Privacy is the main reason any individual, organization or business will need a shredder. A shredder allows you to securely dispose of all private information. This information can range from bank and credit card information to employee documentation or confidential business files. Personal or private information is not secure if it is simply thrown in the trash. In fact, throwing confidential information in the trash is making your information available to the public.

It is important to note that if considering a shredder for personal use that the fastest growing consumer fraud is identify fraud. Identity fraud happens when a thief creates a "credit clone" of you using your personal information. Identity fraud is easy for perpetrators to commit. These criminals are seldom caught and reversing the damage is difficult.

There are many things to consider when purchasing a paper shredder and all the variables can seem overwhelming. After all, the privacy of your information is at stake so it is important to make the right selection. There are three main factors to consider that will help you narrow down your selection to only a few models. While making a selection, it is important to remember that your shredding volume will increase with time, so be sure to factor in growth when making a decision.

The first question you should ask when considering a shredder is: What will I be shredding?

Shredders cut paper into small, unrecognizable pieces of paper. Different shredders shred paper into different sizes of paper. The more important the document, the more important it is to use a shredder that will shred the documents into very small pieces. Therefore, if you plan to be shredding a substantial amount of highly confidential information you may want to choose a shredder that makes a cross-cut which will provide maximum security. Another attractive quality of the cross-cut shredder is that because the particles of paper are cut smaller they can be pressed more tightly together and the container will need to be emptied less often.

If you plan on using your shredder for less sensitive documentation a strip-cut shredder may be suitable. Because the paper is cut into larger strips the container will have to be emptied more often. However, because the shedder has to make fewer cuts, strip-cut shredders can shred more documents at one time than the cross-cut models.

It is also important to think about what sort of paper you will be shedding. Paper comes in many different forms. Some paper is thicker and other paper is thinner, some paper is glossy and other sheets of paper are coarse. You will want to be sure your shredder can handle the paper you will be shredding.

The second question that you will need to think about is: How often will I be using a shedder?

Think about the volume of paper the shredder will need to handle. Key characteristics to consider include the unit's paper capacity (how much paper can be fed at once) as well as its shredding speed. Shredders are not designed to operate at maximum paper capacity at all times. To avoid early breakdown, look for a shredder that can handle about 25% more paper than you need to shred at one time.

You will also need to select an appropriate shredder container. The scraps produced by a shredder can land in one of a variety of containers. Low-end shredders can drape over the edge of a standard office wastebasket while other paper shredders come with a stand that holds a plastic bag. Many shredders come equipped with their own wastebaskets. Office-grade shredders typically come with an enclosed cabinet with wheels to make it easier to roll about the office.

Overflowing bags of shredded paper are one of the most common causes of paper jams. A bin full indicator, which alerts you when a bag is full of shreds, can be a very useful feature, particularly for shredders housed in a cabinet. Replacement bags can be purchased from the shredder manufacturer or you can buy plastic bags with similar dimensions from another distributor.

There are a number of different types of shredders available. Personal size shredders can shred up to 100 sheets per day. Small office shedders shred between 400 and 2000 sheets per day. Multimedia shredders can shred between 2000 and 8000 sheets per day, Department shredders can do between 2000 and 12000 sheets per day, and High Capacity shredders can shred between 12,000 sheets to 2 tons of paper per day.

The third question to ask is: How much space do I have to store my shredder?

Shredders can be very large and heavy. If you need to take a shredder from one office to another, you may want to get a lighter shredder or one with mobile casters. If space is an issue, you may want to consider a thinner shredder that can fit into a tight space.

Another option is to consider purchasing one large shredder or several smaller shredders.
Some offices will buy one large shredder for all their shredding needs, where other offices will purchase several smaller shredders and place them throughout the office.

Article Source: http://www.my-article-dashboard.com

Thomas Jackson writes articles related to Identity Theft and the importance of paper shredding. You can read more of Thomas's articles, and see recommended products, on his website at Paper Shredder Choices located at www.papershredderchoices.info.

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