12 Of The Best Paper Shredders For Home & Office
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In a world of technology, keeping your information and important documents safe isn’t the easiest thing. To make matters worse, most of us are currently working from home and this trend doesn’t seem like it is going to ease up anytime soon! Using our personal computers, tossing out sensitive documents, and not having the security of a corporate network are all risks that we naturally inherit when we start working from home.
Well, we can’t fix all of those today, but we can solve one of them. Having a high-quality paper shredder has never been more important than right now. Whether you are a full-timer working from home or not, investing in a paper shredder is a must! Do yourself a favor and get a device that ensures your personal protection and company safety.
The Best Paper Shredders Out There
We’ve researched the 12 Of The Best Paper Shredders For Home & Office work and put them in an easy to read list! Check it out below:
1. Amazon Basics 24-Sheet Cross-Cut Paper Shredder
- 24-sheet capacity
- P-4 rated
- DVD, CD, and credit card capable
- 7-gallon bin
The Amazon Basics 24-Sheet Shredder is a non-descript shredder that fits perfectly into any home or work office. It’s designed to cross-cut, ensuring confetti-sized pieces that meet P-4 security standards.
You can shred 24 sheets of 20-pound bond paper at once and you don’t even have to remove staples or small paper clips! You can even destroy CDs, DVDs, and credit cards through a dedicated slot. It includes anti-jam technology and auto-reverse features to make sure you never permanently damage the machine.
Its 7-gallon pull-out bin ensures you never overcrowd the shredder in one use. It also includes an Amazon Basics Guarantee.
2. Bonsaii 14-Sheet Cross-Cut Paper Shredder
- 14-sheet capacity
- Heavy duty design
- Thermal overload protection
- 1-year limited warranty
The Bonsaii 14-sheet paper shredder is a heavy-duty addition to any office, home, or professional. It can handle 14 sheets at a time and utilizes cross-cutting blades, ensuring small particles and the security of your personal information.
It has thermal overload protection and a jam-proof system to make sure you get the longest life out of your machine. The 4.8-gallon pull-out basket has a clear window, so you can always see how full the shredder is.
It features LED indicator lights to detail the operation, whether forward or reverse. Bonsaii also includes a 1-year limited warranty to protect your investment.
3. Aurora Anti-Jam 12-Sheet Crosscut Shredder
- 12-sheet capacity
- Crosscut design
- Credit card capable
- Oil included
The Aurora Anti-Jam 12-Sheet Shredder is an easy pickup for anyone wanting a quality shredder without premium prices. It can handle 12 sheets at once and utilizes cross-cutting blades for P-3 level security.
Besides just paper, the shredder can handle credit cards with ease. It features non-stop continuous run abilities and overload and thermal protection abilities. A bonus with the Aurora shredder is the included shredder oil!
The specially formulated shredder oil is designed to work with the Aurora and has a flip-top spout to ensure easy opening and sealing. The bottle also comes with an extension nozzle to get oil into those hard to reach places that need it the most.
4. BOXIS AutoShred 650-Sheet Auto Feed Shredder
- Automatic feeder
- 650-sheet capacity
- Passcode locked
- Microcut blades
The BOXIS AutoShred is an absolute beast. You can quite literally drop in a stack of paper 650 sheets thick and walk away from this machine as it works. It shreds up to 19.7 feet per minute and has a 60-minute automatic feeder, allowing you to work or walk away while it shreds.
The lid can be locked with a confidential 4-digit pin passcode so you can feel safe dropping documents and leaving. The 14-gallon wastebasket is huge, allowing you to go through multiple shredding sessions without a hitch or replacement. Its Microcut blades produce paper particles significantly smaller than cross-cut machines, further ensuring document safety.
5. Fellowes Powershred Cross-Cut Paper Shredder
- 18-sheet capacity
- CD, DVD, and credit card capable
- SafeSense technology
- Oil included
The Fellowes Paper Shredder is a sleek machine that can handle 18-sheets at once. Its heavy-duty design and build allows handling of paper clips and staples while shredding large stacks, reducing your overall time spent sitting in front of a shredder.
With its heavy-duty design, the shredder can take on credit cards, CDs and DVDs, and even junk mail you don’t want anymore! It has Jam Proof technology and a hand-sensor known as “SafeSense.” When it detects hands near the opening of the shredder, it automatically stops.
As a bonus, it comes with lubricating oil to keep things running smoothly. The 12-ounce bottle has an extension nozzle to get complete coverage of the blades.
6. SentrySafe Fireproof and Waterproof Document Box
- Fireproof up to 1550 degrees
- Waterproof for 72 hours
- Tubular lock design
- Ultra-heavy-duty
While not a paper shredder, the Sentrysafe box is quite a piece of technology to behold. Reminding you of something from a high-stakes heist movie, the Sentrysafe box is designed to protect documents, DVDs, and USBs from almost anything.
It’s totally waterproof for complete submersion of up to 72 hours, securing you against a potential flood. It’s also fireproof for an entire half-hour at 1550 degrees Fahrenheit. For context, a house fire is 1100 degrees on average.
With a charcoal grey design and tubular key lock, the Sentrysafe box is a wise pickup for anyone needed to secure documents or small valuables in the face of disaster.
7. Aurora Professional Strip Cut Paper Shredder
- Small and portable
- 8-sheet capacity
- Expandable arm for all trashcan sizes
- Inexpensive
The Aurora Strip Cutter is a perfect addition to a home office. It’s essentially a paper shredder that doesn’t have a basket, allowing you to fit it over a regular trash can. It’s not weak, either! It can handle 8-sheets of 20 lb. bond paper at a time, as well as CDs, DVDs, and credit cards. It features thermal protection and a jam-removing option for any issues.
The lid is fitted with an extendable arm, allowing you to fit the shredder of a basket with a max length of 15 inches. If you need a shredder for home that doesn’t take up a ton of space while also staying inexpensive, this is a perfect option for you.
8. Fellowes LX20M Powershred Micro Cut Paper Shredder
- 12-sheet capacity
- Micro shredding blades
- 100% Jam Proof
- SafeSense technology
The Fellowes PowerShred Micro Cut appears to be the entry-level option for anyone wanted micro shredding options (as opposed to crosscutting). It can handle 12 sheets at a time and can power through without jamming (100% jam-proof technology).
It has a bin full and runtime indicator, so you don’t have to guess what’s going on just from the sounds it makes. It also includes an efficiency meter to ensure you are getting the optimum safety capabilities when you are feeding paper in.
Its SafeSense technology automatically turns off when a hand is near the opening, stopping potential blade injuries. A heavy-duty option, it can power through staples, paper clips, and credit cards with relative ease.
9. TRU RED 12-Sheet Micro-Cut Shredder
- Micro shredding blades
- P-4 rated
- Small design
- Inexpensive
The TRU RED is the perfect micro-shredder that fits in a micro-spot. It’s small, powerful, and secure. The TRU is classified as a micro shredder, taking a standard sheet of paper down to 1200 particles.
It’s P-4 rated and is great for all sorts of sensitive data. The size of the TRU is what really matters. It’s one of the smaller shredders on our list and still boasts its P-4 rating and micro shredding capabilities.
To top that, it’s one of the least expensive micro shredders we’ve seen. It comes in gray and black and can hide anywhere in a home office. The 6-gallon shredder bin can be simply recycled or used with specialized shredder bags (sold separately).
10. Royal 12-Sheet Cross-Cut Shredder
- 12-sheet capacity
- Cross-cutting blades
- No need for maintence
- CD, DVD, and credit card capable
The Royal 12-sheet shredder is a standard cross-cut shredder that is guaranteed to get the job done. It can handle 12-sheets at once and is designed like a console. It’s ideal for home use and is sturdily built while blending into the background.
Aside from a 9-inch paper slot, the Royal has two additional slots, one specifically designed for credit cards and the other for CDs and DVDs. The 3.25-gallon waste bin has a clear door, so you always know when it’s time to empty. An additional feature is that all Royal shredders require no maintenance. They specifically recommend never to use oil in their products.
11. Aurora Desktop-Style Cross-Cut Paper Shredder
- Super portable
- 4-sheet capacity
- Inexpensive
- Credit card capable
The third Aurora device we’ve seen so far, the Desktop-Style shredder is designed to be portable and easy to use. It can handle a cool 4-sheets at a time, as well as credit cards and the like.
It’s designed to sit on your desktop, so it’s incredibly small (and coincidentally cheap). It has an included basket with a carrying handle for easily moving it around. If you work from different locations in an office and need to shred papers on the go, this might be a good option for you.
The paper slot measures 4.5 inches, and the blades cross-cut. The basket can handle about 40 sheets before it needs to be emptied, as well.
12. ideal High-Security Super Micro-cut Office Shredder
- Automatic feeder
- Automatic oil dispenser
- P7 rated
- 26-gallon waste bin
The ideal High-Security Super Shredder is among the best there is. Tearing through 6-8 sheets at a time with an automatic feeder, this shredder is designed for heavy office use. With a P-7 rating (the highest on our list), it’s HIPAA and FACTA compliant and top-notch security.
The steel shafts are covered under a year-long warranty, and the machine is self-oiling. Its motor is one horsepower, and it has a 26-gallon bin. This is the biggest and baddest paper shredder on our list.
Our 2023 Paper Shredder Buying Guide
As we mentioned before, 2020 and 2021 held a lot of strange workplace changes for many of us. There were lockdowns, work from home orders, and a ton of hyper-local rules that certain places instituted. Working a corporate job with all the fancy machinery (and ergonomic office chairs) was soon a thing of the past.
Our backs started hurting (bar stools do NOT make good chairs), and we needed to get rid of important office documents with sensitive information. Our list of paper shredders should help narrow down the options for you, and we have just about every range available. With those options, here is a little help in understanding what all of the marketing wording actually means: Our Paper Shredder Buying Guide:
Are Shredders Necessary In A Paperless World?
Paper shredders are great little office tools that serve a big purpose. Their primary function is to take sensitive documents and shred them to later be discarded. Simply throwing away, say, a document with a social security number on it, could result in some serious consequences, primarily identity theft.
With identity theft and cybercrimes on a steep upward curve, it may be worth it to invest in something that reduces your risk. If you work at home or are the office manager, a document shredder could be an essential part of your security procedure.
Can You Use More Than Paper In A Paper Shredder?
While the main function of document shredders is paper, that isn’t the only thing they can do. Most shredders have steel “blades” that rotate and effectively tear apart whatever is inserted through the “throat” of the shredder. On select shredders, however, paper isn’t the only thing you can put through the machine. Almost all models have the capability to shred credit cards, with a few even having dedicated slots to ensure it’s completely destroyed.
If you are looking to get rid of debt and want to make a show of your “big shred day,” make sure you pick out a device that includes credit cards! Another feature that a few of them have is the ability to shred DVDs and CDs. While this is becoming less of a need, many offices record sensitive meeting audio or even burn Zoom calls to DVDs for future reference. The only real way to guarantee nobody can access those discs is to burn or shred them.
What Is The Shredding Capacity Of Paper Shredders?
Your work environment and specialized needs are the most significant determiner of your capacity needs. For example, if you work in HR for a large company and handle the sensitive documents of several hundred employees a day, you could potentially spend HOURS sitting in front of a single feed shredder, feeding them in one by one.
On the other hand, if you don’t work with sensitive documentation but receive a lot of junk mail that has your information on it, having a single feed shredder is ideal for the occasional piece of junk that you toss into it. Your needs dictate your purchase.
Most of the shredders in our list specify how many sheets at a time you can fit into the device. A “12-sheet” shredder, for example, can handle 12-sheets fed in at once. If you wanted to shred 24 documents, you would need to split them into two sessions.
An important note to shredding capacity is the ability to automatically feed paper. Some (high end) shredders offer a simple tray or basket to place the waiting papers in. The device then feeds the papers into the steel teeth without needing your direct oversight. In certain office scenarios, one large shredder services 4-10 people. Being able to place papers and walk away is a nice feature when lots of shredding is needed.
What Security Rating Should I Look For In A Paper Shredder?
In the world of paper shredding, there are certain protocols that dictate how “secure” a shredder is. The standard classification scale starts at P2 and goes all the way to P7. As you move up the scale, the shredded particles get smaller and smaller. For a standard P2 shredder, the pieces are 6mm wide and have a theoretically infinite length.
If you were an (extremely) patient and dedicated person, you could potentially piece together a single P2 shredded document. P7, on the other hand, is a whole different beast. Abe-Online details the varying levels of particle size. For P7 shredders, this is what they say:
Designated the highest of top-secret security shredder level. Specially designed to meet requirements of the Department of Defense (DOD/NSA) and the exacting standards of the CIA, US Embassy’s, Top Secret U.S. Military Departments, national security organizations, government agencies and government contractors.
Keep in mind your job requirements and personal needs when looking at your shredders rating. If you work in a military or government job, P7 is required.
Software Features Of Paper Shredders – What To Look Out For
While shredders aren’t usually “techy” devices, there are a few bits of software to be aware of when picking a shredder. The most common software element in a shredder is the ability to reverse spin. While almost all shredders can do this, not all of them do it automatically. While a shredder is working, paper can build up in the blades and cause a bit of a jam.
The solution to this is to reverse the blades, pull out the paper an inch or two, and start shredding again. Without anti-jamming software, you need to do this manually. Many of the shredders on our list have this software feature, basically ensuring that the teeth won’t jam on their own. With the anti-jam software, the shredder automatically detects and issues and self-corrects.
Another important software feature is safety. While shredders are designed to be as safe as possible, people sometimes act stupidly. A finger caught in the blades of a shredder is like the nastier equivalent to getting a shoelace caught in an escalator. Many of the nicer shredders have sensors that automatically shut off the blades when they sense a nearby hand. It’s a small feature, but if you have small kids around, it is worth it.
Do You Need To Oil A Paper Shredder?
Paper shredders are mechanical. Like anything mechanical, wear and tear eventually becomes an issue. Shredders have lots of moving parts and need to be properly taken care of if you want them to last a long time. The first step in maintaining a shredder is keeping the blades oiled. Every machine is different, and you need to follow the instructions of only your brand. Royal (a brand on our list), for example, is built to work without oil, and adding it could ruin the machine.
For the brands that do come with oil, apply it to the shredder’s teeth with the included extension nozzle exactly as the manual explains. One of the shredders on our list even has its own oil dispenser built-in.
If you heavily use your shredder, eventually, even the steel teeth will wear down. When this happens, first, consult your manual. After that, you can look into lubricated and sharpening sheets. Essentially, they are paper-sized pieces of lubricated material that is designed to sharpen the blades after they go dull.
Conclusion
Now that you’ve learned more about shredders than you ever dreamed of, it’s time to make a decision. As we’ve mentioned before, the most important factor when picking a shredder is your need and volume. If you work HR in the military, a high-capacity P7 rated machine is essential.
If you just want to shred junk mail that comes in, a 12-sheet P5 will do just fine. With proper care and use, a shredder should last for quite a few years. Picking a quality device makes sure you have a dependable and consistent way to make your life (and identity) that much more secure.