How Many kWh Does a Paper Shredder Use?
Paper Shredder energy cost calculator — see your exact daily, monthly, and yearly electricity cost.
US national average. Edit for your local rate.
Daily Energy Use
0.02
kWh / day
Monthly Cost
$0.11
Yearly Cost
$1.37
Paper Shredder — Cost Breakdown
| Period | kWh Used | Cost ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Per Hour | 0.2000 | $0.0377 |
| Per Day | 0.02 | $0.00 |
| Per Month (30 days) | 0.60 | $0.11 |
| Per Year (365 days) | 7.30 | $1.37 |
Shredding paper for 6 minutes uses about the same energy as running an LED bulb for 2 hours.
3 Ways to Cut Your Paper Shredder Energy Bill
- 🌱
Feed paper within the rated sheet capacity — overfeeding jams the motor and causes it to draw maximum wattage repeatedly.
- 💡
Turn off auto-start mode when not actively shredding to prevent the motor from engaging when items brush past the sensor.
- ⚡
Oil the shredder blades monthly with shredder oil to reduce friction and motor load.
The motor draws a startup surge of about 400–600W for a fraction of a second, especially when engaging thick stacks of paper.