There are a number of things that you should take into account when selecting an office shredder, the majority of people believe that if the shredder they are considering purchasing works well, it’s all that they need to know; but this isn’t the case. There are additional requirements such as the safety of the shredder, the capacity and how efficient the shredder is at destroying your documents.
1. Security
Security can be an inconvenience, but if you choose a shredder with the ability to shred in cross-cut Vs rather than a regular straight cut it increases the chance of your personal information remaining personal. However, there are different levels of security, for instance you can also buy shredders that are capable of shredding credit/debit cards and CDs or DVDs; this would allow you to eliminate information in most physical forms.
2. Capacity
The capacity of the shredder that you’re purchasing should reflect the amount of paper and documents that you will disposing of; for instance if you’re looking to dispose of large quantities of legal documents or letters at one time you should purchase a shredder that is capable of shredding up to 20 documents at a time; whereas if you believe that you will be shredding only a couple of documents a day, a shredder with a capacity of 5-7 sheets of paper at a time would be suitable
3. Size
The size of the shredder isn’t a major concern, but should still be considered, as if on a typical day you are shredding up to 350+ sheets of paper, you will need a larger shredder, such as an industrial shredder, to avoid having to empty it several times each day. If on a typical day you’re only disposing of 100 – 150 sheets of paper a day, a personal desktop shredder would be more appropriate for your needs.
4. Safety
One of your primary concerns when procuring an office shredder should be the safety that it provides. If there are small children or pets that may come into contact with the shredder it’s recommended that you acquire a shredder that has safety features included to prevent accidents.
Some shredders come with a safety sensor which automatically shuts down the shredder when hands or fingers come too close to the paper entry point.
Another safety feature that some shredders have is a safety interlock switch. This switch ensures that the shredder will not become active when you have removed the head of the shredder to access the waste basket underneath.
One of the most common features on a shredder that increases the safety is a “safety lock”. This lock puts the shredder into an inactive mode which makes it much safer, however if a child has seen how the lock works it isn’t entirely unlikely that they won’t be tempted to imitate the adult that has been using the shredder; so it’s best to buy a shredder than has more than one safety mechanism.
5. Quality
Lastly, you should attempt to buy the best quality shredder possible within your price range. The better the quality of your shredder, the less likely it is to seize up or stop working; keep in mind the length of the warranty and other traits such as a powerful, well-built motor and a how simple the shredder is to use.
If you still aren’t certain of the right shredder for you or the features that the shredder should possess you can enquire at your local stationary shop or office suppliers for more information.