Newsletters	Email
Print	Contact Editor
RSS Feed	Share

	Join TDS on Facebook
	Follow TDS on Twitter

Getting value when buying a paper shredder

Buying a Paper Shredder

Take the "Junk" Out of Junk Mail

The Great Papers Debate

Buying a Paper Shredder

I need to shred some papers. I have been told that if I get a cheap, poorly made shredder, the motor will burn out before I finish shredding stuff. Okay, I realize that we're talking at least $50. Where do I buy one? What do I look for when buying a paper shredder?
V.

Good Shredder Does Not Need to be Expensive

I disagree that the motor will burn up on a cheaper shredder. Our shredder was $20 and has served us for several years. It is a cross-cut shredder, which is safer than the kind that just cuts the paper in strips.

We did have over a decade's worth of cancelled checks we decided should be shredded. After about an hour of feeding through two or three at a time, almost continuously, the shredder stopped working. It had overheated. Once it was cool, it worked just fine. This has happened only two or three times in the seven years we have had it and always after it had had quite a workout of shredding a lot of things continuously. I am glad we did not assume it was ruined when it stopped the first time.
Becky

A Real Workhorse

I bought an Ativa™ at Office Depot and it quickly quit working. Even though it was on sale, it turned out to be a bad buy. To replace that, I got the Fellowes® shredder at Wal-Mart. Fellowes® had a good reputation and this shredder has lived up to that reputation. It is a real workhorse with a strong "engine."
DeAnn

How Much Will You Use It?

Choosing a home shredder really comes down to how much you'll be using it. If it will get heavy use, then it's worth looking into a sturdier model. But if you're just shredding a few papers here and there, you can get by more cheaply. Cross-cut shredders are better than strip shredders, however, and are worth the few extra dollars.

To make your shredder last longer, be sure not to run through more sheets of paper at a time than the manufacturer recommends, and it also helps to not do too much in one session. Easier to quickly do a few sheets every day or two as they come in, rather than let them accumulate and become not only a drain on your shredder but on your time and energy as well.

You can ease your shredder's workload by sorting. Don't just run the whole junk mail envelope through. Instead, open it and toss/recycle the outer and inner envelopes plus any inserts or pages that don't have your personal information on them. Going paperless and not having your cancelled checks sent to you also helps.

If you want to avoid buying a shredder at all, or at least postpone the purchase until you find a great sale, save your papers in a bag or box and keep an eye out for free shredding events. A local bank regularly has a day where they bring in a commercial shredding truck, and people can bring their papers to be shredded for free. You don't have to be a customer of the bank to take advantage of it. We normally do our own shredding, but a few years ago after my father passed away, he had a lot of old, personal paperwork, and we set it aside until the next shredding day, which saved us a lot of time and effort.
Diva

Buying a Paper Shredder from an University

If you have a university in your town, they might have an excess, outdated, or just no longer needed storage area where items are sold to the public or other educators. My teacher-husband found a military shredder for under $50 that can shred half a phone book. We can shred our mail and personal items and shred newspaper for packing material for our business, which is a wonderful recycling method.
Janna

Never Shred Envelopes

We had a shredder, which would shred three sheets at a time and woe to you if you tried to do four or more! I felt like I was spending much of my time carefully counting sheets (and pulling staples). We bought a new one at Costco (a Fellowes®) which does eight sheets, credit cards and staples with no problem. We sold the old one for $10 at a garage sale, and if I recall correctly, the new one cost around $50. The new one has a much larger hopper so I don't have to empty it as often and is pretty much problem free. I only wish I'd gotten it sooner. My aunt gave me a tip: Don't ever shred envelopes because the glue on the flaps can gum up the grinding teeth and the shredder will stop working (who really needs to shred envelopes anyway?)
Nancy in Santee

Paper Shredding for Free

My credit union shreds for free. Maybe your bank does this as well. Check it out. I've belonged to two credit unions, and one of them had a couple days per year where I could bring in all of my paperwork. My current credit union has a shred bin inside. In fact, if you have a lot, the manager will take it to the big bin. I asked to follow him back to be doubly sure, and he let me come to the back of the office, watch him get the key, put in all the paperwork, and lock it back up. He didn't even ask if I was a member. Before you buy a paper shredder, see if your bank or credit union will do it for free.
lk

Shredders Need to be Oiled

I was going through paper shredders like crazy and then I found that I need to oil them. They sell the oil for shredders usually on the shelf next to them. This made all the difference in the world. Going on two years, my shredder works better now than when it came out of the box.
Renee

Buy a Cross-Cut Shredder

I recently bought my second Fellowes® brand shredder. I had used the first one for more than ten years. I had gone through three of a cheaper brand in less than two years. The Fellowes® are more expensive, but they are built better. This one is a cross shredder, which means that instead of long strips of paper the strips are cut into pieces about an inch long, making it even harder for someone to reassemble your shredded documents.

If you plan to do quite a bit of shredding, the number of sheet capacity is important. My current one says it will take 10 pages at a time, but the one time I tried feeding that many sheets into it, it jammed. I limit it to six. It also says that it will handle staples, but I always remove them before I use it. It has a nice lock as well as an on/off switch, so it would be hard for a small child to turn it on. The bin has a very large capacity, and the shredder will not work unless it is set firmly on the bin, which is another safety feature.

I bought this one at Office Depot. I can't remember the price, but it was fairly expensive. I had a credit there from their purchase rewards and recycling ink cartridges, which brought the price down. I ordered it online and it was delivered free the next day.

While I have never used them, I have two friends who had very good luck with the Staples brand, and they are less expensive than mine was.
Sharon

Alternatives to Buying a Paper Shredder

There are a few options for shredding:

Keep an eye out for free mobile shredding in your community. We just had one sponsored by the city. Also, a local credit union chain offers free community shredding about twice per year, and you don't have to be a member.
Office Depot offers shredding while you watch for 99 cents per pound. That sounds like a lot, but make sure you're only shredding what absolutely needs to be shredded. That means no file folders, boxes, staples, paperclips, binders, etc. The clerk weighs exactly what you bring in, so you're also paying 99 cents per pound for that box. Gather your shredding in a plastic bag to save weight.
Burn it. Find someone who lives in the country and has a burn barrel. Or take it camping with you and enjoy your free kindling.

I bought a shredder eight years ago at Target for less than $25 and it is still a nice unit. We don't shred everything, just things with names and billing information. If you use it only once or twice per week, it will last a long time. We also cut back on the things that need to be shredded regularly, like bills. We have opted for paperless billing when offered, and we no longer get bank statements.
Teresa in Missouri

Take the Next Step:

For more on what to look for when buying a paper shredder, please visit The Dollar Stretcher Community.

Share your thoughts about this article with the editor: Click Here

Subscribe to TDS Newsletters

To subscribe, check the newsletters you wish to receive, enter your email address and then click Subscribe.

Your money saving idea could win you $100!

Each month one TDS reader will win $100 just for telling us your favorite time or money saving idea. It could be you!
Click here to share your idea.

Recent winners are:
- Michelle from NC
- Matt from CO
- Joan from CT
- Joanne in New York

Money problems?
The Dollar Stretcher can help:

Afraid to lose your job?

Struggling with credit card debt?

Help for your mortgage?

Can't pay your debts?

Need some extra income?

Fighting bad credit?

What you need to know about bankruptcy?

Become money smart?

Trouble repaying student loans?

Contact the Dollar Stretcher at:
Dollar Stretcher
PO Box 14160
Bradenton FL 34280
Voice 941-761-7805
Fax 941-761-8301

"The Dollar Stretcher, Inc." does not assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation.