home paper shredder advice

Home and Small Office Paper Shredders

With the increase in the reported incidences identity theft due to people retrieivng documents from garbage tips and dumpster divers, many people are deciding they need to buy a home paper shredder to protect their confidential information. It is unfortunately really not a good idea to put your personal information out in the garbage without first thoroughly destroying it. To destroy your confidential data so that it cannot be recovered, whether in the home, the office or the home office there are a number of different types of paper shredders available, that range in price from around $30 to many thousands of dollars. Although there are very cheap document shredders available to buy it is probably not a good idea to go for the cheapest one you see. 

The original paper shredders cut the paper into strips, but there are also crosscut paper shredders that cut the paper into small pieces of confetti, heavy duty shredders, home paper shredders, shredders for the office, and high-security shredders.

When choosing a paper shredder for home use there are certain factors to be taken into account. Firstly, especially with home paper shredders, there is the question of safety. Paper shredders can be dangerous for fingers, particulary with children in the house. As a result, paper shredder manufacturers such as Fellowes include safety features, for example sensors to switch the shredder off if they detect fingers in the vicinity of the paper entry, safety locks so that children can't switch the shredder on, safety flaps over the cutters if the shredder blades are removed from the waste backet, safety interlock switches to prevent the shredder head being activated if it is out of the waste basket. The shredder should also be left unplugged when it is not in use, particularly if there are children or pets nearby.

Paper shredders are also defined by the level of security they offer :-

Paper Shredder Security Levels

1 = 12 mm strips
2 = 6 mm strips
3 (confidential) = 2 mm strips
4 (Commercially Sensitive) = 2 x 15 mm particles (strips cut into lengths of 15mm)
5 (Top Secret or Classified) = 0.8 x 12 mm particles
6 (also Top Secret or Classified) = 0.8 x 4 mm particles

For a home paper shredder it is probably best to aim for level 3 or higher. Bear in mind too that the cheapest paper shredders do tend to jam.

Some final tips when buying a paper shredder for home use

Get a paper shredder that is more powerful than you think you require. All paper shredders are rated, but these ratings tend to be over-optimistic. Divide any claims regarding capacity by two.
You might also like to consider paper shredders that also shred CDs, DVDs and credit cards.
Make sure the waste basket is easy to empty.
Make sure the shredder has an auto-stop/start feature and a reverse mode. Auto-start means the shredder switches on automatically as soon as you put a sheet of paper in. Reverse mode is useful for clearing paper jams.
Don't forget to check the safety features, especially if you have kids or pets in the home.

For an idea on price you can check out the Fellowes Powershred W-11C Cross-Cut Shredder (3103201) available from Amazon.

Home :  Crosscut Paper Shredders