.

As the shredder is for home use, we appreciate you’ll probably use the product for shredding more than paper with personal information. Consequently, all the above products are capable of dicing CDs and credit cards into tiny pieces making them suitable for a small home office.

Each product on this list can shred at least six pieces of paper at one time. We understand that paper-shredding isn’t the most fun task in your spare time, so you want to get the job done as quickly as possible. Six seems a reasonable amount for home use, as any shredders below this come with basic features.

Our list focuses on shredders for home use and as such if you’re looking for a hard-core shredder capable of obliterating 50 or more sheets at a time, you’ll need to look for heavy-duty shredders suitable for businesses and small offices.

Best Shredders for Home Use Buyer’s Guide

The Most Important Features to Consider

As you search for the best shredders for home use, here are some essential features to consider:

  1. Safety Features
    A shredder contains sharp blades that can provoke accidents and injuries if it doesn’t support safety features. Some high-end products are fitted with an electronic touch sensor that detects when hands or fingers are close to the paper feed. In such events, the shredder automatically switches off to avoid injuries. The shredder should be fitted with an overheat cut-off, so once it reaches a certain temperature, the power cuts off. Otherwise, it can start smoking or catch fire. Some products are fitted with a passcode to keep your shredded documents safe.
  2. Security
    Look into the shredder’s security based on the sizes and total of shreddings it produces based on what documents you’ll be shredding. For example, if you’ll use the shredder for disposing of paper with pin codes and bank details, opt for a security level P3 with cross-cutting features, for a medium security. For shredding legal and financial documents, head for at least P4, with P5 and P6 being suitable for disposing of military documents. These high security shredders use a micro-cut so it’s impossible for anyone to piece paper back together and read the information. Keeping your workspace free from excess clutter will help keep your mind clear and productive. There are some items you have to keep on your desk or workspace, like a computer, pen holder, and/or a great postal scale if you have to ship things regularly.
  3. Shreds Staples
    Another key consideration is if the shredder can handle staples. Documents tend to be stapled together, and a high-duty shredder can power through clips without you removing them.
  4. Bin Capacity
    Consider how many documents you’ll shred in one session. If you’ll regularly shred personal information, a large bin capacity – around six gallons – saves you having to empty the shredder and return to the job constantly.

Best Paper Shredders Questions (FAQ)

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