Obviously, the purpose of best affordable office shredders can be the same. But the features and capabilities are usually different in most cases.
Whether your own has to do with tax documents, personal or other business related documents there are so many contexts that warrant the need for shredders. One fact is very clear – you can hardly read anyone’s mind, especially your colleagues at the office.
And if you are the boss protecting your business, finance, integrity and even family is a responsibility that you shouldn’t overlook in a hurry.
Before proceeding, it is worth reiterating that all shredders are not equal. And when I say they are never equal, it is not just about the size and price only. Practically, the one you end up buying will depend on your current peculiar need as well as budget. So in this buyer guide, we’ll bring you the top rated office shredders under $200 in 2018.
While some shredders are built for papers only, there are some modern shredders that can cut ID cards, credit card and CDs into pieces within minutes.
And there are others that have the capacity to cut thick envelopes full of junk mail. Keeping these variations in mind will help you skip faster to the section that has exactly what you are looking for.
Types of Office Shredders
Even though there are many factors that make one shredder practically different from the other, the major types of shredders are represented here. In order to help you find what you want as quickly as possible, we have organized everything into unique sections with highlights on the most important buying considerations.
Without wasting much time, let’s move to some detailed clarifications.
Micro Cut Shredders
Now, if you want to cut your stuff into irreparable miniscule pieces, this is the type to go for. In those contexts where highly sensitive information is involved, micro cut shredders does the job perfectly well. From our findings, this is the type used mostly by security, finance and research organizations. Without doubt, the reason why they are called micro cut shredders is very obvious.
However, this type is best suited for paper shredding. And they are the cheapest in terms of price. Read on to find some of the best affordable micro cut shredders below.
Cross Cut Shredders
When you shred documents with this type, it is highly impossible to piece them back together. And to get them into tiny pieces it cuts up and down at a time. Health, tax and military workforce make constant use of this type. In terms of speed, this type isn’t comparable to what is obtainable from others. And they are usually more expensive too. Individuals, this could be considered a downside. On the other price doesn’t matter much to most business users as long as they get what they want.
Strip Cut Shredders
For majority of small business users, this is the type of shredder that works well in different contexts. And because security doesn’t matter as much for majority of users in this category, a simple strip cut shredder does the job really well. Home users are also found to be fulfilling all their shredding needs with this.
Price wise, they are cheapest you can find online or offline.
Besides these ones, there are other types like disintegrators, hammer mills and pierce and tear shredders. As you read along, you’ll be able to identify the differences.
Best Affordable Office Shredders Comparison 2018
Top Rated Cross Cut Paper Shredders Under $300
Fellowes Powershred 99Ci
Contrary to what is obtainable from many low priced shredders you can find in the market today, this product can give you close to one hour of full functional paper shredding. Many small business users will find this to be a perfect fit for their current needs. Practically, the Fellowes 99Ci can shred 18 sheets of paper per pass into 397 (5/32” x 1-1/2” Security Level P-4) cross-cut particles.
When the materials to be shredded are not the top secret types, this shredding machine is enough to do the job very well.
Except the shredding speed which I have mentioned above, this is very easy to move from one place to other with the weight which is 36.3 pounds. Full dimension is 25.2 by 11.4 by 17.3 inches (HWD).
For that purpose of easy mobility, it comes with four strong casters at the point of purchase. The 9 inch feed slot seats on top of it. The design offers 9 gallon pull out bin with led indicator that notifies users when it is full. This machine can also be used to shred CDs, DVDs, credit cards, stables and junk mail.
With regard to jam prevention, what you get here is up to three levels. In comparison to the 12 sheet capacity you get from AmazonBasics, this one offers you 18 sheet shredding capacity.
On a closer look, we found that this machine is not as fast as Swingline Style+ and Bonsali EverShred C149 that have almost the same weight.
The manufacturer offers two years warranty on this one. And you can find it today on Amazon.
AmazonBasics 24 Sheet Cross Cut Shredder
If you have been looking for 24 sheets cross cut shredder, here is one great option that is probably within your budget now. Wherever you find this product online, the emphasis on its high shredding capacity often becomes obvious immediately.
And at the same time, it is comparatively more affordable just as of today. I don’t know about tomorrow. The price may shoot far higher above what it is currently. This shredder
Also very impressive is the capacity to handle close to 114 sheets per minutes. Interestingly, many legal offices that dispose a lot of documents were confirmed to be avid users of this machine.
In order to make it last as long as expected, 25 minutes continuous operation and 60 minutes cool time is recommended. So don’t go overboard if you want it to last really long for you. Instead of 100% dependence on guesswork, the digital LED indicators will make you promptly aware of its condition in terms of door opening, overload, overheat and standby modes.
At the point of purchase, you may decide to buy this AmazonBasics 24 sheet shredder with 12 or 24 lubricant sheets. Yes, these can be bought separately, including the cross cut shredder itself.
Got staples to shred in your office or even home, here is an affordable product that can help in that regard. Moreover, you can use it to shred cardboard as well.
It is sold under $160 on Amazon.
Swingline SM12-08 Micro Cut Shredder Review
Looking for where to buy secure and affordable micro cut shredder, the Swingline SM12-08 could have all the things that matters most to you. While the price may be a bit higher, it cuts everything into really micro pieces making it impossible for anybody to piece them back together.
From day one, this was built as a stationery shredder. So you won’t find any casters on this office tool. If you have to need to move it around, one or two persons can move around with ease.
Just beside the feed slot, you’ll get a switch that makes it easier to toggle between modes like Reverse, Forward, Automatic (On/Off) etc.
In addition to standard shredder features, this one can shred plastic cards and optical discs when you want. Looking at the size of the shredded output, this one gives you close to what is obtainable from Fellowes Powershred 99MS micro cut shredder. Specifically, what you get is 0.65 by 0.09 inches.
The output capacity is measured to serve 8 gallons of shredded materials.
For maximum operation capacity, this product was designed to shred up to 12 sheets at a time. Possibly, people that do not have heavy-duty shredding needs would get what they want from Swingline SM12-08.
For many potential buyers, the absence of capability for shredding credit cards puts them off.
Fellowes Powershred 99Ms Micro Cut Heavy Duty Shredder
In those contexts where security is a high priority, micro cut shredders like Fellowes 99Ms comes into play. From our research findings, this is one among the best affordable office shredders that has auto reverse feature.
Unlike what you get from others in the same category, it reverses paper jam automatically when detected. This particular feature saves time and while helping to deliver higher output. Just a have a an idea of what is obtainable here, the shredded material, including credit cards can be 10 times smaller than what cross cut shredders like Bonsaii EverShred C149 can give you.
However, shredding capacity can only handle 12 sheets at a time which is similar to what Sentinel FM121P and GoEcolife GMC121Ti 12 can offer.
The bin capacity can hold up to 9 gallons before the need for disposal arise.
Assuming there is any incident of inactivity for 3 minutes or more, the shredder will go off automatically to save energy. If you like, you can forget about attaching the casters. Unopened junk mail scan also be shredded with ease.
Probably because of the P-5 security level, the price is slightly close the $400 as at the time of this writing. But that is if you want to buy Fellowes Powershred 99Ms from Amazon. The price may differ in some cases assuming you are not ordering within the USA.
Royal 1840MX Commercial Cross Cut Shredder
For average home users, the run time of a standard shredder doesn’t matter much to them. In fact, normal low priced shredders can do the job for perfectly. But when the shredding need is of high volume, going for commercial cross cut shredders like Royal 1840MX is your best bet.
Contrary to under 30 minutes run time found in competing models, this one can be running in full capacity for up to 40 minutes. This is one of the key features that made it outstanding from others.
And it was built to handle up to 18 sheets in a single pass of 5/32-inch x 11/8-in particles. In addition to paper shredding, you can have credit cards and CDs crushed as well.
According to the manufacturer, this product belongs to the platinum series.
Cleaning out paper jam happens automatically in this machine. That means you don’t have to spend time trying to put the shredder in order after each successive jam. Especially in high volume commercial shredding contexts, this is an important feature you should consider in any shredder you intend buying.
The weight of this product is about 38 pounds. However, when the 8 ½ waste bin gets filled up, it will certainly get a little heavier. When this happens the castors under it provides solution for easy mobility.
If you like, the bin can as well be lined with a plastic bag for easy disposal.
With that you don’t have to exert more energy or experience waist pain for repetitive emptying around high volume shredding environments.
From the experiences of past users, you can expect ultra quiet performance without annoying sounds.
Like many other shredders from the same brand, the product has been tested and confirmed to be ultra quiet. Not one, two or three; but five years warranty is what you get on this one. Right now if you are ready to buy Royal 1840MX shredder online, consider clicking straight to order from Amazon.
Strip Cut Paper Shredder
Here is another type of shredder that is suitable for both home and office users. The final output will be relatively long parallel cuts. In most cases, the length matches the exact length of the material being shredded. Most home users find this one very suitable. However, some small offices make good use of it as well. Among many interesting reason why people consider it is that usual capacity to shred more papers. Moreover, they are usually cheaper depending on where you choose to buy your own.
Let’s look at some of the best affordable strip cut shredders with great features that does the job very well. From the numbers found during research, these are the top sellers.
AmazonBasics 8-Sheet Strip Cut Paper Shredder
In those contexts where the type of document to be shredded doesn’t contain highly sensitive information, this shredded serves really well. It has everything you need to get rid of waste paper, credit cards, CDs and junk mail. Because of its shredding speed, the three gallon waste bin often gets filled very fast.
Consequently, this often results in the need for frequent emptying. But this question of frequency doesn’t have to be a draw back when there are little materials then need shredding from time to time.
Unlike the cross cut and micro cut models, you’ll get just about 3 minutes continuous shredding at a time. And then another 10 – 15 minutes will be required for cooling off. In full capacity, it shreds paper into 1/4 inch into strips at a rate of 9 sheets per minutes. On this one though, there will be no need for removing staples.
When you want to have credit cards or CDs shredded, this shredder can only handle one at a time.
Just to know how simple and easy it is to operate, when any material is detected, the shredding process begins automatically. All you have to do is to lift the safety cover and insert into the appropriate space provided. In case of overheating while in use, it will shut off automatically.
This feature helps to protect its motor. Dimension on this one is 6.7 x 12.6 x 13.2 inches. It is very much smaller in comparison to Swingline Style+ and others.
If you think that this tool can perform all the basic shredding functions you have, then go for it. As at the time of this writing, it is still one of the best affordable office shredders under $50 on Amazon.
For easy operation it has auto reverse, forward and auto start.
Some of the few downsides that past users have complained is about the slot being unsuitable for relatively long envelopes.
For example, if you want to do away with credit card envelopes without opening them, this doesn’t work really well. For this particular purpose, consider going for cross cut shredders like Bonsaii DocShred C156-D or Royal 112MX.
Aurora AS810SD Strip Cut Shredder
This is another 8 sheet shredding machine that serves the need of home and office users very well. It is a light duty shredder that is versatile, sturdy and affordable at the same time. With this product you can shred up to 8 A4 sheets within one minute or less.
The extra sharp durable steel cutters make the process to be very easy and stress free. And then when it gets blunt, you may consider buying shredder sharpener on Amazon to increase the level of efficiency again.
Based on the experiences of past users, the bin has capacity to collect up to 100 sheets of shredded A4 papers.
However, this one doesn’t have castors for easy mobility when filled up.
For some people, you may decide taking it home and bringing back to office when you need to use it.
In some instances when the machine gets overheated, there is smart sensor that will turn it off for safety. This will help you to extend its life span to deliver as much value as possible before going out of use. In this one, you get a manual reverse system for jam removal.
If the materials you want shredded are more of credit cards and CDs, this office tool does it really well. The hole for inserting sheets measures about 8.75 inches.
At 6.95 pounds and 13 x 7 x 13 inches dimension, the machine is very easy to move from one place of need to the other.
Fellowes Powershred 225i Strip Cut Commercial Shredder
Interestingly, your search for jam proof commercial shredder is likely to end here with this Fellowes Powershred 225i. From design and functionality of this machine, everything about it was built for high grade commercial shredding needs.
Price consideration first, if you are looking for low priced commercial shredding machines under $300 this isn’t your mate. Expect to spend around $600 on this one.
But the important fact is that you can do high volume shredding duty cycles without worries.
Unlike AmazonBasics and Bonsaii strip cut shredders, this one can handle up to 22 sheets comfortably at once. Even with all of the advanced features you get from it, the noise level which stands at db 58 isn’t worrisome at all.
Among other things, it has LED indicator that notifies users when it is when the shredder is full. Probably because of the sturdy features, the weight on the Fellowes Powershred 225i is about 76 pounds. And that makes it a bit heavier than competing counterparts.
The continuous shredding on it can only stop when the bin is full. To get maximum efficiency on it, consider using blade oil as frequently as possible.
Note that the waste bag is made of cardboard which makes the disposal of waste very much easy.
The only downside that some people complain about is the height; should have been better if it is tall enough. However, it is still considered a minor issue.
Conclusion
As we have been able to establish above, there are different types of shredders you can find in the market today. But at this time, if you are looking specifically for the best affordable office shredders to buy online, you now have good options to select from. Looking are the shredder reviews above, all of them have different price points.
Between $30 and $600, you care certainly going to find one that suits both your feature preferences and budget at the same time. When you are ready to buy one online, going to Amazon will give you opportunity to have it shipped to your home or office.
When the information is the highly sensitive type, go for micro cut shredders. For light duty office use, cross cut shredders will do the job.
On the other hand, when you have the need for high volume shredding go for strip cut shredders that will help you get the job done faster.