If you're in the market for a new paper shredder, you may have a few questions. Whether you're shopping for your very first shredder or you're a seasoned pro, the answers to these questions can guide you in choosing the perfect device for your office.
Why should I use a shredder? Shredders are used to destroy confidential information to keep it out of the hands of would-be identity thieves. Professionally, businesses are required by law to shred personnel records, insurance information, and more in a shredder that meets specific standards. Personally, paper shredding is a vital step in keeping your identity safe.
What is the difference between strip-cut and cross-cut shredders? The difference is in the pieces left once paper has passed through the blades. Strip-cut devices churn out long ribbons that are relatively easy to piece back together, making them low security machines. Cross-cut shredders leave confetti-like pieces that can range from small rectangles to tiny specs, depending on the security level.
What security level do I need? Each security level works well for different purposes. Low security shredders, levels one and two, are great for getting rid of unwanted emails, memos, work orders, and anything that wouldn't be too harmful if found. Level three meets the minimum requirement to keep your office FACTA compliant and is perfect for personal documents, financial information, and employee records. At level four, documents vital to your well-being or to a company's business success can be safely shred. Levels five and six (not an official DIN rating) are necessary for top secret government documents and use in military agencies as well as research labs.
What can I shred? This also depends on the shredder. Just about every shredder takes paper, though there are some specifically for media. Many machines can also handle paperclips and staples. More robust shredders will take credit cards and CDs/DVDs. And finally, industrial devices will take just about anything you put into it. Before purchasing a shredder, identifying exactly what you need to shred will help you focus only on machines that can accommodate those objects.
How do I maintain my shredder? Shredder maintenance is really very low-key. Obviously, you need to empty the waste bin promptly. An over-full shred bin can cause shreds to get caught up in the blades. Shredders also need to be oiled regularly. A good rule of thumb is to oil your shredder whenever you replace the shred bag. You can oil the blades in one of two ways. The first way is to squirt oil directly into the feed opening and run the blades until the oil is spread throughout. Then shred a piece of paper to soak up the excess oil. The second way is to squirt oil onto a sheet of paper and then shred that page. Heavy duty devices often have the option of an automatic oil injection system. These are much easier to maintain and require only that you keep the oil bottle full.
Hopefully this will get you started. Good luck on your quest for a new shredder!
Shredder FAQ