Paper Shredders

Paper shredders don't have to be those little wastebasket-sized things that are popular for home use. There are some shredders for sale that will set you back over forty thousand dollars--obviously for truly heavy duty commercial, industrial use. But large, small, or in-between, shredders are  valuable in helping you make sure that your documents don't get into the hands of unsavory characters or competitors.

What kind of shredder do you need, a personal paper shredder or an office or commercial one? Personal ones may only take a few sheets of paper at a time, and they can be vulnerable to breaking if you accidentally jam them. Also, they can only be run for a few minutes at a time before they may overheat. They are suitable for home use, where your main project is shredding a few bank statements, tax forms, and the like. Some very small home-based businesses could use such a thing, but if you are looking for the best paper shredder to meet your present and future needs, you will probably want to select something sturdier and likely to last longer.

Commercial paper shredders are much more heavy duty and faster. Noisier too! They include office paper shredders, departmental shredders, or the warehouse-ready industrial  shredders.

Some Top Brands

In no particular order, here are some of the best-known brand names that you will run into.

• Olympia
• Fellowes
• Kobra
• Intimus
• DestroyIt
• Clary
• GBC
• Dahle

Most of these companies create a variety of kinds of paper shredders, from simple home models to top-of-the-line commercial ones. Paper shredder reviews, for the simpler models at least, are widely available online at places like Amazon and Consumersearch. Well-known stores may have their own house brands as well.

Strip-cut or Cross-Cut Shredders?

Strip-cut shredders are the most basic type, as their cutting blades cut the paper into long strips like ribbons. Once you get strips that are less than about 1/4 inch wide, the possibility of restoring the document lessens considerably. Strip-cut shredders are not just at the low end of the price range, though, as there are models capable of destroying binders, stacks of paper, and more, all suitable for significant commercial use.

Cross-cut shredders tend to be preferred when greater confidentiality is called for. These have the capability to shred paper by cutting it both along the length and along the width, so you end up with hundreds or thousands of small pieces of paper. Some of these are secure enough to be used by military contractors. You may come across the term "confetti paper shredders" to describe ones that make really tiny pieces. Micro cut paper shredders can be used to destroy documents labeled TOP SECRET by the government or its contractors.

How to Choose a Business Paper Shredder

 Here are three factors to consider in choosing shredders.

1. The amount of shredding you will need to do as a daily average.
2. What level of security you need.
3. What will need shredding? Most can handle paper clips and staples now and then, and some can handle CDs, credit cards, DVDs, and the like.

So whatever your needs, once you explore the range of  choices you will find one that suits you.