The 5 Best Sub-$100 Paper Shredders for Junk Mail, Everyday Security, and Tax Season

ProsSurprisingly capable for the priceCompact and easily storedSimple mechanism lift-off designConsStruggles at claimed 12-sheet maximumLoudIf once-a-week/month shredding is your norm, this little Amazon unit gives you more shredder than its $60 price suggests. Not only is it compact enough to tuck beneath a desk or into a closet, but at just 16.5 inches tall, it’s the shortest of our five picks and the easiest to slide beneath low furniture.It may be small, but this Basics model is a workhorse. In our testing it kept shredding far beyond its rated 9-minute runtime. I consistently filled its mulch bin before it could overheat and shut down.Don’t take Amazon’s “12-sheet” feed claim too literally. During testing, I found that 12 sheets at one time stalled it, as did 11. While 10 sheets went through grudgingly, it was around eight or nine sheets that proved to be this shredder’s happy place. It produces slightly larger particles than our other “cheap” picks, and the Basics unit can’t shred CDs or metallic credit cards, and it is noticeably loud.These are reasonable compromises for an inexpensive shredder, especially since this unit can also capably chew through staples and plastic credit cards. I wouldn’t recommend it to a professional with high-security needs, but this Amazon Basics is the best all-purpose “cheap” model most intermittent shredders are likely to find.If you like this Best Overall sub-$100 shredder but can spend a few dollars more, another Amazon Basics model worth keeping an eye on or setting a price alert is the brand’s 12-Sheet Micro-Cut Shredder (C218-D), which typically sells for around $105, so just slightly above the price cutoff. What does the extra dough get you?For just a bit more, you get a substantial upgrade including P-4 micro-cut security, a 6-gallon pull-out bin, 20-minute runtime, and casters. The trade-off is size: Unlike the compact Best Overall, you’ll need to devote more floor space to this larger model. If you have the room and catch this slightly pricier Basics unit below $100, it’s well worth considering.Key SpecsSheet Capacity12Security LevelP3Shred TypeCross CutShred Size0.20 × 1.18 in. Bin Capacity5 galMaterialsPaper, staples, small paper clips, plastic credit cardsProsLong 30-minute runtime12-sheet P-4 micro-cutThree-year cutter warranty plus Sam’s Club satisfaction guaranteeConsSam’s Club membership requiredLarger, taller, and heavier than other “cheap” modelsFor Sam’s Club members who procrastinate until April and then confront tax records, the Member’s Mark C249-A is equipped for a once-a-year shredding binge. Its 30-minute rated runtime is unusually long for this price; most of our other sub-$100 picks are rated to shred for only 5 to 9 minutes at a stretch. Also, its 12-sheet micro-cut mechanism reduces sensitive paperwork to 4-by-12-mm particles, considerably smaller and more secure than the 5-by-30-mm pieces produced by our Best Overall Amazon Basics unit.Most convincing for your once-a-year binge shredding? Owners report working through foot-high stacks of documents without a hitch.Even with its bargain price, this Member’s Mark model backs its blade assembly with a three-year manufacturer’s warranty, versus one year for the machine itself. Sam’s Club provides additional peace of mind with its 100 percent Merchandise Satisfaction Guarantee, which allows current members to return most products for a replacement or refund.Key SpecsSheet Capacity12Security LevelP-4Shred TypeMicro CutShred Size0.16 × 0.47 in.Bin Capacity4.49 galMaterialsPaper, staples, small paper clips, credit cards, CDsAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowProsP-4 micro-cut produces very small piecesRelatively quietSmall footprintCons5-minute continuous runtimeDurability complaintsTalk about convenience: The Aurora’s slim 11.8-by-7.1-inch base gives it the smallest footprint of any of our five picks, letting it squeeze into spaces where larger shredders simply won’t. Better still, the shredding mechanism lifts completely off the wastebasket so you can store the relatively compact head separately between shredding sessions. After all, you don’t want a machine you rarely use hogging precious floor space the rest of the time.Fortunately, this Aurora’s compact dimensions and low price don’t mean it compromises on shredding performance. The AU870MZ handles up to eight sheets at once, chomps staples and credit cards with equal alacrity, and is relatively quiet compared to other “cheap” models.While the 5-minute continuous runtime sounds meager compared with that of more expensive alternatives, believe me, five minutes is plenty of time to dispatch a handful of old statements or receipts before sliding this narrow shredder back alongside—or underneath—your desk.Key SpecsSheet Capacity8Security LevelP-4Shred TypeMicro CutShred Size0.16 × 0.47 in.Bin Capacity3.9 galMaterialsPaper, staples, credit cardsProsSliding cover shields feed slotAuto-reverse and overload protectionLarge drawer binConsLong 40-minute cooldown timeIf you’ve got curious kids or pets in your home, you’ll want this Staples unit to satisfy your random shredding needs. Its top slides over the feed opening and powers down the unit when you’re not shredding, offering a reassuring barrier between probing fingers or paws and the cutters. I liked the same design so much on the larger/pricier $150 ST62153 that in our full shredder buying guide, it is named our Best Value shredder.Unlike the Sam’s Club Member’s Mark unit in this guide, which is built for periodic assaults on accumulated paperwork, this Staples option makes more sense if your plan is to destroy the odd pre-approved credit-card offer, medical statement, or paper receipt as it enters your home. Its 5-minute runtime sounds stingy, but anything longer would be overkill if you’re only shredding a document or two at a time.Being roughly half as much in cost as its pricier sliding-top sibling does come with consequences. The ST62150 drops from 12 to 10 sheets per pass and from a 20-minute runtime to just 5, although both models retain a 5-gallon bin and 40-minute cooldown time. For the every-so-often shredder, these sacrifices make far more sense than they would for someone tackling daily foot-tall stacks of paperwork.Key SpecsSheet Capacity10Security LevelP-4Shred TypeMicro CutShred Size0.16 × 0.47 in.Bin Capacity5 galMaterialsPaper, staples, credit cardsAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowProsRoomy 5.5-gallon bin12-sheet capacityHandles staples, paper clips, and credit cardsConsReports of long-term durability issuesCompany can be difficult to contactIf you’re disciplined about shredding sensitive paperwork as it arrives but considerably less enthusiastic about emptying the results, the Bonsaii is a procrastinator’s dream. Its 5.5-gallon wastebasket is the largest among our five sub-$100 picks, so if your household shredding amounts to just a few receipts, statements, and junk-mail offers at a time, go ahead and let the confetti accumulate a blissfully long time before emptying it into your recycling bin.Like the Aurora, the Bonsaii’s shredding mechanism lifts off the top of its wastepaper basket bin for emptying. As an added bonus, the bin’s transparent window lets you see when disposal is finally necessary.Bonsaii didn’t get that capacity by making the shredder enormous, however. At roughly 12.6 inches wide, 7.9 inches deep, and 18.3 inches high, it occupies just a smidge more space than our similarly compact Amazon and Aurora. It can shred up to 12 sheets at once, and also capably masticates staples, paper clips, and credit cards.Two connected caveats: Among its thousands of satisfied Bonsaii C275-A owners, a small percentage report long-term operational and durability issues with this otherwise bounteous-bin model. If you do suffer an issue, be aware we were unable to connect with a company representative despite multiple means and attempts, including anyone in customer support. Buyers purchasing through Amazon have the added reassurance of its return process during the applicable return period.Key SpecsSheet Capacity12Security LevelP-4Shred TypeCross CutShred Size0.20 × 0.79 in.Bin Capacity5.5 galMaterialsPaper, staples, paper clips, credit cards, junk mailStewart Wolpin, based in New York City, has been writing about, reporting on, and reviewing consumer technology for nearly 40 years. He also serves as the unofficial historian for CTA (Consumer Technology Association), the trade group that produces the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which he has attended and covered since 1984. He is also a huge Beatles fan and a METS season ticket holder.