A Look at Paper Shredder Security Levels

A Look at Paper Shredder Security Levels

A Look at Paper Shredder Security Levels

When buying a paper shredder, there are a lot of things to consider such as sheet capacity, size, price, warranty, and so on. While these are all important considerations, none are more important than the machine's security rating. This designation will give you an idea of how protected your private information will be. There are 6 different security levels. Here's a look at them....

Level 1. This is the first level of shredder security and typically, only strip-cut devices come with this rating. The strips produced by a Level 1 device can be up to 1/2" thick, so this isn't a good rating if your documents need a great deal of security. However, these devices are good for junk mail and such.

Level 2. The paper bits that come out of a Level 2 machine are definitely smaller and thus, offer more security. The strips will be up to 1/4" wide while bits produced by a cross-cut device will be as small as 9/32". You can use a shredder with this security rating for personal and business documents including correspondence, bills, and even canceled checks.

Levels 3 and 4. For general everyday shredding, a Level 3 or 4 machine is just about perfect. These are mid-range shredders that will create paper particles that are up to 1/8" wide, so you'll have a great amount of protection. You can use these devices to shred bank statements, documents containing Social Security numbers, and other private bits of information that need to stay out of the public eye. These are perfect machines for both business and personal use.

Level 5. For really private information, a Level 5 shredder should be used. Normally, these machines are only available in the cross-cut variety and will turn a piece of paper into countless nieces that measure 1/16" x 5/8". Some of the shredders with this rating can destroy multimedia items (CD's, floppy disks, and so on), so they really offer a convenient, all-in-one shredding solution.

Level 6. Finally, there are Level 6 machines which, needless to say, provide all the security you could ever want. These shredders have been approved by the U.S. Department of Defense so they can be used to destroy extremely confidential documents. Devices with this rating after often used by government agencies such as the I.R.S. and the military, so that gives you some idea of how much security they offer. Shreds produced by these devices measure a tiny 1/32" x 7/16" so no one will be able to piece your documents back together and your information will stay safe.

When you're choosing your shredder, make sure you keep these security levels in mind so you'll be able to select a machine that will give you the protection you need. Just remember that Level 1 shredders provide the least amount of security while Level 6 ones provide that most. As long as you bear that in mind, you'll be able to select the device that's just right for your needs.

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