You need a new desktop paper shredder for your home or office?
You don’t know much about shredders or their quality?
Here I am going to help you find the best desktop paper shredder for your home or office. Before buying yourself a new shredder you will need to know everything about desktop paper shredders, with which I am going to help you with, in this article. After knowing everything before buying a desktop paper shredder I am going to review some of the best desktop paper shredders at the moment.
Everything You Need To Know Before Buying A Desktop Paper Shredder
Different Sizes Of Paper Shredders
Besides the way of cutting paper, shredders also vary in their size and performance. There are shredders that cost thousands of dollars and can shred a million sheets of paper in an hour for professional purposes. For offices or personal use, there are bigger heavy-duty models that can chew from 6 to 24 sheets of paper at the same time, and they can run continuously from several minutes to almost an hour. They are great if you have a lot of material to shred on daily basis or you just like to stack it up and then deal with it in one turn. But of course, they cost more and they take up a lot of space.
Why Would You Need A Paper Shredder?
If you need a shredder that will always be within hands reach, but that will efficiently serve its purpose of destroying sensitive documents or junk mail through a lightly daily feed. In that case, you should consider buying a desktop paper shredder. They are great due to their size because they can fit on any desktop surface or shelves in the office or at home. In addition to being cute, they do the job pretty well. Some of them are able to cut through credit cards or even CDs, and they also provide a different level of security. This article will bring you closer to desktop paper shredders, and then it’s up to you to pick one for you.
What Is The Purpose Of Paper Shredders
Paper shredder is a mechanical device that is used to cut the paper into small pieces in order to protect sensitive information. Due to different kinds of documents, different kind of protection is needed. There are three main types of shredders – strip-cut, as the name says, cuts paper into thin strips, good for not so sensitive documents, cross-cut turns paper into small pieces since it has two sets of blades which cut paper vertically and horizontally at the same time, providing you with medium level of security, and last is micro-cut that shreds paper into small rectangular or circular particles for highest level of security.
Best Desktop Shredder Reviews
Desktop Cross-Cut Shredder
Aurora AS420C Cross-Cut Desktop Paper Shredder
Aurora AS420C is a cross-cut shredder made for light use in small offices or at home, due to its size, it can be placed on countertops or desktops to always have it in reach when you need to shred something. The dimensions are 9” x 7” x 10” and it weighs only 0.5 pounds. The insert throat width is only 4.5” so you will have to fold A4 paper in half length-wise in order for it to fit in the shredder.
It can shred up to four sheets of paper at the same time and it will cut them in small confetti cross-cut pieces the size of 1/5” x 1-17/20” and you don’t have to remove paper clips or staples. Also, it can cut credit cards but one at the time. The paper falls into a 1.32-gallon trash bin that can fit about 40 sheets before needing emptying, and the handle will make removing the top unit easier.
This Aurora desktop shredder comes with a detachable power cord that you will have to plug into the shredder and the wall, and the LED light indicator will show you its standby status. The power switch has three modes – Auto/On, Off, and Reverse.
The blades will automatically start to rotate as the sensor detects paper in the entry and it can run for 2 minutes before needing a cool-down break. The thermal protection will turn off the shredder as soon as it starts to overheat to prevent damages to the engine. In case paper jamming occurs you will simply manually switch it to Reverse mode.
Desktop Credit Card And CD Shredder
Royal DT4 Desktop Shredder
This Royal desktop crosscut shredder is another desktop paper shredder since the dimensions of the device are 7” x 5.5” x 11.5” it will fit on your desktop without taking too much space, always ready for you shred without moving from work position. It can take 4 sheets of paper folded in half lengthwise since the entry throat is only 4.5” wide.
The blades will cut the paper into cross-cut pieces the size of 5/32” x 1/8”, and they can also handle staples, paper clips and credit cards without a problem. The shredded paper falls into 1.9 gallons wastebasket that is made from a transparent plastic which allows you to see when it needs emptying. To empty it you just have to lift shredding unit.
It’s really easy to operate this shredder, you can set it up in an Auto mode that will start the blades as soon as it detects paper in the entry throat, so you don’t have to turn it On/Off every time you have something to shred. This shredder can shred non-stop for 2 minutes before needing 25 minutes to cool down and it also has thermal protection that will stop the shredder if it starts to over-heat. For when you’re not using it, there is a sliding top that covers shredding entry and also prevents any accidental injuries while the shredder is working.
Very interesting feature this desktop shredder has is aA very power port that allows you to charge any electronic device you have as long as the shredder is connected to the power circuit, and while it’s charging you can place it on the sliding top cover to maximize the use of desktop space.
Mini Desktop Paper Shredder
Essentials SESC1000DT Desktop Shredder
The dimensions of this mini desktop paper shredder are 6” x 7” x 11” and it weighs 10 pounds so it can easily fit on any desktop or even shelves in your office or home. It is for light use only, it can take up to 5 sheets of paper at the same time but they will have to be folded in half since the insert throat is only 6.1” wide and won’t fit standard 8.5” paper.
The blades will shred paper into small cross-cut pieces providing you with a medium level of security. It can also destroy credit cards and CDs but one at the time to avoid jamming the blades. All the waste falls into 1.1 gallons pull-out trash bin that can hold up the waste of 10 sheets of paper before needing to empty it.
This shredder is easy to operate and it’s good for light use. It needs to be plugged into the power outlet for it to work and you can set it to the Auto mode that will shred the paper when it detects its presence in the insert throat, and will also stop the blades once it’s done.
It can run continuously for several minutes before needing to cool down, and it the overheating occurs thermal protection feature will turn off the device. Also, this shredder is Energy Star certified and it doesn’t produce a lot of noise. To maintain it in good condition it is suggested to use lubricant sheets that you will insert and let the blades shred it.
Desktop Shredder For Home Use
Insignia 6-Sheet Cross-Cut Shredder
This Insignia desktop shredder can take a maximum of three A4 sheets of paper folded in half length-wise since the width of the feed entry is only 4.7”. You don’t have to remove staples but paper clips are not recommended, also it can shred credit cards, but only one card at the time. It will shred paper into small cross-cut pieces that will protect all your sensitive information.
Product dimensions are 8.6” x 7.2” x 7.1” and it weighs only 4 pounds. It is composed of a shredder head and a 0.8-gallon transparent wastebasket. In order for the shredder to work safety stickers on both, shredder head and wastebasket have to align, if not, it will not work. The shredder head contains a control panel and a cutting head. It has a 3-option switch – On/Auto, Off and Reverse.
Auto mode will start the blades when the paper is inserted in the cutting feed and stop them once the shredding is over. In the case of a paper jam, you will have to manually set it to reverse to unclog it. It also has an LED light indicator that lights green when the power is on. All the trash goes into the wastebasket and it is recommended to empty it when it is 2/3 full.
Unfortunately, the use of a plastic bag is not allowed. This shredder has limited operating time so be careful not to overload it. It is not suitable for glued or wet paper or CDs as well.
Micro-Cut Desktop Paper Shredder
NCL Desktop Micro-Cut Paper Shredder
This NCL desktop shredder is the only one on our list that will cut the paper into small micro-cut particles providing you with a high level of security for any kind of sensitive documents you have. This shredder can take one sheet of A4 paper at the time but it must be folded in half or 2 sheets of A5 paper.
The blades will shred it into 2 x 10 mm particles. Shredder dimensions are 9.3” x 5.3” x 6.8” and it is composed of two parts shredding head, with the power switch and shredding blades, and trash bin made from transparent plastic, the capacity of 2.1 L, it’s suggested to empty it once it’s 2/3 full.
3-option switch button allows you to control your shredder, you can set it to Auto/On, Off and Reverse mode. When in auto modes sensors will detect the presence of the paper in the entry feed and it will automatically start the blades to shred paper, and when it’s over, it will automatically stop them until next time. When the paper jam happens you will have to reverse it manually by switching the button.
This desktop shredder can work continuously for 3 minutes straight and then it will need to cool down. Cooling down automatically is a useful feature to prevent overheating and damage that may happen. This small shredder is good for light use at home or office since you can keep it on your desktop and shred immediately without piling up the paper.
Space-Saving Desktop Shredder
Fellowes Powershred Shredmate Paper Shredder
This is a desktop space-saving paper shredder from the brand Fellowes. This model is a cross-cut shredder that is essential if you are looking to get rid of some sensitive documents. This paper shredder shreds cards, documents, paper, and other confidential material. One of the best features is the safety interlock switch that will make your life so much easier.
If the bin is taken of the paper shredder it will stop automatically. This Fellowes paper shredder shreds 4 sheets per pass into 5/32-inch x 1-3/8-inch cross-cut particles. It can run continuously for 5 minutes straight before needing to cool-down for 15 minutes. It comes with the 1.2-gallon bin that is not too big, and it has an easy lift-off head. The design of the model is unique, it is small and compact and it comes in the black color. The dimensions are 7.5 x 5.8 x 9.4 inches, and it weighs 6.35 pounds. It also comes with the 1-year warranty.
Conclusion: What Is The Best Desktop Shredder?
Considering all the shredder desktop reviews, I would recommend the NCL Desktop Micro-Cut Paper Shredder. This NCL desktop shredder is the only one on our list that will cut the paper into small micro-cut particles providing you with a high level of security for any kind of sensitive documents you have. This shredder can take one sheet of A4 paper at the time but it must be folded in half or 2 sheets of A5 paper. If you need a stronger model, read my post about heavy-duty paper shredders or even commercial shredders that are also pretty durable. But, if that isn’t the one you need, read my post about best paper shredders and find the one that suits your needs best.