Best Quiet Paper Shredders 2023: Reviews and Buying Guide

Even in the digital age of today, paper shredders still have their place.

They are perfect for getting rid of important documents that might lead to an identity theft or breach of any sort. 

Moreover, they can also be used to shred credit cards. A good quality paper shredder can help you eliminate the unnecessary paper documents at work or at home.

It is surprising that a single document can lead to major damage, if misplaced. This is why investing in a paper shredder makes sense.

There are a lot of options available these days when it comes to paper shredders. The shredders are so powerful that they can also work fine for compact disks.

However, the cutting action can end up making the shredders noisy while operating. Due to the advancement of technology, it is possible to own shredders that work silently without creating any disturbance.

Below are some important factors that you should consider while buying quiet paper shredders.

IMAGE PRODUCT
  • 12-Sheets / Single pass
  • Micro-Cut shred
  • Shreds 6 feet (72 sheets) per minute
  • 18-Sheets / Single pass
  • Cross-Cut Shred
  • Shreds 5.3 feet (63 sheets) per minute
  • 16-Sheets / Single pass
  • Cross-Cut Shred
  • Shreds 16.7 feet (200 sheets) per minute
  • 18-Sheets / Single pass
  • Cross-Cut Shred
  • Shreds 8.5 feet (102 sheets) per minute
  • 22-Sheets / Single pass
  • Cross-Cut Shred
  • Shreds 5.9 feet (70 sheets) per minute
best quiet paper shredders

What to consider when buying a Paper Shredder?

Vibration absorbing motor mounts

A lot of manufacturers use special mounts for the motors that make them silent.


Just like the motor mounts of a car, these rubber mounts cut down on noise while absorbing vibration.

Modern shredding blades with less friction

The modern design of a lot of shredders allows for the shredders to operate with less friction. This helps in keeping the decibels as low as possible.


You are less likely to find this feature in cheap department store. It is only available in models that are high end.

Sound absorbing cabinets

Many shredders these days have wooden cabinets. A wooden cabinet also works as it naturally absorbs all the sound.


Cabinets that are made with metal can end up causing more vibration and reverberation of sound. 


Therefore, you should always prefer shredders that have sound absorbing cabinets.

Automatic Oilers

Oil helps in cutting down the friction which ultimately contributes to making the machine less noisy. While shopping for a shredder, you should always look for a machine that comes with automatic oilers.


This will not only keep the shredder lubricated but will also extend its life.

Level Floor

The shredders that are not placed on a leveled floor end up being wobbly. This means that the chances of producing noise are more in this case.


Moving your shredder to a location where it will not vibrate is a good way of solving this problem.

Cut of the shredder

You should acquaint yourself with the types of cuts that shredders offer. A strip cut is the simplest way of cutting paper wherein the paper is cut into thin strips.


Whereas, a cross cut is when the paper is shredded in the shape of confetti. 


Other types are particle cut and granulators. Based on the type of cut you think is suitable, you can choose the ideal shredder.

Safety Features

You should be mindful of the safety features while looking for a perfect shredder.


Go for one that does not have a large insertion slat. This will avoid your finger from getting stuck in the machine. 


Also, look for shredders with drawers that make it easy to empty the waste.

Other Factors

Other important factors that you should look for are that the shredder should be jam proof and energy efficient.


A lot of shredders have sleep modes that help in saving energy. A good shredder should also reduce mess and should be quiet.

Thus, with the help of the above-mentioned buying factors, you can purchase the perfect shredder for your office/home.

Below are the 5 best quiet shredders that you can consider.

Best Quiet Paper Shredders 2021

This black high-security shredder can shred up to 12 sheets of paper along with CD/DVD and credit card at one pass.

It has a separate shredding slot of CD that prevents the other blades from getting affected.

It is rate security level 4 and has the ability to shred at the speed of 72 sheets per minute. This means that you can get your job done within no time.

The auto start/stop functionality of the shredder along with the manual reverse function makes operating the device super easy. I personally liked how user-friendly the operation is.

 Moreover, you do not have to worry about the noise as this shredder has got an ultra-quiet operation and casters that make it easy to move anywhere.

You can easily gauge when the container is full with the help of the 5 gallon slide-out waste bucket that has a window. This medium to heavy duty shredder is perfect for office use and you can also keep it at home.

You do not require any plastic bags as all that you have to do is to dump the shredded waste into the dumpster.

What I liked the most about this shredder is that it has an over-heat indicator that effectively protects the motor from getting deteriorated.

It is a very reliable machine with micro-cut shredding option that helps you discard any confidential documents with utmost ease.

As far as user reviews are concerned, the shredder meets all promises that it makes. It is reported to be a decent machine and with regular lubrication the machine is sure to run smoothly.

It does not lead to any jam or thermal cut off even when used for a long time.

The patented cutting technology of Bonsaii shredder along with its continuous running time of up to 60 minutes makes it perfect for office use.

It is a cross-cut shredder that can shred 18 sheets at a single go.

You can also shred CDs, DVDs, credit cards as well as staples.

What I absolutely loved about this shredder is that is has a noise level of 62 dB that helps in delivering a smooth and quiet performance.

I am not fond of all the noise that any other shredder would produce and this shredder does a great job of keeping the sound minimum.

You can easily move this machine around with its 4 casters. Forget about the worry of emptying the shredder every now and again as it has a 6 gallons pullout waste basket.

You can monitor the progress of the shredder through the transparent window.

Are you often bothered about the frustration of paper jams? The auto start and reverse function of this machine prevent it from being overused.

Moreover, it has an overheating and overloading protection technology that keeps the usage sustainable while prolonging its lifetime.

Shred away any legal documents or letters with the 8.7 inches entry slot of the shredder. The quiet motor helps in dampening the grinding noise. Its patented cooling system is what distinguishes this shredder.

According to user reports, the shredder works very quietly while shredding away the documents fast.

Fellowes shredder can shred 16 sheets of paper at one go into cross-cut particles.

With an excellent speed of 200 sheets per minute, this machine is perfect for office use.

You can also use it to destroy staples, paper clips, credit cards, DVDs, CDs, and even unopened junk mails.

A unique feature of this shredder is the jam buster which easily gets rid of any jams with simply a touch of a button.

This certainly takes away all the frustration that you get from those unwanted jams.

I personally used to get really annoyed each time I experienced the jam exactly when I needed to get the most work done.

Gladly, this problem has been solved with the jam buster that comes with the machine.

If you are someone who likes the workplace silent and noise free then this shredder is perfect for you. The Fellowes paper shredder offers ultra-quiet performance that is perfect for the workplace.

You can keep the workplace clean as it has a 6.5 gallon pull-out bin that can be used to empty the shredded pieces.

The built-in casters provide easy mobility. I recommend this shredder due to its excellent performance, speed, run time as well as high sheet capacity.

You can run it continuously for 20 minutes followed by a cooling time of 40 minutes. It is more secure than strip-cut shredders.

As per the user reviews, the shredder works really well and needs to be oiled every once in a while for a smooth operation. It is a heavy duty model that is well suited for more bulk of papers.

The classy look of the shredder enables it to complement the decor of any space easily.

This heavy duty paper shredder makes it on the list due to its massive bin capacity of 7.4 gallons and impeccable performance.

It also has a very quiet motor that functions with noise as low as 58 dB.

As offices have a shared space wherein everyone needs a quiet environment, shredders can sometimes create a lot of distraction. But with the silent motor of this shredder, you do not have to bother about that anymore.

I have been looking for devices that get the work done while producing minimal noise.

Trust me when I say, this shredder by Simply Shred lives up to its promise. It enabled me to get rid of all unwanted documents and cards without disturbing anyone around.

Simply put the papers in it and forget about any hassle.

Moreover, the shredder has durable steel cross blades along with ready, off, and reverse switch. These functionalities give the ultimate control to the user. Not to mention the fact that it is energy conversant.

The overheat and overload indicators help the users in moderating the usage thus increasing the longevity of the shredder.

The user reviews for this shredder are also positive. This unit is reported to be great and works with a good speed.

The drawer can easily hold a large amount of shredded paper and the product is reported to be value for money. To top it all, the silent function of the shredder makes it a great choice.

Aurora shredder comes with a capacity of 22 sheets.

It easily destroys credit cards, paper, small paper clips, CDs and DVDs.

With a security level of P-4, this product is ideal for office use and for using at home. It can run for up to 30 minutes non-stop so that you can shred away all those unwanted documents at one go.

Often times while operating the shredder you might experience a jam due to putting a lot of load on the machine.

This shredder has a anti-jam auto reverse mechanism that prevents such jams at the first place. You do not have to constantly monitor the device and can let it work while you focus on other important tasks.

With the auto power off feature of the shredder, you end up saving a lot of energy. It is ideal for small and medium office.

The 8.5 gallons pull out basket stores all the shredded paper and you can empty it regularly for a smooth functioning.

I loved the easy user interface of the shredder. It has bright LED status indicators that enable you to use it effectively. The cross-cut shredding provides extra security by cutting away all the unwanted documents.

I recommend this shredder due to its cutting edge technology and amazing performance. Even though it is slightly heavy than the other shredders, the features of the device are amazing.

As far as user reviews are concerned, the shredder is reported to be very user-friendly. You can squeeze in the oil directly across the blades of the shredder.

On the Best Quiet Paper Shredders

Thus, quiet paper shredders are very important for getting rid of the confidential documents as identity theft is on the rise. It is a very safe way of destroying credit cards, CDs and any legal papers or documents.

What I like the most about the paper shredders is that it gives you a worry free way of eliminating the entire document that too within minutes.

After comparing all the shredders on the list, I highly recommend opting for Fellowes Power Shred Cross-cut Office Shredder. It comes with a great speed, capacity and delivers ultimate performance.

Its jam buster gives the shredder an edge over the other products. The functioning of this shredder is also very quiet and you can very well rely on it.