Guide to Paper Shredders Buying Guide

Our homes generate plenty of waste paper from kids' homework to junk mail. Add a home office and the paper pile grows deeper. For security, many people choose to shred much of this paper. Personal and small office paper shredders can do the job but not all are created equal. You'll want to find the best balance of price, features, and performance.

Here's what to look for in personal shredders:

Strip-cut shredders, also known as straight-cut or spaghetti-cut, slice the paper into long, thin strips. Strip-cut shredders generally handle a higher volume of paper with lower maintenance requirements. Shred size may vary from 1/8 to 1/2 inch. Narrower strips provide better security. Because the strips don't compress well, you'll need a larger basket (or more frequent emptying).
Cross-Cut shredders provide more security by cutting paper vertically and horizontally into confetti-like pieces. The shredded paper compresses better so the basket holds more cut paper. The trade-off is these shredders may require more maintenance (such as oiling) and generally cost more. With patience someone could reconstruct any shredded document. Cross-cut shredders just make the job a lot more tedious.

Volume/Capacity: It's easy to burn out a shredder by overworking it. For low-volume users, personal shredders designed for 100-150 sheets per day are fine. For higher volume look beyond personal shredders. A shred capacity of at least 4-5 sheets is best unless you really want to spend time feeding in paper one piece at a time. In real-world use, most shredders do best at 1-2 sheets less than their stated specs.

Throat: The opening where you feed the paper into the shredder needs to be large enough to accommodate the size of paper you typically shred. An 8.75 or 9 inch throat handles unfolded letter size paper nicely. A smaller throat size requires folding the paper but if most of your shredding is of credit card or ATM receipts, it works fine.

Extra Features: Shredders come with various combinations of features. With Automatic start/stop the shredder detects the presence of paper. Some shredders provide a light or buzzer to alert you to paper jams or a full shredder basket. Reverse Feed is useful for helping to clear out paper jams. A clear basket or window also helps you see when the basket needs emptying. Integrated Units Shredders with built-in baskets or racks for plastic bags generally cost a bit more than the stand-alone versions. These shredders come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some units might include an extra opening for inserting paper that doesn't need shredding or a see-through window to check the paper level. The main drawback is that you are tied into using a specific size of basket.

Stand-alone Units: This type of paper shredder fits on most standard size wastebaskets. Expandable sides allow you to adjust it for different width baskets. These are often the least expensive units and can usually be purchased for under $60US. For the greatest flexibility, look for a unit that fits both round and rectangular baskets of varying sizes.

Supplies: Some manufacturers recommend using shredder bags These bags come sized to the dimensions of specific models, although ordinary trash bags may work fine. To keep a shredder operating at peak efficiency the blades should be oiled regularly with specially shredder oil. This oil lubricates without leaving residue on the cutters that can attract paper dust and lead to clogged cutters.

As an individual, you may wonder if you actually need to purchase a paper shredder for your own personal use. The answer is, quite simply, YES. Today's world is rife with identity theft, credit card theft and other fraudulent activities. Now is the time to invest in your privacy and security. There are many reasons to buy a paper shredder, here are just 5:

1) Identity Theft: Almost 9 million people per year have their identities stolen in the US alone, with over 50 billion dollars stolen per year. This epidemic crime can be curbed dramatically by removing the physical documentation the thieves use to get their information, and shredding has been proven to be the best way to do this.

2) Credit Card Theft: Credit card numbers and even passwords can be taken from documents in the trash. Even papers torn by hand can be easily put back together. Many thieves and drug addicts frequent personal and business trashcans and dumpsters to find this kind of information. Shredding helps ensure that this won't happen to you.

3) New Laws: A provision to the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA), requires destruction of any confidential employee information, even if you only have one employee such as a nanny or a handy man. You can open yourself up to lawsuits or even prosecution if you do not comply with these new privacy laws.

4) Recycling: Our environment is certainly a timely concern. But did you know that shredding actually facilitates recycling? As a matter of fact, you can actually be paid modestly by recycling companies for contributing to save the environment.

5) Peace of Mind: With so many risks involved in not destroying sensitive documents, buying a personal shredder is an easy call to make to give you assurance that your identity, privacy and money are secure. It's a trend for a reason, and that's because shredding works to help bring protection and security to the things most important to you. A household or office shredder is becoming as necessary as a dishwasher or refrigerator in terms of household appliances. Nothing is more important in today's age of identity theft and fraud, than protecting your identity and investment. The question is not really if you should purchase a shredder, but when. Shredders are available in a variety of price ranges, with a variety of functions, including large and small capacities, space saving units, straight or the safer, cross-shredding system and even several lines of shredders that keep style in mind. It's definitely not a "one-size-fits-all" industry, but one that conforms to the needs of consumers.