Best Home Paper Shredder · Auto Feed

Best Auto Feed Paper Shredder for Home Use

For most homes that shred in batches, the best auto feed shredder is the Aurora AU120MA: a 120-sheet tray, P-4 micro-cut and up to 30 minutes of running. TechGearLab named it its best overall shredder. Auto feed means you load a stack, close the lid and leave; a separate slot handles a few sheets or a card by hand.

Auto-feed shredder with its lid closed while a person walks away in the background

Our top 3

Top picks at a glance

Best auto feed overall#1
Aurora AU120MA Auto Feed shredder

Aurora AU120MA Auto Feed

Premium price range

120-sheet tray, P-4 micro-cut, a 10-sheet manual slot and a 5-gallon pull-out basket.

Read reviews ›
Best auto feed value#2
Bonsaii C233-B Auto Feed shredder

Bonsaii C233-B Auto Feed

Premium price range

110-sheet tray and a 12-sheet slot, P-4 micro-cut and a clear 6.1-gallon bin.

Read reviews ›
Best slim auto feed#3
Fellowes AutoMax 100MA shredder

Fellowes AutoMax 100MA

Premium price range

100-sheet tray in a body under 10 inches deep; Fellowes says 100 sheets in about five minutes.

Read reviews ›

In detail

Who each one suits

Specifications are each brand’s own; notes draw on manufacturers’ manuals and independent reviews. We have not tested or used these shredders ourselves.

Best auto feed overall#1

Aurora AU120MA Auto Feed

Load up to 120 sheets, close the lid and walk away. TechGearLab named the AU120MA its best overall shredder, and Aurora pairs the auto-feed tray with P-4 micro-cut and a 10-sheet hand-feed slot for quick jobs.

Why it stands out

  • 120-sheet auto-feed tray plus a 10-sheet manual slot.
  • Micro-cut 4 x 12 mm particles, rated P-4 by Aurora.
  • Up to 30 minutes of running and a 5-gallon pull-out basket.
Cut & securityMicro-cut, P-4 (4 x 12 mm)
Sheets per pass120 auto-feed, 10 by hand
Run timeUp to 30 min
Bin5 gal, pull-out
ShredsPaper and cards (no CDs)

Good fit if

  • You let paper pile up and shred it in batches.
  • You would rather not stand and feed sheets.

Skip it if

  • You still shred CDs or DVDs — Aurora does not list them.
  • Floor space is tight; TechGearLab calls it bulkier than desktop models.
Best auto feed value#2

Bonsaii C233-B Auto Feed

An auto-feed micro-cut machine that takes 110 sheets in its tray and 12 in the manual slot. Bonsaii rates it P-4 with a 6.1-gallon clear bin, and lists a lower price than most auto-feed models we cover.

Why it stands out

  • 110-sheet auto-feed plus a 12-sheet manual slot.
  • Micro-cut 4 x 12 mm, rated P-4 by Bonsaii.
  • Clear 6.1-gallon bin so you can see when it is full.
Cut & securityMicro-cut, P-4 (4 x 12 mm)
Sheets per pass110 auto-feed, 12 by hand
Run time30 min auto, 10 min by hand
Bin6.1 gal, clear bin
ShredsPaper; cards, staples, clips by hand

Good fit if

  • You want auto-feed but would rather not pay Aurora or Fellowes prices.
  • You shred mostly paper.

Skip it if

  • You shred CDs.
  • You hand-feed for long stretches: manual mode runs about 10 minutes before a 60-minute rest.
Best slim auto feed#3

Fellowes AutoMax 100MA

A slim auto-feed machine from Fellowes: up to 100 sheets in the tray and a 10-sheet manual slot, in a body under 10 inches deep. Fellowes says it clears 100 sheets in about five minutes.

Why it stands out

  • 100-sheet auto-feed, P-4 micro-cut.
  • Slim body, about 9.8 inches deep.
  • Takes staples, paper clips and credit cards.
Cut & securityMicro-cut, P-4 (4 x 11.9 mm)
Sheets per pass100 auto-feed, 10 by hand
Run timeAbout 7 min
Bin4.5 gal
ShredsPaper, cards, staples, clips

Good fit if

  • You want auto-feed but have limited floor space.
  • You shred stacks of mail weekly rather than marathon sessions.

Skip it if

  • You need long sessions: run time is about seven minutes.
  • You want a big bin: 4.5 gallons fills quickly with stacks.

Don’t confuse it with the AutoMax 100M, a pricier, larger model with a 6-gallon bin.

Also worth a look

HP AF809 Auto Feed

The most affordable auto-feed machine we cover. HP’s US licensee lists an 80-sheet tray and a 9-sheet manual slot, and Popular Mechanics named it best affordable auto-feed.

Why it stands out

  • 80-sheet auto-feed at a Mid-range price.
  • Micro-cut, 4.3 x 12 mm.
  • Compact, under 17 inches tall.
Cut & securityMicro-cut (4.3 x 12 mm)
Sheets per pass80 auto-feed, 9 by hand
Run time10 min on, 40 min rest
Bin3.8 gal
ShredsPaper, cards, staples

Good fit if

  • You want hands-off shredding on a tighter budget.
  • Your batches are modest.

Skip it if

  • You fill the tray often: Popular Mechanics found the 3.8-gallon bin full at about 50 of 80 sheets.
  • You want long sessions (10 minutes on, 40 off) or a quiet machine (68 dB, brand-stated).
Also worth a look

GBC AutoFeed+ 60X

A compact auto-feed machine from GBC, part of ACCO Brands. It takes 60 sheets in the tray, stands about 16 inches tall and fits under many desks.

Why it stands out

  • 60-sheet auto-feed, P-4 super cross-cut.
  • Auto-feed takes paper clips and staples; cards go through the manual slot.
  • 2-year warranty from GBC.
Cut & securitySuper cross-cut, P-4
Sheets per pass60 auto-feed, 6 by hand
Run timeAbout 10 min
Bin5 gal
ShredsPaper, clips, staples; cards by hand

Good fit if

  • You want auto-feed under a desk.
  • Your stacks are 60 sheets or fewer.

Skip it if

  • Price matters: it is Premium-tier for a 60-sheet tray.
  • You need long sessions (about 10 minutes) or casters.

Stacks of mail piling up?

Load the tray, close the lid and go. Just leave CDs and binder clips for the manual slot or the bin.

See customer reviews ›

Tips

Three things that make the difference

01

Fan the stack

Auto feed trays pull a few sheets at a time. Loosening a stack and squaring its edges helps it feed evenly.

02

Check what goes in the tray

Many trays take staples and small clips but not cards or CDs. Swingline’s spec sheet for its office-size 750X, for example, sends cards and discs through a separate bypass.

03

Watch the bin, not just the tray

Popular Mechanics found the HP AF809’s 3.8-gallon bin full at about 50 of its 80 sheets. A big tray needs a bin to match.

Honest note

Auto feed shredders cost more and take more space than hand-fed machines with the same cut, and most have shorter run times in manual mode. If you shred a few envelopes at a time, an auto feed tray is a luxury you may not use.

FAQ

Questions people ask

Is an auto feed shredder worth it?

If you regularly shred stacks of 50 sheets or more, many people find it worth the extra cost: you load the tray and walk away. If you shred a handful of envelopes a week, a hand-fed model is cheaper and smaller.

How many sheets can a home auto feed shredder take?

The home models we cover take 60 to 120 sheets in the tray: 60 for the GBC 60X, 80 for the HP AF809, 100 for the Fellowes AutoMax 100MA, 110 for the Bonsaii C233-B and 120 for the Aurora AU120MA.

Can auto feed shredders shred staples?

Many can. Fellowes lists staples and paper clips for the AutoMax 100MA, and GBC says the 60X tray takes them. Binder and large clips should still come off.

Can I shred credit cards in an auto feed shredder?

Usually through the manual slot, not the tray. GBC routes cards through the 60X’s manual slot, and Aurora does not list CDs for the AU120MA.

Do auto feed shredders jam?

They can, usually from damp, folded or glued paper, or a bin that is full. The Gadgeteer reported a few minor jams with the GBC 60X. Most models auto-reverse, and some have a separate door for clearing the tray.

Are auto feed shredders loud?

Not necessarily louder than hand-fed models, but few publish a figure. HP’s licensee lists 68 dB for the AF809. Because they run unattended, you can start one and leave the room.

Load it, close it, walk away

Want the full picture? See our best paper shredder for home use, compared by use, and the FAQ on security levels, oiling and jams.