I’m interested in purchasing a light duty home office shredder. Just looking for something reliable in the sub-$200 price range.

What say the SF brain trust?

I have had a Fellowes B-121C for several years and been happy with it. It is a 12 sheet cross cut model. I wouldn't go with anything less than these specs. Lighter duty ones didn't last for me.

Just got a Tru-Red (Staples brand) 100-Sheet Micro-Cut Autofeed Commercial Shredder (TR-NMC100AFA). Employee paid for it and it was under $200 with their corporate supplier discount, but I’d spend $249 of my own money for it. I’ve used it heavily for several months and it’s been bulletproof so far. Surprisingly un-messy, too.

-Rob

We've had a Fellows DM12C cross-cut shredder, purchased at Costco or Sam's, probably, that's been working well for us for years.

It's done a lot of shredding. Including, a few years back, when I finally got to my old personal records that came with me to our new home. Paperwork going back thirty years or more. Took me hours and hours to shred that. Filled up three large garbage bags. Tripped the over-temp sensor several times.

Don't feed 'em plastic-bubble-lined shipping envelopes, though. That gums 'em up. Real PITA to un-gum 'em, too.

I've had several shredders over the years, always prefered cross-cuts.

I think it depends on how much you're planning to use it. Before, I was paper based so I had a medium sized shredder.

Now, that I've gone to pretty much digital records, I bought me a small one that shreds 5 sheets at a time.

Even though it's "currently unavailable," I'm linking to it anyway to help you in your search criteria: EZBASICS 5-Sheet Cross-Cut （Lubricant is not Needed） Paper and Credit Card Shredder with Pullout Basket, 58 dB, White. It was $68.50 when I bought it. The no lubrication factor was a selling point for me.

The one I have now is a Fellowes LX50-RS. I had a different Fellowes shredder before (a gift) but it quit after a couple years of not-very-heavy use. This one has been a workhorse. It ripped through a shitload of paperwork I had to sort out when I was packing to move last year (old mortgage documents, old medical records, stuff like that, a LOT of it).

Lubricate your paper shredder occasionally.

Spray a bit of canola oil on a sheet of paper and shred it.

Amazon basics shredder. Every few weeks I just dump it with other trash. If you have decades of stuff like my grandparents house being cleaned out a few years ago, bank statements from the 70s. Including the checks returned with statements. Just take it all to your local bank if you have a great relationship and ask if they will dump in their shred bin. Or take to a mailbox store they often have shred by the pound available.

Lastly my old credit union used to have shred days in their branch parking lot every few months. The big industrial shredder truck would come down and you could bring as much as you want and dump it and watch it get pulverised into mush. Those big truck shredders will take staples paper clips etc.

It doesn't take much to bog it down.
Have a Fellows unit that was circa $150 and is fine for a few at a time, feeding thin amounts.
If you ever need heavy shredding it takes a big time unit.
Borrowed a friends heavy duty $1K+ unit and it was great for bulk shredding such as multiple sheets or for all purpose > bulk unopen mail or old documents like envelopes of old checks, etc.
Trust me, if you have a lot > have it done or get a HD unit as the typical office units are substantially insufficient.

NSA/CSS Evaluated Products List for Paper Shredders

Yea, it's THAT NSA. That's all you need to know. You can find a reasonably priced one if you look around.

I bought a Dahle 40114 years ago and it's still going strong. It's model 40114 (which is discontinued) but I'm sure models work well.

I have a Royal ten page crosscut shredder, had it for nearly a decade now, it works well for household light duty. It’ll take staples and credit cards.

As mentioned above, lubricate it regularly. Maybe once or twice a year, depending on how much you use it. Take a page or two of old paper, draw a big figure 8 on it with whatever gun oil or wd40 you got handy and put it thru the shredder.

The NSA standard for classified material is 5mm cross cut. Thankfully, crosscut are much cheaper now, I think it’s hard to even find a old style strip shredder.

I have a amazon basics one that does credit cards. Had it for years and still going strong.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod..._title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This should shred all you need to shred. Plus credit cards...

Basic Shredder

Or this, for a little more $$:

Basic Shredder #2

Thanks for all the recommendations. I visited the local Staples to check out what they had on hand and decided on getting the Fellowes Powershred 15C cross cut shredder.

Sorry, not super helpful, but our [Army] unit, was just issued a new one... Sorry didn't catch the brand/model; I'll check next month.

Anyway it is sick. turns paper to basically dust. Has a built in auto oiler and a ~ 8x12x16 bin that uses standard size bags. eats probably 10 sheets at a time easy.

Funny it is for unclassified only; LOL seriously, it turns paper to dust...


FWIW: in combat zones with classified material, it was simply burnt, then the ashes were soaked in a water barrel, the slurry was then locked inside a fenced in area

Yes, a secondary use for my woodstove. I usually try to get all the staples out.

I’ve been recently getting rid of old tax returns also.

We've had a Fellowes PS80-C2 10 sheet per pass home shredder for around 15 years now. Aside from repairing the shred bin plastic "wings" that insert into the main unit frame to de-activate the safety interlock, it has been bulletproof.

Would buy a Fellowes unit again.