The 7 Best Paper Shredders of 2021

Best Overall: AmazonBasics 12-Sheet Cross-Cut Paper Shredder

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When it comes to shredding documents, you need a capable, reliable, and durable machine to do the job. The AmazonBasics is just that. Able to shred up to 12 sheets and credit cards, you’ll have unwanted documents and cards destroyed in no time. It can even shred continuously for up to 7 minutes with only a 30-minute cool-down. It's even equipped with anti-jam auto-reverse to clear paper jams quickly and easily to get you back to shredding in no time. And, with the cross-cut shred, you’ll find your documents or unwanted cards effectively and securely destroyed.

Small and discrete, you can place this shredder anywhere in your home without it being in the way and can still count on it holding up to 4.8 gallons worth of shredded documents. Plus, it’s easy to set up and even easier to use. AmazonBasics also comes with a 1-year limited warranty should you run into any issues.

Best Budget: AmazonBasics 6-Sheet Cross-Cut Paper Shredder

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For quick, easy and limited shredding sessions, Amazon’s six-sheet cross-cut paper and credit card shredder more than fits the bill. Capable of shredding strips into 7/32 inches or 1-27/32 inches, the compact shredder is perfect for the home office. At 15" x 12.1" x 7.7" inches and 8.25 pounds, the shredder isn’t going to knock your socks off with raw power. The 3.8-gallon bin is sized just right for a shredder that has a two-minute run time. The 30-minute cooldown is in line with more expensive shredders, but the low price tag is the tradeoff for a shredder that lasts just 120 seconds before automatically shutting off.

Run time aside, shredding ATM receipts, old tax returns and junk mail make this unit perfect for use in a small business or home office. In automatic mode, shredding begins once the sensor detects that a piece of paper or single credit card has entered the 8.7-inch wide paper feed. As a cross-cut shredder, each individual shred will occur faster than a micro-cut shredder, but it sacrifices the six times smaller confetti-like shred.

Best Security: Fellowes Powershred 99Ms

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The prime reason for paper shredding comes down to security. And the Fellowes Powershred 99Ms is a shredder that puts security above all other features. The micro-cut shredder can push 12 sheets (and credit cards) into the nine-inch wide feed slot per pass into 5/65-inch x 9/16-inch cross-cut particles, which stamps it as the most secure shredder on this list. As a micro-cut shredder, the 99Ms provides the ultimate in protection, with particles 10 times smaller than a standard cross-cut. Realistically, the 99Ms will cut a single letter-sized sheet of paper into 2,154 particles per sheet, so it's next to impossible to reassemble.

At 25.2" x 17.4" x 11.2" and 41.5-pounds, the 99Ms is a little on the tall side, which makes it far more suitable for a business environment. Regardless of its placement, the 99Ms can operate for 15 minutes before a 25-minute cooldown period is needed, which allows time to properly dispose of the nine-gallon pull-out bin. Fellowes claims that the bin can hold 80 percent more micro-cut particles per gallon than the standard cross-cut particles, including their own models. And the inclusion of “SilentShred” limits the decibel level for ultra-quiet performance in shared workspaces.

Best Run Time: Royal 1840MX

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With a 40-minute run time, Royal’s 1840MX 18-sheet commercial cross-cut paper shredder is a standout option for both home and small businesses. Its lengthy run time helps it destroy 18 sheets in a single pass into 5/32-inch x 1 1/8-inch particles, as well as CDs, DVDs and credit cards. Once shredded, sensitive information documents drop right into a slide-out 8.5-gallon wastebasket with a clear viewing window to show you when it needs emptying. With an auto start/stop and reverse function, the 1840MX will shred a single sheet in just under five seconds. It's 11.5" x 15.2" x 25.50" and weighs 44 pounds, but doesn't come casters for easy maneuvering around the home or office.

Best Bin Capacity: Fellowes Powershred 125Ci

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Fellowes strikes again with the Powershred 125Ci. Starring a 14-gallon bin capacity, the energy-efficient 125Ci is ideal for use in large offices. This powerhouse is capable of shredding 20 sheets of paper per pass into 397 (5/32” x 1-1/2” Security Level P-4) cross-cut particles and it can even handle miscellaneous items such as staples, paper clips, credit cards, CDs and more. It can chug away for 45 minutes before needing to cool down and its 100 percent jam-proof system promises to keep frustrations to a minimum. Additional features we especially like are its SafeSense technology that freezes the shredder when it senses hands touching the paper opening, and SilentShred, which keeps noise to a minimum — though that doesn’t cover your chatty co-worker.

Best for Businesses: HSM 150-Sheet

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At first glance, a pricey shredder might seem unnecessary, but for large businesses, HSM’s 150-sheet shredder is a fantastic choice, with features to spare. A three-year warranty is paired with high-quality materials engineered for both security and durability over the life of the shredder. Additionally, an energy management control system pumps out just .1 watts in standby mode. At 29.1" x 15" x 15.5" and 42.6 pounds, it’s not unusually large for the price. Most importantly, the size belies the features, specifically the 150-sheet autofeed tray that can handle up to 12.8 feet of shredding per minute. The nine-gallon bin is paired with a wider throat opening (9.5 inches), and there's an automatic start and stop to prevent paper jams.

The micro-cut shreds at a very high-security level, which is ideal for destroying confidential data to prevent identity theft or documents of importance to a person, company or institution. Finally, the ability to continuously add paper manually during the autofeed stack processing cuts down on the amount of time required to utilize the HSM.