01 Feb Which Shredder is Right for You?
Not all shredders are created equally, nor do they need to be. In fact, there are a variety of shredders, each designed for jobs of varying sizes and security. So, how do you decide the right shredder for your application?
The best way is to determine your security needs, the volume of shredding you need to complete, and the amount of money you are willing to spend on your job. Here are a few of the most common shredder types and what jobs they are best suited for.
Strip-Cut Shredders
Strip-cut shredders are the most recognized type. You’ve probably seen them on TV or in a movie – small, standalone appliances that produce spaghetti-like strips of paper. While convenient, these shredders are also the lease secure (that’s why the onscreen detectives can always tape the shreds back together). This type of shredder is often found in households and small offices and is used for simple, everyday shredding. They are the most economical choice but are also the lowest security option, only shredding paper into about 40 pieces.
Cross-Cut / Super Cross-Cut Shredders
For added security while still staying economical, you may want a cross-cut shredder. These shredders can cut a single piece of paper 10 to 20 times more than a strip-cut shredder. Documents are cut diagonally from both directions, resulting in significantly smaller paper particles. While the added security of the cross-cut makes them a great choice for emails or other non-sensitive personal information, they do often require more maintenance, including regular oiling. Super cross-cut shredders function in the same fashion as their cross-cut counterparts, but with a finer cutting level.
Micro-Cut Shredders
The next level up in security is the micro-cut shredder. As the name suggests, paper is shredded into nearly 2,000 “microscopic” pieces. The paper particles from micro-cut shredders are so small that not a single letter can be read on any shredded piece. The thorough level of destruction makes this the ideal solution for highly confidential information, financial information, or personal information. They offer the highest level of information security. However, they do function at a significantly slower pace than both cross-cut and strip-cut shredders because of their lower sheet capacity. Similarly to cross-cut shredders, they also require more maintenance and regular oiling.
High-Security Shredders
High security shredders are capable of shredding a single piece of paper over 15,000 times – essentially turning the paper to dust. The resulting shreds are so miniscule that it’s impossible to reassemble even a tiny portion of the original document (source). These powerful machines are usually only necessary for top secret government and military records. While not necessary for personal shredding, high-security shredders are an interesting innovation in shredding technology.
Shredding with Greenway
Greenway’s document destruction services are designed to protect your company’s sensitive information while practicing environmental responsibility. Security begins when unwanted but confidential papers are placed in the locked security consoles. From there, Greenway’s powerful state-of-the-art double-shred shredders destroy papers, which are then shipped to a pulp mill for recycling.
If you are ready to start shredding without the hassle of owning your own shredder, contact Greenway today! We make shredding and easy and painless – and most importantly, secure!