Compare Paper Shredders

11 ranked products · Two to 4 at a time · Updated 19 Aug 2026

Pick any two to four of the 11 ranked paper shredders and read them side by side. This page opens on the board's top 3, Fellowes Powershred 99Ci, Staples 12-Sheet Micro-Cut Shredder (ST62153) and Aurora AU120MA.

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Paper Shredders compared side by side. Each column is one product, each row is one measure taken from the same research that built the board.
Measure	Fellowes Fellowes Powershred 99Ci	Staples Staples 12-Sheet Micro-Cut Shredder (ST62153)	Aurora Aurora AU120MA	Fellowes Fellowes Powershred LX22M	Aurora Aurora AU1060MA	Aurora Aurora AU1230XA	Fellowes Fellowes Powershred 79Ci	Aurora Aurora AU1800XA 18-Sheet Anti-Jam Cross-Cut Shredder	Bonsaii Bonsaii C234-A 6-Sheet Micro-Cut Shredder	Bonsaii Bonsaii C261-C 6-Sheet Cross-Cut Shredder	Aurora Aurora AS420C
Tier	S	S	A	B	C	C	D	D	D	F	F
Rank on this board	1 of 11	2 of 11	3 of 11	4 of 11	5 of 11	6 of 11	7 of 11	8 of 11	9 of 11	10 of 11	11 of 11
Ladder points	969 LP	888 LP	649 LP	501 LP	448 LP	447 LP	317 LP	286 LP	227 LP	18 LP	0 LP
Our verdict	The only shredder that combines top-tier security, high capacity, and proven durability; it rarely jams and its metal gears last a decade or more.	Micro-cut shredding with the smallest particle size, backed by a solid warranty and a track record of long life in home offices.	Offers micro-cut speed and quietness while keeping jam rates low; its metal construction gives it a competitive lifespan for its price point.	Good balance of speed, quietness and longevity in the micro-cut class.	High-volume model with frequent jams and quicker gear wear; not cost-effective over time.	Anti-jam cross-cut design gives reliable performance over many years.	Older model with missing safety features and higher failure rate; not recommended for reliable use.	Large capacity but only cross-cut; price comparable to flagships makes it overpriced for typical use.	Budget micro-cut with low noise, best for minimal use.	Short duty cycle, thermal interruptions, plastic-gear lifespan; cheap to buy, annoying to own, dead young.	Quiet desktop shredder with a long service life thanks to metal gears.
What reviewers rate	High-security design 9-gal bin keeps full for hours Metal gears give long life Handles up to 18 sheets per pass	Smallest shred size Strong warranty Durable build Micro-cut security	Micro-cut speed Quiet operation Low jam rate Metal gears	Micro-cut Quiet operation Low failure rate 12 sheets per pass	High volume capacity Micro-cut security 10 sheets per pass Low noise	Cross-cut with anti-jam Long service life Simple, manual-feed design Relatively durable for the price	Lower price Same proven jam-proof platform as the 99Ci Same Fellowes warranty structure Years of mainstream recommendations	60-minute continuous duty cycle Manual-feed architecture that reliability data says survives 18-sheet anti-jam workhorse design Avoids the failure-prone autofeed mechanism	Low noise One of the cheapest legitimate micro-cut shredders available Real P-4 security at impulse-buy pricing Adequate for light users	Rock-bottom upfront price Basic cross-cut security for very light use	Desktop size Quiet operation Metal gears Tiny desktop footprint
Where it falls short	Nothing recorded	Shorter long-term track record than the Fellowes flagships	Consumer autofeed mechanisms are the single most failure-prone design in the category Dealer data shows autofeed return rates around 30% versus under 1% for manual feed Jammed autofeed trays on year-old units are the classic regret story	Less multi-year field data than the Ci series	Frequent jams Gear wear Limited 10-sheet capacity Strictly a light-duty machine	Cross-cut security outclassed by micro-cut rivals at similar prices The weakest of the recommended options	Missing safety features Higher failure rate Slower shredding speed Higher noise level	Only cross-cut security High price near flagship levels Overkill for home users 18-sheet capacity unnecessary for home use	Slow Small bin Short duty cycle	Cross-cut only, with lower security than micro-cut rivals Very short duty cycle with thermal cutoffs that interrupt real work Plastic-gear, entry-level build 2-to-3-year lifespan ceiling under even moderate use, and often less	Struggles with anything beyond a sheet or two Tiny bin and light motor A gadget rather than a tool, outclassed by the cheapest real micro-cut options
Evidence behind it	12 sources across 12 outlets	3 sources across 3 outlets	1 source across 1 outlet Thin sourcing, read it as provisional	5 sources across 4 outlets	2 sources across 2 outlets	2 sources across 2 outlets	10 sources across 9 outlets	2 sources across 2 outlets	2 sources across 2 outlets	1 source across 1 outlet Thin sourcing, read it as provisional	1 source across 1 outlet Thin sourcing, read it as provisional
Flagged as one to avoid	Not flagged	Not flagged	1 of 9 research runs	Not flagged	1 of 7 research runs	1 of 7 research runs	4 of 8 research runs	2 of 8 research runs	Not flagged	3 of 5 research runs	3 of 7 research runs
Announced	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded
Where to buy	Check it	Check it	Check it	Check it	Check it	Check it	Check it	Check it	Check it	Check it	Check it

Every column is the same research that built the board. Nothing here is a specification sheet copied from a maker. Read how we rank for what a tier and a ladder point mean.