Best 6 Electric Paper Shredders: Shred Important Documents In Your Home And Office

Did you consider an electric paper shredder for your home or office?

There are some mechanical devices on the market, but the ones with electric power are more convenient. This article is about them and it contains three main parts – our short buying guide, best shredder list and a short review each model. Learn more about these products and find the most suitable for you.

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Electric Motor For Shredding Paper

This is mostly an electronic device used for shredding paper into tiny particles or long strips to save you time and space. It works with the help of a motor that drives the cutting blades and rotates them to shred paper.

Cutting Types

There are three main cutting types available. The first type is strip-cut, offering the lowest level of security becasue it cuts paper into long strips. The second type is cross-cut and has a medium level of security because it cuts paper into shorter and smaller strips. Finally, a micro-cut cuts paper into the tiniest particles, sometimes measuring only 1 millimeter by 5 millimeters, offering the highest level of security.

Manual Feed On Electric Machines

There are two main variants – those with a manual feed and automatic ones. The manual feed means you need to feed paper by hand. You do it by adding the recommended number of sheets at one time and once they are shredded, you add it again and so on.

Automatic Cutting Machines

Models with automatic feed can shred a large number of papers at once. To do this, an automatic paper shredder features an input tray you fill up with documents and press start. Some models can cut even 100 or 500+ sheets of paper at once.

Why Do You Need An Electric Option?

It is a beneficial product to have in your home or office. It will save you time and space by shredding paper faster than you would do it by hand and by getting rid of unnecessary paper in your home or office. Likewise, they can keep your personal and business data secure from thieves by shredding into such small particles that would be hard or nearly impossible to reassemble.

Choose The Best Option For Your Needs

There are many features that should keep in mind when picking between different electric models.

Sheet Capacity

Some can cut only one to five sheets of paper at once, while some can handle over 20 sheets of paper at once. For occasional use in your home, you won’t need a high-capacity model like you would if you deal with shredding a lot of paper at once and often.

Bin Capacity

Measured in gallons, the bin capacity tells us how much paper particles can fit in the bin before it needs to be emptied. For light-duty shredding, you won’t need a bin bigger than 5 gallons, while for really high-volume shredding, you can even find bins that hold 20 gallons of paper.

Speed

The speed tells us how many feet of paper the device shreds in one minute. It depends on the sheet capacity and the run time. Smaller models, for example, cut five to six feet of paper per minute. Powerful models can cut even 180 pages of paper per minute.

Run Time

The duty cycle tells us how long shredders can work continuously before we need to turn them off to cool down. For instance, some small models can work for only two to five minutes, while some powerful models can run for 30 minutes or more. If you are going to shred regularly and in high volumes, pick a model with a run time of at least 30 minutes.

Cooldown Time

After running for its recommended run time, most devices needs to be turned off to cool down and prevent overheating or fire hazards. While some powerful models need a short time to cool down (for example 10 minutes), weaker models need to cool down for even 45 minutes or more before they can continue shredding.

Energy-Saving

A standby or sleep mode is a type of energy-saving feature that is helpful if you cut paper several times a day. That way, the energy will be saved without you having to unplug and replug the machine whenever you want to use it during the day.

Fan For Cooling The Motor

To prevent fire and electric cuts, look for a model with a fan. A cooling fan will keep the temperature of the electric motor under control even after an intense shredding project.

Noise Level

A loud machine can give you a headache or distract you and the office staff in the workplace, messing with productivity. That is why you should always go for a quiet shredder that produces a level of noise at around 60 decibels, which is the same as a noise level of a normal conversation.

Number Of Users

Some models can be used for one to five users, while some can be used by five to 10 users and even more than 10 users. For home use, you won’t need a multiple-user model. For a small office, five to 10 users will be enough and for large department shredding, a model with 10+ users is ideal.

Safety Features

A safety lock and a safety sensor are some of the very important safety features that will lock the electric device when it is in use and that detect fingers or hands getting close to the opening and it stops cutting to prevent injuries. An automatic reverse feature is also important, clearing a paper jam if it occurs so you do not have to expose your fingers to sharp blades.

What Can It Shred?

Besides paper, most electric machines can also shred CDs, DVDs, staples, paper clips, credit cards, and more. Check the manual to see which materials and media your paper shredder can handle.

Best 6 Electric Paper Shredders

Royal MC14MX Shredder

Large Device
The Royal MC14MX measures 114 x 17.5 x 27 inches. It is a big device. Also, it weighs 34.4 pounds, so it isn’t lightweight. For better mobility, it features four casters so you can move it easily. The warranty lasts 1 year and the price is high.

Micro-cut Type
The MC14MX cuts paper, paper clips, staples, DVDs and CDs. The cutting slot for CDs, credit cards and DVDs is separate from the paper slot. It is a great choice for both, office and home use. It is a micro-cuthigh-security machine.

Transparent Window
Royal features 1 horsepower, so it is able to shred 14 sheets of paper per single pass. The leftover particles fall into a pull-out wastebaske with 8.5 gallon capacity. That means it can take approximately 575 sheets. In the bin, there is a small transparent window, so you can see if the bin is full.

Auto Features
The Royal MC14MX has an auto-start and auto-stop features. When you put the paper near to the feed opening, the shredder will automatically start working. When it shreds the paper, it will stop so there is no energy wasting.

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Fellowes Powershred 79Ci Paper Shredder

Small But Powerful
Fellowes Powershred 79Ci is a compact but powerful device. It has 20.3 inches of height, 16.3 inches of width and 11.6 inches of depth. Because of its weight of 28 pounds, it features casters for easier transport from one room to another. It requires 120V.

Cross-cut Shredding
This is a cross-cut personal model that shreds paper into small particles of 5/32 x 1-1/2 inches,, making it a security level P-4. Also, it is able to shred paper, credit cards, CDs, DVDs, paper with staples and clips.

SafeSense Technology
This paper shredder is intended for a single user, it can shred 16 papers per pass. It is good for office or home use. If you use it in your home, you don’t have to worry about child or pet safety. If hands or fingers touch the feed slot, the Powershred will automatically stop shredding.

Anti-jam System
The Jam-proof system eliminates paper jams using the sensors that detect if there is too much paper and immediately reverse the blades. This feature maximizes the productivity. Powershred shreds up to 20 minutes before it requires a 30-minute of the cool-down period.

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Wolverine SD9101 Shredder

Quality Steel Cutters
The Wolverine SD9101 features a super-alloy steel cutter and steel grade gear wheel. Also, it has great wear resistance which means that you can use it for a long time. The required power is 120V and the frequency is 60Hz.

Highest Security Level
This micro-cut provides the highest security level, P-5. It shreds the paper into 3/32 x 15/32 inches, which is impossible to reassemble and read. If you need to shred confidential documents, consider this professional cutting machine. The shredding speed is 6.6 feet per minute or 2 meters per minute.

4.5-gallon Of Paper
The maximum continuous run time is 10 minutes, then leave it for at least 30 minutes to cool down. At once, you can put 8 sheets of paper. The pull-out wastebasket can hold 4.5 gallons of paper. You can see if it’s time to empty the bin through the bin window.

Low Noise Level
The Wolverine product isn’t noisy thanks to its has ultra-quiet smooth performance that produces only 54 decibels. If you use this shredder in the office, it won’t disturb you or your colleagues. You don’t have to maintain it, it features self lubricant bearing. This model is available in black and white colors.

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Aurora AU1210MA Shredder

Professional-grade Device
Aurora AU1210MA is a professional-grade device that measures 14.41 x 11.02 x 19.33 inches and weighs 22 pounds. It isn’t a heavy device, but there are casters for easy mobility. Aurora quickly shreds paper, paper with clips and staples, credit cards, CDs and DVDs.

Wide Throat
This micro-cut heavy-duty machine shreds paper into tiny particles of 5/32 x 15/32 inches. If you work with sensitive documents, it is useful to know it comes with P-4 high-security level. The throat of this device is 8.7 inches wide. Aurora accepts 12 sheets of paper per single pass.

Auto-reverse Feature
The Aurora is able to work continuously for 60 minutes. Because of that, it’s good for small and medium offices. The anti-jam technology includes the auto-reverse feature. If the paper starts gets stuck into the machine, the auto-reverse feature will reverse the blades and release the paper.

Special Features
The pull out bin has a 5-gallon capacity. There are few LED indicators that show overheat, standby, bin-full, overload and door open status on the head. So, it is pretty simple to use this device. Also, Aurora is adjusted to the office, it works quietly.

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AmazonBasics 6-sheet Paper Shredder

6-sheet Capacity
AmazonBasics has many similar models, which means you can choose the sheet capacity. There are models with 6, 8, 12, 15, 18 and 24 sheet capacity. In this short review, we talk about AmazonBasics for home use which has a 6-sheet capacity.

Medium Security Level
This device measures 12.1 x 7.7 x 15 inches and it weighs 8 pounds. You can easily place it wherever you need it. It is a cross-cut compact option that shreds the paper into 3/16 x 1-27/32 inches. AmazonBasics provides a medium security level, P-3.

Run Time – 3 Minutes
It is able to shred paper, paper clips and staples. Also, you can put one credit card per time. It shreds some models of CDs and DVDs. The shredded particles drop into 3.8 bin. Use this device for 3 minutes, then leave it to rest up to 30 minutes.

Three Modes
If you use this device over its limit, the thermal protective sensors will immediately shut it off. So, overheating isn’t possible. There are three modes on the control panel: auto, off and reverse. In auto mode, the shredder will automatically start to shred when you put the paper near the slot.

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Bonsaii EverShred C149-C Shredder

4 Casters
The Bonsaii EverShred C149-C is a industrial shredder, its dimensions are 14.17 x 11.22 x 21.46 inches. It weighs 23 pounds. Bonsaii features four casters, so you can place it wherever you want. It doesn’t have to stand in one place.

Shred Ability
Use it for CDs, DVDs, credit cards, paper clips and staples shredding. The cut size is 1/4 x 1-50/87 inches. The max sheets per one load are 17-18 sheets of paper. The Bonsaii can run continuously for up to 60 minutes, the coll down period lasts 10 minutes only.

Noise Level
Bonsaii uses a patented cooling system, so you can use it again after a short cool-down period. The motor produces only 62 decibels. It won’t disturb you while you are working. This medium-duty motor shreds with a speed of 5.3 feet per minute. The basket capacity is 6 gallons.

Automatic Anti-jam
The automatic anti-jam system with auto start and auto reverse will clean up the paper jams automatically. You don’t have to push the button, the device will detect the issue and solve it. The overload and overheating protection prolong motor life.

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How Do You Take Care Of This Machine?

Always unplug it when it is not in use, run it in reverse every once in a while to release any paper particles stuck in the blades, and oil it frequently. To oil it, put oil directly on the blades, on a paper in a zigzag pattern which you then feed into the shredder, and by feeding it with a lubricant sheet.

How Often Should You Oil It?

It should be oiled each time you empty the bin and after every intense project of shredding. Likewise, if you have a micro-cut, it needs to be lubricated after every 15 minutes of use. For cross-cut and strip-cut models, you can do it after every 30 minutes of use.

Why Do Paper Shredders Stop Working?

They stop working if you put too much paper at once so the motor jams. However, this is usually fixable. On the other hand, a it will also stop working if you fail to maintain it and oil it frequently. Finally, it can also stop working if you feed it with materials it is not suitable for.

How Can You Shredd Paper?

Some alternatives would be lighting your documents on fire or turning them into pulp by soaking them in water and bleaching them overnight. Moreover, you can also use shredding scissors to get rid of paper, or even manual models that shred paper by turning the knob. Alternatively, you can also shred paper at a local shredding place or hire a professional paper shredding service to get rid of documents.

Can You Use A Garden Shredder For The Job?

Some suggest using a garden shredder, such as a wood chipper, to shred paper. You can do so by adjusting some of the settings on it and then allowing the wood chipper blades to draw the paper in and shred it easily.

Is It OK To Put Shredded Paper In Compost?

As a key to healthy good compost is having material that is nicely chopped, it is okay to put shredder paper free of toxic heavy metal in compost. This means that you can put paper and newspapers in compost. However, avoid glossy and colored types that might have toxic heavy metals in it.