What do you look for in a paper shredder? Which one is the best paper shredder for a home office?
In a hurry? We will put our top choices first and explain why we love them.
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Amazon Basics 8 sheet paper shredder
We have put this shredder first because it is a great home option. The price is great, and for a home office, it will do the job without breaking the bank.
Right now, they are offering the 8-page shredder at the price of the 6-page.
Good for everyday shredding jobs but still has the safety features you need: Auto On with a sensor, reverse to remove jams, and a safety button that only allows the teeth to rotate when the top is fully attached to the bucket (great feature as the teeth are EXTREMELY sharp which is a good thing). Compact Size and discreet. Credit card slot.
The window for checking fill level. And a built-in center handle for easier lifting when it’s time to empty.
Do not overwork this paper shredder. This is good for a home office with one or two people shredding. Get a bigger unit if you have more people in your office.
Aurora AU1220XA 12-sheet paper shredder
We chose the Aurora AU 12 sheet next because it is a step up in strength and storage capacity. More power with not too much of a price jump. A 12-sheet shredder can handle single-layer cardboard or cardstock, which is a very useful thing.
With a 5.2-gallon bin, it is not too big or too small. One feature we like is the angled approach for the paper. This helps for safety with just an added protection. Good if you have long hair!
With a lift handle built in, emptying this shredder will be a breeze. The window will let you know when to do so. Overload jam auto-stop prevents serious paper jams. And a reverse button is there if you need it.
With an indicator light, green for go, red for overheated, you can quickly get through all your home office shredding. Includes a credit card shredder.
Bonsaii 6-sheet compact paper shredder
The Bonsaii 6 sheet paper shredder makes the list for being on the smaller side. If you have a small home office, this unit has a 3.4-gallon bin with a compact design. Maybe you need to pack your office away in a cupboard or just don’t have the space for a giant shredder.
Even though it is small, it still handles credit cards and staples. For the price and size, this is a great home office option.
We like the folding handle, it gives you the biggest lift point of all the paper shredders we have looked at.
Bonsen 8-sheet paper shredder
The reason we chose the Bonsen 8 page for your home office is for the looks!
This is a white paper shredder and if you hate the look of big black shredders in your office, then choose a white one!
This is a small unit, 8 sheets and only a 4-gallon waste basket. Also no center lift handle, you lift at the sides. So to go for looks, you may have to sacrifice other features.
This paper shredder has the smallest cross-cut size of the small home office shredders that we have looked at. If you have more sensitive documents, this cut is a level P-4.
This shredder also boasts a long continuous run time of 4 minutes.
What to look for in a paper shredder.
Security
The first reason you look for a paper shredder for your home office is security. Sensitive documents can be shredded on-site as you work. It is good to keep on top of your shredding. If you have ever had to pay for the mobile shredding service, you will know why!
Cross-cut shredders are better for security than straight-cut shredders. Have you seen the movies when they are piecing the long strips back together? That would only come from a single-cut level one paper shredder. Most paper shredders today will be crosscut, meaning there are no long strips but just a fine shred material left behind.
The added benefit of shredding all your paper, not just sensitive items, is your trash will be very compact!
Security levels of paper shredders
Paper shredders use a number P-1 to P-7. The paper gets smaller as the number goes up. But so does the time to shred!
There are three types of cut: Strip, cross-cut, and micro-cut. You do not want a strip, this is a single type of cut. Cross-cut is great for most home offices. And a micro-cut is super secure and good for paper making. Check out our article on what to do with your shredding’s here.
We think a level three cross-cut is a good compromise between cutting size, cutting speed, and security.
A P3 is a great paper shredder for the home office.
P-1 Shred
This is like the old days and only cuts in one direction! the strips are up to 1/2″ wide. Good for recycling, but do not use a P1 shredder for security.
P-2 Shred
Is still a strip shredder with a 7/32″strip. Do not buy a P2 shredder for high security. But they will be fast!
P-3 Cross-Cut Shred
Most home office shredders are a P3 level. They can vary a bit in the cross-cut size. But the strip starts at 3/16″ with a cross-cut length of 1-9/16″ on the big side.
P-4 Cross-Cut Shred
A level P4 shreds a piece of A4 paper into 400 pieces! That makes particles measuring no more than 0.25″ x 0.24″. Try gluing that back together. It is probably more security than you will need in a home office situation.
P-5, P-6, P-7 Micro-cut
As it says, micro-cut. These levels of paper shredding leave almost dust. P7 cuts a piece of A4 into 15,000 pieces. Wow.
Long-life
A paper shredder is not high on your list of things to buy! You want to purchase it once and not have to think about it again. Long-lasting shredders have quality components and motors protected from dust with enough power so that they do not overheat.
We have a paper shredder in the office that is getting on 20+ years old!
The power of the motor is very important for long life. A strong motor that easily shreds and does not strain will stay cooler and last longer. That brings us to page capacity.
Page capacity
How many pages is the shredder rated for? That is the number of pages that can go through in one feed. 4-6-8-12-90! pages at once. It may be a good idea not to stuff the max amount each time. Different thicknesses of paper can be more difficult to shred.
If you are looking for a bigger page count, check out: Which Paper Shredder Shreds the Most.
For safety, most shredders have only a small slot. They don’t want to pick up hair, ties, necklace, or anything else dangling from above!
Credit card shredder
Some paper shredders have a credit card slot. This is great for when you get unwanted offers in the mail or just destroy old cards.
All of the paper shredders we have reviewed have credit card-cutting capabilities. This also means they can handle a small number of staples too.
You can only feed in one credit card at a time, but this is way more secure than chopping the card up with just a pair of scissors.
Compact
Most paper shredders come mounted over their own trash receptacle. This is one time when you do not want a super small bucket. A nice big shredder with a strong motor and a large trash receptacle is best. You can stash it under or beside your office desk.
Bigger shredders come with a pull-out draw. This can mean more cost and more places to clean.
Price
A paper shredder is not a big investment (and it’s a write-off!) looking for the cheapest paper shredder is not a good idea. You want a quality paper shredder that will last a long time and not burn up or jam! All paper shredders will not break the bank, but don’t be cheap here.
Get a second shredder for the house trash.
Did you take a look at all your junk mail? How many times is your address printed on all that junk mail, not to mention package labels coming in?
Having a second shredder right next to your regular trash can help you stay secure. And you have the added benefit of reducing the size of your trash.
These are good reasons to think about getting a second paper shredder.
I hope you enjoyed our review of the best paper shredders for your home office in 2022. We hope you pick a good one that lasts a long time and keeps up with all your shredding. Check out our article on how to service that paper shredder! “Service My Paper Shredder? Really?“
