Ask Quill

Published Wednesday, April 01, 2009 12:15 AM

Shredders 

In today’s business world, having an office shredder isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity.

 

Having the right shredder in your office is the fastest and most efficient way to guard against identity theft and keep confidential business information out of the wrong hands. But before you buy, here are just a few things you need to consider:

  

Get the right power

 First things first—figure out just how much paper you’re going to shred. If it’s just a few sheets a day, a smaller shredder like the MailMate cross-cut shredder will do just fine. But if you have more than that, spend a few dollars more and get the power and capacity you need. A more powerful shredder lets you shred more sheets at once (saving you time) and won’t burn out due to overuse. 

 

Get the right cut

Just how small do you need your “shreds” to be? A strip cut shredder offers the least security (and produces a higher volume of waste) because of the design of the cut, but is perfectly acceptable for junk mail and other pieces of non-confidential information. For more security, try a cross cut model or a micro shredder like the Staples 10-sheet Micro Cut shredder—it cuts an average piece of paper into 3,700 pieces.

 

Get the right features
Some shredders are quieter than others—something to consider if you work in an open office environment. Others like the Fellowes Powershred P45C cross-cut shredder feature special jam-proof technology and enhanced safety features like automatic shut off if you fingers get too close to the paper opening.

Back to Quill.com

by tinadh
Filed under: