Compare Paper Shredders
Shredder buyers usually arrive with one question — which machine do I actually need? — and leave with twelve open tabs. This page exists to collapse that. Every machine below is a product we stock, and every specification comes from that product's own record.
Two comparisons follow. The first sorts machines by use case, because throughput and bin size matter more day to day than brand loyalty. The second compares the seven brands we carry — once you know the size of machine you need, the remaining question is who builds it.
How to read these tables
- Security level is the DIN 66399 P-rating. It defines maximum particle size and nothing else. The full P-1 to P-7 table is on our specifications reference; the long-form version is the DIN 66399 guide.
- Sheet capacity is measured on 20Â lb / 80Â gsm paper. Heavier stock, staples, folded sheets and a warm motor all reduce it. Treat it as a ceiling.
- Bin volume decides how often somebody empties it. Higher security means more particles per sheet, so a P-5 machine fills the same bin faster than a P-4.
Prices are our store price at time of publication; the product page is authoritative.
Comparison by use case
Personal and small office — 1 to 5 users
Desk-side machines. Short duty cycles, small bins, low price. Browse the full range in Personal & Small Office Shredders.
| Model | Brand | Security level | Cut size | Sheet capacity | Throat | Bin | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AutoMax 100MA | Fellowes | P-4 micro-cut | 5/32" x 15/32" | Up to 20 (auto-feed) | 9" | 4.5 gal | $225.84 |
| Kobra +1 CC4 | Kobra | P-4 cross-cut | 1/8" x 1 5/8" | Up to 15 | 9.2" | 10.2 gal | $347.01 |
| Powershred 79Ci | Fellowes | P-4 cross-cut | 5/32" x 1-1/2" | Up to 16 | 9" | 6 gal | $349.00 |
| SECURIO C16 | HSM | P-2 strip-cut | 1/8" (3.9 mm) | 12–14 | 8.86" | 6.6 gal | $367.12 |
| SECURIO C18 | HSM | P-5 micro-cut | 1/16" x 5/8" | 6–7 | 9.06" | 6.6 gal | $558.89 |
Note the last row: the C18 costs more than the C16 and shreds half as much per pass. That is the security-level trade-off, not a defect.
Small to medium office — 5 to 15 users
Steel-cased machines with continuous or near-continuous motors. See Medium Office Shredders and Autofeed Shredders.
| Model | Brand | Security level | Cut size | Sheet capacity | Throat | Bin | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GBC AutoFeed+ 300X | ACCO | P-4 micro-cut | 5/32" x 1 3/16" | Up to 300 (tray) | 9.1" | 16 gal | $674.22 |
| Kobra 240 C4 | Kobra | P-4 cross-cut | 1/8" x 1 1/8" | Up to 15 | 9.5" | 9.5 gal | $754.53 |
| SECURIO B24 | HSM | P-5 micro-cut | 1/16" x 5/8" | 9–11 | 9.45" | 9.2 gal | $773.27 |
| SECURIO B24 | HSM | P-4 cross-cut | 3/16" x 1 1/8" | 14–16 | 9.45" | 9.2 gal | $804.12 |
| SECURIO AF150 | HSM | P-4 cross-cut | 3/16" x 1 1/8" | 150 (tray) / 8–10 manual | 9.45" | 9.2 gal | $843.00 |
Medium office and departmental — 10 to 30 users
Wider throats, bigger bins, and on some models a fine-dust filter — worth having where the machine sits in an occupied room. See Departmental Shredders.
| Model | Brand | Security level | Cut size | Sheet capacity | Throat | Bin | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SECURIO B32 | HSM | P-4 cross-cut | 3/16" x 1 1/8" | 14–16 | 12.2" | 21.7 gal | $1,032.30 |
| intimus 130 CP4 | intimus | P-4 cross-cut | 3.8 x 36 mm | Up to 25 | 12.2" | 34 gal | $1,149.00 |
| SECURIO B34 | HSM | P-5 micro-cut | 1/16" x 5/8" | 13–15 | 12.2" | 26.4 gal | $1,820.21 |
| Dahle 50514 | Dahle | P-4 cross-cut | 1/8" x 1 9/16" | Up to 26 | 12" | 38 gal | $2,142.00 |
| Dahle 40530 | Dahle | P-6 micro-cut | 1/32" x 7/16" | Up to 10 | 12" | 38 gal | $2,445.00 |
Large office and central shred stations
Floor-standing machines built to clear a trolley of paper in one sitting. See Large Office Shredders.
| Model | Brand | Security level | Cut size | Sheet capacity | Throat | Bin | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MBM Destroyit 4001 | MBM | P-5 cross-cut | 2 x 15 mm | Up to 16 | 16" | 44 gal | $3,149.00 |
| MBM Destroyit 4003 | MBM | P-4 cross-cut | 4 x 40 mm | Up to 36 | 16" | 44 gal | $3,769.92 |
| MBM Destroyit 4005 | MBM | P-4 cross-cut | 4 x 40 mm | Up to 39 | 16" | 44 gal | $6,614.37 |
| intimus H200 CP4 | intimus | P-4 cross-cut | 1/8" x 1-1/2" | Up to 75 | 17.48" | 53 gal | $7,925.00 |
Industrial and continuous duty
Three-phase machines for records centres, print rooms and service bureaus, including shredder-baler pairings. See Industrial Shredders, Shredder-Baler Combinations and choosing an industrial shredder for continuous duty.
| Model | Brand | Security level | Cut size | Sheet capacity | Throat | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| intimus 14.95 | intimus | P-3 cross-cut | 6 x 50 mm | Up to 140 | 17.32" | $13,245.00 |
| intimus 16.50S | intimus | P-3 cross-cut | 6 x 50 mm | Up to 330 | 19.68" | $26,000.00 |
| intimus 16.50S | intimus | P-2 cross-cut | 10 x 70 mm | Up to 550 | 19.68" | $26,431.25 |
| intimus 16.86 + 870 baler | intimus | P-3 | 6 x 50 mm | Up to 330 | 19.68" | $43,343.75 |
High security — P-7 class
P-7 machines shred to particles of 5 mm² or smaller. Sheet capacity drops sharply as a result. See High Security Shredders and, for federal work, Government & NSA/CSS Approved Shredders.
| Model | Brand | Security level | Cut size | Sheet capacity | Bin | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| intimus 60 CP7 | intimus | P-7 | 0.8 x 4.5 mm | Up to 5 | 16 gal | $1,105.00 |
| Fortishred HS-440 | Fellowes | P-7 | 1/32" x 3/16" | Up to 4 | 9.25 gal | $1,493.41 |
| intimus 120 CP7 | intimus | P-7 | 0.8 x 4.5 mm | Up to 7 | 32 gal | $2,102.54 |
| GBC CHS10-30 (TAA) | ACCO | P-7 | 1 x 5 mm | Up to 10 | 30 gal | $6,455.00 |
| Dahle PowerTEC 727 CS | Dahle | P-7 | 1 x 5 mm | Up to 11 | 33 gal | $7,590.00 |
Important for federal buyers: DIN P-7 and NSA/CSS Specification 02-01 are not the same thing. NSA/CSS 02-01 requires a 1Â mm x 5Â mm particle and that the specific model appears on the NSA Evaluated Products List. A machine can meet DIN P-7 with a 0.8 x 4.5Â mm cut and still not be listed. Check the EPL for the exact model before ordering, and read CUI and government document destruction first.
Comparison by brand
All seven brands below are stocked here. None is best at everything.
| Brand | Origin | Typical strengths | Warranty approach | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HSM | Germany (HSM GmbH; US arm HSM of America) | Broadest range on this site — over 300 listings, from desk-side C-series to Powerline industrial and shredder-baler lines. | Quoted per model, generally with a longer term on the cutting cylinder than on the machine. | Buyers who want one brand across an entire estate. |
| Kobra | Italy (Elcoman srl) | Built around continuous-duty motors, so the machines tolerate long unbroken runs at rated capacity. | Per model; the cutting head is normally covered separately and for longer. | Offices that shred in long sessions. See the Kobra buyer's guide. |
| Dahle | Germany | CleanTEC models add a fine-dust filter; much of the range is oil-free by design. Bins of 38–45 gallons even mid-range. | Per model, with separate machine and cutting-head terms. | Occupied open-plan rooms, and low-maintenance installs. |
| MBM | Germany (Destroyit line, MBM Corporation in the US) | Centred on the large-office Destroyit 4000 series: 16" throat, 44-gallon bin, high sheet counts at P-4. | Per model, cutting head usually carrying the longer term. | Central shred stations serving a floor or building. |
| intimus | Germany (Martin Yale Group) | Strongest at both extremes: high-security P-7 office machines, and three-phase industrial shredders and baler combinations. | Per model; industrial machines normally carry a commissioning and service arrangement rather than return-to-base cover. | Government and defence at one end, records centres and recyclers at the other. |
| Fellowes | United States | Consumer and small-office focus; jam-prevention and auto-feed make the machines forgiving of untrained users. Lowest entry price of the seven. | Per model; cutting-head cover typically runs longer. | Home offices, reception desks, small teams. |
| ACCO | United States (GBC and Swingline brands) | Strong auto-feed line (AutoFeed+ 150X to 750X) plus TAA-compliant high-security models for public-sector procurement. | Per model. | TAA-compliant procurement, and load-the-tray-and-walk-away offices. |
Narrowing it down
If you already know the security level you need, go straight to the level: P-2, P-3, P-4, P-5, P-6 or P-7. If you do not, start with the DIN 66399 guide — most commercial offices land on P-4, and regulated ones on P-5.
If the constraint is compliance rather than volume, the relevant reading is what shred size HIPAA requires and the FACTA disposal rule. If you are choosing between the three professional brands head to head, see Kobra vs HSM vs MBM Destroyit.
Every specification here is explained term by term on the specifications reference. If you want a second opinion before committing, talk to us — we would rather size it correctly the first time.