Shredder Buyers Guide

People use shredders for many reasons - the main reason would be to destroy personal details however people also use shredders to reduce waste and for recycling (animal bedding or packaging).

Unfortunately identity thief is becoming increasingly common so it is vital for personal or sensitive information to be destroyed before disposing. There are different types of shredders available on the market, you can get a personal shredder that just sits on top of a bin or you can get an entire shredding unit on its own.

How Paper Shredders Work

Paper shredders usually have a sensor which detects when you insert a sheet. Once the sheet is inserted the rollers blades pull the paper and the paper is shredded and pushed out the other side into the bin.

1. Strip-cut shredders are very affordable and would be a popular type of shredder. Strip cut shredders shred the paper in strips, the thinner the strips the more difficult it would be for a thief to reassemble, this type of shredder would be ideal for discarding junk mail or for general office use. Typically strip cut shredders would be faster and would take more paper than cross cut shredders however the information shredded would not be as secure as cross cut shredders.

2. Cross-cut shredders are becoming very popular as they are more secure than strip cut shredders. Crosscut shredders shred the paper into smaller particles than the strip cut shredders reducing the volume of waste. Cross cut shredders have two sets of roller blades working in different directions that cut the paper into small particles which then drops into the bin.

Tips For Choosing A Paper Shredder

1. Firstly you should always consider your security requirements, if you have very sensitive information then always choose a cross cut shredder. If the information is less sensitive then choose a strip cut shredder. Often marketing departments would use a strip cut shredder as they would have large volumes of shredding however the information wouldn’t be very sensitive. Whereas an accounts department or HR dept. would choose a cross cut shredder as they would be shredding bank details, employment records etc.
   
   
2. Consider your capacity requirements. If you have a large amount of paper to shred then purchasing a shredder capable of only shredding a few pages at once would be time consuming and completely inefficient for your needs. Underestimating your capacity requirements will cost you money in the long run as overuse will burn out the shredder and you will end up purchasing another shredder, so don’t underestimate the capacity requirement when choosing a shredder. Preferably choose a shredder that will shred paperclip and staples, this will also save you time.

Looking After Your Paper Shredder

Tips for to prolong the life of your shredder:

1. Make sure you follow the manufacturers instructions.
2. Don’t overfeed or overuse the paper shredder.
3. Regularly lubricate the cutting blades with shredder oil.