6 Best Paper Shredders for 2018

Did you know that scammers and identity thieves stole upwards of $15 million in just 2015 alone? It's estimated that more than 15 million people fall victim to scams every year, with losses totaling up to as $50 BILLION. That's pretty terrifying, isn't it?

So now that you know the hard truth, what can you do to protect yourself? Paper shredders are the best way to protect sensitive data. Unless someone really has a strong desire to put all the pieces of your documents back together (like you see in the movies), shredding your papers is all but guaranteed to keep your information safe.

Consumer Reports suggests shredding documents like:

Bank statements
Investment statements
Credit card bills
Household receipts and warranties
Loan documents
Tax returns and other tax documents

All of these documents contain information that, in the wrong hands, can be used to steal your identity—and ultimately your money.

What's the bottom line?

If you're smart, you’ve got a plan of what to scan, store, or shred. With the right shredder, you can keep your identity from being stolen, and protect your assets.

Not sure which is the best paper shredder for you? Don't worry: we've done the work for you! We've gone through thousands of paper shredder reviews, analyzed the pros, cons, and specs of the top-rated models, and even tried a few models out ourselves. (And yes, we had A LOT of fun with that!) Our research has led us to conclude the AmazonBasics 8-Sheet High-Security Micro-Cut Paper, CD, and Credit Card Shredder is the best pick overall. Not only does it cross-cut everything to turn your paper into confetti, but it can shred through CDs, DVDs, and credit cards as well. It's not too pricey, but does an excellent job of shredding your documents! What more could you ask for?

Read on to find out our list of the best paper shredder choices for you…

Best Paper Shredder Overall

1. AmazonBasics 8-Sheet High-Security Micro-Cut Paper, CD, and Credit Card Shredder

User Score

96 User Score

62 Bought

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4.88 Faveable Rating

Why People Love it

Efficient, high performance shredder perfect for home use
Turns your documents into tiny confetti
Excellent quality for the cost

ProsCons

Can chop through CDs/DVDs and credit cards and the micro-cut feature will turn your papers into confetti! Additionally, this shredder can handle up to 8 sheets of paper at a time, includes a 3-gallon storage bin, is easy to empty and clean, features auto shut-off to protect against overheating, is compact and lightweight, and above all, inexpensive.

Short run time before it overheats.

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Details

Performance: If you're looking for a shredder to handle your monthly bank/credit card statements and other important documents, this is the one for you. Make no mistake: it's NOT a heavy duty commercial shredder. You're better off shredding 4-6 pages instead of 8 advertised, but it will turn them into tiny confetti with efficient ease. And the shredder will overheat after 15-20 minutes of shredding. (Note: The instructions say 2 minute run-time!)

However, you'll love micro-cut shredding, and you'll always have plenty of confetti on hand thanks to this bad boy. It's great for shredding everything from single papers to envelopes to bank statements to laser discs. For home use, it's as good as it gets!

Features: With a its 3-gallon storage bin, this shredder only needs to be emptied once every month or two (with regular use). The auto shut-off feature built into the shredder will keep it from overheating, and you'll find the "auto reverse" feature makes it easy to avoid paper jams. The feeder mouth is 8¾" wide, meaning you have more than enough space for your documents.

The shredder also comes with thermal protection to reduce excessive heat production, giving you a slightly longer continuous run time. It's beautifully compact (less than 18 inches tall and 13 inches wide), and the micro-cut shredder will turn your paper into pieces 5/32" by 8/32". A single sheet of paper becomes 360 individual pieces!

Price: At $70, this is a very reasonably priced shredder. You're not paying a fortune for a heavy duty shredder, but the appliance delivers excellent performance at good value. Plus, it comes with AmazonBasics' 1-year warranty!

Learn more:AmazonBasics 8-Sheet High-Security Micro-Cut Paper, CD, and Credit Card Shredder »

6 Best Paper Shredders