Security level
There are two types of shred - strip cut (low security) or cross cut (high security). A strip cut shredder
is a good start if you're just destroying every day information. We recommend using a cross cut shredder
for anything more confidential, such as bank statements.
Once you have decided whether you need a strip cut or cross cut shredder, you have a choice of security level 1-6. Level 1 is for very
basic shredding and only really applies to strip cut shredders. The higher the security level, the smaller each piece of shredded
document will be. Very high security shredders will cut the paper into pieces as small as 0.8 x 11mm (so an A4 sheet will be converted into over 7,000 pieces!)
More information on security levels
Ad-hoc or bulk shredding
Ad-hoc shredding
If you find that you only have the odd bank statement here and there that you need to shred, then you won't need
to invest in a large shredder with a huge daily capacity. There are many light use shredders which still offer a
good level of security.
Bulk shredding
If you store your documents and then shred all at once, or just have a lot to shred on a regular basis, you'll need
to look for something with a higher capacity per day. Some shredders offer an automatic feeder, so you can load
up to 500 sheets at a time and leave it shredding - giving you time to do other things.
Bin capacity
If you're shredding a lot of paper, the last thing you need is to have to empty the basket every 5 minutes. Using
our shredder selector you can search
for shredders based on the minimum basket volume.
One thing to bear in mind is that the higher the security level (ie the smaller the pieces of paper are shredded into)
the less basket volume will be taken up.
Location of shredder
If you decide that a large shredder is needed, make sure you have space for it! The dimensions of each shredder
are listed on the products page.
A large proportion of shredders are designed to sit on or beneath a desk - if you're only shredding from time to time
why not tuck the shredder away?
Noise levels
If the shredder is going to be situated in a busy office environment, you may not be too popular if you're constantly shredding documents.
To address this issue, there are shredders available with ultra quiet operation, such as the Fellowes MicroShred 460Cs or the Rexel Promax V65 Whisper.
Still unsure?
We're here to help - so contact us for further assistance!
