Paper Shredders: Reviews

Updated March 2012

Experts recommend shredding documents containing personal information, such as credit card statements, bills and even some junk mail. User reviews are especially important in this category, since professionals don't evaluate shredders very frequently, and owners are able to determine which models can stand the test of time. That said, we did find a few comparative professional reviews based on rigorous testing.

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Best paper shredder for home or small office

Fellowes Intellishred PS-79Ci

*Est. $180 Compare Prices

Recommended by more reviewers than any other shredder, the Fellowes PS-79Ci combines superb safety features with quiet operation, a 6-gallon pull-out waste bin and guaranteed jam-free performance. This model shreds CDs… expandand DVDs as well as credit cards and documents secured with staples or paper clips. Safety features include a sensor that shuts off the shredder if a hand gets close to the slot. Owners praise the build quality, and the shredder carries a two-year warranty (lifetime on the cutters). collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: The Fellowes Intellishred PS-79Ci is tested in comparison with 18 other paper shredders, including eight other console models with pull-out bins.

PopularMechanics.com: Popular Mechanics editors set out to disprove Fellowes's claim that the Intellishred PS-79Ci is "100 percent jam proof" by shoving cardboard, crumpled paper and CDs into the machine.

Amazon.com: About 89 percent of the more than 200 owners reviewing the Fellowes Intellishred PS-79Ci at this retail site rate it either 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale; it's one of the top-rated paper shredders at this huge retail site.

Staples.com: At this retail site, about 90 owners review the Fellowes PS-79Ci paper shredder, and most (93 percent) say they'd recommend this model to a friend.

Walmart.com: About 40 owners give the Fellowes Intellishred PS-79Ci paper shredder mostly enthusiastic reviews here, making it one of the top-rated shredders here despite its relatively high price.

Fellowes.com: Nearly 600 owners rate and review the Fellowes Intellishred PS-79Ci paper shredder at this manufacturer's site, and 97 percent of them say they'd recommend it to a friend.

The New York Times: Reviewer Sam Grobart, a technology expert, recommends the Fellowes PS-79Ci as a good mid-priced paper shredder, based on its jam-free operation and automatic safety shutoff.

OfficeDepot.com: The Fellowes Powershred 79Ci is one of the top-rated paper shredders sold at this office supply site, based on over 500 reviews from owners posted here; 97 percent say they'd recommend it to a friend.

Slate.com: This older comparison test of paper shredders is outdated now, and only part of the original review is visible online.

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Buy from Amazon for $179.00
Amazon for $179.00	Discount Office Items for $189.98	TigerDirect- .com for $201.70

Budget home paper shredder

Fellowes Powershred DS-3

*Est. $75 Compare Prices

If you don't need to destroy CDs or shred a lot of paper at once, reviewers say this budget paper shredder is a good value. The 5-gallon bin doesn't pull out; to empty it, you must lift off the top, which contains the… expandmotor, cutters and controls. This model also has an opening in the front of the bin for papers that need to be recycled but not shredded. Safety features include a patented sensor that shuts off the shredder if a hand gets close to the slot. The Fellowes DS-3 shreds staples and small paper clips as well as paper and credit cards, and carries a one-year warranty (five on the cutters). collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

Fellowes.com: This paper shredder earns unusually high recommendations from owners: Of the more than 80 users reviewing it here, 98 percent say they'd recommend it to a friend.

Amazon.com: More than two dozen owners review the Fellowes DS-3 paper shredder at this retail site.

Walmart.com: About a dozen owners review the Fellowes DS-3 paper shredder here after a few weeks of use.

YouTube.com: This video is the same demonstration as on the Walmart.com site, but in a bigger window for easier viewing.

ConsumerReports.org: ConsumerReports.org tests three other Fellowes paper shredders, not the Powershred DS-3, but the rankings here give some idea of how Fellowes stands in relation to six other brands.

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Buy from Amazon for $74.54
Amazon for $74.54	Shoplet.com for $170.34	eBay for $119.95

Basic paper shredder for light duty

Walmart 6-Sheet Crosscut Shredder with Easy Lift Handle

*Est. $25 Learn More

This small, unbranded paper shredder from Walmart can't do anything fancy; the size of its crosscut shreds are larger than most, so it isn't the most secure, plus it doesn't have any remarkable safety features. Still, in… expandmore than 200 user reviews, owners are overwhelmingly happy with this simple shredder. With a bin size of about 3 gallons and a paper capacity of just six sheets (don't try more than three sheets at a time to be on the safe side), it's best for light duty. But in its price range, it gets much better reviews than competing paper shredders. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

Walmart.com: More than 230 owners rate and review this six-sheet budget shredder here, with over 90 percent saying they'd recommend it to a friend.