It is important to dispose of the personal, legal, financial and business documents responsibly. This makes sure these documents do not reach unintended users causing unnecessary financial and legal implications. A paper shredder is quite a handy device to slice up confidential personal and business documents.

Choose the Best Document Shredders

There is such a wide variety of paper shredders available in the market as well as online that it boggles your mind. However, this is no reason to make a hasty purchase only to end up with a substandard paper shredder. Spend some time to know what to look for in a paper shredder and then make your pick accordingly. Here are some of the best rated home office paper shredders reviewed to make your decision easier.

Best Home Paper Shredders Under $100

Paper shredders vary in prices level depending on the brand as well as the specific features they come with. From the very best cheap paper shredders for as low as $50 to best home shredders under $100 and the best heavy duty paper shredders they are available on all sorts of price ranges. Here are some of the best paper shredders under $100 reviewed for to help you choose according to your budget.

1- Bonsaii Docshred C156-C 8-Sheet Micro-Cut Shredder Bonsaii is a well known brand with some of the best paper shredders in the market at a great price range. Bonsaii DocShred C156 Micro Cut shredder is an innovative piece with patented blading system. The unique technology allows this shredder to cut through 8 sheets of paper at a time. There is a separate blade for CDs and DVDs along with a separate bin to meet the environmental demands. The shredder cuts 4x10mm size pieces of paper which is just ideal to keep all your sensitive information safe and secure while you dispose of the documents. This heavy duty shredder can even handle credit cards, paper clips and stapler pins. The shredder itself weighs only around 7.6 pounds. With its compact size and weight, this shredder is just perfect for home and office desk use. Moreover, it comes with a large 5.5 gallon wastebasket with handle design. This makes for less frequent, yet, easy emptying out. At an affordable price of just $54, Bonsaii DocShred is the best micro cut shredder for home office. The best part is that it comes with an advanced cooling system along with overload protection. This ensures that if the paper shredder is working for too long and gets hot, it stops by itself. When the machine has completely cooled down it starts again. The continuous run time is 4 minutes while the cooling time is 40 minutes. This ensures the long life of the motor. In addition to this, this paper shredder has a whisper quiet motor. Therefore, it operates in an ultra-quiet manner such that the noise does not disturb anyone. Another great feature is the auto start and manual reverse option. This allows you to remove any blocks and paper jams easily. Product

Features

Photos Bonsaii DocShred 8-Sheet High-Serurity Micro-Cut Paper/CD/Credit Card Shredder with Large 5.5 Gallon... Micro-cut paper shredder with 8 sheets (Letter Size, 20lb) shredding capacity and 5/32 by 2/5 inches (4x10mm) shredding size is perfect to keep your confidential information safe.

It is a heavy-duty paper shredder for home use with destroying credit card/CD/DVD and clips, staples as well. (CD/DVD shreds in a separate slot) Usually ships in 24 hours & Free shipping Last update was on: September 18, 2020 4:41 pm $ 61.99 Buy this item Micro-cut paper shredder with 8 sheets (Letter Size, 20lb) shredding capacity and 5/32 by 2/5 inches (4x10mm) shredding size is perfect to keep your confidential information safe.

It is a heavy-duty paper shredder for home use with destroying credit card/CD/DVD and clips, staples as well. (CD/DVD shreds in a separate slot)

Large 5.5 gallons wastebasket capacity for less frequent emptying, transparent basket window and convenient handle design makes it easy to empty the bin. A small separate CD/DVD bin included meets ECO requests.

Auto start and manual reverse to clear paper jams; Thermal protection system with 4 minutes continuous running time and 40-minute cooling down time to keep the motor long lifetime.

100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEED & ONE-YEAR WARRANTY takes you no risks of purchasing this Bonsaii paper shredder. Key Features: Dimensions 17.7 x 8.6 x 13.8 Weight 7.6 Pounds Shredding Capacity 8 Sheets per pass Shedding Technology Micro-Cut Shredding Size 5/32 x2/5 inches or 4x10mm Waste Basket Capacity 5.5 Gallons Continuous Runtime 4 Minutes Cooling Time 40 Minutes Noise Level 72db

2- AmazonBasics 6-Sheet High-Security Micro-Cut Paper and Credit Card Shredder Paper shredders by AmazonBasics have the best paper shredder for home use reviews. These paper shredders are durable and reliable for home and office use alike that is why they are among the best-rated home office paper shredders. AmazonBasics 6-Sheets high security paper shredder offers high-level security by cutting the paper into small 5/32” x 15/32” Micro-cut pieces. With a shredding capacity of 6 sheets, the blading system is strong enough to handle credit and debit card quite conveniently too. The shredder comes with a large waste basket of 4.1 gallons along with handle design. This makes sure that the shredder is easy to use and empty out. A great feature is the thermal protection system which shuts down the machine automatically after 3 minutes of continuous use. The cooling time is 30 minutes after which the shredder starts automatically if there is paper to shred in the holder. Manual reverse option is also available in this model, which allows easy clear up in case of paper jams. This is the best micro-cut shredder for home office at such an affordable price of $42. It comes with auto lubrication system. So whenever you feel the need to lubricate this paper shredder, all you have to do is to use a lubricant sheet and operate the shredder normally. You can also order a pack of lubricant sheets with this paper shredder for a nominal increase in price. Product

Features

Photos AmazonBasics 6-Sheet High-Security Micro-Cut Paper and Credit Card Home Office Shredder High-security, micro-cut shredder with 6-sheet capacity; destroys credit cards (one at a time)

Shreds paper into tiny pieces (5/32 by 15/32 inches); security level P-4

3 minute continuous run time with 30 minute cool down time; Auto start and manual reverse to clear paper jams Usually ships in 24 hours & Free shipping Last update was on: September 18, 2020 4:41 pm $ 47.49 Buy this item High-security, micro-cut shredder with 6-sheet capacity; destroys credit cards (one at a time)

Shreds paper into tiny pieces (5/32 by 15/32 inches); security level P-4

3 minute continuous run time with 30 minute cool down time; Auto start and manual reverse to clear paper jams

4.1 gallon waste basket; thermal protection with auto shut-off

Backed by an AmazonBasics 1-year limited warranty. Please refer the User Manual before use. Key Features: Dimensions 12.76 x 7.32 x 15.94 inches Weight 9.7lbs Shredding Capacity 6 Sheets per pass Shedding Technology Micro-Cut Shredding Size 5/32 x 15/32 inches Waste Basket Capacity 4.1 Gallons Continuous Runtime 3 Minutes Cooling Time 30 Minutes Noise Level 68db

3- Aurora AU740XA Cross Cut Paper and Credit Card Shredder Aurora AU740XA is a sturdy cross cut paper shredder which handles credit cards, staple pins and paper clips quite well too. It can shred up to 7 sheets in a single pass, comes with a large 3.7 gallon basket and runs smoothly for three consecutive minutes. Therefore, if you have a lot of shredding to do with no time to remove the staple pins and paper clips, this is the best home paper shredder under $100. In fact, at just $33, this paper shredder is quite reasonably priced. It comes with a thermal protection system as well as an overheat LED indicator. It will shut down automatically even if you miss the LED indicator. The cool time is around 30 minutes. This to rated home office paper shredder also features manual reverse option so you can conveniently clear up any jams and blockages. Insert the paper in the center and the sensors auto start to shred the paper in small 3/16 x 27/32 inches small cross cut pieces. Therefore, this paper shredder offers high level security for your sensitive information and confidential documents. Product

Features

Photos Aurora AU740XA 7-Sheet CrossCut Paper / Credit Card Shredder with Basket, Black 7 sheet crosscut, 3.7 gallon basket

ShredSafe advanced safety feature: Auto power-off upon forced entry, prevent accident

Allows continuous shredding for 3 minutes on and 30 off. Shreds credit cards one at a time staples and small paper clips Usually ships in 24 hours & Free shipping Last update was on: September 18, 2020 4:41 pm $ 42.90 $ 49.99 Buy this item 7 sheet crosscut, 3.7 gallon basket

ShredSafe advanced safety feature: Auto power-off upon forced entry, prevent accident

Allows continuous shredding for 3 minutes on and 30 off. Shreds credit cards one at a time staples and small paper clips

Auto start/ stop/ overheat protection. LED indicator lights Power/ Overheat

Jam Booster feature helps to clear the cutters in the event of a paper jam

The paper must be centered when feeding into the slot in order to activate the sensor. Also, the feeding slot has an angle or slanted profile, it helps if the paper is inserted in an angle position rather than feeding it in a straight downward direction. Key Features: Dimensions 12.13 x 7.36 x 14.02 inches Weight 7.87 lbs Shredding Capacity 7 Sheets per pass Shedding Technology Cross-Cut Shredding Size 3/16 x 27/32 inches Waste Basket Capacity 3.7 Gallons Continuous Runtime 3 Minutes Cooling Time 30 Minutes

4- Fellowes Powershred W11C, 11-Sheet Cross-cut Paper and Credit Card Shredder Fellowes Powershred also falls under the best rated home office paper shredders. This cross cut paper shredder comes with strong contra-rotating cutters. These blades offer the powerful shredding ability to this paper shredder making it the best home paper shredder under $100. This paper shredder is powerful enough to even handle credit cards and staple pins quite easily. A great indicator of the powerful motor and blades of this paper shredder is the fact that it can shred up to 11 pages in one pass. However, in order to prolong the lifespan and performance of this top rated home office shredder, make sure to use it at its 70% capacity. At its full capacity, the manufacturer guarantees that it will be able to cut over 800 pages in just five minutes. What makes it the best paper shredder for home office use is that it features a safety lock system along with thermal sensor. The safety lock makes for a secure and safe use so that there are no accidents even with kids around. Safety locks basically allows the device to turn off automatically when it detects something other than paper especially fingers. Thermal insulation on the other hand turns the machine automatically after a few minutes of consecutive use. This model also features a waste basket for easy clean up after the shredding. The continuous run time is 20 minutes while the cool time is 20 minutes. The machine auto starts and stops to make dealing with it easier. Product

Features

Photos Fellowes Powershred W11C, 11-Sheet Cross-cut Paper and Credit Card Shredder with Safety... Shreds 11 sheets of paper per pass into 431 (5/32 x1-3/8" Security Level P-4) cross-cut particles; shreds staples, credit cards

Runs for up to 5 minutes before a cool down period is needed. Cut Size (inches)- 5/32 x 1-3/8 Usually ships in 24 hours & Free shipping Last update was on: September 18, 2020 4:41 pm $ 82.99 $ 126.44 Buy this item Shreds 11 sheets of paper per pass into 431 (5/32 x1-3/8" Security Level P-4) cross-cut particles; shreds staples, credit cards

Runs for up to 5 minutes before a cool down period is needed. Cut Size (inches)- 5/32 x 1-3/8

Patented SafetyLock disables the shredder for added safety protection

Provides reliable, medium duty shredding and is ideal for deskside use.

4.75- gallon lift-off head w/ handle

This item's packaging will indicate what is inside and cannot be hidden. Key features: Dimensions 8.5 x 13.75 x 18 inches Weight 14 lbs Shredding Capacity 11 Sheets per pass Shedding Technology Cross-Cut Shredding Size 5/32 x 1-3/8 inches Waste Basket Capacity 4.75 Gallons Continuous Runtime 5 Minutes Cooling Time 20 Minutes Noise Level 72db Best Micro

Cut Shredders for Home Office

The best micro cut shredders offer the highest level of security. When it comes to responsible disposal of documents containing sensitive and confidential information micro cut shredders are the best. They cut the paper into thousands of small pieces which are literally impossible to put back together.

1 AmazonBasics 12-Sheet High-Security Micro-cut Shredder

In case you are concerned about identity theft or your personal and financial information feels at risk, this micro shredder can be a life saver. It cuts a typical sheet of paper into 2235 tiny bits. This means no one can access that information. This paper shredder can conveniently shred up to 12 sheets per pass. That too at an ultra high speed of 6 feet per minute. This means you can shred quite a lot of paper in one go. This means you need a large waste basket too to accommodate all this mess.

AmazonBasics takes perfect care of that by providing a large 6.7 gallon wastebasket with this paper shredr. The best part is that the waste basket comes with caster wheels, which make it easily portable for regular office and hdeome use. This paper shredder is strong enough to even cut through CDs, DVDs, credit cards and such. This paper shredder comes with an auto start as well as manual reverse function. This comes in handy in case of paper jams and blocks. Another great feature is the thermal protection. this top rated home office paper shredder runs for consecutive 8 minutes and cools down in 45 minutes.

Key Features:

Dimensions 24.29 x 17.01 x 13..39 inches Weight 22.3 lbs Shredding Capacity 12 Sheets per pass Shedding Technology Micro-Cut Shredding Size 3/32 x 15/32 inches Waste Basket Capacity 6.7 Gallons Continuous Runtime 8 Minutes Cooling Time 45 Minutes

2 Bonsaii EverShred C149-D 12-Sheet Micro-Cut Shredder

Bonsaii Evershed stands up to its name falling under the best rated home office paper shredders. With almost an hour long continuous run time it is one of the best micro cut shredders for home office. Most other paper shredders only have a run time of up to 5 minutes while this specific model is definitely an exception. It comes with a medium duty motor that effectively shred up to 12 sheets of paper in one pass. Moreover, shreds at a good speed of 5.3 feet per minute. This paper shredder comes with an integrated waste basket that holds up to 6 gallons of water. There is a transparent window in the basket that lets you know whenever the basket needs to be emptied out. The automatic start stop option is great for home as well as office use. It allows the shredder to start by itself when it senses a paper and stop when the shredding is done. However, the sensors are smart enough to differentiate between human fingers and paper. Therefore, even if the shredder is working if fingers are inserted, the automatic system will turn off to avoid injured. This is especially useful when the shredder is on and you have kids and pets around.

Key Features:

Dimensions 14.17 x 11.22 x21.46 inches Weight 23.11 lbs Shredding Capacity 12 Sheets per pass Shedding Technology Micro-Cut Shredding Size 5/32 x 2/5 inches Waste Basket Capacity 6 Gallons Continuous Runtime 60 Minutes Cooling Time 10 minutes Noise Level 62db

3 Fellowes Powershred 99Ms 14-Sheet Micro-Cut Heavy Duty Paper Shredder with Auto Reverse

Fellowes Powerhead 99Ms Micro cut paper shredder is the best heavy duty paper shredder for home office and professionals. It is a relatively large shredder with four caster wheels, which make this shredder portable and quite convenient for office use. Fellowes Powerhead 99Ms is among the best rated home office paper shredder for handling sensitive legal, financial and personal documents. It comes with a large 9 gallon wastebasket to keep all the micro cut pieces in one place. It can even take care of credit cards, CDs, DVDs, staple pins and paper clips. This top rated home office paper shredder can handle up to 14 sheets at a time and can shred for up to 20 consecutive minutes. It needs a cool down time of 40 minutes after running continuously for 20 minutes.

Product

Features

Photos Fellowes Powershred 99Ms 14-Sheet Micro-Cut Heavy Duty Paper Shredder with Auto Reverse... Shreds 14 sheets per pass into 5/64"x 9/16" micro-cut particles

Shreds for up to 20 minutes before a 40 minute cool down period is needed

Auto Reverse stops and reverses paper if a jam occurs. When the overheat Indicator is illuminated, the shredder has exceeded its maximum operating temperature and needs to cool down. This indicator will remain illuminated and the shredder will not operate for the duration of the recovery time Usually ships in 24 hours & Free shipping Last update was on: September 18, 2020 4:41 pm $ 416.74 $ 799.06 Buy this item Shreds 14 sheets per pass into 5/64"x 9/16" micro-cut particles

Shreds for up to 20 minutes before a 40 minute cool down period is needed

Auto Reverse stops and reverses paper if a jam occurs. When the overheat Indicator is illuminated, the shredder has exceeded its maximum operating temperature and needs to cool down. This indicator will remain illuminated and the shredder will not operate for the duration of the recovery time

Safe Sense Technology stops shredder when hands touch the paper opening

Bin Capacity 9 gallon pull-out bin holds over 80% more Micro-Cut particles per gallon than standard Cross-Cut

This item's packaging will indicate what is inside and cannot be hidden.

The best part is that it comes with auto reverse function along with thermal and sense technology. This means the shredder will automatically stop if it detects a hand near the paper insert or if it gets heated up. The auto reverse makes sure there are no jams. Even if there is a jam all you have to do is press the auto reverse button and the blades will rotate in the opposite direction to clear it up and then get back to normal function. Here are the key specifications of this specific model.

Key Specifications:

Dimensions 17.31 x 11.44 x 25.19 inches Weight 41.5 lbs Shredding Capacity 14 Sheets per pass Shedding Technology Micro-Cut Shredding Size 5/64 x 9/16 inches Waste Basket Capacity 9 Gallons Continuous Runtime 20 Minutes Cooling Time 40 minutes Noise Level 62db

Best Cross Cut Shredder Reviews

A cross cut shredder is an effective way to protect confidential personal and business information. It shreds the paper into confetti size pieces, which are almost impossible to put back together. Dispose of sensitive information responsibly to avoid frauds and identity theft with the best cross cut shredders.

1 Royal 1840MX Cross Cut Shredder

This is one of the best heavy duty paper shredders with shredding capacity of up to 18 sheets in one pass. It is quite large in size and weighs around 42 pounds. Yet it is portable with built in caster wheels, which makes it exceptionally easy to relocate. The overall design is quite compact and space efficient. Moreover, this shredder can work for up to 40 minutes without any breaks. The smart blade design comes integrated with a roller. This helps avoid paper jams and blockages. The waste basket capacity is quite great too with around 8.5 gallons. Use it as a commercial cross cut shredder and it will handle the load perfectly. It can even shred credit cards, CDs and DVDs. It shreds the paper into 5/32 x 1 1/8 for maximum security. The additional benefit is that it comes with auto start, auto stop as well as auto reverse function. This means the roller blades can sense when you insert the paper in and start shredding automatically. It can also sense if your hand goes near the shredder and automatically stops working. Moreover, such heavy duty paper shredders can auto reverse to clear up any paper jams and blockages and then resort to normal function all by themselves. Another great feature which makes Royal 1840MX the best cross cut shredder home office shredder is the ultra quiet functioning. It shreds the paper into confetti without any noise. Here are some of the best features of this cross cut shredder summarized in a table.

Product

Features

Photos Royal 112MX 12-Sheet Cross Cut Shredder Royal Machines 112MX 12-Sheet Cross Cut Shredder Shreds CD's with Console (Black)

12-sheet capacity cross-cut with Auto Start/Stop

Shreds 12 sheets in a single pass

5/32 inch by 1 5/8 inch cross cut shreds and shreds CD's and credit cards Usually ships in 1-2 business days Last update was on: September 18, 2020 4:41 pm $ 71.71 $ 99.99 Buy this item Royal Machines 112MX 12-Sheet Cross Cut Shredder Shreds CD's with Console (Black)

12-sheet capacity cross-cut with Auto Start/Stop

Shreds 12 sheets in a single pass

5/32 inch by 1 5/8 inch cross cut shreds and shreds CD's and credit cards

9 inch paper entry slot

Key Features:

Dimensions 18.8 x 14.4 x 28 inches Weight 37.95 lbs Shredding Capacity 18 Sheets per pass Shedding Technology Cross-Cut Shredding Size 5/32 x 1 1/8 inches Waste Basket Capacity 8.5 Gallons Continuous Runtime 40 Minutes Cooling Time 40 minutes

2 Fellowes 99Ci Heavy Duty Paper and Card Shredder

The Fellowes Powershred 99Ci is another one of the best heavy duty paper shredders. This shredder is 100% Jam Proof and a great choice for small offices. This paper shredder is fast with good shredding capacity of 18 sheets in a single pass. It cuts paper into pieces small enough for disposing of sensitive documents, and can continue shredding for up to a half-hour straight without needing to cool off. If you need to shred secret documents, you will want to look at a micro-cut shredder, but for more typical shredding, 99Ci is the best cross-cut shredder for office use. Since this paper shredder is designed for office use it comes with built in caster wheels for easy mobility. This model has a straight 3o minutes run time with 40 minutes of cool down time. Moreover, this shredder comes with an impressively large wastebasket capacity of 9 gallons with an LED indicator for full bin. This heavy duty shredder can even handle credit cards, CDs, DVDs, staple pins and paper clips. Simply turn the shredder on and put the paper in the shredder paper slot. It will start chopping of the paper automatically. However, the SafeSense technology can detect if your fingers go near the shredder and automatically stops working. In addition to this, this paper shredder is jam proof. Yet, if there is a jam simply use the back arrow button to auto reverse the shredder. You can then use the forward button to start shredding again. Revert to auto mode with the Enter button. The best part is that this shredder does not make much noise either with its advanced Silent Shred technology.

Key Features:

Dimensions 17.31 x 11.44 x 25.19 inches Weight 39.11lbs Shredding Capacity 18 Sheets per pass Shedding Technology Cross-Cut Shredding Size 5/32 x 1-1/2 inches Waste Basket Capacity 9 Gallons Continuous Runtime 30 Minutes Cooling Time 40 minutes Noise Level 56db

3 Swing Line Style + Super Cross Cut Paper Shredder

If you are looking for the best paper shredder for home and personal use, Swing Line Style + Super cross cut paper shredder is the way to go. This shredder looks actually smart and stylish with its unique design, two toned color scheme and glossy finish. It will actually complement your home setting. Though it cannot shred large amounts of paper at a time, it is quite lightweight and fast with good shredding capacity for a small home paper shredder. It is quite compact in size so you can conveniently place it on floor or even a table. The shredder blades are robust so this paper shredder easily handles credit cards, staple pins and paper clips. It comes with a 3.3 gallons wastebasket for the shredded paper. It can take up to 7 sheets in a single pass. The shredder blades can work continuously for 6 minutes before needing a cool of time of 30 minutes. This paper shredder comes complete with automatic, forward and reverse modes to function effortlessly of auto mode and reverse in case of any paper jams.

Key Features:

Dimensions 10.25 x 14.5 x 14.75 inches Weight 13lbs Shredding Capacity 7 Sheets per pass Shedding Technology Cross-Cut Shredding Size 0.9 x 0.16 inches Waste Basket Capacity 3.3 Gallons Continuous Runtime 6 Minutes Cooling Time 30 minutes

4 Aurora AS890C 8 Sheet Cross Cut Paper Shredder

Aurora AS890C is another reliable cross cut paper shredder which handles credit cards, staple pins and paper clips quite well too though you might want to avoid the paper clips as they negatively affect the lifespan of the shredder blades. This paper shredder can shred up to 8 sheets in a single pass, comes with 3.6 gallons waste basket capacity and runs smoothly for three consecutive minutes. Therefore, if you have a lot of shredding to do, this is the best cross cut paper shredder for home. It comes with a thermal protection system, which means it will shut down automatically if it gets heated with continuous use. The cool time is around 30 minutes. This best rated home office paper shredder also features manual reverse option so you can conveniently clear up any jams and blockages. Insert the paper in the center and the sensors auto start to shred the paper in small 7/32 x 1-27/32 inches small cross cut pieces. Therefore, this paper shredder offers high level security for your sensitive information and confidential documents.

Key Features:

Dimensions 12 x 7 x 16 inches Weight 7lbs Shredding Capacity 8 Sheets per pass Shedding Technology Cross-Cut Shredding Size 7/32 x 1-27/32 inches Waste Basket Capacity 3.7 Gallons Continuous Runtime 3 Minutes Cooling Time 30 Minutes

We have picked these paper shredders after thorough research and testing multiple models and brands. Choose the best home office paper shredders depending on your specific need for security and confidentiality along with speed, shredding capacity and size.

What to Look For In the Best Rated Home Office Paper Shredders

Here are some of the features to look in the best paper shredder for home and office use.

The Type of Cut – Strip Cut, Cross Cut or Micro Cut

Paper shredders are of two types depending on how they cut the paper. The strip cut and the cross cut. Strip cut paper shredders are the more common type and quite conveniently available in the market. You can easily use them for shredding extra receipt template, confidential papers and even faxes.

Strip Cut Paper Shredders shred the paper into dozens of strips. The security these paper shredders provide is not very high level. This is because anyone can assemble and tape the strips back especially if they fall into the wrong hands. Therefore, strip cut paper shredders might be great for junk mail, school going kids and random papers. However, they are not a very good choice for shredding documents with sensitive personal information, health profiles, tax and income details along with other professional or personal documents including legal documents, bank statements business documents etc.

The other type is the cross cut paper shredder. The Cross cut shredder offers high level of security. This high level of security is possible since a cross cut shredder cuts the paper into thousands of small pieces. It is almost impossible to put all the pieces back in place to recreate the original document. Be it your bank statements, tax returns, health records of official business documents, a cross cut shredder keeps all your information safe and secure by shredding the paper to tiny bits.

1 The Security Level

The security level of a paper shredder matters a lot especially if you are looking for a paper shredder for your office. Paper shredders from multiple brands come with six different security levels. The level 1 is the lowest security level for a paper shredder. Security level 1 paper shredders are usually the strip cut shredders that produce 3/8” wide strips. These are rather simple and cheap paper shredders. They are useful for the junk mail and the stuff your kids leave around the house. However, it is neither suitable nor recommended to dispose of documents with sensitive information. Level 2 and level 3 shredders are also usually the strip cut paper shredder. They, however, produce fine 1/8 or 1/3” wide strips of paper. Since the strips are so thin, these paper shredders can be used for slightly sensitive information like date of birth, social security numbers etc. the level 4 is a high security paper shredder. It is a cross cut paper shredder that produces small 1/16” x 5/8” pieces. This type of shredder is great to dispose of financial documents and such. Level 5 and level 6 paper shredders offer the ultimate security. They are approved by the National Security agency since they are compliant with HIPAA and FACTA. These paper shredder are generally used to destroy military and government level confidential documentations.

The Shredding Capacity of the Machine

Next comes the shredding capacity of the paper shredder. It refers to the number of sheets of paper a paper shredder can shred at a time. Paper shredders range from light, personal shredders to heavy duty industrial shredders. Here’s a simple run down on the variety of paper shredders available in the market based on their capacity.

1 Personal paper shredders

These are the simplest and smallest shredders in the market. They are ideal for home use where you only have to shred junk mail or some personal documents. They can handle up to 10 sheets at a time.

2 Office Paper Shredders

Office paper shredders have double of triple the capacity than home shredders usually. They can handle 20 to 30 sheets in one go. Such paper shredders are ideal for shared workplaces and small offices.

3 Heavy Duty Departmental Shredders

Heavy duty paper shredders can handle more than 40 sheets at a time and can be used continuously. Such shredders are ideal for busy workplaces, banks, and so on where legal documents, business documents and personal information often have to be disposed of for the better. These shredders usually provide high level security.

4 Industrial shredders

Industrial shredders are heavy duty shredders with a capacity of over 100 documents in one go. These might not be needed in offices. However, they are great for mailrooms and print shops.

Multimedia and Cardboard Shredding

These days most of the top rated home paper shredders can handle a lot more than just paper. While some models easily take care of staple pins and paper clips you might have left in the paper, others can handle more. These advanced paper shredders will chop down credit and debit cards along with DVDs and CDs too. If you need a shredder that can handle all, do your research, check out the best cross cut paper shredder reviews and then choose the best option.

Safety Features

A paper shredder is an electronic device and like all other electronics you want to be sure about the safety aspects with a paper shredder. The most important safety feature is the safety interlocking system that ensures only authorized use of the paper cutter. This is crucial if you have kids or pets at home. Another important safety feature is the safety sensor in modern paper shredders. A safety sensor alarms you when there are inappropriate things in the shredder blocking performance. This is easy since you can simply open the shredder and remove any misconceptions along with the blockage from the shredder.

Apart from these features, always make sure that to get the best heavy duty paper shredder that has a continuous duty motor so that it doesn’t heat up too quickly. Moreover, most paper shredders are noisy. If you are buying a paper shredder for a busy workplace it is better to go with minimal noise along with automatic oilers.