Types of Shredders
According to Javelin Strategy and Research Center, there were 10 million victims of identity theft in 2008, marking a 22% increase from 2007. With identify theft on the rise, it's more important than ever before to ensure personal information is kept private and away from identify thieves. One way to help keep your personal information safe is by shredding documents that contain private information and personal data: credit card and bank statements, old tax filings and loan documents, or even an old resume. There are several different types of shredders on the market. Before shopping for your home or office, it's important to understand the differences before committing to a purchase.
Strip-Cut or Cross-Cut
There are two basic varieties of paper shredders: strip-cut and cross-cut. The more popular of the two types is the strip-cut shredder, which cuts paper into strips that measure anywhere from 1/12" to 1/4" wide. Cross-cut shredders cut paper in two directions, reducing the size of paper into much smaller pieces, about 1/4" by 1 1/4", thus providing a higher level of security than the strip-cut units. Strip-cut units tend to cost significantly less than a cross-cut shredder, and often shred at a faster speed than the more secure cross-cut units.
Stand-Alone or Integrated
Shredders are generally available as either a stand-alone unit, where the shredder is designed to fit on a small to medium standard size wastebasket or an integrated unit that comes with a built-in basket or rack for shredder bags. Stand-alone units are generally smaller in size and are less expensive than integrated units, which are available in a wide variety of sizes.
Volume of Use
Shredders are not designed for use all-day, every day. Shredders sold for personal or home office use can shred anywhere from 100 to 150 sheets of paper per day. If you shred more than this, it is better to look for a shredder designed and sold for commercial business or industrial use.
Throat Size and Capacity
The size of the throat--the opening to feed the paper into the shredder--needs to be considered before purchasing a shredder. Most shredders have a throat size of at least 8.75 inches to 9 inches, which is fine for letter sized paper. Larger-sized paper can still be fed through, but will need to be folded to fit the throat size. The throat capacity is determined by how much paper the shredder's blades can cut at once. For casual use, a unit that can shred around 5 pages at once should be sufficient; however, note that most shredders work best when feeding 1 to 2 pages less than the capacity listed on the box or specification sheet.
Other Features to Consider
There are many other features that might impact the type of shredder that an individual or business needs. Standard features are the ability to quickly stop the shredder and to reverse the blades. This is helpful for moments when you begin shredding a document by mistake, or if a foreign object (a tie, for instance) gets caught when feeding the unit. Non-standard features to consider include the ability to handle credit cards or optical media, like CDs and DVDs, and the ability to shred paper with paper clips and staples. These features are generally listed on the box or specification sheet provided by the manufacturer.
