Best Paper Shredder 2024: Reliable Picks for Office & Home Use

At a time where personal data disposal is of the utmost importance, investing in the best paper shredder for your home or office is an ideal way to keep sensitive information secure. Able to shred documents and other media down into incomprehensibly-small scraps, you can easily get rid of personal data in ways complying with even the most stringent of data protection laws. There are an array of shredders on the market, however, and it can be hard to know which is the ideal option for you.

How We Picked the Best Paper Shredder

There are a number of factors that determine what constitutes a top paper shredder, and various types of shredder suited to different applications. We assessed shredders based on their ability to accommodate large amounts of paper, both in the paper tray above and the waste bin below. Equally important is the security rating: the metric by which every shredder securely shreds.

We settled on an array of top products for different use cases, and have broken down their specific strengths below. With options for home, office and maximum security, you’re sure to find the right shredder for your needs.

The Bonsen S3102 takes our top spot as the best paper shredder on the market. A medley of top shredder features at a median price, this unit is ideal for shredding in a busy home office or business space.

With a P-4 security rating, documents fed into the S3102 are rendered illegible. The 16-sheet capacity and 1-hour runtime mean that you can shred up to 4800 sheets before the shredder needs a short cooldown. It’s able to shred other media such as CDs, credit cards, junk mail and staples with ease; making for a versatile disposal solution. What’s more, the sub-60db noise level means that even the most intensive document shredding won’t disturb those around you. Retailing just over $150, this Bonsen shredder is an excellent investment.

If we were to dispute one thing, however, it would be the wastebin size: at a mere 5.3 gallons, it’s unimpressive and makes for frequent emptying should you wish to hit that 4800-sheets-per-hour benchmark. If you can handle that, however, then this unit is an ideal shredding solution.

For the best budget paper shredder, look no further than the Aurora AU820MA, a sterling shredder under $100. It has a number of similar features to high-end shredders, at a far lower price point.

There’s a lot to like about this affordable micro-cut shredder, which manages to cut down on cost without losing functionality. We’re especially appreciative of the safety motion detector, which stops children or pets from accidentally injuring themselves with this shredder – ideal for a home office. A P-4 security rating ensures unreadability, and a modest 4.8-gallon wastebin provides a decent amount of storage before needing emptying. There’s a lot to love about this affordable shredder from Aurora.

However, it stands in stark contrast to the Bonsen S3102 in two regards: it’s short runtime, and it’s loud noise. Both make it less feasible for heavy-duty shredding. Still, for affordable and safe shredding, you can’t beat the AU820MA.

Cross-cut shredders ensure that even the most diligent of souls couldn’t reconstruct your documents, and the Bonsen S3104 is an exceptional example of such a shredder. Similar to the S3102, this unit provides exceptionally illegible shredding of documents and other media.

With it’s 6.6-gallon wastebin, the S3104 is able to hold around 520 sheets of paper before needing emptying. You’ll be able to shred more than that in it’s 60-minute runtime, though, and you’re able to feed them in 20 sheets at a time. Despite the already-secure cross-cut shredding, the S3104 goes a step further: shredding into segments a fraction of the size of other shredders of its ilk. With anti-jamming technology and a quiet operation, we’re big fans of the S3104?

So why is it that the S3102 takes the top spot as the best paper shredder, whilst the S3104 settles for third place? Primarily this comes down to the price: retailing over $200, not every business or household can justify the cost of this premium cross-cut shredder. If you can swallow the price tag, then this cross-cut shredder is the best for you.

The Bonsaii C149-C is one of our favorite shredders, offering consistent capabilities for all your shredding needs. Highly automated to ensure device health, this cross-cut shredder is one of our favorites.

Alongside a 60-minute runtime, the C149-C employs automated stopping technology to ensure that the shredder doesn’t run unnecessarily. Similarly, it detects if the sheet-feeder has been filled above capacity, and shuts down to prevent jamming. Because of this, the C149-C is a highly reliable shredding solution that can safely dispose of reams of data – and with P-4 security to boot. Operating quietly and quickly, you’ll be able to clear your backlog of shredding in no time.

However, all this automation does make for a bulkier shredder model, whilst not improving on the overall capacity of the wastebin or sheet tray. If you need a shredder that’s consistent rather than condensed, then consider the C149-C.

For a secure shredding solution, the Aurora AU200MA is one of the most efficient shredders on the market. One of the few boasting a P-5 security rating, you’ll be able to irretrievable destroy documents and other media.

The AU200MA can run for an hour on its highest duty cycle before needing to cool down, and can take 200 sheets of paper at a time – making for a productivity powerhouse. It’s also capable of shredding other media like credit cards, staples and paperclips; so you’re not slowed down by removing them pre-shredding. What we love most about this shredder is its ultra-quiet operation. If you let it shred automatically, you’ll barely notice it working in your office, which is ideal for loud workspaces. With automated shredding and a cleverly designed wastebin to prevent overspill, there’s a lot to like about the AU200MA.

The price point, however, is something to dislike: it’s quite expensive by shredder standards, which may alienate some offices. We think it’s reasonable considering the quality, and are happy to call the AU200MA the best secure shredder on the market!

If you need a shredder capable of destroying entire libraries’ worth of documents, then the Dahle ShredMATIC SM 300 is the shredder for you. With a huge shredding capacity, you won’t struggle to clear your backlog with this heavy-duty shredder.

The SM 300 employs a cross-cutting method that leaves you with tiny strips of paper, shredded with a P-4 security level. The shredder’s wastebasket and feed compartment lock automatically to prevent any tampering or unauthorized access. It is also capable of shredding credit cards or CDs, for disposing of other forms of valuable data. You’re also far less likely to experience jams with this shredder than other units on the market, as it features automatic jam protection that causes the shredding process to reverse in case of overload. With a whopping 200-sheet input and 11-gallon output, you’ll rarely need to clear the SM 300.

That said, you’ll have to take more frequent breaks: though not as short-lived as the AU820MA, the half-hour runtime can prove frustrating. The SM 300 more than compensates with its accommodating volume, making it an ideal heavy-duty shredder.

Producing a maximum noise level of 55db, the Bonsen S3106 is a tremendous commercial-grade cross-cut shredder for those who value silence. Capable of shredding as many as 5000 sheets in its 30-minute runtime, this heavy-duty shredder is a great middle ground between quality and affordability.

The S3106 prides itself on its user-friendliness: it features three convenient buttons on top of the cover that you can use to power it or move the cutters forward and reverse. On top of that, the shredder comes with the coveted P-5 security rating. To fix paper jams smoothly, it has automatic reverse and start functions. The shredder features a nitrided steel knife for cutting that doesn’t dull easily and resists deformation for a long time. Also, it’s made from premium-quality ABS plastics, guaranteeing you strength and durability.

All those top features come with a deadly flaw, however: the tiny input slot makes inserting media for shredding a hassle, and the lack of an input tray further hamstrings the shredding process. But for smooth and near-silent shredding, the S3106 is the ideal option.

If you need to dispose of household paper waste and don’t need a top-of-the-line model, then the Amazon Basics Micro-Cut range of shredders are worth investing in. Coming with a variety of sheet and paper capacities, even the most barebones model is an effective shredding solution.

The base shredder model can take 8 sheets or 20 pounds of paper at a time, thanks to its wide 8.7-inch opening. As a bonus, you don’t need to remove paper clips and staples from your documents before shredding them as the shredder is capable of destroying them with ease. For ease of use, it comes with LED status indicators that alert you to key effects such as when the power is on and when the device is ready for work. To accommodate your shredding needs, the Amazon Basics shredder runs for 3 minutes at a time and cools down for 30 minutes after use. If you run it longer than 3 minutes, it’ll power off automatically to avoid overheating, which is a superb feature for safety.

That said, these shredders aren’t without cons. With a shredding size of 0.2″ x 1.9″, it’s not as secure as a P-4 shredder – therefore be sure to give your most sensitive documents a second pass for safety’s sake. Aside from that, this series of shredders still earns their top spot on our list!

The Bonsen S3105 rounds out our list as a great option for most mid-range office needs. If you don’t need to cater to any of the particular productivity niches above, then invest in this jack-of-all-trades office shredder.

Able to run continuously for 40 minutes, the S3105 is excellent for office clearance sessions. The 24-sheet capacity and a 9-gallon wastebin makes for infrequent emptying and refilling, and you can rest assured knowing each document is shredded with P-4 security. Under standard duty cycles, the S3105 operates just shy of 55db, making for a quiet office environment. Factor in anti-jamming and the ability to shred varied specialist media, and this shredder is near perfect.

We do stress near-perfect, however: the one issue with the S3105 as a heavy-duty shredder is its lack of an automated feeder, meaning that you’ll have to get hands-on to hit that 5000-sheet shredding target. With a 9-gallon wastebin capable of only holding 650 sheets worth of shredded paper, you’ll have to be emptying it regularly. But for silent heavy-duty shredding, the Bonsen S3105 is hard to beat!

Features and Considerations

Looking for a paper shredder not shortlisted in our best? Consider the following to ensure a solid purchase:

Runtime

Paper shredders have different runtimes. Some can only run for a maximum of 10 minutes, while some can work tirelessly for an hour. This feature is important to consider when buying an office shredder because it decides how productive the device will be. If you get a shredder with a short runtime, you’ll have to take a break after shredding a small volume of paper, which will cost you precious time. Meanwhile, a long runtime with an advanced cooling-down system will minimize the time lost and give you better productivity.

Wastebasket Capacity

Before you buy a shredder, you should consider its wastebasket capacity. These capacities are measured in gallons or liters, and the larger yours is, and a larger wastebin means less frequent emptying. It’s an important feature to consider in high-volume shredding environments. However, it doesn’t make much of a difference for mild use, and naturally affects the form factor of the shredder.

Sheet Capacity

Depending on the volume of paper you need to shred on a daily or weekly basis, you should choose a suitable volume. You don’t want to pay more money for a large capacity when your use is mild, and the same goes for the opposite. Getting a small capacity will cost you a lot of time if you shred many sheets every day.

How to Maintain a Paper Shredder

If you want to ensure your shredder’s longevity, then some low-effort maintenance methods can go a long way. At the end of every shredding session, it’s worth running the shredder in reverse: this helps remove stray strips of paper from the shredder. Between uses, lubricate the shredder’s mechanism regularly with approved lubricant, and be sure to clean the blades (carefully).

Generally, keep in mind your shredder’s sheet capacity and runtime, as denoted above. Overloading it with paper or leaving it to run longer than its recommended maximum runtime can severely affect the shredder’s long-term use.

Does the Shredder Type Matter?

The different types of shredders have an indirect relation to their security rating. The three most popular cutting methods are strip-cut, cross-cut, and micro-cut; with each shredding your paper in a different way.

Strip-cutting is the classic shredder design, and gives you the lowest security level. Strip-cut shredding, appropriately, cuts the paper into large strips of paper with readable information. After that comes the cross-cutting mechanism, which is mid-security and slices the paper into smaller strips that are fractions of an inch in size – though a sleuth could still feasibly recover some data in some cases. Micro-cutting generally gives you the highest security level: transforming paper into confetti-like pieces with no readable information whatsoever.

With this in mind, the shredder type does effect you, if you need security rather than simply disposing of documents. If you shred sensitive documents with confidential information, you should settle on cross-cutting or micro-cutting. On the other hand, if you shred normal documents, you can go with strip-cutting, which is the most affordable of the three. Generally, strip-cut shredders are at best P-3 security-rated, whilst cross-cut and micro-cut shredders are more secure.

Security Ratings – What Do They Mean?

In accordance with various data protection and document disposal laws, sensitive information is required to be shredded in a number of countries. Cross-cut shredders are the best for the job, as they tend to cut paper into far finer sizes than standard strip-cut shredders. Not all of them are equal, however, and to ensure you get the right shredder for secure document disposal, there is a simple security rating system. Ranging from P-1 all the way up to P-7, shredders are rated on how well they shred documents.

P-1 is, naturally, the lowest: generally not considered secure enough for personal data or financial information. P-7 is the most secure, cutting paper into fractions of millimeters to ensure privileged information stays that way. For general office purposes, a rating of P-4 is generally the safest bet: cutting documents into illegible shreds for safety and security. Unless your workplace deals in data of the utmost secrecy, in which case consider a more secure shredder.

FAQs

Verdict

Though it’s not the best in our myriad categories, the Bonsen S3102 takes our top spot as a great median between quality, affordability and versatility. If you need an all-rounder paper shredder for your home or business, you could certainly do worse than this unit. That said, for more specific use cases, consider our other paper shredder options.

Want to digitize some documents before you destroy them? Check out our guide on the best document scanners on the market today.