10 Best Home Paper Shredders 2025 in the United States

The Amazon Basics 8-Sheet Cross Cut Paper Shredder is designed to meet everyday shredding needs for home or small office use. It offers a cross-cut shred type, which shreds paper and credit cards into small pieces (0.2 x 0.7 inches), meeting security level P-4 standards, making it suitable for disposing of sensitive documents. The shredder can handle up to 8 sheets of paper at a time, as well as staples and small paper clips, though it is not suitable for metal credit cards.

It has a 3-minute run time with a 30-minute cool down period, which may be limiting for heavy use but is generally adequate for light to moderate tasks. The shredder features a 3.7-gallon bin, which is relatively easy to empty. It operates with a 4-mode control switch and LED indicators to signal power status, overheating, and overloading, adding a layer of convenience and safety.

The shredder has a compact size (12.8 x 7.32 x 14.9 inches) and weighs 8.7 pounds, making it easy to move and store. Users should be mindful not to use aerosols near it or attempt to shred metallic cards, which could damage the unit. The shredder is known to be on the quieter side, thus minimizing disruption in a home or office environment. Additionally, each unit undergoes quality testing before shipping, ensuring reliability but might result in some pre-existing paper shreds inside the bin. This shredder would be a good fit for individuals or small offices looking for a reliable, mid-capacity shredder with essential safety features and decent performance for everyday use.

The Bonsaii 12-Sheet Cross Cut Paper Shredder is a solid choice for those needing a reliable shredder for home or small office use. Its crosscut design ensures a high P-4 security level, which is ideal for securely disposing of sensitive documents, credit cards, CDs, staples, and paperclips. The shredder can handle up to 12 sheets of paper in a single pass, making it quite efficient for everyday shredding tasks. Its continuous run time is limited to 5 minutes, after which it will need to cool down, potentially causing interruptions during extensive shredding sessions. The built-in patented cooling system helps mitigate the overheating issue, somewhat balancing this drawback.

The shredder comes equipped with a 5.5-gallon waste bin with a transparent window, allowing you to monitor fill levels easily. The compact size with a portable handle makes it convenient to place in any corner of the room or under a desk. Safety features include an auto start/stop function, manual forward/reverse to tackle paper jams, and an overheat protection mechanism. The shredder automatically stops working when the head is lifted, ensuring user safety. Bonsaii also provides a one-year limited warranty, demonstrating confidence in their product's durability. Potential buyers should be aware that due to pre-shipment testing, some paper shreds might be present in the waste bin upon arrival.

This shredder strikes a good balance between performance and price, making it suitable for users who need a dependable, secure, and user-friendly paper shredder for personal or light office use.

The Fellowes Powershred 99Ci is a heavy-duty crosscut paper shredder that suits both home and office environments. It can handle up to 18 sheets at once, making it suitable for moderate to heavy use. One standout feature is its 100% jam-proof system, which ensures smooth operation even when shredding tough materials like staples, credit cards, and CDs. The crosscut mechanism provides a high level of security by turning documents into 397 small particles, ideal for disposing of confidential information (Level P-4 security grade).

Safety is a big plus with the SafeSense technology, which stops the shredder automatically if hands or paws touch the paper opening, making it safer for homes with pets and children. The shredder runs continuously for up to 30 minutes, which is good for lengthy shredding sessions, although it will need a cool down period afterward. The 9-gallon bin is quite capacious and features a convenient pull-out design with an LED indicator to alert you when it’s full.

At 36.4 pounds, it’s relatively portable and designed to be quiet, making it a good fit for shared workspaces. The shredder’s large size (33 inches tall) might be cumbersome for smaller spaces, and its higher price point might be a consideration for budget-conscious buyers. However, the strong build quality and extensive features, backed by Fellowes' long history of innovation, make this a reliable choice for those needing a robust and secure paper shredder.