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Home paper shredder: is P-4 cross cut enough, or do you need P-5 micro cut?

P-4 cross cut is enough for most household post, from bank letters to payslips. P-5 micro cut makes sense if you shred a lot of personal paperwork or simply want the smaller pieces. This guide explains the DIN 66399 levels in plain terms, then the specs that decide daily use: sheets per pass, run time, bin size and whether it takes cards.

SellPix editors9 min readUpdated October 10, 2026

Quick answer: For most homes a P-4 cross-cut shredder is enough for bank letters, payslips and anything with your name and address on it. Step up to P-5 micro cut if you regularly shred a lot of personal or financial paperwork and want much smaller pieces, accepting slightly fewer sheets per pass on some models. Then choose on the practical specs: how long it runs before cooling down, bin size, and whether it takes cards and staples.

Home shredder: P-4 or P-5? – Original editorial graphic · not a product photograph

Why shred at home at all?

The Information Commissioner's Office advice on identity theft is to shred or destroy old documents so that nothing showing your name, address or other personal details can be taken. That covers more than bank statements: delivery notes, pre-approved credit offers, letters from HMRC, pension and payroll documents and medical appointment letters all carry details someone could use. A home shredder turns that into a two-minute weekly job instead of a pile in the hallway.

The P-levels in plain terms

Shredder boxes quote a security level from the DIN 66399 standard, written as P-1 to P-7. Higher numbers mean smaller pieces. Fellowes' UK guide to the levels gives these particle counts for one A4 sheet:

Level Cut type Particles per A4 sheet (Fellowes) Typical use (Rexel buying guide)
P-1, P-2 Strip cut 36 strips Basic, non-sensitive paper
P-3, P-4 Cross cut 300 or more P-4: bank statements and confidential documents
P-4 Mini cut 1,000 or more As above, smaller pieces
P-5 Micro cut 2,000 or more Confidential personal and financial documents
P-6, P-7 High security 6,000 or more Proprietary, government and military papers

Fellowes says strip cut is not suitable for personal data, and recommends P-4 or P-5 for most shredding needs. The two makers' wording differs slightly, but they agree on the household answer: avoid strip cut, and pick between P-4 and P-5.

What changes between P-4 and P-5 in practice

  • Piece size. Rexel's own examples show it clearly: its Momentum X410 cuts P-4 pieces of 4 x 28 mm (400 pieces from one A4 sheet), while the P-5 Momentum M510 cuts 2 x 15 mm (2,000 pieces).
  • Speed and capacity. Smaller pieces need more cutting work. Many micro-cut machines take fewer sheets per pass than a cross-cut machine of the same size, although in Rexel's Momentum range both models are rated at 10 sheets.
  • Bin. Micro-cut confetti packs densely; Rexel quotes 250 A4 sheets for the M510's 23-litre bin and 225 for the X410's 23 litres.

The specs that decide daily use

Run time and cool-down

This is the number most people overlook, and it varies hugely. Rexel lists the Momentum X410 at 6 minutes' run time followed by 60 minutes' cool-down. The Momentum M510 manual gives a duty cycle of 120 minutes on and 60 minutes off. If you clear a year of paperwork in one go, a short run time means stopping every few minutes; if you shred a handful of letters a week, it hardly matters.

Sheets per pass and auto feed

Ratings are for 80gsm paper. Thicker paper, folded letters and envelopes count for more, so feed fewer sheets than the maximum. An auto-feed shredder such as Rexel's Optimum AutoFeed+ 45X takes a stack of up to 45 sheets in a tray, closes the lid and works through it, which suits monthly sessions with a pile of post.

Cards, staples and clips

Check the "shreds" list rather than assuming. Rexel's M510 manual lists credit cards among the items it cannot shred, while the X410 and M510 both take staples and paper clips. The AutoFeed+ 45X lists credit cards, staples and paper clips. If you want to shred old bank cards, buy a model that says so, or cut them with scissors first.

Noise, size and safety

Shredders sit in a home office or hallway, so a quieter, slimmer machine matters. Rexel quotes noise levels per model (for example 58 dBA for the M510). Keep any shredder away from children and pets, switch it off when not in use, and keep ties, long hair and sleeves away from the slot.

Checklist of security level, sheets per pass, run time, bin size and card shredding for home paper shredders

Buying decision

  • Choose a P-4 cross-cut like the Rexel Momentum X410 if you shred a few letters a week and want the simplest, most compact answer. It is enough for bank and utility post.
  • Choose a P-5 micro-cut like the Rexel Momentum M510 if you want much smaller pieces and longer sessions: Rexel rates it for 120 minutes before it needs 60 minutes to cool, at the cost of not taking credit cards.
  • Choose an auto-feed P-4 like the Rexel Optimum AutoFeed+ 45X if you let paperwork pile up and want to load a stack and walk away, and you also want to shred cards.
  • Skip all three if you only shred a few sheets a year; a small personal cross-cut machine or a local shredding service may be enough.
Rexel Momentum X410 Rexel Momentum M510 Rexel Optimum AutoFeed+ 45X
Security level P-4 cross cut, 4 x 28 mm P-5 micro cut, 2 x 15 mm P-4 cross cut, 4 x 28 mm
Sheets (80gsm) 10 per pass 10 per pass 45 auto feed, 6 manual
Run / cool-down 6 min / 60 min 120 min / 60 min 10 min from cold
Bin 23 L (225 A4 sheets) 23 L (250 A4 sheets) 20 L
Staples and clips Yes Yes Yes
Credit cards Not listed No (manual) Yes
Rexel article no. 2104571 2104575 2020045X

Before you order

  • Match the article number on the listing to the model you want (2104571, 2104575 or 2020045X); Rexel sells near-identical names with different cut levels. On 2026-10-10 the X410 listing's "contents" line named the smaller X308 (2104570) although its title and other details describe the X410, so check the box label on delivery.
  • Check the "shreds" list for cards if you need it; the M510 manual says no credit cards.
  • Look at run time and cool-down, not only sheet count, if you plan long sessions.
  • Measure the space: Rexel lists the M510 at 370 x 465 x 279 mm (W x H x D).
  • Budget for shredder oil sheets, which Rexel's manuals recommend for maintenance.

FAQ

Is P-4 secure enough for bank statements?

For a household, yes in the sense that the makers intend it. Rexel's buying guide describes P-4 as ideal for bank statements and Fellowes calls cross cut suitable for sensitive personal documents. P-5 simply makes the pieces much smaller.

Is strip cut ever enough?

Not for personal paperwork. Fellowes says strip-cut levels are not suitable for personal data, because long strips can be reassembled more easily.

Can I shred envelopes with windows?

Most home shredders handle the thin window film, but count an envelope as several sheets and check your model's manual for what it cannot take.

How often should I oil a shredder?

Follow your model's manual. Rexel recommends oil sheets for its shredders; running oiled paper through clears dust from the cutters and helps prevent jams.

Can I recycle shredded paper?

Many councils accept shredded paper, but some ask for it in a paper bag or exclude it. Check your local council's rules, and keep card shreds separate as Rexel's manuals suggest.

How we researched this

On 2026-10-10 we read the ICO's identity theft advice, Fellowes UK's explanation of DIN 66399 security levels, Rexel's paper shredder buying guide, Rexel's UK product pages for the Momentum X410, Momentum M510 and Optimum AutoFeed+ 45X, and the M510 and AutoFeed+ manuals, then checked each Amazon.co.uk listing. We did not test these shredders or count particles ourselves. We picked the X410 rather than a Fellowes model as the P-4 baseline because Rexel publishes complete run-time and capacity figures we could check. Buying links and any commission relationship are disclosed on this page.

Sources

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