Head to head
Fellowes 99Ci vs LX22M (2026)
Fellowes 99Ci vs LX22M: cross-cut versatility against micro-cut security, runtime and sheet capacity compared.
#1 in our rankings · Best overall
Fellowes Powershred 99Ci
Best for: Shared home offices and small teams shredding daily paperwork, cards and discs.
#2 in our rankings · Best micro-cut
Fellowes Powershred LX22M
Best for: Offices shredding confidential records that need smaller particles than cross-cut gives.
Our recommendation
Buy the 99Ci if your shredding mixes paper with cards, discs and clips and you value a 30-minute runtime and a 9-gallon bin. Buy the LX22M if the paper itself is the sensitive part: its micro-cut particles are far smaller and it feeds 20 sheets at once. Media mix versus particle size decides it.
Cut and security
The 99Ci cross-cuts at 5/32 by 1-1/2 inches. The LX22M micro-cuts at about 5/32 by 1/2 inch, roughly 1,257 particles per sheet. Both sit in the P-4 family, but the LX22M particles are in a different league for reconstruction resistance.
Capacity and runtime
The LX22M feeds 20 sheets per pass to the 99Ci 18, and lists up to 30 minutes of continuous running with an 8-gallon bin, close to the 99Ci 30 minutes and 9 gallons. Throughput per session is comparable; security is not.
Media handling
The 99Ci explicitly covers CDs and DVDs alongside cards, staples and clips. The LX22M listing centers on paper, staples, clips and credit cards. Mixed-media desks belong with the 99Ci.
Choose Fellowes Powershred 99Ci if…
- You shred discs and cards as well as paper
- You want the bigger 9-gallon bin
- Your documents are routine office paperwork
Choose Fellowes Powershred LX22M if…
- Your records are confidential or regulated
- You want the smallest particles Fellowes offers here
- You feed thick 20-sheet stacks often
Spec-by-spec comparison
| Spec | Fellowes Powershred 99Ci | Fellowes Powershred LX22M |
|---|---|---|
| Price tier | Premium | Premium |
| Sheet capacity | 18 sheets per pass | 20 sheets per pass |
| Cut type | Cross-cut, 5/32 x 1-1/2 in particles | Micro-cut, approx. 5/32 x 1/2 in, P-4 |
| Runtime | Up to 30 minutes continuous | Up to 30 minutes continuous |
| Bin | 9-gallon pull-out bin with LED full indicator | 8-gallon pull-out bin |
| Also shreds | Staples, credit cards, paper clips, CDs/DVDs, junk mail | Staples, paper clips, credit cards, junk mail |
| Best for | Shared home offices and small teams shredding daily paperwork, cards and discs. | Offices shredding confidential records that need smaller particles than cross-cut gives. |
| Skip if | You shred a few pages a month, or you need micro-cut particles for highly sensitive records. | Your paperwork is routine junk mail, where micro-cut security is wasted money. |
Strengths and limitations
Fellowes Powershred 99Ci
Strengths
- 100% Jam Proof system measures paper thickness and powers through tough stacks instead of stalling, per Fellowes documentation.
- 18 sheets per pass into 5/32 by 1-1/2 inch cross-cut particles, and it also takes staples, credit cards, paper clips, CDs and DVDs and junk mail.
- Runs up to 30 minutes continuously with SafeSense touch protection and SilentShred operation for shared spaces.
Limitations
- Cross-cut P-4 class particles are larger than micro-cut, so it is not the pick for the most sensitive documents.
- 40-minute cool-down after a full 30-minute session, per the listed run and cool-down figures.
- Large and heavy at 36.4 pounds, so it is a park-it-under-the-desk machine, not a portable one.
Fellowes Powershred LX22M
Strengths
- Micro-cut tears each sheet into roughly 1,257 particles at 5/32 by 1/2 inch, a clear security step up from cross-cut.
- Highest hand-fed sheet capacity here at 20 sheets per pass, including staples, paper clips and credit cards.
- 100% Jam Proof, SafeSense and an efficiency meter that shows the ideal sheet load in real time.
Limitations
- Premium pricing for security that only matters if your documents are genuinely sensitive.
- Micro-cut particles pack the 8-gallon bin densely, but the bin still needs emptying on big jobs.
- At about 40 pounds it is one of the heaviest hand-fed picks here.
How they fit the wider field
- Fellowes Powershred 99Ci: ranked #1 (Best overall) in The Best Paper Shredders. Read the full Fellowes Powershred 99Ci review.
- Fellowes Powershred LX22M: ranked #2 (Best micro-cut) in The Best Paper Shredders.
Neither one quite right? The full rankings cover 10 picks matched to different buyers.
Questions, answered
Which is more secure, 99Ci or LX22M?
The LX22M. Its micro-cut particles are roughly a third the length of the 99Ci cross-cut pieces and far more numerous per page.
Which is better for a small office?
The 99Ci for mixed daily paperwork, the LX22M for offices whose paper is predominantly sensitive. Both carry Fellowes jam-proof and SafeSense systems.