subject: Different Types of Paper Shredders [print this page] Paper shredders are commonly found in offices around the globe, however more and more they are becoming a common tool used in the everyday home. With an average of 10 million people a year becoming victims of identity theft, owning a paper shredder to destroy documents containing important personal information may a necessary precaution.
Types of paper shredders:
Strip-cut shredders: These handy paper shredders create long strips and are the most common type of shredder. It also has greater cutting ability than a cross-cutting shredder because there is less cutting being done during its process. In addition to being the most commonly used shredder it is also among the lowest in pricing. Because of it shredding in long strips the strip-cut shredder is not recommend for businesses or anyone else looking for high security protection.
Cross-cut shredders: Cross-cut shredders are designed to produce a dual cutting action. This shredder is becoming more popular for businesses because it cuts smaller particles into diamond or square shaped pieces; however it is one of the higher priced shredders. The disadvantage of this type of shredder is that it does not have the ability to shred as many pages at one time as other shredders such as the strip-cut shredder. Small model can shred up to six pages of paper while larger models made for offices have the ability to shred up to twenty pages.
Micro Cut Shredders: The difference between this shredder and the cross-cut shredder is that the micro shredder shreds materials so small they practically turn into dust. This type of shredder is best used for anyone seeking the highest level of security from a shredder, and is usually used in government office shredding.
