Best 5 Home Office Paper Shredders: Destroy Documents From You Own Home Office

Do you work from home and you are in need of a machine that will destory papers?

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This is the perfect place to learn more about home office paper shredders. This device will make your work easier and you’ll have more free space. If you want to learn how it works and which features are important, read our buying guide. Then, check out the reviews of 6 most popular models there are.

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What Makes A Paper Shredder Suitable For Home Office?

In a home office, you will surely have to get rid of confidential business documents and data, at least from time to time. This means the suitable the paper cutting machine is the one that offers enough security. Moreover, its size will also depend on your shredding needs and the available space you have for it.

They usually consist of a shredding head with blades for cutting and a bin underneath it. They work by sucking the sheets of paper into the blades where they cut it into small particles or strips (depending on the type of the shredding mechanism). After that, the bin below the blades catches the paper so you can easily recycle it or dispose of it after.

Is Micro-Cut Or Cross-Cut Better?

When buying a device to destroy documents in your home office, there is no point to go below a cross-cut mechanism. This type of shredder destroys paper into short strips, diamond-shapes, or confetti-shapes pieces and offers a medium level of security. Thus, it can be used for getting rid of personal documents securely.

On the other hand, a micro-cut shredder is a kind that cuts paper into really small particles that are nearly impossible or impossible to put back together. For this reason, they offer the highest level of security and are recommended for cutting even confidential, secret, and top-secret information before disposal. Both cross-cut and micro-cut shredders cut paper diagonally from both corners

Recommended Security Levels

As both cross-cut and micro-cut will work for your home office, depending on which type of documents you will cut, consider the following security levels. According to DIN 66399 standard, the following security levels should be met:
P-4 level – particle cuts that are ≤ 6 mm wide with an area of ≤ 160 mm² (for PII – personal identifiable information)
P-5 level – particle cuts that are ≤ 2 mm wide with an area of ≤ 30 mm² (extra security but slower than P-4 shredders)
P-6 level – particle cuts that are ≤ 1 mm wide with an area of ≤10 mm² (for even more security, but struggles with high-volume shredding)
P-7 level – particle cuts that are ≤ 1 mm wide with an area of ≤ 5 mm² (maximum security, NSA-approved shredders for confidential, secret, and top-secret information)

Why Should You Buy It

If you destory paper that takes up space in your office, maintain a high level of productivity, organization, and you will dispose of your documents securely. You won’t have to fear identity theft or having your personal and business information used against you. Moreover, both cross-cut and micro-cut models are widely available on the market so that you can choose the one that fits your needs exactly.

Is A Cheap Model Secure Enough?

A cheap machine in the range of 30 to 50 dollars usually aren’t reliable for a home office. They are more suitable for occasional shredding of a couple of sheets of paper at a time and with a duty cycle of barely a few minutes. On the other hand, these models also cannot offer enough security as they are usually only strip-cut shredders (lowest level of security). If you want to have peace of mind with security, you will have to invest more money in a reliable option.

Which One Is The Best Choise For Home Use?

While there is no universal option for this situation, you can choose the best model for your needs if you adjust its features to your requirements, such as how often you will use it, how many papers you need to destroy and more.

Dimensions According To The Available Space

You can choose both smaller and bigger models. Do not go for a massive shredder if you do not have enough space for it in some corner of the office room. Smaller models, on the other hand, can fit rigth next to your desk or under it.

Which Materials Do You Plan To Shred?

If you want to shred paper only then you don’t have much thinking to do because as any model can do that. However, if you are also looking for a way to shred credit cards, destroy junk mail, or paper clips and staples, you will have to look for a model suitable for destroying these materials. Moreover, some will even work for CD/DVD shredding.

How Long Do You Plan To Shred At a Time?

Depending on how long you want to shred, you will have to choose a shredder with a longer or shorter run time (also known as the duty cycle). The run time of shredders recommended for home office use is usually in the range of five to 10 minutes.

Sheet Capacity

While you won’t get much use out of a machine that cuts up to five sheets of paper per pass in your home office, a model with a sheet capacity of five to 12 papers will usually suffice.

Bin Capacity Preference

For working, you will usually need a bin no bigger than 5 gallons. You can choose between a pull-out bin and a lift-off bin. Many shredding machines have a window on the bin so you can see if the bin is full. Or there is an LED indicator for bin status.

Low Noise Level

If you work from home, you don’t want to hear the loud noise from your shredder. Before purchase check out the noise level. Usually, smaller paper shredders produce less noise. The quiet paper shredder that produces 60 decibels or below is optimal for the workspace.

Protect Your House Members With Safety Features

When you work from home, maybe your children or pets may try to push the buttons or something else that is why it is a smart move to choose a shredder whith a safety lock. Some models have sensors that detect hands if they are near the paper entry and then the device stop shredding. Also, there are models which lock themselves the moment they starts shedding.

Best 5 Home Office Paper Shredders

Fellowes Powershred W11C Shredder

Light-duty Use
Fellowes Powershred W11C is a practical device, it fits under your desk or next to it. It is 17.75 inches high and 13.63 inches wide. This personal option is able to shred credit cards, staples and paper, but it can’t destroy CDs and DVDs. You can assume it is intended for light use only.

5-minute Run Time
The cross-cut provides a high-security level, P-4. You can insert your confidential documents into this machine. The shredded particles have 5/32 x 1-3/8 inches and the continuous run time lasts 5 minutes with the cool-down period of 20 minutes.

Safety Lock
The bin type is lift-off, so there is a convenient handle that helps you lift the head of the shredder and throw the garbage from the bin. The waste bin capacity is 4.75 gallons. At once, you can insert 11 sheets of paper. It is safe for use, there is a Safety Lock feature which will disable the shredder if detect hands or paws.

Maintenance
The maintenance depends on use. If you use it more frequently, you should oil it. Read the instruction before you oil the machine. Use lubricate sheets, they already have oil on it. The price for this product is affordable, the warranty for the machine lasts 1 year. The cutter’s warranty lasts three years.

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Ezbasics Cross-cut Paper Shredder

Compact And Stylish
The Ezbasics is a black and white model. It looks elegant and fits in every home office decor. It has 13.46 inches of height, 7.45 inches of width and 14.93 inches of depth. It weighs 14 pounds. You can insert your ATM receipts, credit card bills, bank statements and other unwanted information.

Security Level – P-4
This cross-cut small paper shredder ensures a high-security level, P-4. It shreds paper into tiny particles of 3/19 x 1-3/16 inches. Besides the paper and credit cards, it shreds staples and clips, too. It is easy to use this device, also, you don’t have to lubricate it.

Ultra-Low Noise Design
It won’t disturb you while you working because it delivers 58 decibels, an equivalent to people’s conversation. Insert 5 sheets of paper at the time and one credit card per pass. Ezbasics runs continuously for up to 5 minutes before needing a cool-down period. It lasts for up to 30 minutes.

No Sealed Envelopes
The pull-out wastebasket holds up to 3.1 gallons. Always empty the basket before it becomes full becuase it could cause paper jams. Also, don’t insert the sealed envelopes into the slot. The shredding speed is 5 feet per minute. If the device starts to overheat, it will shut down itself.

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Aurora AU820MA Paper Shredder

Small Dimensions
Aurora AU820MA is a compact paper cutter. Item dimensions are 12.48 x 8.90 x 15.69 inches. It fits anywhere, you can place it on your work desk or shelf. This shredder weighs 14 pounds, it is lightweight and it’s easy to move it.

Tiny Pieces
This is a micro-cut option that cuts the paper into unreadable particles. It is impossible that somebody uses these pieces. The shredded piece has 5/32 x 15/32 inches. Besides the paper, this device shreds CDs,, DVDs, credit cards, staples and clips.

Medium-duty Shredder
You can maximally insert 8 sheets of paper per single pass. The continuous run time is 5 minutes. Then the device should cool-down for up to 30 minutes. You can easily empty the bin, just lift up the handle and take the bin. The waste bin holds up to 4.8 gallons.

ShredSafe Feature
If you try to insert the paper with force, this device will automatically shut off. This feature prevents paper jams. Aurora features auto-start/stop, so it is an energy-efficient machine. On the control panel, you can find the LED indicators for overheat, overload, power and door status.

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AmazonBasics 12-Sheet Home Office Shredder

Affordable Price
The AmazonBasics is desktop size paper shredder. Its dimensions are 13.19 inches of height, 11.77 inches of width and 9.92 inches of depth. You can place this shredder on your desk, it will fit. This cross-cut model with an affordable price and a 1-year warranty.

CD, DVDs, Clips & Staples
It shreds paper, credit cards, junk mail, small paper clips, staples, CDs and DVDs. You can insert 12 sheets of paper at the time. Put only one credit card or CD per single pass. AmazonBasics shreds the paper into particles of 5/32 x 1-7/32 inches. The paper entry is 8.7 inches wide.

Removable Bin
The AmazonBasics home device has a see-through bin with a capacity of 1.8 gallons. You can easily remove the bin and throw the garbage. It runs 8 minutes continuously, then you need to leave it 45 minutes to cool-down. Turn on the auto-start mode and it will start working when you put the paper near the slot.

Prolong Motor Life
The anti-jam auto-reverse feature will automatically reverse the blades when there is too much paper. That minimalizes the paper jams. The thermal protection saves the motor from overheating. The device will shut off automatically if the motor is too warm.

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Dodocool Paper Shredder

Separate CD/Card Slot
Dodocool is an electric device. It measures 12.60 x 12.60 x 7.87 inches. You can place it under your work desk. It is a cross-cut able to shred paper, clips, staples, CDs, credit cards and photos. There is a separate slot for credit cards and CDs.

12 Sheets Of Paper
It accepts 12 sheets of paper per single pass. The cutters are solid and the blades are made of durable steel. Dodocool provides a medium security level, P-3. If you have some sensitive documents, don’t put them into this machine.

Automatic Start
Dodocool features auto-start and auto-stop. There are sensors around the paper entry if they detect paper, the shredder will start working. Also, when the shredding is finish, it will stop working. If you insert too much paper into the machine, the paper will be reversed back. That prevents paper jams. There is overheat protection, too.

Two Waste Bins
Through a transparent window, you can see if the bin is full and you need to empty it. There are two bins, one for paper and another for CDs and credit cards. The paper bin has a capacity of 5.6 gallons and the card bin holds up to 0.2 gallons. There is a portable handle for the lift-up bin.

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Keep The Product Maintained

To shred paper without problems and paper jams, you will have to take care of it. To maintain it in an keep it in best shape for the best performance, you will have to oil the blades regularly. For cross-cutters, do it after every 30 minutes of shredding, and after every 15 minutes with micro-cutters. Also, oil the blades every time you empty the bin. You can do it with the help of a lubricant or lubricant sheet.

How Long To Keep Important Documents Before Shredding Them?

Financial life is quite complicated, especially when running a business from a home office. Before you can shred some documents, you need to know whether you still need to keep them. For example, it is good to make a digital copy of all your bills and other documents before you shred them. Keep all tax records for at least seven years, while bank statements should be kept for at least one year.