Let’s get the misconceptions out of the way. Shredding is no longer something done by shady business magnates and heads of multinational conglomerates. In an age where identity theft is on the rise, it’s one of the simplest ways to keep your personal information safe. Bank statements, old bills, and even expired credit cards can all give away more than you’d like if they end up in the wrong hands.
Most paper shredders for home use are of the cross-cut variety, which means they use two sets of serrated blades, fitted in opposite directions to each other, to shred documents. The shredded pieces will come out much smaller than the pieces produced by strip-cut shredders, which are (thankfully) few and far between these days.
To put it into perspective, the most basic cross-cut shredder will slice a piece of A4 paper into around 200 pieces, while strip-cut shredders will generally slice and dice your piece of paper into just 40 pieces, which means you wouldn’t need to be a jigsaw pro to piece that particular piece of paper back together.
For this review, I’m focusing on shredders for home offices. Depending on the sensitivity of the documents you’re destroying, consider looking out for the P number, which denotes the shredder’s security rating. Most shredders designed for home use have a P3 or P4 rating. The P number simply relates to the size of the shreds your documents are cut into. The higher the P number, the smaller the shreds. P3 or P4 will be sufficient, although if it’s not advertised, make a note of the number of pieces each piece of paper is cut into. However, remember that a higher P number will mean more pieces, which is better for security, but means you’ll need a larger capacity.
If you plan to shred large numbers of documents at one time, an auto-feed function could prove useful. I’m also a big fan of shredders with silent modes for those late-night shredding sessions, and machines with anti-jam functionality can be a godsend too – the blades will automatically stop and reverse (thereby ejecting the blockage) when too many sheets of paper are inserted.
How I tested the best paper shredders
I didn’t have to look far to find a wealth of documents that should have been sliced into scraps months ago. In fact, it was slightly scary to discover just how many sensitive documents I had strewn around my home – everything from bank statements (one of which was found down the back of the couch) to vaccination certificates, both of which would have been good starting points for anybody attempting identity fraud, had they found these documents in my bins.
To put the shredders through their paces, I focused on three main criteria:
- Range of documents: I tested everything from vaccination certificates and bank statements to expired credit cards and papers held together with large clips.
- Shredding performance: I looked at the size, shape, and quantity of the resulting shreds to judge the security of each machine.
- Ease of use: I noted how well the shredders handled different materials during longer sessions.
I should also warn you that shredding, it turns out, is rather addictive.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Tamara Hinson has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to testing household items for IndyBest. From heated clothes airers to the best kettles, she’s tried them all. Like the best paper shredders, all the products she reviews are experienced in a real-life environment, and only the ones she believes to be worth your money have made it onto this list.
The best paper shredders for 2025 are:
- Best paper shredder overall – Rexel optimum auto feed 45 sheet automatic cross cut paper shredder: £129.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best budget paper shredder – Fellowes powershred LX25 cross cut shredder: £42.99, Argos.co.uk
- Best high-capacity paper shredder – Rexel momentum X308 cross cut paper shredder black: £39.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best paper shredder for ease of use – Fellowes powershred 12C 12 sheet cross cut shredder: £102.49, Amazon.co.uk
- Best paper shredder for different materials – Fellowes 79Ci cross-cut shredder: £297.50, Amazon.co.uk
Rexel optimum auto feed 45 sheet automatic cross cut paper shredder
Best: Paper shredder overall
Dimensions: 36cm x 35cm x 43cm
Bin capacity: 20l
Cutting capacity: 45 sheets
Why we love it
- Great auto-feed shredding
- Nice compact design
This compact piece of kit, which has a P4 rating, is a great option for serious shredders with limited space. I loved the auto-feed function, which meant I could stack up to 45 sheets of paper on a loading tray for automated shredding, and the ultra-thin 4mm x 28mm shredded strips ensure sensitive information doesn’t get into the wrong hands. The 20l bin allows for plenty of shredding between bin changes, while its compact design – it’s just 43cm high and 35cm wide – means it will tuck easily into the smallest of spaces.
Buy now £115.99, Amazon.co.uk
Fellowes powershred LX25 cross cut shredder
Best: Budget paper shredder
Dimensions: 36cm x 31cm x 22cm
Bin capacity: 11.5l
Cutting capacity: Six sheets
Why we love it
- Can shred credit cards and paper clips
- Fits neatly under desks
A great choice for smaller home offices, this P4 shredder will shred six sheets of A4 paper at once, producing shreds measuring 4mm x 37mm, and will shred credit cards and paper clips too. Its low, squat shape means it will tuck neatly under desks, while features such as the safety lock and quiet operation mode make it ideal for family homes.
Buy now £37.99, Argos.co.uk
Rexel X6 cross cut paper shredder
Best: Paper shredder for low noise levels
Dimensions : 17cm x 30cm x 32cm
Bin capacity: 10l
Cutting capacity: Six sheets
Why we love it
- Shreds into small pieces
Take note
- Capacity could be larger
This P4-rated shredder might not have the largest capacity – it had a 10l bin and will shred six sheets of paper at one time – but this is unlikely to be an issue. Yes, I’ve seen plenty of thrillers showing villains frantically feeding thick wads of top-secret documents into shredders before the FBI arrives on the scene, but the same urgency is less likely to be required when the documents are credit card statements or phone bills. And that’s exactly why I love this shredder – with its compact design (170mm x 302mm x 321mm, 4kg) it’s a great everyday shredder that will take up minimal space while providing peace of mind that personal data won’t get into the wrong hands. Shredding documents into pieces measuring 4mm x 40mm, there’s no need to remove paper clips or staples either – this shredder will chomp through the lot.
Buy now £34.00, Amazon.co.uk
Fellowes 79Ci cross-cut shredder
Best: Paper shredder for different materials
Dimensions: 26.5cm x 39cm x 54cm
Bin capacity: 23l
Cutting capacity: 15 sheets
Why we love it
- Shreds through CDs, paper clips and staples
- Neat silent shred mode
Take note
- Pricey
The super car of shredders, this lean, mean shredding machine turns confidential documents into confetti (each shred measures a tiny 4mm x 38mm) in a nano-second, but it will also make light work of CDs, paperclips and staples, too. It will slash through up to 15 sheets at once (great news for anyone prone to jamming in more paper than advised, and yes, I’m a repeat offender when it comes to this particular crime), and its 23l capacity means bin changes are few and far between. I was especially impressed with the silent shred mode, which drastically reduces noise levels.
Buy now £251.47, Amazon.co.uk
Rexel momentum X308 cross cut paper shredder black
Best: High-capacity paper shredder
Dimensions: 34cm x 33cm x 23cm
Bin capacity: 15l
Cutting capacity: Eight sheets
Why we love it
- Shreds credit cards
- Nice touch controls
- Large capacity bin
A 15l bin and the ability to shred up to eight sheets of paper (each of which is shredded into 200 individual pieces) at one time makes this P3-rated shredder ideal for medium-sized home offices. The lid lifts off with ease, and a large window on the front makes it easy to keep an eye on capacity. The touch controls are a joy to use, and the powerful motor helps to minimise the risk of jams by immediately stopping the shredder and pushing the paper back out with surprising force. Unlike more-expensive shredders, it won’t shred CDs, but it will happily gobble paperclips, stables and credit cards.
Buy now £36.00, Amazon.co.uk
Fellowes powershred 12C 12 sheet cross cut shredder
Best: Paper shredder for ease of use
Dimensions: 47cm x 34cm x 24cm
Bin capacity: 19l
Cutting capacity: 12 sheets
Why we love it
- Clearly marked for different materials
- Moves on wheels
This is a brilliantly designed machine that is a joy to use (and yes, I did just say that about a shredder). The large, 19l bin slides out incredibly easily, and it’s on wheels. The controls are easy to operate with clear markings, such as the one indicating where credit cards can be inserted. As I’ve mentioned, I quickly ran out of credit cards to feed my shredders, so I tested it using a couple of plastic hotel room keys, which were no match for the powerful cutters. Up to 12 sheets of paper can be shredded at one time, and the cutters have a five-year warranty, which provides extra peace of mind (two years appears to be standard with the majority of shredders).
Buy now £99.99, Amazon.co.uk
Leitz IQ home office cross cut paper shredder
Best: Paper shredder for style-conscious
Dimensions: 36cm x 42cm x 24cm
Bin capacity: 23l
Cutting capacity: 10 sheets
Why we love it
- Minimalist design
- Works quietly
Don’t get me wrong. When it comes to shredders, the ease with which the machine chomps through your paperwork should be the priority, but given that shredders will never be the most attractive of items, I’m all for ones that blend into the background. That’s exactly what this P4-rated model does – not just with its minimalist design, but with a surprisingly quiet shredding motion. Its appetite is also impressive – it will shred 10 sheets of paper at one time, turning them into miniscule scraps of paper (400 per sheet, to be precise) measuring just 4mm by 40mm.
Buy now £69.99, Amazon.co.uk
Fellowes powershred LX50 cross cut shredder
Best: Best paper shredder for tough shredding
Dimensions: 40cm x 31cm x 22cm
Bin capacity: 17l
Cutting capacity: Nine sheets
Why we love it
- Shreds paper clips, credit cards and staples
- Lightweight
This jet-black mean machine slashes sensitive documents into 4mm x 37mm strips, has a 17l bin and will gobble up staples, paper clips and credit cards too. It’s got a P4 rating, and with a weight of just 4.5kg it’s not too bulky, and a brilliant choice for serial shredders who need to destroy sensitive documents on a regular basis.
Buy now £46.09, Amazon.co.uk
Your paper shredder questions answered
What’s the best paper shredder?
Rexel’s optimum auto feed 45 sheet automatic cross cut paper shredder is a fantastic machine with a mid-range price tag that is worth every penny, due to its quick, powerful shredding action and compact design. Meanwhile, Ryman’s VS608M 6 sheet cross cut shredder is a brilliantly wallet-friendly option with a design that puts other (more expensive) shredders to shame, while the Rexel X6 cross cut paper shredder gets the highly commended award, due to its compact design, great price and ease of use.
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