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Best Heavy Duty Paper Shredders In 2022

This product guide was written by Jake Starr
Last Updated May 26, 2020
Jake Starr
Learn about The Gearhungry's Editorial Process
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Shredding waste paper is one of the most secure ways to get rid of sensitive documents, unwanted files or old paperwork. There are a lot of paper shredders on the market, but none work as well as a heavy duty paper shredder. The best heavy duty paper shredders can effectively and efficiently shred a large amount of paper, perfect for all your paper disposal needs. With so many options, it is difficult to know which shredders are quiet or have a high sheet capacity. If you’re wondering which paper shredder will work best for your home or office, check out our list of the best heavy duty paper shredders.

The Best Heavy Duty Paper Shredder

1
WOLVERINE SD9520 Heavy-Duty Paper Shredder

wolverine sd9520 heavy duty paper shredder

The Wolverine SD9520 is designed for large-scale, confidential paper shredding. It might be overkill if you just need to shred a couple of household documents but then again, you can never be too careful. It provides a P-5 security level (from the International Standards for Security Levels), which means it is espionage-safe and suitable for government and military departments. Basically, no one is going to be able to piece your credit card bill together after it’s been through this beast. 

The other benefit of a paper shredder this powerful is that it can shred up to 200 sheets in 60 seconds. That’s ideal if you work for a government agency and you need to shred everything in the event of a military coup. Or if you don’t want to spend all afternoon shredding your bank statements. Other features include an ultra-quiet induction motor, an eight-gallon pull-out waste bin, and a transparent window.

Key Features:

15-sheets at a time 

200 sheets in 60 seconds 

Eight-gallon pull-out waste bin

Ultra-quiet induction motor 

Manganese cutter 

Specification:
  • BrandWolverine
  • ModelSD9520
  • Weight48 Pounds
Pros

Suitable for the highest level of security 

Shreds fast and efficiently

Quieter than other shredders 

Large waste bin

Cons

Very expensive

BUY ON AMAZON

2
Bonsaii EverShred 18-Sheet Heavy Duty Paper Shredder

bonsaii evershred 18 sheet heavy duty paper shredder

The Bonsaii EverShred 18-Sheet Paper Shredder has a 60-minute run time and an auto cooling feature for longer continuous shredding time. The shredder can cut up to 18 sheets of letter-size paper in one pass, shredding the printer paper to pieces as small as 13/64 x 37/64 inches. It can shred paper with staples and credit cards. This machine is also one of the quietest shredders out there, so you can use it at home or the office without creating a disturbance.

To avoid paper jams and increase efficiency, the shredder has an auto-reverse feature. It has a six-gallon waste bin with a clear window so you can see when it’s full. With overheating protection and durable design, this heavy-duty paper shredder comes with one of the longer lifespans compared to other paper shredders on the market.

Key Features:

Continuous running time up to 60 minutes

Cross-cut design

62dB low-level noise

Auto-start and reverse functions

4 caster wheels

6-gallon pull-out waste basket

Specification:
  • BrandBonsaii
  • ModelC149-C
  • Weight23.1 Pounds
Pros

Long run time

Quiet shredding

Works quickly

Cons

Doesn’t work as efficiently when shredding at full 18-sheet capacity

BUY ON AMAZON

3
Royal Sovereign RAF-25P Heavy-Duty Paper Shredder

royal sovereign raf 25p heavy duty paper shredder

The Royal Sovereign 120-sheet Cross-Cut Shredder is a more affordable option for use at home. It still delivers an extremely high level of security (P-4), making it suitable for personal and corporate use. The cross-cut blade design ensures that paper is shredded into tiny pieces, which are impossible to piece together (even in a movie-style montage). 

Using the manual feed option, it can handle five sheets at a time, allowing you to make quick work of that stack of documents. Plus, it has an auto-feed, which can take 120 sheets before it needs manually refilling. If you’re going at full speed, you could shred up to 900 sheets an hour. It also has a bunch of user-friendly features that make this shredder easy to live with, including a bin-full indicator and auto-reverse jam prevention. 

Key Features:

Cross-cut blade design 

Auto-feed – 120 sheets

Shreds five sheets at a time

Quiet operation

Bin full indicator 

Specification:
  • BrandRoyal Sovereign
  • ModelRAF-25P
  • Weight14.08 Pounds
Pros

Shreds super fast 

Large bin 

Powerful and quiet motor

Cons

Overheats quickly 

BUY ON AMAZON

4
Bonsaii 20-Sheet Heavy Duty Paper Shredder

bonsaii 20 sheet heavy duty paper shredder

The Bonsaii 20-Sheet Heavy Duty Paper Shredder can cut up to 20 sheets, a slightly higher shredding capacity than the other Bonsaii shredders on our list. Paper can be shredded into pieces as small as 5/32 x 1-37/64 inches in size. Credits card, staples, and other sturdy materials can be shredded in this high-powered shredder. It has a run time of up to 20 minutes.

This shredder has advanced cooling technology to prevent overheating and a reverse function to avoid paper jams. With a 60dB noise threshold, it is one of the quieter shredders on the market. The unit features four wheels so you can quickly move and store it. The wastebasket provides 6.6 gallons of storage for shredded paper. For more reliable office devices, check out these quality scanners that won’t let you down, for sure.

Key Features:

Shred up to 20 sheets

Continuous run time up to 20 minutes

60dB low noise operation

Auto start and manual reverse

6.6 gallon pull out waste basket

Protective Advanced Cooling System

Specification:
  • BrandBonsaii
  • ModelC222-A
  • Weight26.9 Pounds
Pros

Works quickly and quietly

No mess when shredding

Versatile

Cons

The reverse feature may not always work

BUY ON AMAZON

5
Bonsaii 120-Minute Heavy Duty Paper Shredder

bonsaii 120 minute heavy duty paper shredder

The Bonsaii 120-Minute Heavy Duty Paper Shredder runs for up to 120 minutes of nonstop shredding. This long run time is ideal if you regularly need to shred a large number of documents. Like other Bonsaii shredding machines, this paper shredder is quiet, with noise levels as low as 58dB. It can shred up to 14 sheets at once and can cut into pieces as small as 5/32 x 1 3/8 inches for maximum security. In addition to paper, it can shred other items, such as credit cards.

With a shredding speed up to 7.2 feet per minute, this heavy-duty paper shredder operates with optimum speed and efficiency. It has an auto-reverse feature to protect against jams and cooling technology to prevent overheating. The shredder comes with a 6.7-gallon wastebasket with a clear window so you can see when the bin is full. For more must-have products for your office, check out our list of the best laminators to buy at the moments.

Key Features:

Continuous run time up to 120 minutes

High-security shredding

Shreds paper, CD/DVD, clips, and staples

Jam protection system

Shreds 7.2 feet per minute

6.7-gallon pull-out basket

Specification:
  • BrandBonsaii
  • Model3S23
  • Weight25.4 Pounds
Pros

Quiet

3 year warranty

Continuous shredding for up to 2 hours

Cons

Auto-start feature sometimes malfunctions

BUY ON AMAZON

6
Fellowes Powershred 14-Sheet Heavy Duty Paper Shredder

fellowes powershred 14 sheet heavy duty paper shredder

The Fellowes Powershred 14-Sheet Paper Shredder can cut up to 14 sheets of paper in one pass, shredding them into pieces as small as 5/64 x 9/16 inches in size. The shredder works for up to 20 minutes continuously before needing about 40 minutes to cool down.

This heavy-duty shredder also has an auto-reverse feature to help prevent paper jams and an indicator light that signals if the machine has overheated and needs to cool down. The shredder has Safe Sense Technology that stops the shredder if it detects a hand touching the opening. The large nine-gallon wastebasket provides ample storage for waste paper. If you want your office to have everything you might need, here are some reliable label makes that can come in handy for various projects.

Key Features:

Shreds up to 14 pieces of paper

Works continuously for up to 20 minutes

Auto-reverse to avoid paper jams

Nine-gallon waste bin

Overheating alert indicator light

Specification:
  • BrandFellowes
  • Model4609001
  • Weight29.1 Pounds
Pros

Quiet and efficient

Wheels for easy mobility

Sleep mode to save energy

Cons

Does not have a long shredding time

Can overheat

BUY ON AMAZON

7
Fellowes AutoMax 350-Sheet Heavy Duty Paper Shredder

fellowes automax 350 sheet heavy duty paper shredder

The Fellowes AutoMax 350-Sheet Paper Shredder is fast and efficient. It’s auto-feed setting quickly shreds large stacks of paper. In the automatic setting, it can shred up to 350 sheets of paper. In manual mode, it can shred 12 sheets at a time.

This shredder has a run time of up to 45 minutes, allowing you to complete a large shredding project in a single go and has an auto-reverse function to protect against paper jams. Documents can be shredded to pieces as small as 5/32 x 1 1/2 inches. In addition to paper, it can also shred staples, paper clips, credit cards, and more. This shredder features an 18-gallon waste bin. Our buying guide on most in-demand hole punches features some more must-have office gadgets, so make sure to check them out, as well.

Key Features:

Auto feed ability

Shreds up to 350 sheets automatically or 12 sheets manually

Can work continuously for up to 45 minutes

Shreds plastic cards, CDs, and more

Specification:
  • BrandFellowes
  • Model4964001
  • Weight70.1 Pounds
Pros

Good value for the price

Can handle a lot of paper without jamming

Quiet and efficient

Cons

Does not work well on non-standard sized paper

BUY ON AMAZON

8
Fellowes Powershred 425Ci Heavy Duty Paper Shredder

fellowes powershred 425ci heavy duty paper shredder

The Fellowes Powershred 425Ci can cut up to 30 pieces of paper in one pass. It is one of the more expensive, high-quality paper shredders on the market. The sheets are cut into pieces that are 5/32 x 1 1/8 inches in size. The cutters have an extra-wide 12-inch throat to increase cutting efficiency. This shredder has a jam-proof system to avoid the immense headache of an unwanted paper jam. It can also handle harder-to-cut items like credit cards and more. 

To keep users and kids safe, this shredder has smart technology that senses if someone’s hands are getting near the shredders, which automatically stops the machine. This shredder has one of the biggest removable wastebaskets, with enough capacity to hold 30 gallons of shredded paper. If you are looking for a heavy-duty commercial paper shredder that can shred a large number of documents, this may be the perfect shredder to have next to your office desk or even your home office desk.

Key Features:

Can shred up to 30 pieces of paper

Jam proof system

SafeSense Technology

30-gallon wastebasket

Specification:
  • BrandFellowes
  • Model38425
  • Weight148 Pounds
Pros

Works quickly to save time

Large capacity wastebasket

Good anti-jam system

Cons

Expensive

Large size

BUY ON AMAZON

9
Aurora 15-Sheet Heavy Duty Paper Shredder

aurora 15 sheet heavy duty paper shredder

The Aurora 15-Sheet Paper Shredder can shred up to 15 sheets of paper at once. It can also destroy thicker materials like CDs and credit cards. It shreds paper into 3/32 x 19/32 inch pieces, with up to 2,010 cuts per individual piece of paper. This ability delivers ultimate security with each shred.

This paper shredder has a continuous run time of up to 60 minutes and an anti-jam feature to reverse any jams. The shredder is quiet and durable. It has a 13-gallon waste bin to store shredded waste material. For more handy products like this, make sure to check out these lightweight and portable printers you might also like.

Key Features:

15 sheet capacity

Micro-cut shred size

60 minute nonstop run time

13-gallon waste bin

Specification:
  • BrandAurora
  • ModelAU1540MB
  • Weight82 Pounds
Pros

Very quiet

Small paper pieces

Easy to use

Cons

Large and difficult to move around

BUY ON AMAZON

Heavy Duty Paper Shredder Buying Guide & FAQ

Features To Look For In Heavy Duty Paper Shredders

With so many heavy duty paper shredders on the market, you may find it difficult to distinguish between the many options. Here are some things to look for when deciding which heavy-duty paper shredder is right for you.

High Sheet Capacity - When it comes to shredding paper, you want to be able to shred many pieces of paper at once. The more sheets you can shred at once, the more time you  save. Looks for efficient shredders with automatic settings that can shred up to and over 30 sheets in one go. Note that for shredders with a higher sheet capacity, it may take more time for the sheets to feed through. But, for those bigger shredding jobs, look for shredders with a high sheet capacity.

High Bin Capacity - The bin is where the paper and other materials go once shredded. You will want to look for shredders that have a high bin capacity. The larger the waste bin size, the less frequently you will need to empty the bin. Most waste bins are between 9-13 gallons. Some of the largest ones can be as large as 20 or 30 gallons. If a big bin is important to you, look for a shredder that is close to 20-30 gallons.

Long Run Time - The run times of paper shredders vary greatly. Some can run continuously for only 20 minutes, while others can run for hours. When it comes to run time, the biggest factor to consider is how long it takes for the shredder to overheat. You will want to look for a shredder with automatic cooling technology. The ones with cooling technology can run longer without having to be powered off to cool down.

Quiet and Silent Shredding - When shredding a lot of sheets in a busy office or at home, the last thing you want is a noisy shredder. The best shredders are relatively quiet so you can go on with your day as the shredder does its job. Look for shredders in the decibel range of 55-65dB for the quietest shredding possible.

Jam Proof - Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, you will want to look for shredders that feature automatic jam protection. A shredder that can automatically detect a paper jam will stop the cutters and go into reverse to fix the jam. The best shredders are able to do this on their own, saving you the headache of having to fix the paper jam.

paper shredder

Heavy Duty Paper Shredder FAQ

Q: What is a heavy-duty paper shredder?

A: A heavy-duty paper shredder is a shredder that can shred a large amount of paper at a fast pace. Most machines allow you to shred 10-15 pages at a time, and can also shred heavier materials like staples, paper clips, plastic cards, and CDs/DVDs. They also have features such as anti-jam and auto cooling for top performance.

Q: How long do most shredders run?

A: A household shredder usually runs for about 5-10 minutes before needing to cool down. Some heavy-duty shredders feature longer run times, with the best heavy-duty shredders able to shred for up to an hour or more without overheating.

Q: What is the difference between micro-cut and cross-cut?

A: A cross-cut shredder cuts horizontally and vertically to slice the paper into tiny pieces. A micro-cut shredder cuts the paper into extremely small pieces that cannot be put back together. Micro-cuts are better for security because they cut the paper into smaller pieces.

Q: Should you oil a paper shredder?

A: It is recommended that you oil your shredder according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Cross-cut shredders need to be oiled regularly, with oiling every half hour as a general rule. A strip shredder should be oiled about every two hours. To be safe, make sure you use paper shredder oil.

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