There are three types of shredders, all of which have different functionalities. Learn about the difference between a strip cut, cross cut, and micro shredder in this article.
Are you discarding your documents in a safe and secure manner? Businesses of today have the added burden of disposing of documents that may contain personal or confidential data.
With so many security breaches due to identity theft, some businesses have opted to hire vendors that come on site and shred documents. It is often safe, but cannot always be done on your schedule.
Having a safe and secure means to discard documents is essential to your business, so why not do it on site? Documents can be shredded quickly, freeing up space that is used to store papers and forms instead of waiting for shredding services.
If you are in need of a micro shredder, keep reading to learn the different types and what is best for your business.
Strip Cut Shredder
Don't leave important information lying around or thrown in the trash. Strip cut shredders are a quick way to shred paper. They come in two widths, 1/4 and 1/8. The blades cut paper into long ribbon-like strips.
In terms of security, strip cut shredders are not considered the most secure. They are excellent for shredding documents that do not contain confidential information.
Strip cut shredders work well for home-based businesses and college students.
Cross Cut Shredder
A cross cut paper shredder is more secure because it cuts paper into smaller pieces. These machines come in multiple security levels ranging from one to six. If you are working with sensitive data, you will want to go with a higher level. This would be for data that includes financial information, Social Security numbers, and passwords.
Cross cut shredders can come with motors that run continuously and do not have to cool-down intermittently. This is a good feature for larger jobs.
Another great benefit to going with a cross cut shredder is they cut more than paper. If you have data on CD's, DVD's or other forms of data storage, consider upgrading to a shredder that can handle cutting this type of media.
A cross cut can also shred credit cards and plastic ID cards.
Micro Shredder
More secure than a cross cut paper shredder is the micro cut shredder. Its name says it all. It shreds documents into microparticles that cannot be recreated.
Micro cut shredders come in various sizes. There are smaller units for home usage, and they can go up to industrial sizes that cater to large corporations. In terms of security, they start at level four.
The downside to micro shredders is they are slower than strip and cross cut shredders. You're also limited by the number of sheets you can feed through the shredder at a time. A cross cut can take up to 18 sheets, whereas a micro cut home paper shredder takes around 10.
Are You Ready to Shop For a Paper Shredder?
Now that we have shed some light on the differences in paper shredders, you should have a good idea what will work best for you.
If you still have questions or are ready to buy, contact us to speak with a specialist.