Though a lot more files are being digitalized, Paper still occupies nearly every portion of offices – and a lot of that paper contains sensitive information. A document Shredder is an excellent essential for destroying old paper documents, unwanted waste, and unused magazines that may have accumulated in your small business premises.

Ideally, the best small business document shredder would fit your company’s requirements without draining your budget. While business owners can contact a professional agency to eliminate paper waste, such services can increase your expense by several hundred dollars a month (or more). At the other end of the spectrum, a document shredder is just a one-time investment – shredders barely require servicing if you maintain them well.

What to Look for in a Document Shredder

Document shredders for small businesses come in all shapes and sizes, so it can be beneficial to know what makes a good paper shedder. Some of the essential things you should look for include:

• Running time

The majority of shredders have a run time where the user can shred constantly until the device has to stop in order to cool down. The time varies from five minutes to four hours. Factor the run time in your purchase decision based on how much you wish to shred in a single sitting.

• Cutting capability

Before anything else, you’ll have to know what you have to shred. Some document shredders can shred around 15 sheets at once, making your job easier. Others will also shred through DVDs, CDs and credit cards. In fact, some small business paper shredders will even take on paper clips and shredders.

• Safety

Safety is a vital factor that should be taken into account. Many shredders have a shutoff feature that turns off the document shredder if a foreign object is passed through it. Other models might come with a cover plate that automatically blocks the entry at the feed when the shredder isn’t being used.

• Noise Level

The last thing to consider is a shredder’s noise level, which can be crucial if the essential is being used in a home or small office. Most specifications for noise levels will contain decibel rating or “dB” – these typically go from 0-180, with lower dB levels portraying lower noise levels.

• Durability

How long will the machine hold with prolonged usage or are there additional design flaws that may impact durability? Readers of Bizyell can luckily skip over this consideration as we only handpick shredders with the best reviews and zero to minimum complaints about parts falling out.

• Speed

Speed is another vital factor of document shredding. For instance, if the speed is 4-ft a minute, the math says it will cut a 4 feet long A4 paper within a minute. It is smart to buy a document shredder with good speed.

Best Small Business Document Shredders to Buy

This small business document shredder can dispose strips into 1-27/32 inches or 7/32 inches. At 8.25 pounds and 15-inch * 12.1-inch * 7.7-inch height, it doesn’t have a hair-raising power. Additionally, there’s a 3.8-gallon bin on the AmazonBasics 6-Sheet, which is just enough for a shredder with a 2-minute runtime. The shredder also takes 30 minutes to cool down, and its automatic mode activates the shredder as soon as the sensor identifies that a paper has passed through its feed.

What makes it stand out?

Besides paper, it can also be used to shred credit cards, junk mail, ATM receipts, and more, which makes it perfect for small business use.

This is an all-round document shredder with a 9-gallon bin capacity for the small office. Workspaces with 1-5 people will find this handy, especially when it comes to incremental shredding. Its jam proof technology ensures users can shred 18 sheets of paper in a single go without worrying about paper jams. Other than documents, Fellowes Powershred can be used to eliminate paper clips, staples, DVDs, CDs, and more. Its run time is 30 minutes, so the shredder can be used for half an hour before it requires a shut down.

What makes it stand out?

It comes with a SafeSense proprietary technology, which stops the shredder when bare hands touch the opening of the shredder.

This shredder is ideal for both office and small business use, and boasts a leading console design. It has a strong body and is quite long-lasting. The manufacturer offers a five-year warranty on the blades and motor of the shredder. It can cut DVDs, CDs, and paper into tiny pieces. The feed length too is quite decent; users can feed paper in both landscape and portrait mode. 8.5-gallon is the bin capacity, which means the shredder can store more than 600 sheets at a time.

What makes it stand out?

The 18-sheet capacity makes it a standout printer. Also, it can cut documents at any time without issues.

This is a superb shredder for cutting through documents in real time. With a 20-minute functioning time, it’ll be able to cut through outdated tax returns and junk mail quickly without breaking down. Unfortunately, the small size also means the size of the bin is going to be small. Its on the lighter side at 5-gallon space, but can help users pass a single shredding section with ease. Sheets with staples and paper clips are managed with care, as are any CDs and credit szcards, which pass through an individual cutter so that the main shredder stays in shape.

What makes it stand out?

This shredder can eliminate 14-sheets in a single go with one shredded sheet cut into more than 400 pieces. A 15-minute cool down time is recommended before you begin to use it again (it’s the corporate status symbol, after all).

Final Verdict

Even with a document shredder at your disposal, shredding is a time-consuming job. Though heavy-duty shredders can run throughout the work day without overheating, they’re not suitable for small businesses. Most small business owners would do just fine with a model that takes an occasional breather. Whatever you by in the end, you can have a peace of mind knowing it’s disposing of sensitive documents that you no longer need with extreme care.