The best paper shredder

Hunting for the best paper shredder? These handy devices have all sorts of uses, providing you with a valuable way to protect yourself from identity theft and financial fraud. It's always better to err on the side of caution and shred important documents that you no longer need to prevent anyone from seeing your private information. Plus, if we're honest, shredding is pretty fun. There's something cathartic about it. 

Paper shredders used to be big and bulky things, but these days are more compact and portable than ever. Don't worry about one taking up masses of space in your home or office; many of the best shredders are easy to tuck into a corner and keep out of the way. They'll also shred multiple sheets of paper at a time, and many can also handle thicker items like credit cards. 

There are shredders available for all sorts of budgets, from ultra-cheap options to pricier premium shredders suited for high-volume business use. Generally, the pricier a shredder, the more sheets it can handle at once, and the longer it can run before it needs to cool off. We've included a range of options in this guide to suit all different users, so whether you're looking for the best shredders for a home office or the best shredder for business use, there should be choices here for you.

Got more office kitting out to do? Don't miss our guide to the best printers. And if you've got office furniture shopping on your to-do-list as well, then you'll want to check out our roundups of the best desks and our take on the best office chairs. But for now, let's get cracking on the best paper shredders you can buy right now. 

The best paper shredder right now

For a comprehensive, well-featured paper shredder, the Fellowes Powershred 79Ci  is the best available right now. It's comparatively expensive, and there are definitely cheaper options available as you'll see on this list. However, we think the Powershred 79Ci offers excellent value for money, and if you're going to be using your shredder intensively, it is your best buy.

It can shred 16 sheets of A4 simultaneously into 397 cross-cut particles, giving you the ultimate level of document security. It'll handle credit cards, staples, paperclips, CDs, DVDs, whatever you need, and it can run continuously for up to 20 minutes before needing to cool off for half an hour. If you're buying a paper shredder that multiple people are going to use, for an office or similar, then this is a great choice. 

The 79Ci also has the proprietary Fellowes “100 percent jam-proof” system, which the manufacturers says will completely eliminate paper jams. The generously sized 23-litre bin is handy too. Yes, as we've said, it's expensive, but if your budget stretches this far, it's one hundred per cent worth it. 

Do you need to shred a LOT of paper in one session? Then you’ll want the Bonsaii Evershred C169-B. It can keep shredding paper for a full 30 minutes before needing to cool down, which outstrips even the Fellowes Powershred 79Ci. It's a low-noise shredder as well, so will be less annoying if you have to frequently have it running in the background. 

With the C169-B, you can shred as many as 3,500 documents in one go, each into tiny, 5mm x 50mm pieces. It can handle 14 sheets in a single pass. You can shred credit cards and staples, as well as paper. And with a decent 17-litre bin, you won’t have to empty it too often.

Seeking the best shredder for a small or medium-sized office? The Fellowes Powershred 99Ci is the most expensive on our list, but if the business is paying, then we'd say it's the one to go for. 

This heavy duty paper shredder is super-quiet in operation, and deals with multiple sheets (18 at a time) quickly and smoothly. You can run it for 30 minutes, with a 40-minute cooldown. It’s very energy efficient, and paper jams are a true rarity. Plus the 34-litre bin capacity is the most generous on our list. 

For people wanting something to use in their home office, these advanced specs will be overkill, and we’d instead recommend its more affordable sibling, the Fellowes Powershred 79Ci (number one on our list). Unless money is truly no object, in which case: knock yourself out.

If you're in the US and looking for a budget shredder, the Aurora AS810SD is a great choice. It can be picked up at Walmart for a little more than $30, and unless you're planning some real high-volume shredding, it'll do everything you need it to. It can handle up to eight sheets of paper at a time, and can also shred credit cards and even CDs if that's something you need. 

It only runs for a couple of minutes at a time (which, as we'll see, is pretty common among cheap shredders), and one thing to be aware of is that the price seems to shoot up when you look for it outside of the US. If you're in the UK and looking for a cheap shredder, check out the Robert Dyas model featured further down out list.

Short on space in your home office, and don’t want to take up too much room? Then the best paper shredder for your needs will be the Rexel 2101942UK. 

Measuring just 42.8 x 25.8 x 48cm (16.8 x 10.1 x 18.8 inches), it’s small but perfectly formed. It will shred a sheet of A4 into approximate 400 pieces, of around 4 x 23 mm in size. It will run for about two minutes before needing to cool off, and there’s an auto start/stop and reverse function for clearing paper jams. 

Again, this isn't the best shredder for advanced features, but that’s reflected in the relatively low price. And if you want something you can store away easily when you’re done, it’s a beautifully compact choice.

Want a nice cheap paper shredder than also works on credit cards? Then we recommend this highly affordable model from Amazon Basics. 

As the name suggests, it’s quite a basic device. So it only offers two minutes’ continuous run time, with 30 minute cool down time. And you can only load in six sheets at a time. On the plus side, though, it comes with a dedicated slot for safely disposing of your credit cards. And it does a decent job of paper shredding, splitting sheets into strips measuring 0.22 x 1.84 inches (5.56mm x 2.14 cm). You can use it on CDs and DVDs, too. 

We couldn’t resist including one more Fellowes Powershred paper shredder on our list. Because while it doesn’t excel at any one thing, the 73Ci offers great range of features and capabilities overall. 

The main attractions here include a 27-litre bin capacity and the same ‘100% Jam Proof System’ and ‘Energy Savings System’ found in all Fellowes paper shredders. It shreds 12 sheets of paper per pass into 397 cross-cut pieces. It runs for up to 10 minutes before a 20 minute cool down period is needed. Plus you can use it to shred staples, credit cards, paper clips, staples, CDs and DVDs.

Short of cash? This shredder is available at a tiny fraction of the price of top-of-the-line shredders like the Fellowes Powershred 79Ci. And yet, it still does a pretty decent job.

You can shred up to six pieces of paper at once, and the 15-litre bin capacity means you won’t have to empty it too often. It runs for about two minutes before needing a cooling off period. It has a useful handle for carrying it. And, well, that’s about it. But for such a low price, that will still be fine for most people who only need to shred paper now and again.

One thing to be aware of is that Robert Dyas is a UK-only retailer, so readers in the US and other territories will want to choose another option. 

Short of cash? The Aurora and Robert Dyas models included in our list above are both great cheap shredders. But if even those are too expensive for you, then this super-low-priced device is worth checking out. 

Yes, you’re limited to a relatively small bin (10 litres) and only being able to load five sheets at a time. But it does the job, plus it comes with a reverse function for unblocking paper jams. And for this low price, you can’t say fairer than that. Be aware that this is another shredder that's hard to find outside of the UK.