10 Best Shredders 2025 in the United States

The Amazon Basics 24 Sheet Cross Cut Shredder is a solid choice for home or small office use, especially for those looking to securely dispose of sensitive documents. Its cross-cut design turns paper into tiny pieces, providing a commendable security level (P-4), which is crucial for personal and financial information. With a robust sheet capacity of up to 24 sheets at a time, it suits moderate shredding needs efficiently. This makes it great for users who frequently handle documents that require shredding, alongside the ability to shred CDs, DVDs, and credit cards—albeit one at a time.

A notable strength is its decent run time of 40 minutes, allowing for extended use without frequent breaks. However, it does require a 50-minute cool down period after this, which could be a limitation for users with larger shredding tasks. The shredder includes helpful features like an auto-start function, anti-jam reverse, and LED indicators for alerts, enhancing usability.

On the downside, it weighs about 31.6 pounds, which may make it less portable than lighter models, and its size could take up significant desk space. Users should also be cautious not to attempt shredding metallic items as this can damage the machine. Additionally, while the pull-out bin holds 7 gallons, frequent emptying may be needed if used for large projects.

The Fellowes Powershred 79Ci is a solid choice for both home offices and small businesses needing reliable, secure document destruction. It uses a cross-cut shred type, which slices paper into small pieces (397 particles per sheet), meeting a high security level (P-4). This makes it well suited for confidential paperwork. It can shred up to 16 sheets at once, plus staples, credit cards, and even CDs, offering good versatility. The 6-gallon bin is a practical size, meaning fewer trips to empty it during regular use.

One standout feature is its continuous 20-minute run time before a cool down is needed, allowing for longer shredding sessions without interruption. Safety is also considered with SafeSense technology that stops the shredder if hands or pets come near the opening. The unit runs quietly, which is helpful in shared or home environments.

While 20 minutes of continuous use is decent, heavier office use might require breaks more frequently than some commercial models. Additionally, at about 28 pounds and its moderate size, it’s portable but not ultra-compact. If you need a shredder that balances strong security, decent capacity, and safety features without being overly noisy or complicated, the Fellowes 79Ci fits well. It’s especially attractive if you occasionally shred bulky items like CDs or credit cards along with paper.

The Amazon Basics Cross Cut Paper and Credit Card Shredder is a solid choice for home or small office use. It can shred up to 12 sheets of standard paper at once, along with credit cards (except metal ones), staples, and small paper clips, which adds some versatility. Its cross-cut shredding produces small pieces about 0.2 x 1.2 inches, meeting security level P-3 standards—good enough for everyday sensitive documents but not for highly confidential papers.

The shredder runs for 9 minutes before needing a 30-minute cool down, which is typical for this size but may slow you down if you have a lot to shred. It features a 5-gallon bin, so you won’t have to empty it too often, and the LED indicators and control switch make it simple to operate.

With a strong customer rating and a reasonable size, this shredder suits users who need reliable day-to-day shredding without heavy industrial demands.