While a paper shredder may be thought of for only high profile people and high-security corporations, this is quite simply not the case.
Shredders are both essential and useful in a number of ways. From getting rid of old study notes and safely disposing of old credit cards to destroying bills and banking information with a home shredder, and in-office.
We could even go as far as saying that everyone needs a paper shredder.
The market for the best paper shredders is vast, with all sizes, specs, and capacities. We have put together 6 shredder reviews alongside a straight-to-the-point paper shredder buying guide at the end!
See Our Top Paper Shredder Reviews
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Best For Higher Budgets
3 Duronic Paper Shredder PS991
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Best For Low Budgets
4 AmazonBasics Home & Office Shredder
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Best Overall
6 Rexel 2101942UK Manual Cross Cut Shredder
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1. Bonsaii EverShred Cross-Cut Paper Shredder
- Up to 14 sheets can be shredded at one time.
- It’s able to shred credit cards and staples.
- Very low noise level.
- Includes automatic start, and reverse options.
This attractive Bonsaii paper shredder can be classed as a very heavy duty unit. Thanks to the strong blades, it can shred up to 14 sheets of A4 paper at one time – including staples and even plastic credit cards.
It provides small shredded particles of 5mm by 40mm once complete.
Although the shredder is extremely powerful, it keeps noise levels very low at just 58dB, around the sound of a normal conversation.
This is an excellent choice for offices where noise levels need to be kept low.
Furthermore, this shredder has a generous continuous running time of 30 minutes, ensuring you can complete the task at hand without running out of power. What’s more, the recharge time is only 40 minutes.
In terms of additional technology, it includes an advanced cooling system to prevent the machine from overheating and increase its lifetime. It also includes a jam protection system that automatically starts and can manually be put into reverse mode.
Lastly, it comes with an 18-liter bin which won’t need to be emptied too regularly. Once full, the bin can be easily pulled out and pushed back in.
Specifications
Pros
- Overheating protection.
- 18-liter bin capacity.
- 30-minute running time.
- Fast recharge time.
Cons
- High price point.
- No safety protection for children.
2. Fellowes Powershred Cross Cut Personal Shredder
- Shreds up to 8 sheets at one time.
- Includes a safety lock system.
- Shreds staples, paper clips, and credit cards.
- Simple black design won’t disrupt room decor.
This Fellowes paper shredder is both compact and safe, making it ideal for personal home use. The cross-cutting shredder allows you to shred up to 8 A4 sheets at one time.
It also effectively shreds staples, paper clips, and credit cards helping to save time when shredding different kinds of documents.
Once shredded, the materials will be broken down into 4 x 37mm pieces, making them unreadable.
In terms of design aspects, this model is created both simple and sleek. Its black design is perfect for putting under a desk and certainly won’t be a blight to your room design.
The upper part of the bin features a viewing window, allowing you to see when it is full.
A star feature of this design is its additional patented safety lock feature, making it even more perfect for a family home environment.
It features a locked and unlocked switch on the top which can be adjusted to prevent it from accidentally being switched on.
Although it’s a shorter amount of time than some other models, this paper shredder functions for 5 continuous minutes at one time.
It then requires a 30 minute rest time. An added bonus is the 15-liter bin that won’t require emptying too often!
Specifications
Pros
- Great for home use.
- 15-liter bin capacity.
- Small 4 x 37 mm particles.
- The viewing window allows you to see when the bin is full.
Cons
- Doesn’t shred as many sheets as some other designs.
- There’s no reverse option.
3. Duronic Paper Shredder PS991
- Rolling casters for easy movement.
- Very large 31-liter bin.
- Shreds up to 18 sheets at one time.
- Includes Thermal Overload Protection
This cross-cutting paper shredder has an extremely generous capacity of 31 liters, making it ideal for a corporate environment in which multiple people will be using the shredder.
The shredder can handle up to 18 sheets at one time and even works on credit cards and CDs. The produced particles are so small that they can not be read – an essential of any shredder.
Furthermore, it includes 4 rolling castors on the base of the machine, making movement easy. The front of the unit has a small viewing window so you can clearly see when the bin needs emptying.
On top of the machine is the reverse button to relieve any paper jams.
An additional feature of this paper shredder is its Thermal Overload Protection technology. This works to prevent the machine from overheating, giving it a long lifespan.
The shredded also includes an LED light, indicating when the machine is ready to be used.
Lastly, although the design is heavy, having it in an office means it’s not likely to be moved around very much.
The black design fits comfortably under a desk, and won’t stand out.
Specifications
Pros
- Small 28 x 4mm shreds.
- Cuts through CDs and credit cards.
- Includes a reverse button.
- Large size is perfect for an office.
Cons
- No safety lock feature.
- It’s expensive.
4. AmazonBasics Home & Office Shredder
- Includes an automatic shut off.
- Effective in staples, paper clips, and credit cards.
- Shreds up to 6 sheets at one time.
- Very compact design for a shredder.
This compact AmazonBasics shredder measures just 40cm in height, making it ideal to stow away in small spaces and fit into a smaller home office.
The wallet-friendly machine shreds paper into a small 5.6 by 74 mm slices, effectively destroying their legibility. This meets P-3 level security standards.
Furthermore, this machine runs for 2 minutes continuously, before needing a 30 minute off time. To prevent the unit from overheating, it includes au automatic shut off mode.
This also helps the machine to last longer.
In terms of capacity, it can shred up to 6 sheets of paper (20 pounds of bond paper) at one time including staples and paperclips. It also effortlessly shreds credit cards.
The top right of the unit has an easy-to-use slider switch, allowing you to move between auto, off, and reverse mode. The reverse mode is essential in preventing paper jams.
The center of the top of the machine holds an 8.7-inch entry.
This machine does not shred as many sheets as some other models, and the produces particles don’t measure as small as others.
Therefore, this machine would be better suited for personal use as opposed to a larger corporate environment!
Lastly, this shredder is extremely lightweight at just 8 pounds! It’s therefore easy to move around if need be.
Specifications
Pros
- Particles measure 5.6 by 47 mm.
- 2 minute continuous run time.
- Includes a reverse mode.
- 3.8-gallon bin.
Cons
- Particles are not as small as other models.
- Does not shred as many sheets at one time as others.
5. Aurora AU1210MA Micro-Cut Paper
- Micro cutting technology (4 x 12 mm)
- 60 minute continuous running time.
- Shreds DVDs and credit cards too.
- 5-gallon bin capacity.
With micro-cutting technology into just 4 x 12mm particles, this shredder adhered to P-4 security standards sufficient for high-security documents.
It also easily shreds through DVDs, paper clips, staples, and credit cards making it an all-round machine.
It has a generous continuous run time of 60 minutes, considerably higher than many other shredders on the market.
The powerful machine includes a simple slider switch, allowing you to maneuver between reverse, off, auto, and forward mode.
The reverse mode ensures paper jams do not become a problem.
For its design, this shredder is both attractive and convenient. The black and silver design won’t be an eyesore in a room and in fact, matches most decor themes.
The base of the machine holds 4 castors to easily move the 22.4-pound weight around.
Furthermore, the center of the machine includes a 5-gallon capacity bin which won’t require emptying too often. When it does, it can easily be slid out by pulling the frontal handle integrated into the viewing window.
Lastly, this model includes 5 bright LED indicators, informing the status of the machine, These are: bin full, door open, overload, overheat and power on.
These are extremely convenient and a fairly high-class feature for a shredder!
Specifications
Pros
- Automatic reverse mode.
- LED status indicators.
- Rolls on casters.
- Viewing window to see when the machine is full.
Cons
- Heavier than other models.
- The larger size will stand out in smaller rooms.
6. Rexel 2101942UK Manual Cross Cut Shredder
- Unique and compact design.
- Reached P-4 security standards.
- Automatic start and stop.
- Shreds up to 5 sheets at one time.
This Rexel shredder has a sleek black and white design, alongside its fairly compact height and width when compared to other shredders.
The curved edges alongside the compact size make it a modern machine that would complement a similar working environment.
Other design features include a large 7.5-liter bin. When full, it can be pulled out of the front of the machine using the handle towards the top of the viewing window.
The cross-cutting technology shreds paper into small 4 x 35mm particles, adhering to P-4 security level standards.
Plus, the machine also effectively shreds credit cards, paperclips, and staples, removing the need to spend time taking them out of paper before shredding it.
Additionally, it shreds up to 5 sheets of A4 paper at one time.
Furthermore, the top of the machine holds a simple slider to move between reverse, off, and on/auto mode.
The reverse mode is useful in preventing paper jams. When switched on, this shredder runs for 2 minutes continuously before needing a cool-down period.
The only downsides of this machine are that it doesn’t shred CDs and has a shorter run time than some larger models. These specs make it ideal for small-office or personal use.
Specifications
Pros
- 7.5-liter capacity bin.
- 2 minute continuous run time.
- Effective for credit cards, paperclips, and staples.
- Crosscut technology.
Cons
- Does not shred CDs.
- Shorter run time than some other models.
Paper Shredder Buying Guide
Type
Paper shredders in themselves are fairly basic; they shred paper. However, there are two key variations in design, whether they are electric or manual.
Electric Paper Shredder
You’ll find most paper shredders today are electric due to their convenience. They are usually the fastest and most secure option due to the working motor that is able to quickly shred documents into small particles.
These models are ideal for safely disposing of documents, credit cards, and more.
Manual Paper Shredder
Manual paper shredders tend to be a little old-fashioned, yet still, get the job done. These work through a rotary handle to the side, and generally shred paper into long strips, rather than completely illegible particles.
These versions are more suited for convenient disposal, rather than destroying important documents. Therefore they can be an excellent and cheap option for educational or home environments.
Cut Type
The cut type can be an important deciding factor for which shredder will be best for your needs. The size and direction of the cut affect the security level adherence due to the way it decreases the legibility of the document/credit card etc.
Cross-Cut Shredder
Cross-cut shredders work by cutting multi-directional pieces, rather than just long vertical strips. The benefit of this is that they make a shredded document very hard to put back together, therefore reducing any possibility of details getting into the wrong hands.
For shredding addressed, general banking details, and other documents, a cross-cut shredder will be sufficient. Most of the shredders we have featured in our reviews are cross-cut models.
Micro-Cut Shredder
Taking things one step further, we have micro-cut shredders which cut documents into sawdust-like pieces, completely eradicating any chance of someone putting them back together. This is essential if you are concerned about identity theft, for example.
If you need a shredder for highly classified documents, banking details, or simply want to be as thorough as possible, then a micro-cut shredder would be the best option.
Size
A large paper shredder is an obvious option for a bigger, corporate environment such as an office, while a mini paper shredder can be more suited for personal or at-home use.
The differences between the two usually involve how many sheets they can handle at one time, and their running time. You will have seen in our reviews that the larger shredders shred up to 20 sheets, and have running times of 30 to 60 minutes.
On the other hand, smaller shredders have running times of around 2 minutes before a cool-down period is needed. They tend to shred up to 6 or 8 sheets at one time.
Office VS Home Shredder
A shredder suitable for an office will likely be heavier duty when compared to a home shredder. There are a few key factors that differentiate between home and office shredders
- Office shredders will shred more sheets at one time than a home shredder.
- An office shredder will need a longer run time.
- A home shredder will generally be lighter in weight.
- An office shredder will be larger in size than a home version.
- An office shredder will usually be more expensive.
- An office shredder will shred into smaller particles.
Portability
The portability of a shredder is usually dependent on its size and weight.
If you need a portable shredder, you may want to look for 2 features. Firstly, it’s lightweight and under 2 to 3 kilograms. If it’s heavier you may find it includes rolling casters which can be convenient.
Secondly, look for one that’s smaller in size, such as a personal use shredder. Small shredders are often branded as a desktop shredder, making them ideal for moving around with ease and sitting on top of a desk.
Levels
The level of a shredder can be dependent on whether it has been designed for personal or commercial use, as we covered a little above.
A heavy-duty shredder will be larger in size, have a longer running time, and usually shred into much smaller pieces than others. They also tend to be more expensive and have a longer lifespan.
Some of the heavy-duty shredders we have covered above come from brands such as Duronic and Bonsaii. They are designed to shred 18 to 20 sheets at one time and have a running of around 30 minutes.
Pricing Range
At last, we reach another key deciding factor and variant between paper shredders: pricing!
The price of a paper shredder will depend on its design features, and sometimes the brand.
A cheap paper shredder, ideal for personal use, will shred fewer sheets at one time, and usually have a shorter running time.
It may also have cross-cut shredding rather than more expensive micro-cutting.
Cheaper paper shredders start at around the 30-pound mark, whereas more expensive versions can be over 100 pounds.
If you do need a heavier duty shredder with a longer running time and the ability to slice more at once, you will have to splash the cash a little more. Although they are more expensive, the prices are well justified due to their features. They will have more blessed, larger bins and bigger motors.
Our Verdict
We’ve reached the end of our best paper shredders reviews and buying guide. Hopefully better educated on what’s available, which to choose and how much you may be spending.
It’s not just high-profile companies requiring shredders, as they can be an excellent addition for any home.
They can improve the efficiency of waste disposal, keep your identity and banking information safe as well as conveniently ridding your home of unnecessary CDs and expired credit cards.
Although there are so many on the market, you can make your choice quick and easy by opting for our “Best
Overall” rated shredder.
If you need a simple shredder while keeping costs low, go for our Best for Low Budgets option.
