Top 14 Best Cross Cut Paper Shredder Reviews For 2023

Decluttering your home or office often involves paper disposal. But what if someone steals your financial information or even your identity?

If you’re having these worries and you’re looking for something that will give you peace of mind when disposing paper, consider getting a paper shredder.

With this device, you’ll be able to quickly reduce your paper into tiny illegible bits that conceal your information. Some units even let you destroy other items such as CDs and credit cards.

Another joy of using a paper shredder is that you’re able to reduce huge loads of paper into much smaller units that are a lot easier to dispose.

In this post, we’ll be telling you about some of the best cross cut paper shredders on the market today.

So, forget about the exhausting and money-wasting process of testing out numerous different shredders and see which of these 14 units best suits your needs.

Let’s get started.

Our Top 14 Best Cross-Cut Paper Shredders In 2023

1. AmazonBasics Cross-Cut Paper and Credit Card Shredder

We’re going to kick off our cross cut paper shredder reviews with the AmazonBasics Shredder.

First off, if you’re looking for a continuous-function shredder that shreds for hours on end, this guy is not for you. It is for that home or small office user who needs to destroy documents occasionally.

This one shreds for two minutes straight before needing a 30-minute cool-down. So, what makes it special?

If you want the best compromise between performance and price, this is the unit for you. There’s no need to remove staples and small pins before shredding paper. You could just put the papers in there as they are with no risk of jamming.

With a capacity of up to 6 sheets of 20lb paper, the unit allows you to shred a good number of papers during the 2 minutes window. And it doesn’t just cut paper; you can use it to destroy credit cards, one at a time.

In the event that you run the unit

Paper documents have different levels of sensitivity based on the info they contain. In that regard, you can use the strip cut, cross cut, or micro cut function shredders.

The strip cut function cuts paper into long strips with a width of a ¼ inch. If you want to move fast, this is the unit to utilize. The cross cut function cuts the paper into even smaller units, with a width of 7/32 inches.

If you want the highest level of security for the information, then the micro cut function shredder will come in handy, cutting the paper into confetti-like units.

The AmazonBasics shredder is a cross-cut unit that destroys paper into little units measuring 1 27/32 by 7/32 inches.

Jamming is the main issue with this unit, but it’s not so bad as to make the machine unusable. If you shred a huge stack for a couple hours, expect the unit to jam at least once.

Thankfully, the manufacturer has installed it with the manual reverse function, which allows you to quickly clear jammed paper.

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2. Bonsaii DocShred Cross-Cut P3 Shredder

If you’re looking for a good unit that cross cuts paper into very small pieces and runs quietly, the Bonsaii DocShred Cross-Cut P3 Shredder is the unit to think about.

From the design of the handle to the way the blades cut, everything seems to be built to perfection.

Let’s get to the basics first.

This P3 is built to handle up to 12 sheets of standard printer paper at a time. Yes, 12 at a go. That gives you the ability to work quickly and complete a huge task in just a short time.

You can load paper with a size of up to the standard A4. The paper is cross cut into sections measuring 1 25/32 by 1/5 inches, meaning it is reduced to a size that offers some good level of protection for the information therein.

As a home-grade shredder, the unit has a running time of three to five minutes. After that, it has to shut down for 40 minutes so it cools down. That might not seem great for efficiency but if you’re getting the machine for home use, you’ll find the 3 to 5 minute window very useful.

For the purpose of protecting the motor from overheating, the shut down is automatic.

One thing we loved about this unit is that it rarely jams. And even when it jams, there’s a manual reverse feature, which allows you to remove the jammed piece.

As long as you don’t overload the unit of feed it with paper that is too thick, there are minimal risks of jamming.

Inside the unit is a 5.5 gallon bucket where the waste collects. With such a big bin, you don’t have to keep emptying the waste. What you will like even more is the clear viewing window, which allows you to know when the bucket needs to be emptied.

And lastly, the Bonsaii P3 Shredder isn’t just for shredding paper. It also destroys credit cards and CDs.

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3. Aurora AS890C Cross-Cut Shredder

If you’re looking for a good but cheap cross cut paper shredder for personal use, you might want to consider the Aurora AS890C Cross-Cut Shredder. From its clear viewing window to it great sensitivity and anti-jam features, this unit has a lot to offer.

First of all, the unit isn’t built for destroying only paper. You can also use it to destroy credit cards and cds. And when shredding paper, there’s no need of removing the staples and clips, as the machine destroys these as well.

For someone with a small space from which they intend to operate their shredder, this unit is suitable. Measuring 16 by 12 by 7 inches, the unit is a little device that takes only a small space.

With an 8.7 inch entry slot, the machine allows you to load large pieces of paper. In it, you can load up to 8 A4 size sheets.

The clear viewing window at the front allows you to see the paper as it gets sliced into little scraps measuring 1 25/32 by 1/5 inches. That’s a very small size, allowing you to properly conceal your info.

Another awesome thing you will love is the efficiency of the machine. With strong stainless steel blades, it is able to cleanly cut the paper and reduce chances of jamming. Those who use the machine can attest that jamming is rare.

Not okay with having to empty the waste bin every now and then? Then this is the unit for you. With a capacity of 125 sheets of paper, the bin allows you to shred continuously without worrying about emptying the waste.

What about the efficiency? Well, like other home units, the shredder runs for up to 5 minutes, after which it needs a 30-miunte cool off. On the plus side you can shred up to 8 pages per minute, so within 5 minutes, you could have shredded up to 40 sheets.

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4. Fellowes Powershred 99Ci

Great value, quietness, efficiency, and safety are the factors that make the Fellowes Powershred 99Ci the best cross cut paper shredder out there.

Now, before we proceed, we’d like to make it clear that this is not one of those budget units that go for less than 50 bucks. You’ll probably have to pay over 200, but as you’ll see, the unit is totally worth it.

Taking up to 18 sheets of paper at a time, the unit helps you complete your work faster. And guess what? The unit is able to work continuously for up to 30 minutes before requiring a 40-minute cool down time.

If you have lots of documents to destroy, this is the unit to use. By the end of 30 minutes, you could have shredded more than 500 sheets of paper.

One thing about shredders is that they’re hazardous to pets and kids. This one is built with safety in mind. Featuring the SafeSense technology, the machine knows when a hand or animal body is placed in the opening, and in that case doesn’t run the blades.

This feature is also tremendously helpful if you should accidentally place your fingers in the shedding opening.

No need to worry too much about waste accumulation. The unit comes with a 9-gallon waste collection basket and even comes with several bags for easy waste removal.

Note however, that the bags are prone to collapsing into the basket, which creates a mess if it happens and makes waste removal a bit of a hassle. On the brighter side, you could use binder clips to secure the bags to the basket’s upper edges.

Because of its high efficiency, the Fellowes Powershred 99Ci is ideal for personal use and even for commercial use.

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5. Royal 112MX Cross Cut Shredder

Having been around for at least a century, Royal is one of the top makers of quality paper shredders. Their Royal 112MX Cross Cut Shredder good power and reliability to efficiently destroy your documents, credit cards, and CDs at home.

The first benefit of this unit is that it can handle up to 12 sheets of paper at a time, reducing them to the cross cut size of 1.5 by 5/32 inches.

Apart from the paper slot, there’s another slot where you can completely destroy your credit cards and CDs.

As said, the unit has good power, so it is able to shred paper and other items quickly. The only issue with the machine is the collection bin. It has a small capacity of just 3.25 gallons. For that, the bin fills up too quickly. That means you have to keep opening the machine to remove the waste, which is not convenient at all.

If you’re not keen, accumulating paper waste can cause the machine to jam. Luckily, in front of the machine is a clear viewing slot where you can see the level of the waste in the collection basket.

Another great feature that solves the issues with jamming is the reverse function. Whether the unit is failing to empty the waste or there’s too much paper in the entry point causing the machine to jam, the reverse feature comes in handy.

Want to be able to move the unit from one point to another with ease? You’ll find the casters at the bottom very useful.

You might not like that the machine has to cool down for half an hour after around 3 minutes of continuous operation, but for the price of this unit, that run time is understandable.

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6. Swingline CrossCut Paper Shredder

Seeking the ideal compact cross cut paper shredder for home use? Why don’t you try the Swingline Paper Shredder? This is a small device weighing in at just 12 pounds. You can lift and move it from one place to the other without a struggle. It’s the kind of unit you can take with you wherever you go.

Even though the machine is little, it is able to accept up to 6 sheets of printable paper in a single pass. But remember, the number of papers you put in there also depends on the paper’s thickness.

The manufacturer says it can accept up to 12 sheets, but we find that it’s safer to keep within the 6-sheet limit to avoid jamming issues.

Still, the machine will surprise you with its strength. You don’t even need to take the papers out of the envelope. You could just throw the envelope in there with its staples still in place, and the machine will do its job.

The unit runs for four minutes straight, after which it needs a cool down time of half an hour. Seems inefficient, but for home shredding needs, where you’re not dealing with too many documents, four minutes is a lot of time, not to mention the low cost of this unit.

At the top, there’s an LED indicator light that lets you know when the machine is cooling down and when it is ready for work.

Inside the machine is a 5-gallon bin for collecting the waste. It’s a lift off model to make the work easier. Also, in front of the unit, there’s a clear viewing window that lets you know when the bin is full.

Before you get this one, we have to tell you that the unit is a little noisy, but it’s not so loud that you can’t live with it. For the power and the low cost, we’d say go for it.

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7. GBC Cross-Cut Paper Shredder

With regards to a combination of speed, quietness, and ease of waste removal, without going overboard with the price, the GBC unit is the best cross cut paper shredder.

The description says you can shred 14 paper sheets a time, but we found that the unit comfortably takes up to 8 paper sheets at a time. 8 is still a big deal, considering that some units can hardly accept 2 sheets at a go.

Shredding 8 sheets at a go, you can easily complete a box of bank statements in under 20 minutes.

Looking at the picture, you can see there’s a huge slot for paper, and a small slot beside it. The  small slot is for cutting dvds, cds, and atm cards. With this versatility, there’s no need to get a separate cutter for your credit cards and compact disks, and there’s no risk of wearing the machine’s main paper blades by feeding hard material.

According to the manufacturer, the machine is to be rested for 40 minutes after running for 4 minutes straight. If it were some cheaper model, the machine would overheat quickly after attempting to exceed the recommended running time. Some even overheat for no reason at all.

But this one is different. It almost never overheats. It’s good to follow the manufacturer guidelines for the sake of longevity, but if you’re in a hurry and cannot wait for 40 minutes before continuing, you’ll be surprised that the machine doesn’t overheat. Even if you give it only 5 minutes to rest.

The GBC Paper Shredder is not completely quiet; at least not as quiet as the Fellowes Powershred 99Ci, but it’s pretty quiet.

When it comes to emptying the waste, you will love the pull out design of the container. The only issue is that there’s no indicator light to say when it’s full, which is not convenient considering the window doesn’t offer a very clear view.

Despite the minor issues, this is still a pretty great shredder.

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8. EZBASICS 58 dB Cross-Cut Shredder

If you want a portable, no-fuss paper shredder that produces very low levels of noise, you might want to check out the EZBASICS 58 dB Cross-Cut Shredder. This is a nice unit with an elegant design, and as it weighs in at 13 pounds, it’s a unit you can take with you from place to place.

As the title suggests, the unit produces 58 dB noise level. That is the same as the noise level that two people produce conversating in an office setting where they’re not allowed to make noise.

In other words, the machine will not ruin your peace every time you switch it on.

A large capacity is one of the coolest things about this unit. You can load and cut up to 4 sheets of paper at a time, and thus complete the task in a short amount of time. For the sake of security, the papers are reduced to a small size of just 1 3/16 by 3/19 inches.

Apart from paper, the unit also destroys credit cards, one at a time.

It is sad though, to see that the machine has trouble shredding sealed envelopes. You’ll likely have to unseal them if you don’t want to deal with jamming issues.

In case the unit jams, which normally happens because of overloading or failing to empty the waste basket, the reverse function is there to save the day. It helps you release the jammed paper.

One thing you’re going to love about this machine is the design of the waste basket. Because of the nice pull out design, removal is a piece of cake. Also, you get to see how the basket is getting filled up through the clear viewing window.

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9. Zoomyo Cross Cut File Shredder

Easy tray removal, casters for easy movement, and the ability to shred CDs and credit cards as well are some of the factors that make the Zoomyo File Shredder a good option. If you’re on a budget and need something that offers decent value without being too pricey, this unit might be the ideal one to go for.

Most budget shredders can only comfortably take up to 4 sheets of paper at a time. If you want to use something that shreds more units at a go, then you have to make a larger initial investment. But imagine being able to shred up to 9 sheets in a single pass with a budget unit. Yes, that’s what this shredder offers you.

As mentioned earlier, the unit is also able to shred CDs and atm cards in addition to paper. At the top, the unit has a separate slot for CDs and cards, so the paper’s sharp cutters are not damaged by hard objects.

When it comes to portability, the Zoomyo File Shredder features a well thought out design. First off, it’s a compact unit that weighs in at just 13 pounds.

Being compact and lightweight, the unit is easy to lift and move. And you don’t even have to lift it every time you want to move the machine. The casters at the bottom allow you to drag it with ease.

Another issue that affects many shredders out there is that of overheating. Luckily, with this unit, the problem is not so bad. You could even run the unit almost continuously without causing it to overheat.

As long as you give it small rest durations from time to time, the unit rarely overheats.

The problem we have with the unit is that the viewing glass gives a very restricted view of the waste bin. To make matters worse, a little overflow of the waste causes the machine to jam. But considering the price of the unit, these are issues one can put up with.

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10. entinel High Security Cross- Shredder

The Sentinel High Security Cross- Shredder is a great option for someone on a budget. It comes with a few issues, though, which may or may not be a deal breaker depending on your needs.

Let’s first highlight some of the issues you have to deal with.

First of all, there’s the overheating problem. This shredder has a working window of just two minutes. Considering you can only shred up to 6 sheets of paper at a time without experiencing jamming issues, and that it takes a minute to shred 6 sheets, you can only shred a maximum of 12 sheets per run.

After that, you have to wait for about 20 minutes before continuing.

Any attempt to shred for longer than 2 minutes or to not give the unit enough time to cool down results in overheating.

The second issue is that of jamming. Many of the folks using this unit have experienced jamming problems at least twice or thrice per day when using it daily. But as many of them pointed out, applying oil on the sheets once in a while reduces the frequency of jamming.

Thirdly, the unit is a bit loud. If you hate noise, this one is not for you.

But remember, this unit costs less than 50 bucks. It’s a lifesaver if you’re on a budget. If you don’t have many papers to shred; let’s say you only want to destroy your personal tax documents, receipts, and other personal documents at home, then you’ll find the unit useful.

The Sentinel High Security Cross- Shredder is a little and lightweight unit that you can move with ease.

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11. Boxis AF300 AutoShred (Commercial Grade)

If you work in an office that deals with lots of paperwork, the Boxis AF300 AutoShred is your perfect security partner. There are numerous reasons why this is a great option for someone looking for a paper shredding unit for commercial use.

First off, it is a micro cut shredder. Cross cut shredders are good, but when it comes to an office, which deals with documents of varying sensitivity, a micro cut unit is the best choice.

This unit reduces your papers into 0.39 by 0.16 inch units. That’s a small enough size to make the info completely illegible.

The second feature you’re going to love is the capacity of this machine. Forget those little personal use shredders that can only take 1 to 10 sheets at a time. With this machine, you can drop a stack of 300 sheets in there and shred them all in a single pass.

With such power, there’s no more waiting around for someone to finish shredding their papers. This is the sort of unit you want for business use.

Does it fill up with waste quickly, you ask? Well, though it depends on how many papers you’re shredding, this unit comes with a bin large enough (14 gallons) to reduce the number of times you have to empty the waste.

Apart from paper, the Boxis AF300 AutoShred also shreds CDs and credit cards. It has a separate slot for those.

What about jamming? The coolest thing about this unit is that it doesn’t jam easily. And in the few times that it does, perhaps because of being overloaded or the basket failing to be emptied, there’s the reverse function, which allows you to quickly release the stuck paper.

Other features that you will love include the clear viewing window and the casters, which make movement easier.

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12. Kobra Hybrid-S Cross-Cut Paper Shredder

For someone seeking the best crosscut paper shredder without prolonged resting durations, the Kobra Hybrid-S Cross-Cut Paper Shredder would be a strong selection.

With this one, there’s no running your shredder for a few minutes only to have to wait 20 or 30 minutes before resuming to avoid overheating. This unit lets you shred continuously for 24 hours without resting periods.

Another aspect that makes it possible to move fast is the number of sheets you can shred at a time. The machine allows you to load and shred up to 10 sheets of paper at a time. For personal use, that is a large number.

The only issue with regards to the shredder is that there’s no separate slot for credit cards and CDs. Though the manufacturer says you can use the same slot for these items, you’d better refrain from throwing CDs and credit cards in there if you want to preserve the sharpness of the blades.

But for paper clips and staples, these don’t have to be removed before throwing papers in there.

You might experience jamming issues when you first purchase the unit. The trick is to apply some oil on the sheets before shredding them. Thankfully, the package includes a little bottle of oil.

One of the coolest features about this machine is that it is able to store some energy. So, if you should need to destroy documents without access to power, you can use the stored energy. It doesn’t run for long on the stored energy, but that can be very immensely helpful during an emergency.

The Kobra Hybrid-S Cross-Cut Paper Shredder has an 8-gallon waste bin that is easy to remove. There’s a clear viewing window, and to make things even better, the window has LED lights to let you see better.

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13. GoECOlife GXC140Ti Platinum Edition

14. Ativa C184-H Cross-Cut Shredder

If you’re looking for the best rated cross cut paper shredder for home or personal use that is lightweight and easy to use, the Ativa C184-H might just be it.

One of the nicest things about this unit is that it is elegant. Its cool design and black and gray finish looks awesome and goes well with any home or office décor.

Completing tasks quickly is possible with this unit. You can put up to 10 sheets of paper in there and shred them continuously.

What about the run time, you ask? Even though it is a relatively cheap cross cut paper shredder, the unit is able to run for 8 minutes continuously before needing 20 minutes to rest and cool off. 8 minutes might not seem like much, but that’s a lot for a home shredder.

Utilizing a robust motor, the unit is able to shred paper at the speed of 6.07 fpm. That’s yet another factor that enables you to complete the task quickly. You can finish a load of over 50 sheets before the machine has to cool off.

For those who love a machine that runs quietly, this one would be a good pick. It produces minimal amounts of noise.

Another cool aspect about the Ativa C184-H is that it is easy to move, thanks to the compact and lightweight nature of the machine.

Users have only one real complaint about the unit. Putting a plastic bag in the bin is quite a hassle. You have to use tape or clips to secure it to the top edges of the bin.

But for its lightweight and compact nature, as well as its quietness and fast rate of shredding paper, the unit is worth trying.

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