Best Paper Shredder Consumer Reports: Top Picks

1. Amazon Basics Paper Shredder - Best for Your Budget

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Important specifications

• Cut Type: Cross-cut.

• Sheet Capacity: 12 sheets.

• Product Dimensions: 13.27 x 9.29 x 14.57 inches.

• Item Weight: 12.81 pounds.

Highlight features

With a price tag of around $60, the Amazon Basics Paper Shredder is worthy of being one of the best budget shredders. Through consumer reports, we found that people love it because of the decent features it offers.

Amazon seems to have the answer to everything. And this shredder doesn't disappoint. This Amazon Shredder can shred an impressive 12 A4 sheets. It can shred credit cards and even CDs and DVDs without paper jams.

Pros

• Reasonable price.

• Useful stats.

• Good troubleshooting tips.

• Cover to protect from accidental shredding.

• Clear view window.

Cons

• Loud grating noise.

Bottom line

One tip to keep in mind is not to put too many sheets in the shredder quickly after each other. The thermal control system will protect the shredder from overheating. 

But, you may have to wait 15-20 minutes for the shredder to cool down. Overall, this shredder gets the job done and works great for a small home office.

2. Aurora AU1460XA - Best for Home Use

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Important specifications

• Cut Type: Cross-cut.

• Sheet Capacity: 14 sheets.

• Product Dimensions: 14.41 x 11.02 x 20.87 inches.

• Item Weight: 23 pounds.

Highlight features

The Aurora AU1460XA looks very similar to another Aurora shredder - AU1060MA. The difference is that the AU1460XA is a cross-sectional shredder with a security level P-4. This level offers slightly less security than the AU1060MA. But it still offers more than good data protection for your personal documents.

Pros

• Extra long-run time.

• Ergonomic handle.

• Anti-jam technology.

• Large capacity bin.

• Smart LED indicator.

Cons

• The bin is hard to empty.

Bottom line

This cross-sectional shredder can shred up to 14 sheets at a time, so you can really name it a home heavy-duty shredder. Besides your documents, this machine also cuts your old CDs, DVDs, and credit cards.

All these features combined make this our best pick for the best home shredders consumer reports, it's amazing.

3. Aurora AU1210MA - Best for Daily Use

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Important specifications

• Cut Type: Micro-cut.

• Sheet Capacity: 12 sheets.

• Product Dimensions: 14.41 x 11.02 x 19.33 inches.

• Item Weight: 22.4 pounds.

Highlight features

Aurora brings you another efficient shredder that meets all your daily shredding needs. This shredder has a 12-sheet capacity and shreds DVDs, CDs, small paper clips, and credit cards. It meets P-4 security standards which means your personal information will always be safe.

Pros

• Long-run time.

• Fast cooldown time.

• Very quiet operation.

• Big and convenient box.

• Good build quality and durability.

Cons

• More expensive than other P-4 shredders.

Bottom line

Besides, even though the Aurora AU1460XA is powerful enough to handle such materials. It can work up to 60 minutes without stopping. The operation is truly silent. Therefore, the Aurora AU1460XA will never disturb you as well as your co-workers.

Anti-jamming technology keeps this shredder running at all times. Still, you shouldn't worry about its durable service as the machine comes with a 1-year limited warranty.

4. BOXIS AF120 - Best for Heavy-duty Tasks

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Important specifications

• Cut Type: Micro-cut.

• Sheet Capacity: 120 sheets.

• Product Dimensions: 13.6 x 9.5 x 21.9 inches.

• Item Weight: 25.1 pounds.

Highlight features

Do you want the best quality? You find in a shredder but you're not willing to spend a lot of money? The Boxis AF120 is the best affordable commercial shredder. 

Although its manual feeder can only handle 10 sheets at a time, the auto feeder offers space for an incredible 120 sheets. It's the best capacity we have found. And it can greatly simplify the shredding process. 

Pros

• Automatic feeder technology.

• Auto-reverse mode.

• Continuous run time 10 minutes.

• Large 6-gallon capacity.

• Light indicator.

Cons

• It is fairly slow.

Bottom line

Whichever option you choose here, you can count on this shredder to render the results into indistinguishable particles. And while this is a larger model, it has wheels for navigating around the office.

5. Bonsaii 3S23 - Best for Long-run Time

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Important specifications

• Cut Type: Micro-cut.

• Sheet Capacity: 8 sheets.

• Product Dimensions: 14.45 x 11.17 x 22.36 inches.

• Item Weight: 31.5 pounds.

Highlight features

You can keep shredding on this machine for two hours straight and it won't overheat or damage your document. This powerful best paper shredder consumer reports cuts across the paper. 

It can cut 14 pages at a time. With a 6 liter dustbin, you don't need to worry about constant emptying. It also comes with an anti-jam feature which saves your time and hassle

Pros

• Extremely long time running.

• Excellent cooling system.

• Anti-jam feature.

• Large trash bin.

• 3-year warranty.

Cons

• The price is relatively high.

Bottom line

The Bonsaii 3S23 also has a feature that makes many users fall in love. a high-performance cooling system. This system expels hot air from the unit. And circulates cool air within the machine during operation, thereby keeping the shredder at the ideal temperature.

This advanced system also protects overheat. Which explains how this shredder has a very short cooldown requirement, unlike most other shredders.

6. EZBASICS E01C - Best for Personal Use

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Important specifications

• Cut Type: Cross-cut.

• Sheet Capacity: 5 sheets.

• Product Dimensions: 14.93 x 7.45 x 13.46 inches.

• Item Weight: 13.97 pounds.

Highlight features

The Ezbasic E01C Paper Shredder is a rather large but compact personal device that fits under a desk or workstation. There are 14.93 x 7.45 x 13.46 inches. It is perfect to use the light at your home or in a small office. You can feed it with paper, small paper clips, credit cards, and staples.

Pros

• Compact and stylish so it fits anywhere.

• Transparent basket window.

• Ultra-low noise design.

• Versatile and shreds a variety of documents.

• Good for personal use.

Cons

• The tank capacity is not enough.

Bottom line

The machine can shred paper up to 5 sheets and will cut them into 3/19 inches x 1-3/16 inches. You can use it to cut from sensitive information to unwanted documents. The unit runs continuously for five minutes and requires cooling for 30 minutes.

Furthermore, this Credit Card Shredder has an ultra-low noise design with a noise level of 58 dB. With that, it will maintain your quiet office or indoor environment.

7. Dahle ShredMATIC 35314 - Best for Ease of Use

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Important specifications

• Cut Type: Cross-cut.

• Sheet Capacity: 14 sheets - 300 sheets in an automatic feeder.

• Item Weight: ‎44.9 pounds.

• Product Dimensions: ‎14 x 17 x 25.25 inches.

Highlight features

While most shredders focus on security after shredding is complete, some offer the ability to secure content during shredding. 

This device will allow you to place up to 300 sheets in the automatic feeder and then lock it with the key, ensuring no one sees what is being destroyed until the cycle is complete.

Pros

• Lockable 300-sheet auto feeder.

• Oil-free.

• Low-maintenance blades.

• Safety level P-4.

• Premium data security.

Cons

• The manual is almost useless.

Bottom line

The ShredMATIC also differs from other models in that it is designed to be oil-free and requires no regular maintenance. It's likely that there are no user-definable parts. So, we doubt you'll have any problems with a machine of this caliber. 

This is ideal for medium to high office usage, especially in situations where sensitive data needs to be kept secret during shredding jobs.

8. WOLVERINE SD9520 - Best for Confidential Papers

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Important specifications

• Cut Type: Micro-cut.

• Sheet Capacity: 15 sheets.

• Product Dimensions: 15.8 x 12.2 x 26.1 inches.

• Item Weight: 48 pounds.

Highlight features

The Wolverine SD9520 is designed for large-scale, honey-paper shredding. Might be overkill if you just need to shred a few family documents but then you can never be too careful. 

It offers security level P-5, which means it is safe for espionage and suitable for government and military agencies. Basically, no one will be able to split your credit card bill among themselves after it's passed this beast.

Pros

• Consistent with the highest level of security.

• Fast and efficient shredding.

• Quieter than other shredders.

• Big trash can.

• Manganese cutting machine.

Cons

• Very expensive.

Bottom line

Another benefit of this powerful shredder is that it can shred up to 200 sheets in 60 seconds. It's ideal if you work for a government agency. You need to shred things up in the event of a military coup. 

Or if you don't want to spend the afternoon hashing your bank statements. Other features include a super-quiet induction motor, an 8-gallon pull-out bin, and a transparent window.

9. Fellowes Powershred 99Ci - Best for Multi-user

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Important specifications

• Cut Type: Cross-cut.

• Sheet Capacity: 18 sheets.

• Product Dimensions: 17.31 x 11.44 x 25.19 inches.

• Item Weight: 39.1 pounds.

Highlight features

The Fellowes Powershred 99Ci is a powerful and fast compact office shredder suitable for 1-3 users. Recently, this shredder was updated to Fellowes LX22M. Tear up to 18 sheets of paper peruse without jams, thanks to the 100% Anti-Jam system. 

Besides documents, you can also shred CDs, DVDs, credit cards, paper clips, and staplers. The best paper shredder consumer reports are safe to use in your office because of SafeSense technology.

Pros

• Suitable for multi-use.

• Anti-jamming technology.

• Safe to use.

• High efficiency.

• Reliable.

Cons

• This shredder is pretty heavy.

Bottom line

If you're looking for something that can tear multiple sheets of paper at once, you've found it. 

When you start, you have 30 minutes of continuous running before you have to let it cool down for 40 minutes. If you only use a little at a time, you'll never have to stop to cool.

10. Fellowes Powershred 79Ci - Best Value for Money

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Important specifications

• Cut Type: Cross-cut.

• Sheet Capacity: 18 sheets.

• Product Dimensions: 10.44 x 15.38 x 21.31 inches.

• Item Weight: 28.2 pounds.

Highlight features

Fellowes Powershred 79Ci is a good device to buy for home and office use. It is very simple to operate and does not require special knowledge to get started. 

This best home shredders consumer reports comes with a 16-sheet feeder. It also has decent specs that should be enough for the shredding needs of 1-3 users. 

Pros

• Wheels for extra mobility.

• Safe for pets and children.

• Saving energetic function.

• Perfect for family needs.

• Easy to operate.

Cons

• Suitable for moderate use.

Bottom line

Thanks to its safety features, it can be used in families with children or pets. With a high level of security, it easily cuts various documents. It can completely destroys sensitive documents without any chance of recovering information. 

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1. Should I pay for a large paper shredder if I am working at a government agency?

Of course! Be prepared to pay much, much more for a fast shredder that can last all day. 

High-end micro shredders can shred a single sheet of paper into 6,200 to 13,000 pieces. They are used by government agencies and corporations that need to destroy hundreds of old documents at once.

2. How can I ensure that the broken documents are not recoverable?

The more times a piece of paper is cut, the less likely it is to be pieced together. That's why micro-cut shredders are the best paper shredder by consumer reports. 

But if you have a cross-section or strip shredder, you can still reduce the chances of documents clumping together. You can empty the shredder bin more often or separate shredded documents into different bags before disposing of them.

3. What is the best shredder size for the home office?

That depends on how often you use the shredder and how many pages are loaded in a shredding session. 

Look for a shredder that can load multiple pages at once and can shred at least 10 pages in 2 to 4 minutes. Cross-cutting or shredding shredders can prevent sensitive information from being stitched together.

4. Can you sharpen a paper shredder?

You can easily sharpen the blades by running a few sheets of aluminum foil through the shredder. This is similar to cutting foil to sharpen dull scissors. We recommend doing this every few weeks to keep your shredder sharp and efficient.

5. What kind of energy is the paper shredder?

The shredder uses electricity from the wall to run the electric motor inside the shredder. This electric motor is rated in horsepower (HP).

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Along with this article, you already know which are the most popular options. We consulted numerous reviews to compile this list of the best paper shredder consumer reports. Hope you can find the shredder that suits you best!

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