Things to Consider When Buying a Paper Shredder

What type of material will you be shredding?

There are many lots of different types and styles of paper shredders on the market and some will shred cardboard, CD's, DVD's and will happily munch their way through staples and paper clips. For most people the key requirement is that the shredder handles paper and ideally several sheets of paper at a time. Assuming your requirement is just for paper (copy bills, bank statements, credit card statements etc.) then you need to think about the following:

• How sensitive is the material?
• What type of paper will you be shredding?
• How often will you be using the shredder?
• Would you like a large or small shredder?
• How many sheets you need to shred at a time?
• What size of paper will you need to shred?

Your answers these questions will help determine which type of paper shredder is best for you.

How much money do you want to spend on a Paper Shredder?

Your budget will be a major consideration on the type and quality of paper shredder you can buy. Entry level shredders are available for around £20-£25 but these will be "personal use" shredders that are designed for occasional use and will typically only cut your documents into strips. If you want a more secure, more robust paper shredder that will have a good motor, burn-out protection and that will handle multiple sheets then expect to pay between £40 - £100.

For businesses where the load on the shredder can be hefty and frequent it's worth buying a "professional", "business use" or "heavy duty" rated paper shredder. These will cost considerably more (£200 - £500) but if you are going to use it every day then you need to buy something that is reliable and has under written warranties. Buy a well-known brand as well rather than "non-branded" cheap imports.

What Security Level do you need your Paper Shredder to Work to?

All paper shredders are given a security level rating. This defines how they shred (in strips or cross cuts) with the higher the number equating to the highest level of security. A Level 1 Paper Shredders will cut paper into strips that are 9.5mm wide whereas a Level 6 Paper Shredder will cut paper into 5mm cross cuts which makes them suitable for shredding the most sensitive of documents.