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Head-to-head · Best Paper Shredders

Bonsaii C206-H vs Fellowes Powershred 79Ci

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

Fellowes Powershred 79Ci comes out ahead by a clear margin (3.9 vs 3.3). Fellowes Powershred 79Ci is best for: home offices with frequent large shredding jobs that do not need micro-cut security. Read the strengths below before deciding.

Bonsaii C206-H
Ranked #5 in Best Paper Shredders
Bonsaii C206-H
1 sourceall derived$120as of Oct 10

The Bonsaii C206-H is a cross-cut shredder for a home office: twelve sheets a pass at P-4 security, into a four-gallon pull-out bin with a window that shows when it is full. Auto start/stop and a manual reverse handle the usual jams, and it takes staples, paper clips and credit cards along with paper. The motor runs fifteen minutes before it needs a forty-minute cooldown, which is the real ceiling on how much gets shredded in one sitting.

Strengths
  • — Features 15-minute run time with automatic shut-off to prevent overheating
  • — Includes a 4-gallon pullout waste bin with transparent window for easy monitoring
  • — Equipped with auto start/stop and manual reverse functions to prevent paper jams
Watch-outs
  • — Limited to 15-minute operation before automatic cooldown
$120 · Buy at bonsaiishop.comFull review →
Fellowes Powershred 79Ci
Higher ratedRanked #3 in Best Paper Shredders
Fellowes Powershred 79Ci
2 sources$269.99as of Oct 11

The Fellowes Powershred 79Ci is a 16-sheet cross-cut shredder built for volume. TechGearLab measured it at 140 sheets a minute, about double most shredders it tested, and ranked it first in its group for ease of use and noise; PCMag calls it a well-rounded, dependable personal office shredder. Both outlets jammed it at or above its rated capacity despite the jam-proof billing, and TechGearLab considers it expensive unless you shred in bulk.

Strengths
  • — 140 sheets per minute in TechGearLab's test, nearly double most models it tested
  • — Ranked first for ease of use by TechGearLab: bin-full light, pull-out bin, finger-touch safety sensor
  • — Lowest-pitched, most consistent noise in TechGearLab's test group
Watch-outs
  • — Not as jam-proof as promised, per PCMag; TechGearLab found the real capacity was 14 sheets, not 16
  • — Casters are hard to attach and the lid is unusually heavy, per PCMag
  • — Expensive and "not a great value" for general shredding, per TechGearLab
$269.99 · Check Price on AmazonFull 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

Bonsaii C206-H

The Bonsaii C206-H shreds 12 sheets per pass, against the 120-sheet auto-feed capacity of the Aurora AU120MA 120-Sheet Auto Feed Micro-Cut Paper Shredder. Its 15-minute run time is half the 30 minutes of the Aurora and the Fellowes Powershred 99Ci, and its 4-gallon bin is under half the 99Ci's 9 gallons. It is cross-cut like the 99Ci and costs far less.

Fellowes Powershred 79Ci

The 79Ci is rated for 16 sheets per pass with a 6-gallon bin, between the 12-sheet, 4-gallon Bonsaii C206-H and the 18-sheet, 9-gallon Fellowes Powershred 99Ci. It is fed by hand, unlike the 120-sheet auto-feed Aurora AU120MA, and it is cross-cut where the Aurora is micro-cut.

Specs side-by-side

SpecBonsaii C206-HFellowes Powershred 79Ci
Security LevelP-4Cross-cut, about 0.16 x 1.3 in shreds (PCMag measurement)
Cut TypeCross CutCross-cut
Sheet Capacity12 sheets16 rated (14 in TechGearLab's test)
Bin Capacity4 gallons6 gallons
Run Time15 minutes20 minutes, 30-minute cool-down
Shred Speed1.8m/min (8 sheets)10 feet per minute
Noise Level72 dB—
Dimensions—21.3 x 15.4 x 10.4 in (HWD)
Weight—33.3 lb
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