Head-to-head · Best Paper Shredders

Aurora AU120MA 120-Sheet Auto Feed Micro-Cut Paper Shredder vs Staples 12-Sheet Micro-Cut Shredder (ST62153)

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Aurora AU120MA 120-Sheet Auto Feed Micro-Cut Paper Shredder comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.8 vs 4.0). The gap is mostly about busy office users needing high-volume micro-cut shredding — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Paper Shredders

Aurora AU120MA 120-Sheet Auto Feed Micro-Cut Paper Shredder

4.8

2 sources$168as of Jul 31

The Aurora AU120MA 120-Sheet Auto Feed Micro-Cut Paper Shredder sits at the top of the office shredder class on both capacity and security. TechGearLab credited its ability to shred up to 120 pages automatically while still cutting to micro-cut security. Bob Vila's review pointed to the powerful performance and quiet operation. TechGearLab flagged one limit — "The Aurora has one slight drawback: it doesn't shred CDs" — while reporting that credit cards do go into the paper slot and "come out in bits." Busy offices destroying documents in volume are the audience; anyone who needs to shred discs isn't.

Strengths

— Ultra high capacity with 120-sheet automatic shredding capability
— High security micro-cut shredding provides P-4 security level
— Quiet operation measuring 65 dB at a foot and a half away

Watch-outs

— Cannot shred CDs
— Does not shred credit cards in automatic mode

$168 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #4 in Best Paper Shredders

Staples 12-Sheet Micro-Cut Shredder (ST62153)

4.0

1 sourceall derived$149.99as of Jul 31

The Staples 12-Sheet Micro-Cut Shredder (ST62153) cuts to P-4 security with a 4.3mm x 12mm particle size, which covers personal and office paperwork. Reviewers noted it takes paper, credit cards, CDs/DVDs, staples, and paper clips. It runs quietly at 65 decibels and includes safety features like auto reverse and overload protection. After 20 minutes of continuous operation it needs a 40-minute cool-down, and the warranty is only 1 year limited. Individuals and small offices with medium shredding needs are the right buyers.

Strengths

— Provides P-4 security level shredding with pieces sized at 4.3mm x 12mm
— Shreds paper, credit cards, CDs/DVDs, staples, and small paper clips
— Features quiet operation at 65-decibel noise level

Watch-outs

— Limited 1-year warranty
— Requires 40-minute cool-down period after 20 minutes of continuous use

$149.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

Aurora AU120MA 120-Sheet Auto Feed Micro-Cut Paper Shredder

The Aurora AU120MA boasts the highest capacity with 120 sheets auto-feed, far exceeding the 15-sheet capacity of the Wolverine SD9520 and 12-sheet capacity of the Fellowes LX85 and Bonsaii C206-H. It also provides micro-cut P-4 security, which is more secure than the Fellowes 40C's cross-cut. However, it cannot shred CDs or credit cards, unlike the Staples ST62153, and lacks the speed of the Fellowes 40C, making it ideal for high-volume office use but not for users needing versatile media shredding.

Staples 12-Sheet Micro-Cut Shredder (ST62153)

The Staples ST62153 offers a 4.3mm x 12mm particle size for P-4 security, which is finer than the Fellowes LX85's cross-cut but not as secure as the Wolverine SD9520's P-5. It uniquely handles CDs, DVDs, and credit cards, which the Bonsaii C206-H and Fellowes 40C cannot do. However, it requires a 40-minute cool-down period after 20 minutes of use, unlike the Aurora AU120MA, which has no such limitation and offers much higher capacity.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Aurora AU120MA 120-Sheet Auto Feed Micro-Cut Paper Shredder	Staples 12-Sheet Micro-Cut Shredder (ST62153)
Security Level	P-4	P-4
Cut Type	microcut	4.3 x 12
Sheet Capacity	120	12
Bin Capacity	5 gallon	5-gallon
Run Time	30 minutes	20 minutes
Shred Speed	5.90 feet per minute	6 feet per minute
Noise Level	65 dB	65-decibel

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