Whether you need it for your home or office, using a paper shredder is the quickest, easiest and the most effective way to destroy confidential documents. Besides, today’s paper shredders are quieter, smaller and affordable than ever. To help you find the right paper shredder for your purpose, we have enlisted the 10 best paper shredders of different types, sizes and capacity. Below are the three factors that you need to consider before purchasing a paper shredder.
Types of Paper Shredders: Depending on the cutting pattern there are three types of paper shredders: Strip-cut shredders which cut the documents into long narrow strips. They are least secure. The second type is cross-cut shredders which cut papers into small confetti like pieces offering higher security compared to strip cuts. The most secure of all is micro-cut shredders which chop documents into tiny particles. Run Time: Small paper-shredders intended for home use have a short runtime which can last anywhere from 1 to 5 minutes. Mid-size shredders used in small offices can run for 5 to 15 minutes. Large size paper shredders intended for industrial use can work continuously for 30 minutes or above before needing a break. Sheet Capacity: Sheet capacity indicates the number of documents a shredder can shred at a single pass. For home use 6 to 8 sheets per pass is more than enough.
Read our Buying Guide at the end of the article to know more about paper shredders and make a smart purchase.
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The device strip-cuts can get rid of 8 sheets of paper at a single pass and turn them into ¼ inches long strips. It’s also capable of cutting through CDs, DVDs, and credit cards. The maximum run time for this little champ is 2 minutes, after which you need to give it a short 15 minutes break to cool down. It’s a perfect shredding solution for home use to get rid of bills, junk emails and receipts. There’s an auto shut-off feature, too, which will turn the device off to protect the motor from overheating. The auto mode automatically starts the shredding as you feed something. There’s also a manual reverse mode to prevent paper jams. Overall, the budget paper shredder with 8 sheets shredding capacity offers a pretty decent deal for the cost. Features:
Dimensions: 7 x 12.6 x 13.2 inches Weight: 25 pounds Speed: 9.84 ft per minute Running Time: 2 mins Capacity: 8 sheets at once Autostart, reverse function Bin capacity: 3.2-gallon
Pros:
Budget paper shredder Autostart Large bin capacity
Cons:
Lacks features
2. Aurora Paper Shredder
This paper shredder from Aurora cuts sheets both vertically and horizontally ensuring better security but at a much more affordable price. The cross-cut paper shredder is highly efficient at its job. It can cut through paper clips, credit cards, and staples and turn them into small pieces like confetti. It can shred papers at a speed of 8.36 pages per minute. With the smart auto-start feature, it starts cutting as soon as you feed something onto it. Even though it’s not mentioned in the description, we have witnessed the device cutting through paper for 10 minutes without needing a break. Whether financial statements or personal information, this device cuts things into ⅕ inch scapes. Besides, it packs the most functional features like manual reverse mode to clear paper jams, overheat protection, and a waste bin indicator. It comes with a 125 sheet waste bin, which means you don’t empty it often. Overall, it’s a great choice for small offices and home use. Features:
Dimensions: 6 x 7.48 x 14.78 inches Weight: 7 pounds Type: Cross-cut shredder Speed: 8 sheets/ min Run Time: 15 minutes approx Capacity: 8 sheets at once Autostart, reverse, overheat protection Full-bag indicator Bin capacity: 125 sheets
Pros:
Budget cross-cut paper shredder Great for low volume shredding Large bin capacity
Cons:
It’s loud Cannot cut through CDs and DVDs
3. Bonsaii Paper Shredder
bonsaii is one of the leading manufacturers of paper shredders. So when you’re buying one from their house, you know you’re investing in a quality product. The bonsaii small-sized paper shredder can chew through 6 sheets of paper at once and turn them into 5×40 mm tiny strips. Even though it’s small and comparatively cheap, it will still offer you P3-level security. This is perfect for small office and home use because it’s compact, does its job and offers level P3 security. It can run 4 minutes at max, after which you need to give it a 40 mins break. It’s much slower at its task if you compare them with the previous two models. It does get overheated, but it has both overheat and overload protection to take care of the motor. Unlike other paper shredders, bonsaii comes with a small window that lets you peek inside to see how full the bin is and when you need to empty it. It measures roughly around 14×11.8x 7 inches and can easily be placed under the desk. Other functions include manual reverse for clearing paper jams, auto-start, and a 3.4-gallon waste bin. The cross-cut shredder comes with 1 year of manufacturing warranty. Features:
Dimensions:8 x 7.1 x 14.3 inches Weight:39 pounds Type: Cross-cut shredder Speed: 6 sheets at a time Run Time: 4 minutes Cooling Time: 40 minutes Autostart, reverse function, overheat protection Bin capacity: 180 sheets of a4 paper
Pros:
Affordable and reliable Transparent window Large bin capacity 1-year warranty
Cons:
Long cooling time Not ideal for heavy workloads
4. Fellowes Paper Shredder
In need of something that can take the load? This power shredder from Fellowes is capable of running for a continuous 20 minutes, destroying 16 sheets at a time, making it a great choice for office and business use. Boasting high P4 level security, this device will chomp through anything you feed into it, from ATM cards and paper clips to CDs/DVs, turning them into 5/32×1-½ inch cross-cut particles. One of the best things about Fellow’s power shred is that it is 100% jam-proof, which means no more struggling to clear the paper that often gets stuck inside. It has an auto-start and auto-reverse function, which deals with the miss-fed papers by spitting them out and restarting the function. It comes with a 23-litre huge bin capacity. Besides, the SafeSense technology was created keeping safety in mind. It stops shredding as soon as the hands touch the paper opening. Features:
Dimensions: 25 x 16.25 x 11.63 inches Weight: 12.8 kgs Type: Cross-cut shredder Speed: 16 sheets at a time Run Time: 20 minutes Cooling Time: 30 minutes Bin capacity: 23 litres Autostart, auto-reverse, overheat protection SafeSense technology 100% jam proof
Pros:
16 sheet input Doesn’t jam Child and pet safe 23 L bin capacity
Cons:
On the pricier side
5. VidaTeco Paper Shredder
If Fellowes was a bit too much for you, you may like the VidaTeco paper-shredder that will slice and dice the sensitive paperwork and turn them into tiny 5/38 mm trips. Its cutter can chew through 14 sheets of bond paper at a single pass. Offering P-3 level security this paper shredder can turn documents into 5/38 mm small pieces, and also shred credit cards, CDs, and DVDs. It’s the perfect paper shredder for both office and home use to get rid of junk mail, financial statements, receipts and bills. The device functions in small bursts, 5 minutes of continuous shredding followed by a 20-minute break for cooling down. Unlike others, it comes with a transparent window to let you know when it’s full. The heavy-duty shredder comes with a huge 6.6-gallon wastebasket. Oh! And it’s ETS certified and comes with 1-year protection. Features:
Dimensions:17 x 9.6 x 15.74 inches Weight:62 pounds Type: Cross-cut shredder Speed: 14 sheets in 5 minutes Run Time: 5 minutes Cooling Time: 30 minutes Autostart, reverse function, overheat protection Bin capacity: 6.6-gallon
Pros:
14 sheet input Viewing window Compact
Cons:
It is loud
6. BONSEN S3109 Paper Shredder
If any of you is looking for a heavy-duty shredder for commercial or industrial use, here’s the best budget option. The BONSEN 90-sheet paper shredder has a huge appetite and can chew through 90-sheets of document at once. The cross-cut shredder can work in both auto and manual mode and has different capacities for them. The auto-feed mode has a maximum running time of 18 to 20 minutes and can dispose of 90 sheets at a single pass. In the manual mode, the device has a limited runtime of 4 to 6 mins and can only take upto 6 sheets at once. Both ways, it turns papers into 4mm/12 mm size particles which are impossible to pieced back together. However, the auto-feed mode cannot destroy credit cards, staples and clips. Other than this it comes with lockable 360° casters, a 5.3 gallon pull-out waste bin, overload, overheat protection and auto-reverse function to avoid paper jams. Features:
Dimensions: 1″ x 10.5″ x 20.3” Weight:91 pounds Type: Cross-cut shredder Speed: 6 sheets at once Run Time: 90 minutes on auto-feed mode Cooling Time: 90 minutes Auto and manual mode operation Auto-reverse function, overheat and overload indicator Bin capacity: 5.3-gallon 1-year warranty
Pros:
Great for commercial and industrial use Large bin Comparatively cheaper
Cons:
Might clog
7. WOLVERINE Paper Shredder
If you don’t mind the price tag, here’s the best performing commercial grade micro-cut paper shredder. The WOLVERINE high speed micro-cut shredder can shred as much as 200 sheets within just 60 seconds. Its superior self-lubricant blade cutter smoothly cuts through credit cards, staples, clips, CDs/DVDs. With dual thermal protection the shredder can run for a continuous 15 minutes destroying upto 15 sheets per pass before needing a 30 mins break. Its super micro cut blades chop documents into 2mmx10 mm tiny particles. It comes with an 8-gallon humongous waste bin which hardly needs emptying. For all its powerful shredding it’s not that loud. The noise level stands 54 dB which is quieter than most. Though it’s not jam proof, its jam reverse system can detect paper jams and stops the device allowing manual reversing. The product comes with a 1-year warranty and ETS safety standard. Features:
Dimensions:8 x 12.2 x 26.1 inches Weight: 48 pounds Type: Micro-cut shredder Sheet capacity: 15 sheets Run Time: 15 mins Cooling Time: 30 minutes Overheat, overload, paper jam indicator Bin capacity: 8-gallon 1-year warranty
Pros:
Ideal for shredding highly confidential data Silent operation Large waste bin
Cons:
A bit overpriced
8. Bonsaii C169-B Paper Shredder
Have tons of documents to get rid of? Looking for a high-security shredder that can work without needing a frequent break? This micro-cut paper shredder from Bonsai will happily munch 3500 sheets of paper within 30 minutes without any pause. All credit goes to the turbo cooling system that protects it from overheating. It turns papers into 5×40 mm tiny particles and chomps through credit cards, staples, and paper clips. It can chew through 14 sheets at a single pass and has LED indicators for overloading and overheating. It doesn’t clog like others due to the auto-reverse function. If the paper gets stuck inside, it automatically spits it out and starts the function from the beginning. It comes with a 4.8-gallon pull-out bin with a transparent window. It means it won’t require frequent emptying. Sure, it’s big and bulky, but it’s fairly quiet considering the performance and power. Bonsai paper shredders are backed by a 1-year warranty and professional customer service. Features:
Dimensions:5 x 9.5 x 19.88 inches Weight:8 pounds Type: Cross-cut shredder Speed: 14 sheets per pass Run Time: 30 minutes Cooling Time: 40 minutes Autostart and auto-reverse function, LED overheat and overload indicator Bin capacity: 4.8-gallon
Pros:
Runs for a continuous 30 minutes Auto-reverse function Good customer service
Cons:
It’s big and bulky This might be too much for home use
Importantly, the device can run for a maximum of 5 minutes, but it can take upto 8-sheets at a single pass and turns them into 4/12 mm tiny particles. It also cuts through staples, and paper clips and has dedicated slots for credit cards, CDs and DVDs. It might not have the largest bin capacity, limited to only 4 gallons, but P4 level security makes sure your personal information doesn’t get into the wrong hands. After 5 mins of continuous function, it will need a 30 mins cool down break. It’s big and bulky and weighs around 7.2 kgs which means it can be a struggle to move with it, but it still is a great everyday paper shredder. Features:
Dimensions:9 x 12.95 x 19.49 inches Weight:24 pounds Type: micro-cut shredder Sheet capacity: 8 sheet per pass Run Time: 5 minutes Cooling Time: 30 minutes Autostart and auto-reverse function, LED indicators: overheat, overload, bin full, door open power on Bin capacity: 4-gallon
Pros:
P4 level security cross-cut shredder Easy to use Light on the pocket
Cons:
It’s heavy Lacks safety features
10. Fellowes LX22M Paper Shredder
The Fellowes 20-sheet micro-cut paper shredder is designed for some serious shredding. Featuring a 100% jam proof easy shredding, the Fellowes can run and shred for a continuous 30 minutes before it needs a break. The device allows you to shred 20 sheets at a time so that you can get through the shredding even faster. It turns them into tiny particles measuring 4/16 mm, providing superior protection to personal information. The efficiency meter keeps a count on the sheets allowing you to shred the maximum you can. There’s an intellibar that turns red when too many sheets are inserted. Moreover, the SafeSence technology protects hands from touching the blades. The LX powersheredded can also cut through clips, staples and credit cards. The best part is that it runs quietly. The only fact that might concern you is the size. It’s big and bulky and will probably not sit on a desktop. Features:
Dimensions: 16.5 x 11.75 x 23.25 inches Weight: 41.5 pounds Type: Micro-cut shredder Run Time: 30 minutes Cooling time: 15 minutes SafeSence technology, efficiency meter, full-bin indicator Bin capacity: 750 A4 paper
Pros:
30 mins continuous shredding Large bin capacity Safe option Quiet
Cons:
Not the simplest to run
Best Paper Shredder Buying Guide
Paper shredders come in different sizes and shapes, and they vary a lot from each other in terms of performance, features and capacity. You need to know a lot about paper shredders; hence, you need to go through a buyer’s guide. So, let’s start with the basics: the different types of paper shredders you can buy.
1. Different Types of Paper Shredders
Virtually, paper shredders can be divided into three categories: home use, commercial and industrial use. The two main factors that make them differ from one another are the shredding capacity and shredding speed. For instance, a paper shredder designed for home use has limited shredding capacity. They usually have a shorter runtime and take a longer time to cool down between each session. Most paper shredders intended for home use have a 2 to 5 minutes short runtime. On the contrary, shredders dedicated for commercial or industrial use are designed for serious shredding. They can take a larger load and have a longer running time and increased speed. Most of these devices are able to shred other items than paper. They take a shorter time to cool down and can work continuously for 10 to 30 minutes and sometimes even more.
2. Different Styles of Paper Shredding
There are three main types of paper shredders, depending on the shredding style. The cuts they produce also determine the level of security that a paper shredder can provide. The three typical styles of shredding are a. Strip-cut: Strip-cut shredders do exactly what the name suggests: they cut the paper into long narrow strips. They are also called straight shredders. A standard strip-cut shredder will make 39 strips out of an A4 size paper. They are more than sufficient for home use like shredding bills and statements. b. Cross-cut: Cross-cut shredders are one step ahead of strip-cut shredders. They cut the strips both horizontally and vertically creating small confetti-like pieces adding one extra layer of security to the documents. A cross-cut shredder can make 400 pieces of tiny strips out of an A4 size paper. They make c. Micro-cut: The safest of all, the micro-cut shredders chop documents into thousands of tiny particles. One A4 size paper is cut into 3700 pieces in the cross-cut shredding method. They are also known as security cut or particle-cut shredders.
3. Paper Shredder Specifications
a. Run Time: Run time refers to the time span a paper shredder can run continuously before needing a break for cooling down the motor to prevent overheating. The run time is sometimes called a ‘duty-cycle. The runtime will determine the shredder’s overall shredding capacity. It means, a paper-shredder with a shorter runtime will take longer to dispose of a given number of documents and similarly, an extended runtime will do the same job in a shorter span of time. b. Sheet Capacity: The sheet capacity is the number of papers that a shredder can shred at a single pass. The higher the sheet capacity the more documents you can shred at a time. Generally, small shredders can shred to a maximum of 6 sheets at a pass whereas larger shredders can chomp through 20 or more sheets at a single pass. c. Bin Capacity: People often neglect the bin capacity and later realize its importance while emptying the bin every now and then. Paper shredders come with a waste bin, pull-out or removable that holds all the shredded pieces. Smaller the bin, the more frequently you will need to empty it. d. Security level: Different styles of shredding offer different levels of security. When it comes to deciding on the security level you need to consider how sensitive data you are dealing with and where you plan to dispose of them. Strip-cut shredders are least secure, because the strips can be pieced back together. Cross-cut shredders provide better security by cutting the strips further both vertically and horizontally, but they are still not 100% safe because the small pieces can still be pieced together by a professional. Hence, the most secured choice is the micro-shredder that literally slices and dices the documents which become impossible to piece together.
4. Paper Shredder Additional Features
a. Jam Prevention: Jam prevention detects the load and stops the shredder from cutting any further. b. Full wastebasket indicator: It lets you know when the wastebasket is full and needs emptying. c. Manual vs auto-reverse: Paper jams are most likely to occur; they clog the blades and cause the machine to shut down. A manual reverse function will help you manually reverse the papers and prevent jamming of papers. Advanced shredders have an auto-reverse function which allows the device to spit out the jammed papers and restart the function. d. Overload protection: An overload protection will alert you if you try to feed too many papers at once. It prevents jams and also protects the motor from overheating. e. Auto-start: Feeding papers by hand is a hassle and it’s a time-consuming process as well. An auto-start feature will start the shredding process as soon as you feed something to the device. f. Safety lock: Some shredders have a safety lock system that can detect the fingers touching the paper opening and stops the shredding process immediately. g. Quiet operation: Shredders are usually noisy. Most of the shredders out there produce noise somewhat around 65 decibels which is the same as a washing machine. Any louder than 65 decibels will cause disturbance in home or in a crowded office.
- Are paper shredders worth it? Identity fraud has become a real threat to everyone. Paper shredders are the safest and the quickest solution to securely get rid of your sensitive information. Shredding is all worth the cost and effort.
- How long does a paper shredder last? A good paper shredder should last 10 years if not more. But it requires little maintenance like oiling and cleaning from time to time.
- How often should I oil my paper shredder? Ideally, you should oil your shredder twice a month. Depending on your use, you may oil each time you clean the waste basket. For cross-cut shredders it can be every week. For micro-cut shredders it’s better to oil them after 15 mins of continuous shredding.
Conclusion:
We hope it was easier for you to decide on your final purchase after going through the buying guide. We have included the 10 most popular shredders on amazon that you can buy right now. You will find many other shredders as well both online and offline. Whatever you buy, consider these three factors: 1). The shredding pattern depending on the sensitivity of the documents, 2) The maximum runtime and 3) The shredding speed. If you’re still confused with your purchase here are our top three recommendations: Those looking for a higher capacity shredder go with Fellowes power shred with eyes closed. It can dispose of 16 sheets at a single pass, continuing it for 20 minutes before it needs a 15 minutes break to cool down. Comment * Name * Email * Website
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