Best 5 Compact Paper Shredders For Sale In 2022 Reviews
Do you own a small home office in dire need of a compact paper shredder?
Read on to find out about the smallest shredders that pack quite a punch when it comes to shredding.
Shredder Shredding Size
A paper shredder is a device that is used to cut paper into small particles in order to protect the information it holds. Depends on the shape and positions of the blades, it provides different levels of security. Strip-cut shredders cut paper into thin strips, providing with a low level of security, which is enough for basic use.
Difference Between Shredding Blade Types
Cross-cut shredders have two sets of blades that will cut the paper both vertically and horizontally cutting it into smaller strips, providing you with a medium level of security, but it’s faster than micro-cut. Micro-cut shredders will chew paper into tiny particles that are almost impossible to put back together, providing you with the highest level of security for most confidential information.
The Size Of a Shredder
Besides the way of cutting the paper, paper shredders also differ in their size, capacity and performance. There are small portable ones that can be stored almost anywhere and they are great for light use when you occasionally have some documents to shred so it’s not worth for you to get bigger models that are more expensive and they take up space when not being used. But, most variations in size and models are in the medium use category. You can find different kinds of shredders, the ones that cut credit cards and CDs, have an Auto mode…It just depends on you and your needs.
Don’t Sacrifice Strength For Size
If you want something with decent performance that will always be in hands to reach so you can shred your documents without piling them, and without needing to get up from the desk then you need a compact paper shredder. Its size will allow you to store it on a desktop surface or at shelves without taking too much space, and at the same time they will perform well and give you peace by protecting your sensitive information. They are great for personal use at home or in smaller offices.
This article will help you to prepare better for purchasing a compact paper shredder for yourself.
Top 5 Compact Paper Shredders
Best Budget Compact Paper Shredder
Aurora As420c Desktop-style Cross-cut Paper Shredder
This Aurora AS420C shredder has cross-cut blades and it’s great for light use in small offices or at home. Thanks to compact size it can be placed on desktops, countertops or shelves so it is in hands reach when you want to shred your private documents or junk mail. Item dimensions are 9” x 7” x 10” and it weighs only 0.5 pounds.
You will have to fold A4 paper in half lengthwise in order for it to fit in the shredder since the insert throat is only 4.5” wide. It can take four sheets of paper at the single pass and it will cut them in small cross-cut pieces the size of 1/5” x 1-17/20” with paper clips or staples still attached. Also, it can destroy credit cards but one at a time. The shredding unit is on top of 1.32-gallon trash bin that can fit about 40 sheets of shredded paper before emptying, and the lift handle helps to remove the top unit.
This compact shredder comes with a power cord that can be completely detached so you will have to plug into the shredder and into the wall. The LED light indicator will signal you the standby status. It has 3-modes; Power switch – Auto/On, Off, and Reverse.
When the sensor detects paper in the entry, the blades will automatically start to rotate to shred the paper. It can run for 2 minutes before needing a cool down break. Thermal protection is here to make sure that the shredder doesn’t overheat; it will turn off the shredder to prevent damage to the engine. If paper jamming happens you will need to manually switch the shredder to Reverse mode.
Compact Cross Cut CD/CreditCard/Paper Shredder
Aurora Au1200xd 12-sheet Crosscut Compact Paper Shredder
This is another great compact paper shredder made by Aurora. It will cut any paper document into unrecognizable paper flakes, smaller than 5/32” x 1-7/32” to make sure all your private documents are safe. The width of the entry throat is 8.7 inches and it can hold a maximum of 12 sheets of paper at the same time.
Staples and paper clips can remain attached and they won’t cause any damage to the blades. Strong steel cutting knives are sharp enough to cut even through plastic credit cards and old DVDs into small particles, but insert it one by one. This device has 1.8gallons plastic trash basket that can easily be emptied by pulling it out without lifting the shredding head.
This compact shredder will find its place in any workspace, it measures only 13.2 x 9.9 x 11.8 inches and you can place it on your desktop or on the shelf. This is an electric shredder so you have to plug it in and it will operate without stopping for 5 minutes and 30 minutes downtime. If it runs longer than suggested, overheating may occur, thermal protection mechanism will shut down the motor to save it from deterioration.
A LED light indicator will signal you if the temperature is getting too high so you can react on time, also it shows if it’s being overloaded or if the bin doors are open. The anti-jam feature that will remove paper jams by reversing the blades if the paper gets stuck inside the blades.
Compact Futuristic Cross Cut Paper Shredder
Royal DT4 Desktop Shredder
A very small desktop shredder measuring only 10.9 x 9.7 x 7.2 inches and a 1.9 gallon translucent waste bin. It has a removable shredder head for emptying and a sliding protective top that covers the shredder blades when not in use. The shredder head can be taken off the waste bucket for emptying.
A built in USB port into the side of a shredder head gives you the ability to charge any device that has a USB jack. If you are buying it because of the USB port take note that the newer models don’t come with one. It has a very futuristic and smooth design coming in black or silver. The surface of the shredder is completely flat allowing you to put something on the shredder when you are not using it, making the shredder more space efficient.
The shredder can shred 4 sheets with a crosscut technology giving you medium security. The shredder has an auto, start and stop functions, allowing for easy and fast shredding. A small paper insertion opening is safe but it limits the shredder, so do not expect to cut documents or cardboard with it. The shredder can cut credit cards however it is advised to use that feature at discretion because it can wear down the blades rapidly. Its lesser performance also gives it quieter than normal operating time.
Extra Small Compact Paper Shredder
Compact Strip-cut Paper Shredder
This is the smallest shredder on our list. The dimensions are 10.2” x 8.1” x 4.8” and it weighs only 0.5 pounds. It can fit on any desktop surface so you don’t have to get up if you have some paper to be shredded, and it even has a USB port so you can charge it with your computer. Another way of powering is to use 4 AA batteries which are not included with the device.
It is made for light use only since it can take only one sheet of A6 paper at the time. It will cut paper into thin strips providing you with the medium level of security. You will have to remove the staples and paper clips, and it is not able to shred credit cards or CDs.
As mentioned, this shredder is powered by batteries or a USB cable. It has 3-option switch – On, Off and Reverse, which means there’s no standby mode and it will not automatically start the blades once you insert the paper unless you set it to On-mode, and it will not stop running unless you turn it off.
If the paper jams occur you should manually switch it to Reverse mode to unclog the obstacles in the blades. It has a small trash bin made from transparent plastic so you can easily see when it’s full and needs to be emptied. Another bonus to this shredder is integrated letter opener on the shredding unit.
Best Compact Countertop Mail Shredder
Insignia 6-sheet Crosscut Shredder
This paper shredder has the feed throat that is just 4.7 inches wide and it can takes a maximum of 6 layers of paper, that would be three sheets of paper A4 size, folded in half vertically. There is no need to pull out staples but paper clips can cause damage to the blades. This shredder can also cut credit cards, but not more than one card at the same time.
The blades will cut paper material into unreadable cross-cut pieces to protect all your sensitive content. Dimensions of this compact shredder are 8.6 x 7.2 x 7.1 inches and it is just 4 pounds. It consists of a shredder unit and 0.8 gallons see-through trash bin. The stickers marks are on both, shredder unit and trash bin and they will have to align or the shredder will not start to work.
On shredder unit there is a 3-option switch – On/Auto, Off and Reverse for easy operating the shredder. Auto mode will start rotating the blades immediately after the paper is being inserted in the entry feed, and it will stop them when the shredding is over. To unclog the possible paper jams you just need to set the switch manually to Reverse.
There is an LED light indicator that shows a green light when the power is on. All the cut paper goes into the trash bin and it should be emptied when it is 2/3 full. The use of a plastic bag is not allowed because the unit and the bin can sit tight enough. You should be careful not to overload this shredder since it may overheat. It is not suitable for wet paper or CDs.
Conclusion: Best Compact Paper Shredder On The Market
