Last Updated on May 7, 2019

Best Paper Shredders for Home Use

Welcome to our Best Paper Shredders Review.

You may have thought that identity theft is only a cybercrime. The truth is, though, that plenty of criminals still operate in the old-fashioned way.

If anyone does want to steal your identity, the easiest way to do it is to rummage through your trash.

If you don’t shred documents before you throw them out, you are making it easy for thieves. You are making it easy for them to get your account and card numbers, and other personal information.

One of the most basic ways to prevent identity theft is to buy a paper shredder. It’s a simple precaution, but it works.

When you start looking for paper shredders for the home, you will find that there are different types. Shredders also vary quite a lot in price.

In this best paper shredders review, we explain the types of paper shredders. And, we look at the important considerations when buying a shredder. We have also picked out six of the best paper shredders for you.

We hope that you find our best paper shredders review helpful.

Types of Home Shredders

In this post, we are concentrating on paper shredders for home use.

There are big, heavy-duty shredders that you can buy for office use.

Home users wouldn’t usually need to shred high volumes of documents, though. So, we have restricted this review to the smaller models.

There are three main types of paper shredders on the market. They shred paper in different ways, and they provide different levels of security. The three types of paper shredders are:

1. Strip-cut shredder

A strip-cut shredder shreds paper into vertical strips. It’s the type of shredder that leaves you with long shreds of paper.

A strip-cut shredder will usually shred an A4 sheet of paper into about 39 strips.

Strip-cut shredders are the least secure type of paper shredder. Some of the text will be readable on the shreds of paper.

Strip-cut shredders are best for shredding non-confidential documents.

2. Cross-cut Shredder

A cross-cut shredder cuts the paper diagonally from both corners. The small pieces of paper that it leaves are almost impossible to read.

Cross-cut shredders provide medium level security. They are suitable for shredding confidential documents.

3. Micro-cut Shredder

Micro-cut shredders provide the highest level of security. They cut paper into very small pieces that are unreadable.

A Micro-cut shredder will leave you with approximately 3,700 small pieces of paper. It would be almost impossible to piece a micro-shredded document back together.

Considerations When Buying a Paper Shredder for Home

When you look at paper shredders for the home, there are various design features to think about. As well as the level of security, the biggest thing to consider is how many documents you will want to shred.

Here are the main things to bear in mind when choosing the best paper shredder for your needs.

1. Sheet Capacity

The sheet capacity of a paper shredder tells you how many sheets of paper it shreds at a time.

A low-cost, home paper shredder may only shred 1-3 sheets at a time. A heavy-duty office paper shredder may shred 20 or more sheets at a time.

2. Run-time and Cool-Down Time

Paper shredders have a maxim run-time before they get too hot. Then, they need to cool down before you start shredding again.

Most home paper shredders have run time of 4-5 minutes. Heavy-duty shredders for offices usually have a run time of at least 30 minutes. The cool-down time varies. It is usually about 30 minutes.

3. Bin Capacity

The size of the bin that the shredded paper collects in is another consideration.

Cheap home shredders often have small bins that will need emptying often. If you shred documents every day, you might want to consider buying a shredder with a large bin capacity.

4. Shredding Speed

The shredding speed of a paper shredder is usually measured in feet per second. Bear in mind, though, that the sheet capacity will also have a bearing on the speed.

5. Noise

If you are looking for the best paper shredder for home use, you may want to think about noise. Most of the best paper shredders make 50dB-70dB of noise. Anything above 70dB is going to be very noisy!

6. What You Want to Shred

Finally, think about what it is you want to shred. As well as paper, some shredders will shred CDs, credit cards, and ID cards. Check that the shredder will handle staples and paper clips as well.

Best Paper Shredders for Home Use Review

To give you some examples of home paper shredders, we have selected six of the best paper shredders on the market.

1. AmazonBasics 6-Sheet Cross-Cut Paper Shredder

We start our review home paper shredders with this AmazonBasics shredder.

It’s a 6-sheet cross-cut paper shredder.

The AmazonBasics 6-Sheet Cross-Cut Paper Shredder would be a good choice if you want to shred sensitive documents at home. It will shred 6 sheets at one time.

This model will handle small paper clips and staples. It also has a slot for destroying credit cards.

This is a cross-cut shredder. So, it’s suitable for using on confidential documents.

The runtime is 2 minutes. The cool down time is 30 minutes. That would be enough for home use. But it wouldn’t be enough for lots of people to use in an office.

2. AmazonBasics 8-Sheet Micro-Cut Paper Shredder

Next in our best paper shredder review is another Amazon basics paper shredder. This one is a micro-cut paper shredder, so it provides the greatest level of security.

The AmazonBasics 8-Sheet Micro-Cut Paper Shredder will take 8 sheets of paper at a time. It will also destroy credit cards, CDs and DVDs.

Micro-cut shredders cut paper into thousands of small pieces. It’s by far the best type of shredder for protection against identify theft.

Micro-cut shredders are a bit more expensive than the other types. But not as much as may have thought.

The AmazonBasics 8-Sheet Micro-Cut Paper Shredder has a run time of 2 minutes. The cool down time is 40 minutes.

3. AmazonBasics 8-Sheet Strip-Cut Paper Shredder

The AmazonBasics 8-Sheet Strip-Cut Paper Shredder is a great value-for-money home paper shredder.

This model will shred up to 8 sheets of paper at a time.

It has a continuous running time of 2 minutes. It takes only 15 minutes to cool down again.

A Strip-Cut Paper Shredder doesn’t shred paper as well as cross-cut or micro-cut shredders do. But this AmazonBasics is fast and the cool down period is short. It’s also $20 cheaper than the AmazonBasics 8-Sheet Micro-Cut Paper Shredder.

The AmazonBasics 8-Sheet Strip-Cut Paper Shredder also shreds credit cards, CDs, and DVDs.

4. Fellowes Powershred 79Ci 16 Sheet Cross Cut Shredder

f you want a more powerful paper shredder, then the Fellowes Powershred 79Ci would be a good choice.

The Fellowes Powershred 79Ci is a cross-cut shredder that will shred up to 16 sheets of paper at a time.

This paper shredder shreds paper at a rate of 10 feet per minute. It has a continuous run time of twenty minutes. It cools down again in 30 minutes.

The Fellowes Powershred 79Ci is much more expensive than the AmazonBasics shredders. But is also a lot more powerful. It would suit high-volume home use, and it would be suitable for use in an office.

This model also shreds credit cards, DVDs and CDs.

5. Bonsaii EverShred 14-Sheet Cross-Cut Heavy-Duty Paper Shredder

The Bonsaii EverShred C169-B is another heavy-duty paper shredder. This one will shred up to 14 sheets of paper at the same time.

The Bonsaii C169-B has a running time of 30 minutes. That’s the longest running time of all the shredders in our home paper shredder reviews. Cool down time is only 10 minutes.

This is a powerful paper shredder that is suitable for home or commercial use. The speed, run time, and the short cool down time make it suitable for shredding large volumes of paper.

Despite all that power, the Bonsaii EverShred is one of the quietest shredders in our reviews.

The Bonsaii EverShred Paper Shredder is a very good paper shredder for the home or the office.

6. Bonsaii DocShred C156-D 12-Sheet Cross-Cut Paper Shredder

The DocShred C156-D is less powerful than the Bonsaii EverShred, and it is half the price. But it is still an impressive home paper shredder.

The Bonsaii DocShred C156-D will take up to 12 sheets of paper at a time. It has a continuous run time of 3 minutes. The cool down time is 40 minutes.

This model will also shred credit cards and CDs.

The short run time and long cool down time might make this model unsuitable for the office. For general household use, though, it would be ideal.

While three minutes run time may not sound like a lot. Three minutes of shredding 12 sheets a time is going to get a lot of paper shredded.

If you are looking for the best paper shredder for home use, this is one for your shortlist.

7. Fellowes Powershred W11C 11-Sheet Cross-cut Paper Shredder

Next in our best paper shredders review is the Fellowes Powershred W11C.

This is an eleven-sheet, cross-cut paper shredder.

The Fellowes Powershred W11C Paper Shredder has a max runtime of 5 minutes It takes 20 minutes to cool down.

This model will handle small paper clips and staples. It will also shred credit cards.

There is, though, no CD shredder with this model.

The Fellowes Powershred is a good quality paper shredder form a well-known manufacturer. It would cope with the average households shredding needs with no difficulty at all.

8. Aurora AU1230XA 12-Sheet Crosscut Paper Shredder

Our final selection for best paper shredder for the home is the Aurora AU1230XA.

This is a mid-range home paper shredder. It will take up to 12 sheets of paper at a time. It will run for up to 5 minutes. Then, it will take 45 minutes to cool down.

This model will shred credit cards, but it will not shred CDs and DVDs.

The Aurora AU1230XA 12-Sheet Crosscut Paper Shredder is a nice home paper shredder. If you want a paper shredder for a busy office, though, look at the heavy-duty Aurora paper shredders.

Conclusion

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