Did you know that every day, identity theft victims about 500 people? Shredding documents is the most effective approach to ensure that fraudsters do not take critical information. They can’t utilize information dumped with your trash to commit fraud or identity fraud.
Shred any paper holding sensitive or personal information, according to privacy experts.
Shredding potentially sensitive material is also an important aspect of a company’s data process management. It helps the company comply with GDPR requirements and avoid severe fines.
What are the benefits of purchasing a paper shredder?
Data security is one of the key reasons for purchasing a shredder. Whether you wish to shred personal documents at home or client information. Many people believe that GDPR applies only to electronic data, but this is not true.
GDPR requirements also apply to paper-based data, therefore it’s critical that businesses treat EU-based personal data with care.
Whether you’re a business or a consumer, our shopping guide will assist you in selecting the right paper shredder. Protecting you against identity theft and other fraudulent activities if your sensitive data falls into the wrong hands.
How a paper shredder can help you stay safe at home or at work:
Paper shredders can help you protect both your personal and commercial data.
Protect your customers’ and clients’ personal information.
Allow us to assist you in avoiding fines and legal action as a result of non-compliance with GDPR legislation.
Assist you in avoiding a data breach that could result in negative publicity and reputation damage.
It is critical that you get the appropriate shredder for your requirements. Before you go out and buy a shredder, there are a few things you should think about.
How to Choose the Best Shredder
There are numerous crucial elements to consider when choosing the best paper shredder for you. Whether you want to protect yourself or your business from identity fraud, comply with data protection legislation. You can also simply clear up clutter around your home or office. Click here for information on what to shred.
In order to find the shredder that best matches your needs, asks yourself three basic questions.
Where to use the shredder?
What is the amount of protection?
Which shredder features will make your life easier?
Where to use the Shredder?
Close-up of woman’s outstretched hand after placing documents into the shredder.
Shredders can be utilized in a variety of business and home settings. Consider how many people will be using the shredder and how much paper they will need to shred at once.
The run time of a shredder refers to how long it can keep shredding without needing to cool down. In bigger office settings, numerous individuals may be required to shred one after the other. Shredding may be less frequent at home, thus the shredder would only need to run for a few minutes.
The sheet capacity refers to the number of sheets of paper that can be shred simultaneously; the larger the sheet capacity, the faster enormous stacks of paper may be torn.
Some brands offer a wide range of strip-cut, cross-cut, and micro-cut paper shredders for a variety of applications. Including personal shredders for the home and small office, small and home office (SOHO) shredders for more frequent use.
Commercial shredders for large office environments, high-security shredders for extremely confidential shredding, and auto-feed shredders that offer a continuous feed. To go with our shredders, we also provide a selection of shredder supplies.
What Security Level Is Required?
The severity of the materials you’re shredding will determine your security requirements. Security levels are measured in DIN levels. The smaller the cut size, the stronger the protection against identity fraud. The higher the DIN Level, the smaller the cut size.
A strip-cut shredder provides rudimentary security by slicing each A4 sheet into 36 strips. Because confetti-cut bits are incredibly difficult to assemble, a cross-cut shredder would provide superior security against ID fraud.
A micro-cut shredder provides better protection for extremely secret papers. They shred one piece of paper into over 2000 pieces, making it nearly hard for identity thieves to reassemble documents.
Fellowes also offers DIN 5 and 6 shredders, which provide the highest level of security for the most sensitive data.
Which Shredder Features Make Life Easier for You?
You may then start looking at the unique features that can make the shredding process easier, faster, and safer. After you’ve chosen the essential specs to meet your usage and security requirements.
Paper jams, the number one consumer frustration while shredding. It is addressed by unique features, as well as safety for added peace of mind, and much more.
Shredder Type
Strip-cut, cross-cut, and micro-cut shredders are the three types of shredders.
Shredders that shred in strips. They’re ideal for shredding paper clips and non-confidential documents. However, keep in mind that these texts are shred vertically into very legible sections.
Shredders with a crosscut blade. Shredding sensitive documents and paper clips is a breeze with this equipment. Vertically and diagonally, the documents are shredded into little particles that are difficult to read. Typically, they shred an A4 sheet of paper into 380-400 particles.
Shredders that shred at a micron level. Shredding highly sensitive documents and credit cards have never been easier. They tear documents into incomprehensible shards. They can shred an A4 sheet of paper into 3,800-4,000 bits.
Security Level
Every shredder specification includes a security level that is assigned a DIN number. Deutsches Institut für Normung (DIN) is an acronym for Deutsches Institut für Normung.
It is an international standard for data destruction. Knowing the DIN number of the shredder you want to buy is vital since it will tell you how secure.
DIN P-1, P-2, and P-3 are the standard security levels for non-confidential data.
DIN P-4 is a high-security designation for sensitive data.
P-5, P-6, and P-7 are recommended for very sensitive data and high security.
Sheet Capacity
Closeup view of stacked white papers
The sheet capacity indicates how many sheets of paper may be fed into the shredding machine.
You may not need a shredder with a large sheet per load capacity for your home office. With light usage, 10 sheets each load should be sufficient.
Bin Capacity
It’s easy to overlook the bin capacity. But remember that a large bin means you’ll be emptying the trash less regularly.
And it can be inconvenient to be interrupted from your work to do that chore.
Runtime and Cool Downtime
It’s crucial to know how long a shredder will run will take to cool down before you buy it. It’s also crucial to look at how they’re connected.
Avoid buying a product that has a short runtime but a significant cooling period. This can lead to lengthy wait times.
High runtimes and short cooling times are common characteristics of the finest machines.
Again, knowing your usage is critical in order to select the most appropriate equipment for your requirements.
How to Take Care of Paper Shredders
It is your job to ensure that your paper shredders are functioning properly and maintained on a regular basis. Here’s how to keep your paper shredder in good working order so your company is better protected.
1. Set aside time to empty your shredder on a regular basis
After you’ve shredded your documents, commercial paper shredders have a spot where all of the strips go. You should empty your high-capacity paper shredder at least once a month, depending on how much paper your business shreds. Even if the bin isn’t full yet, this should be done. You’ll never forget to empty this vital piece of equipment if you stick to a regular routine.
2. Make sure your shredder is in good working order.
Paper dust collects in the cutting assembly of your high-security paper shredder as it shreds documents into tiny strips. Paper fragments may also become lodged in the blades, causing blockages if not removed. You will have to clean out the mess yourself if your industrial office shredder becomes clogged.
Remove the shredding assembly from the plastic bin by unplugging it and removing the shredding assembly. To access the shredder’s blades, remove the shredder’s backing. Remove any paper that may be creating the jam slowly and carefully. Shredder blades are quite sharp, so proceed with caution.
3. Keeping Your Shredders Lubricated
Paper dust and small fragments of paper gather in whirling metal blades of shredders as they chop up paper. Your safe paper shredders will shred paper slower and noisier than usual as a result of this. Oiling your paper shredder will assist if this happens.
Pour oil on paper in a zigzag pattern while oiling your shredder. Oversaturating the paper will result in a mess. After then, run this paper through your shredder. The blades will pick up a coating of oil as they chop up the paper and redistribute it.
4. Making Sure You’re Using Your Shredder Correctly
If commercial paper shredders, like all other machinery, are properly maintained, they will last longer and work at their best. Make sure the shredder isn’t overworked, meaning you’re not putting it through more volume than it can handle. Even if your shredder is a multi-page paper shredder, you must not fold the paper before putting it in.
It’s critical not to force paper into the shredder; instead, gently place the paper into the machine, and the machine will begin shredding on its own. To avoid harm, make sure all of your paper shredders are turned off when not in use.
Final Thoughts
A paper shredder is a mechanical device that shreds paper into strips or small particles. Shredders are used by government agencies, enterprises, and private persons to destroy private, confidential, or otherwise sensitive papers.
Before you buy a paper shredder, whether you’re a business or a consumer, read our buying advice.
Paper shredders like the Amazon Basics Paper Shredder are an excellent investment since they shred any sensitive documents that your firm wishes to discard. When you throw papers in the garbage, you lose your rights to privacy and ownership, which is why paper shredders are so important for record destruction.
It appears to be simple; paper shredders work by inserting a piece of paper into them. It’s devoured by the tiny teeth. It comes to a halt after the paper has been chomped through. So there you have it!
However, once you get into the logistics, it’s easy to become lost. When there is paper in the machine, how does it know? What mechanism does it use to determine when the paper is finished?
What Is a Paper Shredder and How Does It Work?
Let’s start with the basics and discuss the smaller shredders we’re used to seeing in the office. Paper is generally chopped into strips or confetti-like squares by shredders. The paper shredder usually has a receptacle or container where the shredded debris is collected.
The paper is put into a slot on the top of the bin, which is covered by a lid. Cross-cut shredders employ two sets of teeth that move in opposite directions to produce a much smaller, square particle, whereas strip-cut shredders use revolving blades to cut the paper.
When paper (or any object) comes into contact with the cutting head, a sensor activates, and the sharp teeth or knives revolve, pulling the paper into their jaws until it falls to bits in the bin.
In other words, for the device to perform correctly, the machine head must be securely in place, which is a fail-safe preventing it from turning into a land-based “Jaws” before it is properly in place.
Even more helpful, a lot of shredders have an emergency shutoff feature that allows you to turn off the power to the teeth quickly.
Do you want the king of all shredders at a low cost? Here’s a review to the Amazon Basics Shredder 15-sheet crosscut paper shredder.
You can rip paper, credit cards, even discs with it. This machine will serve you well, whether it is for personal use or for eliminating confidential papers.
The unit is strong and transforms things into 3/16-inch by 1-7/32-inch strips. However, this isn’t the only thing it can accomplish; it has a slew of other functions as well—take let’s a closer look at them.
15-Sheet Crosscut Paper Shredder from Amazon Basics
You can shred fifteen sheets of paper at once with the shredder. On the other hand, it can simultaneously rip through plastic cards and CDs.
These features are advantageous since they assist you in getting rid of recyclable clutter in your home. Because you may dispose of critical documents at home, the medium-duty machine eliminates ID theft.
It includes a 6-gallon container that is easy to remove and clean, so you may shred up to 800 pieces of paper per day. There’s no need to worry about the equipment burning out because it features a ShredSafe feature that shuts it down immediately.
You acquire a P-4 security level and can use it for a total of 20 minutes.
The standby time, overheat, overload, door open, and bin full are all indicated by LED indicators. The large pull-out basket is simple to remove and comes with casters.
Ease of Use
The AmazonBasics crosscut shredder is one of the easiest shredders to set up. All you have to do now is connect the wheels and turn it on. To turn it on, operate it in auto/forward, or reverse it for paper jams, there is a four-mode switch.
It can even be used to disintegrate staples and paper clips, giving you more time to shred and finish the job. The basket contains a window to view the state of paper on the inside, and the noise level is 66 to 68 dB.
Furthermore, a one-year warranty is included. Check out our review of the AmazonBasics 12 Sheet Micro Cut High-Security Paper Shredder.
Shred Type & Size: Cross-cut, 3/16 x 1-27/32-Inch (5 x 47 mm)
Item Dimensions: 11 x 14.4 x 20.9 inches
Item Weight: 22 lbs
Sheet Capacity: 15 Sheets of 20 lb. bond paper
Paper Shred Size: 3/16 in. x 1 7/32 in. pieces
Paper Feed Entry Width: 4.7 mm x 31 mm pieces/ 8.7 in. (22.0 cm)
Credit Card & CD Capacity: 1 at a time
Duty Cycle: 20 min. on / 45 min. off
Voltage: 120V~60Hz / 4.0 A
Pros:
It is a quiet machine.
Paper is shredded into small pieces.
The feeding opening isn’t large enough to shred your fingers, but it may be used with a shredder bag.
Works quickly and is simple to use.
Durable
Affordable
Cons:
Paper adheres to the cogs near the machine’s exit, making it messy.
After being opened, the bin is difficult to close.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is lube included with this shredder?
No, the lubricant is not included with this shredder. It is, however, very simple to oil. To oil your shredder, you can purchase paper shredder oil or lubricant sheets.
Can I use vegetable oil to lubricate my shredder?
Yes, you can use vegetable oil as a lubricant to keep your shredder running smoothly. Another tip is to take a couple of sheets and drench them in vegetable oil. Allow it to soak for a few minutes.
Then, in the shredder, shred the sheets. As a result, you can easily and effectively oil your shredder.
Is it necessary to remove staples from the paper before recycling it?
Staples, bulldog clips, paper clips, treasury tags, and other metal stationery that keep documents together do not need to be removed. Papers can be shredded without being pre-treated.
Shredding one sheet at a time takes a long time. It could also result in a data breach. The AmazonBasics 15-sheet cross-cut Paper Shredder can shred documents with staples, bulldog clips, paper clips, treasury tags, or other metal stationery.
Is it simple to empty it? Is there shredded paper all over the place?
Yes, emptying this shredder is a breeze. And don’t worry about the shredded papers; they’ll all go into the bin.
Is the voltage required 110 volts or 220 volts?
It needs 11 volts.
Is it possible to shred cardboard in this shredder?
It is dependent on the cardboard thickness. However, despite having a 15-sheet shredding capacity, it is not suggested because this shredder is not designed to shred cardboard.
Keeping Your Paper Shredder in Good Condition
Some modest maintenance chores can be used to maintain your paper shredder functioning at top performance and to prevent needless or premature wear to the motor and components.
In principle, these guidelines apply to all paper shredders, whether they are small personal shredders or massive industrial shredders. It doesn’t matter what sort of shredder you have, what brand you have — basic maintenance may make a big difference in performance and equipment longevity.
Make sure your shredder is well lubricated.
Another vital maintenance step to keep your shredder working at its best is to oil it. You wouldn’t drive a car or operate machinery if the vital components were not adequately oiled, and you shouldn’t use a shredder either.
Excess heat can be generated without lubrication, and blades might rub against each other more harshly. Shredders that are properly oiled are quieter, run smoother, and put less strain on the engine and cutting cylinders.
Oiling a shredder can be done in a variety of ways, so pick one that works best for you.
Always Check the Manuals
Check your user handbook as well, as there may be a specific method recommended for that equipment, which should always be your first choice. You may also lookup the suggested oil change frequency in your owner’s manual. When your bin is full and has to be emptied, a good general rule of thumb is to grease it.
Some shredders, such as tiny cross cuts, may require more frequent oiling than others, such as strip cuts. If you notice your paper shredder working slower than usual, producing strange noises, or straining to shred, it’s past its oiling due date.
Keep your Shredder Clean
A paper shredder in a commercial context should be cleaned every month or so, depending on the volume of use. Individuals who use a personal shredder infrequently may find that once every few months or perhaps once a year is sufficient.
Cleaning your shredder is straightforward and just requires a few steps to remove the stuck paper from the cutting cylinders. This will help the blades last longer by keeping them sharp and free of debris.
It will also clear paper dust build-up, which may not be apparent but can harm your shredder if it accumulates too thickly. Not to add that paper dust is harmful to one’s health.
Don’t Overload your Shredder
You may have considered the shredding capacity before purchasing your shredder. Keep in mind that this is the highest capacity it can handle at any given moment, and it’s usually based on thin copy paper stocks. It’s never a good idea to run your shredder at full capacity all of the time.
As you can expect, driving an automobile at high speed all of the time would quickly wear down your engine. The same may be said about office equipment, such as shredders.
While it may be capable of handling X sheets each pass, this does not imply that you should constantly run X sheets. Allow your machine to cool down after shredding a large number of pages in a batch.
Final Thoughts
The Amazon Basics Shredder provides secure shredding with superior security features. You have a constant reverse auto-feed that you can employ with a forward function if necessary.
When the basket is pulled out, it has rollers on the back that slot into the tracks and holds it in a straight path. The big viewing window allows you to see if the basket is full, and the indicator light is also helpful.
So, if you’re looking for a low-noise machine to shred paper and other materials, this is the type to acquire. If you want more specifications and technical details, a user guide will be more useful.
Your confidential documents falling into the wrong hands is the last thing you will not want to happen. What if an unauthorized individual gained access to your account or bank details, personal information, residential address, credit card information, and other sensitive data?
You’d be devastated if you didn’t feel insecure. Many people, however, put themselves at risk by inappropriately disposing of bank statements, credit cards, bank cards, and other materials. They rip or tear them into big pieces, revealing the majority of the information. Some will attempt to burn them, but this will not always result in a full burn.
Despite society’s tremendous technological advancements, 73 percent of businesses with fewer than 500 employees still print papers at least four times per day.
Benefits of Paper Shredders
Many of these documents contain confidential or sensitive information, such as client account information or office information. These pages should not be thrown away in the trash, but where should they be instead?
Although paper shredding may not appear to be the most spectacular solution, the advantages it gives to individuals and businesses are far too valuable to be disregarded.
By selecting a reputable shredding machine, you can ensure that the documents are sliced into the tiniest bits and fragments and are impossible to reassemble.
Reduce Safety Risks
A few sheets of paper might not seem like much of an issue, but what about rows of filing cabinets loaded to the brim with documents? Storing these documents – simply because you don’t know how to get rid of them properly or effectively.
It might not only take up valuable floor space, but it also poses a safety risk. Employees may be compelled to navigate a maze of cabinets in an emergency, or they may run into mounds of documents or rubbish cans that should have been temporary.
Paper shredding quickly and securely removes these obstacles.
Certain professions, like law and medicine, have nationally mandated obligations when it comes to the secure disposal of personal data.
A professional paper shredding service ensures that you and your company comply with HIPAA regulations and that papers are disposed of appropriately for their information and physical makeup.
Boost Workplace Productivity
Individually shredding documents in-house causes a slew of issues, the most serious of which is the frequent disturbance of your staff’s work schedules. When journeys to and from the workplace shredder suck up crucial minutes, it’s difficult to stay focused on a task.
Hours per week could be wasted on an unproductive task over time. Outsourcing the labor allows your firm to recoup that time and focus on completing assignments on time.
Saves Money
Standard office shredders are costly to purchase and may require considerably more costly repairs if they break down unexpectedly. When you consider the value of staff efforts, the result is completely inefficient, costing you up to $6,600 each year.
Professional shredders are extremely cost-effective in terms of both money and time, and you’ll get a quick return on your investment because you’ll be able to continue working uninterrupted.
Automation in the Office
When we talk about office automation, we don’t just mean the automation that comes from the usage and installation of machines.
Bonsaii EverShred Review
Are you seeking a paper shredder that can handle medium-duty jobs? It’s not going to be light. And it shouldn’t be so expensive that you can’t afford it. You want something that offers a lot of value while remaining reasonable.
Look no further. The machine you’re looking for is the Bonsaii EverShred C149-C 18-sheet cross-cut shredder. I don’t want to give anything away, but there’s a one-hour runtime, 18 sheets every pass, a 6-gallon wastebasket, and casters below!
It’s a Cross-cut Shredder
Identity theft has progressed in sophistication. It has gone digital, just like everything else. The high-tech trash diver can retrieve all the information you thought you had safely shredded with good computer software.
If you use a strip-cut shredder, that is. Strip-cutting shreds paper into strips the length of the paper. Even without the computer application, a dumpster digger with tenacity could piece the records together after days of tedious work.
However, you may put your fears to rest by purchasing the Bonsaii EverShred C149-C 18-Sheet Crosscut Shredder.
Paper isn’t torn into strips in cross-cut shredders. They rip in a cross-sectional direction. Paper is shredded into confetti-like particles by the cross-cut. Is it any surprise, then, that it’s known as the confetti shredder?
This machine produces shred pieces that are 14 inches by 1-23/50 inches in size.
It’s impossible for an experienced con artist to decipher anything from such small fragments. The shredder ensures that your shredded documents have a high level of security.
Multi-purpose Shredder
This shredder will also accommodate you if you have information stored on CDs. CDs, DVDs, and credit cards will all be shredded.
So you can get all those CDs and outdated credit cards out of the cupboards and boxes of crap you’ve been hoarding.
Loads 18 sheets
Single digits per load will be achieved by smaller shredders. When you use the Bonsaii EverShred C149-C 18-Sheet Cross-cut Shredder, you can load up to 18 sheets each batch for shredding.
As a result, the shredder is excellent for use in an office setting. You’ll be able to quickly get through a large stack of documents with 18 pages per pass, allowing you to focus on more important tasks.
60 Minutes Run Time
Many shredders for the home office feature a four-minute duration. You’ll get 15 times more runtime with the Bonsaii EverShred C149-C 18-Sheet Crosscut Shredder. Consider that for a moment. The shredder has been operating nonstop for an hour.
By the way, those four-minute shredders typically take thirty to forty minutes to cool down. So, with this shredder, you can do in eight minutes what would have taken the other shredder three-quarters of an hour.
Your productivity will soar to new heights. A 60-minute runtime allows you to shred a significant amount of material in a short amount of time, with 18 sheets per load.
If you’ve been worried about how much time the workplace paper shredder queues are taking away from your core business, the Bonsaii EverShred C149-C 18-Sheet Cross-cut Shredder will help.
The engine of a paper shredder will overheat if it is used excessively. This will eventually have an impact on the performance and longevity of your paper shredder. Monitoring and controlling how you use the machine is one approach to avoid this.
The Bonsaii EverShred C149-C 18-Sheet Cross-cut Shredder is another option. The complex controls on this shredder are protected from overheating by a proprietary cooling system.
You will be anxiety-free with this shredder. There are none of the nagging uncertainties or anxieties that come with inferior electrical items.
Quiet Operation
Most shredders have a noise level of over 70 decibels, so 62 decibels is quite low. The quiet motor that dampens the grinding and shredding noise is responsible for this.
For a home office, loud shredders are acceptable. If you’re looking for something for a regular office, however, you’ll want something quiet.
The productivity of an information worker is negatively impacted by loud noises. To fully reflect on challenges and exercise imagination to come up with innovative answers, you need silence.
The Bonsaii EverShred C149-C 18-Sheet Cross-cut Shredder will blend in without drawing attention to itself in the office. With a continuous playtime of 60 minutes, it’s no surprise they had to make it extremely silent!
Jam- Proof System
Shredders, by jamming frequently, unintentionally lead to low output. If you manage a business or an office, you’ll want something that boosts productivity rather than depletes it.
Examine the warning lights. These can sometimes indicate whether the bin is full, jammed, or simply hot. Unplug the machine for an hour to allow it to cool down before plugging it back in and testing with one sheet.
Whenever you open the shredder, turn it off and unplug it.
Empty the trash can.
Restart the shredder and change the direction to reverse. This can help you get out of a jam.
If it becomes stuck in reverse, gradually shift it to forward or auto.
Changing directions a few times may help you get out of a bind.
Using tweezers or a pair of pliers, clean out the blades. Only use your hands if you’re certain the shredder’s power has been turned off and the unit has been disconnected. (Many shredders have a safety feature for the top, but none for the bottom, which contains the blades.) If necessary, use a flashlight.
Remove jammed plastic from a credit card or CD with pliers.
Cut through the loops and pull out each piece of looped paper jam.
Always pull slowly and steadily, rather than yanking.
As a test, run through a reduced paper load.
Use a single sheet of heavy cardstock and cautiously push it through a 7-page shredder or higher if the blades are slowly moving.
Final Thoughts
If you run a small business from home or in an office, you’ll need a shredder that can handle the volume of documents you need to shred. Personal information destruction is critical for both you and your clients, so you’ll need a machine that can perform the job.
This shredder is ideal for use in the home office. It’s also perfect for a small to medium-sized office. Most of us are seeking features like a high level of security, a lengthy runtime, an 18-sheet per pass capacity, and a quiet engine in a good office shredder.
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Having the Best Home Paper Shredder on hand in any home office is crucial, whether you work from home every day or simply get a lot of junk mail that quickly piles up. Keeping your office or work environment clean is essential for feeling productive and organized. But keeping it clean is difficult when there is clutter and outdated paperwork strewn around.
It’s critical to understand your alternatives before deciding which paper shredder is ideal for your needs. If you’re looking for a shredding machine for work, considerations like noise and security should be taken into account.
If the shredder will be used within your home, however, size, price, and safety aspects may be more important (especially if you have children or pets roaming around).
Strip-cut, cross-cut, and micro-cut are the three basic types of shredding machines. Strip-cut models produce lengthy strips and are the least secure, whereas cross-cut versions produce smaller strips and are regarded middle-of-the-road in terms of security.
Micro-cut shredders are the safest since they shred documents into small, confetti-like fragments. The micro-cutting procedure is slower, but if document security is a necessity, the extra effort is worth it.
How Paper Shredder Works
It appears to be simple; paper shredders work by inserting a piece of paper into them. It’s devoured by the tiny teeth. It comes to a halt after the paper has been chomped through. So there you have it!
However, once you get into the details, it’s easy to become lost. When there is paper in the machine, how does it know? What mechanism does it use to determine when the paper is finished? If it had the chance, would it do the same thing to — say — my hair?
Basic Small Shredders
Let’s start with the basics and discuss the smaller shredders we’re used to seeing in the office. Paper is generally chopped into strips or confetti-like squares by shredders. The paper shredder usually has a receptacle or container where the shredded debris is collected.
The paper is put into a slot on the top of the bin, which is covered by a lid. Cross-cut shredders use two sets of teeth that rotate in opposite directions to produce a much smaller, square particle. Strip-cut shredders use rotating knives to cut the paper, whereas cross-cut shredders use two sets of teeth that rotate in opposite directions to produce a much smaller, square particle.
When paper (or any object) comes into contact with the cutting head, a sensor activates, and the sharp teeth or knives revolve, pulling the paper into their jaws until it falls to bits in the bin.
Keep in mind that there are additional sensors on the bottom of the lid that is activated when the machine is placed on top of the bin; these bottom sensors activate the sensors that rotate the teeth when the machine is placed on top of the bin.
Why Do We Need Paper Shredding?
For the safe storage of confidential and sensitive information, paper shredding or document destruction is essential. Bills, financial statements, marketing strategies, employee files, and even delivery parcels are examples of confidential data that most of us create and store.
Conformity to the Law
We all have the right to have our personal information protected. In reality, there exist regulations that make it illegal to dispose of documents that contain sensitive or confidential information.
Organizations that collect and store personal data but fail to protect it suffer financial and legal repercussions. Employers, for example, use paper shredding services to dispose of no longer needed employee files.
Mother Nature’s Preservation
To create paper, a large number of trees are felled. People argue for a “paperless world,” with the paper being used only as a last resort, in order to maintain forests.
The practice of sustainable farming provides a solution to the paper industry’s requirement for raw materials. Another approach to saving forests is to reuse and recycle strips and fragments from paper shredding machines.
Identity theft is a common occurrence, and with the introduction of the Internet, it is becoming a greater menace. A delivery box containing a name and address that hasn’t been properly disposed of can be a security risk.
To prevent identity theft and fraud, it is deemed “best practice” for organizations and individuals to utilize a paper shredder and comparable equipment.
Best Home Paper Shredder 2021
A good paper shredder is vital for keeping sensitive information confidential — and for your own peace of mind — whether you’re buying one for the office or for your home. While we’ve written about a variety of office supplies, we’ve compiled a list of the top paper shredders, as rated by Amazon’s most ardent reviewers.
The Aurora AU1800XA 18-sheet Crosscut paper/ CD/ credit card shredder with a 6.0-gallon pullout bin is the ideal equipment for protecting your identity in the office or at home. The AU1800XA shreds up to 18 sheets of paper at once into small bits (5/32 by 1-7/32 inches), with a security rating of P-4.
The AU1800XA shreds CDs, DVDs, and credit cards in addition to paper, preventing sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands. The shredder’s throat is 8.7 inches wide and equipped with casters for convenient portability.
Features:
CDs, DVDs, credit cards, and little paper clips are all destroyed by this crosscut with 18 sheet capacity.
Security level P-4, shreds paper, CDs, DVDs, and credit cards into small bits (5/32 by 1-7/32 inches).
Time to run nonstop for 30 minutes
Anti-jam Auto-reverse function to clear paper jams; extremely silent operation
LED indicator lights on a 6.0-gallon pullout bin Status: Standby/Overheat/Bin-Full/Overload/Door Open
Performance
The Aurora AU1800XA is an 18-Sheet Cross-Cut Paper, CD, and Credit Card Shredder that is extremely silent. The shredder was created with small offices and families in mind. This is the shredder for you if you want to shred important documents without making a lot of noise.
It also includes a huge waste container and an auto-start mode that allows you to begin shredding right away. For everyone who wishes to keep their sensitive documents safe, we believe it’s a terrific value.
While it may not be powerful enough for large organizations, this shredder is ideal for most home users. Anyone who wishes to protect their personal information from identity theft should use it.
Product Specifications:
Sheet Capacity: 18 sheet
Shred Type: Crosscut
Shred Size: 5/32″ x 1-7/32″
Security Level” P-4
Shreds: CDs, DVDs, credit cards, stapes, small paper clips
Continous Run time: 30 minutes
Bin Capacity: 6 gallons
Bin Type: Pullout Bin
Features: ShredSafe, LED indicators, Anti-Jam, Quiet Operation, Casters
Dimensions: 22x16x13 inches
Weight: 23 lbs
Where to buy Aurora AU1800XA Anti-Jam 18-Sheet Crosscut Shredder
#2 Amazon Basics 15-Sheet Cross-Cut Paper Shredder
The AmazonBasics 15 Sheet Shredder has a 15 sheet capacity with a cross-cut design. These guys take strip shredders a step further by cutting them diagonally or across the grain. You’ll either have small squares or diamond-shaped scraps of paper leftover.
Shredding sizes range from 3/8″ to 1/32″ broad and come in a variety of lengths. Of course, from a security aspect, the smaller the size, the better. These are the most common and readily available shredders. Best for personal or small business use. It also has a P-4 security rating.
When you need to get rid of financial documents or other very sensitive information, you’ll need to go to Level 4. These cuts are typically 1/16″ x 5/8″ in dimension. This shredder is likewise rather small. It is 11 x 14.4 x 20.9 inches in size.
It can simply be tucked away beneath a desk or in a corner, out of sight and mind. That is until you actually need it. It comes with a 6-gallon collecting bin, which is quite large for a personal shredder.
Features
The AmazonBasics 15 Sheet Shredder has a lot of conventional features, but that doesn’t make them any less useful. To begin, this shredder can shred multimedia files. So you may safely and promptly dispose of all of your unwanted CDs, DVDs, and old credit cards.
While there is no dedicated multimedia slot, it does imply that CDs and other media should be inserted in the middle of the hole. One of the benefits of this product is that it is jam-free. The 4 mode switch, which is placed at the top of the shredder, helps to do this in part.
Auto, off, reverse, and forward are the four modes. Even when shredding with devices that have these modes, paper clogs are still common, and the reverse/forward function doesn’t help much.
Nonetheless, it is unquestionably useful in the event of a minor snarl. However, one unique characteristic of the auto mode is that it also offers auto-reverse.
When it detects a jam, it immediately reverses the blades, allowing the paper to exit through the top.
Emptying the Bin
Remember how the AmazonBasics 15 Sheet Shredder has a massive 6-gallon bin? The method for emptying the bin, on the other hand, is incredibly user-friendly. You may remove the bin and change the bag through a door that you can access.
There’s no need to take off the top and get your fingers close to the blades. It’s quite safe and simple. When it comes to user-friendliness, this shredder has a lot more to offer. It’s not only small, but it also has wheels for simple storage and transportation. In addition, there are five caution lights on the device’s top.
Standby, overheat overload, open door, and full bin. When you combine it with a 20-minute continuous run time, you’ve got one of the most user-friendly shredders you’ll ever see.
Product Specifications:
Shred Type & Size: Cross-cut, 3/16 x 1-27/32-Inch (5 x 47 mm)
Item Dimensions: 11 x 14.4 x 20.9 inches
Item Weight: 22 lbs
Sheet Capacity: 15 Sheets of 20 lb. bond paper
Paper Shred Size: 3/16 in. x 1 7/32 in. pieces
Paper Feed Entry Width: 4.7 mm x 31 mm pieces/ 8.7 in. (22.0 cm)
Credit Card & CD Capacity: 1 at a time
Duty Cycle: 20 min. on / 45 min. off
Voltage: 120V~60Hz / 4.0 A
Where to buy Amazon Basics 15-Sheet Cross-Cut Paper Shredder
#3 Fellowes Powershred 99Ci Jam-Proof Cross-Cut Paper Shredder
The Fellowes Powershred 99Ci Jam-Proof Cross-Cut Paper Shredder is a fantastic paper shredder for a micro-office or small workforce. It’s known for its beautiful crosscut paper shredding and long durability.
The Powershred 99ci has been connected with speed and efficiency by most users of this shredder in any business.
Performance
The Fellowes 99ci paper shredder is large and heavy, making it difficult to transfer from one location to another. It comes with four canisters that are used to mount and transport it.
It’s also a tall and substantial machine. As a result, this shredder takes up a lot of room and cannot be stored under a desk. This isn’t ideal for a micro-office, because most of them are cramped.
The Fellows 99ci shredder shreds at an extremely high pace, which makes it suitable for persons who shred hundreds of pages per day. It can shred up to 180 pages in a minute. This is near twice the speed of the majority of shredders on the market.
The Fellowes shredder 99ci’s bin is a pull-out bin, making it much easier to empty. It also comes with LED lights that illuminate when the bin is full. This means you won’t have to waste time monitoring if it’s full or emptying it on a regular basis.
The lights on the Fellowes paper shredder 99ci warn you when the blades are overheated. This is extremely beneficial to the shredder’s output and longevity. It also aids in recognizing when the equipment has to be turned off.
Safety Sensor
An automated safety sensor is included in this shredder. This means that if your fingers get too close to the cutting blades, the machine will stop down immediately. This is critical for avoiding accidents.
It’s extremely rare to come across a jammed Fellowes 99ci shredder. However, if this happens, the machine contains a vital reverse button that allows you to correct any blade jams. It isn’t completely jam-proof, but it comes close.
Product Specifications:
Shred Type: Cross-Cut
Shred Width: 5/32″ x 1-1/2″
Shreds: CDs/DVDs, credit cards, paper clips, staples, junk mail
Continuous Run Time: 30
Cool Down Time: 45
Bin Type: Pull-out Bin
Usage Level: 1-5
Noise Level: 63 dB
Features: 100% Jam Proof, SafeSense, SilentShred, Energy Savings System
Dimensions: 19.69 x 14.56 x 27.56 inches
Item Weight: 36.4 pounds
Where to buy Fellowes Powershred 99Ci Jam-Proof Cross-Cut Paper Shredder
Are you seeking a paper shredder that can handle medium-duty jobs? It’s not going to be light. And it shouldn’t be so expensive that you can’t afford it. You want something that offers a lot of value while remaining reasonable.
Look no further. The machine you’re looking for is the Bonsaii EverShred C149-C 18-sheet cross-cut shredder. I don’t want to give anything away, but there’s a one-hour runtime, 18 sheets every pass, a 6-gallon wastebasket, and casters below!
The Bonsaii C149-C is a heavy-duty machine that can run for up to an hour without stopping.
Performance
This cross-cutter can cut 18 paper sheets in small pieces of 5 x 40 mm in one pass, thanks to an Advanced Cooling System and unique Bonsaii Cutting Technology. The device’s cutting speed is 1.6 meters per minute, and it can chew down credit cards, CDs, and staples.
Its pullout basket has a capacity of 23L and requires less frequent emptying. The glass window in this canister allows you to see when the bin is full.
The gadget has four feeding casters and weighs 10.75 kg. The auto-start and reverse functions on the C149-C prevent the machine from paper jams. According to a decibel rating, its noise level is 62 dB, with 60 dB equaling a normal conversation.
Each shredder has a distinct level of protection, ranging from P1 to P7 (the best security). This model has a P3 level, which means it produces long striped paper.
Pros:
Operation is quiet and quick.
Various materials are cut.
The motor’s duty cycle has been extended.
Patented Cutting Technology and an Advanced Cooling System
Large capacity bins
The casters make feeding the paper a breeze.
Cons:
The input slot is a pain to use.
The cuts are excessively large.
The plastic basket is of low quality.
Because the device is short, users must bend over it.
The Aurora AU1000MA shredder has made shredding huge documents into small pieces a lot easier. The AU1000MA variant has a ten-sheet capacity and is available on the market.
The shredded papers may be easily handled thanks to the pull-out bin. The AU1000MA model, on the other hand, has a standard storage capacity of 5 gallons.
The built-in cutters on this product perform a great job with the documents. Another amazing feature of the Aurora Shredder is that it is energy efficient. Because of Shredsafe technology, you will not have any accidents. Aside from that, when the shredder reaches maximum capacity, it stops working.
The Aurora AU1000MA Shredder has a run time of 12 minutes, which is significantly longer than other high-end shredders. An LED indication is also included with this micro-cut paper shredder.
The Fellowes 62MC comes with a variety of features. One variant includes casters, while the other does not. The 62MC model enables cutting ten sheets into micro-cut particles much easy.
This machine can also be used to destroy credit cards and staples. This provides additional security thanks to the safety-lock feature.
Furthermore, due to the 62MC model’s quiet functioning, you won’t have to deal with any noise disturbances. It also comes with a 5-gallon easy-to-empty container.
Plus, the 5-gallon garbage bin contributes to a clean and tidy environment. Appreciation for the movable casters, which provide excellent movement.
Additionally, the Fellowes 62MC offers a 7-minute continuous run time. When the Fellowes 62MC’s bin is full, the little window on the front end will let you know.
Pros:
Remove any distracting noises.
Comes with a safety lock feature
Garbage can that pulls out
Comes with casters
Durable
Cons:
The design is simplistic and the shred bin is small.
The Fellowes Powershred 79ci cross-cut shredder is a fantastic paper shredder that can be used at home or in the office.
Most consumers have been impressed by the Fellowes Powershred 79ci 16-sheet paper shredder and how well it appears to perform its functions, particularly in terms of security and confidentiality.
Performance
The 79Ci’s rated speed of 10 feet per minute, which is average for a document scanner, was met. The Staples 16-Sheet High-Speed Cross-Cut Shredder ($199.99 at Quill) is the fastest we’ve tested, clocking in at 14.7 pages per minute.
Fellowes claims that the 79Ci can shred for 20 minutes before requiring a 30-minute cool-down, whilst the Fellowes 73Ci can shred for only 10 minutes before requiring a 20-minute cool-down.
The Ativa Professional Plus HDPro 2000 ($279.99 at Office Depot® & OfficeMax®) is more expensive than the 79Ci, but it can shred for up to 2 hours before needing to cool down.
Jam Proof Shredder
The Fellowes 79Ci is advertised as a jam-proof shredder, however it doesn’t quite live up to that claim. It has a capacity of shredding up to 16 letter-size sheets at once. You should pay attention to the red warning light if you want to keep the 79Ci from jamming.
This is a cross-cut shredder, which shreds paper into shreds that are significantly shorter than the length of the paper. They were roughly 0.16 by 1.3 inches in size, which is small enough to destroy any but the most sensitive documents.
Speed of Shredding
The Fellowes 79ci paper shredder shreds at an excellent rate. This is beneficial since you can shred in a short amount of time and get back to doing other things.
This shredder is simple to operate. It takes very little time to set up and is not at all difficult.
The Fellowes 79ci shredder offers all of the functions that one would expect from a shredder of this caliber. Its reverse function, pullout bin, and other features make it a very appealing machine.
Safety Feature
The Fellowes ps 79ci is a machine that is extremely safe to operate. It comes with a built-in safe sense feature. When hands get too close to the shredder’s aperture, it stops working immediately. This is a fantastic feature, especially in a family-friendly region.
Pros:
It’s really easy to use and comprehend.
It has the ability to shred CDs.
Shreds at a fast rate.
It is risk-free.
Cons:
It isn’t completely jam-proof.
The lid is too hefty.
It is difficult to move.
Product Specifications:
Manufacturer: Fellowes
Shred Type: Cross-Cut
Shred Width: 5/32″x1-1/2″
Shreds: CDs/DVDs, credit cards, paper clips, staples
Continuous Run Time: 10
Cool Down Time: 20
Bin Capacity: 6 gallons
Bin Type: Pull-Out Bin
Usage Level: 1
Noise Level: 56 dB
Dimensions: 20.25 x 16.25 x 11.63 inches
Item Weight: 31.7 pounds
Where to buy Fellowes Powershred 79ci Cross-cut Shredder
Paper shredders are a must-have for both homes and businesses. They enable users to protect their privacy and security by disposing of sensitive materials in a way that prevents identity theft and other data misuse.
Shredders can provide a solid line of protection for enterprises against customer data breaches. Here’s all you need to know about selecting the best shredder for your requirements.
How to Select the Most Appropriate Paper Shredder for Your Needs
Knowing how to identify the different types of paper shredders is a good place to start when looking for a new shredder. However, you must think about more than the planned setting or cut type.
Consider the following factors when selecting a paper shredder that meets your requirements.
The quantity and frequency of use
If you just shred a few pieces of paper once or twice a week, your shredder requirements are very different from those of a company that processes hundreds of sheets per day or big stacks of paper in a single sitting.
Consider the following factors to help you choose the best solution for you:
How often do you intend to use the shredder?
The kinds of materials you’ll be shredding (different paper thicknesses, glossy paper, credit cards, CDs, stuffed envelopes, stapled documents, stacks of papers versus single sheets, etc.)
How much shredding do you usually do in a single sitting?
The “continuous run time” of a shredder affects how long it can be used before needing to cool down, which might take anywhere from 20 to 90 minutes. If you plan on shredding huge batches at once, choose a shredder with a long continuous run time.
Whether you expect your business to expand (and its shredding needs to grow with it)
If you plan on using the shredder regularly and/or shredding large amounts of paper, it’s a good idea to seek for a model that guarantees quick processing so no one on your team wastes hours every day at the shredder.
Maintenance
Cleaning and oiling the shredder on a regular basis, as well as emptying the bag on a regular basis, are standard shredder maintenance tasks; however, most shredders require very little of this.
However, the maintenance requirements of the shredders are influenced by the bin that retains the bag. Bins are available in two styles: drawer style (which can be pulled out from under the shredder) and bucket style (which cannot be pulled out from under the shredder).
Because they can be removed without needing to elevate the shredder, drawer styles are usually easier to empty. Look for a large enough bin that you won’t have to empty in the middle of each shredding session if you intend to process a lot of paper.
Security
If you often shred highly sensitive documents (such as those containing employee or customer information), the sort of cut you use should reflect this. Because the long strips can be stitched back together, strip cuts are the least secure.
Cross-cuts add a layer of security by cutting papers both vertically and horizontally, but they might still be stitched together by someone with a lot of spare time. Micro-cuts provide the highest level of protection because piecing together such small parts would be nearly impossible.
Price
Lower capacity shredders for home usage or seldom workplace use are, predictably, less expensive than shredders meant to process higher volumes. You get what you pay for, of course: These shredders can’t compete with higher-end shredders in terms of speed, processing capacity, or special features.
While finding a shredder that suits your budget is vital, don’t skimp on the features your organization requires to shred documents efficiently and without severe issues.
Additional Features
Aside from shredding, modern paper shredders include a slew of other characteristics. Safety sensors, warning lights for when the bin is full, automatic cleaning cycles, reverse feeds (for jam removal), power-saving modes, noise reduction, and other features are included.
First, do some research to be sure your shredder has the functionality you want and need.
Once you’ve found the perfect shredder for your needs, read the owner’s instructions to ensure proper operation and maintenance. Maintaining your paper shredder will ensure that it continues to serve your office for many years.
Final Thoughts
A reliable paper shredder is vital for keeping sensitive information confidential — and for your own peace of mind — whether you’re buying one for business or at home.
We hope that our reviews and buyer’s guide will assist you in selecting the best paper shredder for your needs.
