What Should I Look For In A Home Paper Shredder?

Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the nation affecting millions of people a year. As a result the use of home paper shredders has become a valuable aid in the fight against this crime. There are manual and automatic shredders as well as a variety of capacities, and cutting styles. This article will take a closer look at the different types of shredders and features available.

The manual desktop shredder is probably the most basic and inexpensive model. It maybe the perfect machine for you if you are looking for a desktop solution and you only have a small number of documents that contain personal information that you want to protect. It is a simple design with a convenient hand crank that advances the paper through the cutter blades. Some models feature credit card and CD disposal also.

Automatic shredders are equipped with features that add to safety and ease of operation. One popular feature is the start stop sensor that detects the presence of paper and starts the shredder motor. Many shredders also provide a buzzer and an alert light when a paper jam occurs. When paper jams do occur, which maybe frequent when shredding too many papers at once, a reverse feed switch is handy that reverses the motor and frees the jam.

As shredder technology advances more innovative features are being added for ease of operation. Some of the more expensive shredders feature racks to position plastic bags to collect waste and allow for easy disposal. Also some units feature expandable basket sides that can be adjusted to the amount of waste collected at the time.

Shredding needs of a home user may vary and the volume and frequency of use should help determine the size of the shredder that will fit your needs. For the home shredder may vary between 400 to 1000 sheets a day. All models are rated by capacity and these are only estimates to help you decide what you will need to get the job done.

When shopping for a shredder you will notice the description is given in shred size, motor horse power (H.P), feed width, sheet capacity, and waste volume in gallons.
Even high security shredding operations rule of thumb is the more confidential the information the smaller the shred size. Shred size of 1/4" is sufficient for most high security operations although 1/8" is sometimes required as a result an even smaller particle size.

The more advanced high tech automatic paper shredders were originally used in business offices but are now find common use in homes. Further features as shredding folded paper, heavier stocked paper, envelopes, CD's, and heavy gauge paper clips are in high demand by a segment of home shredders.

A home paper shredder can give you a measure of protection against identity theft. There are a variety of shredders available to you. By determining your needs, shopping wisely you will find a machine that will fill your needs and possibly protect you people who are out to steal your personal identity.