How do you choose a paper shredder?
Choose paper shredder
Paper shredders look alike at first glance, but there are some important differences. Think of the size and the shredder options. Thanks to these differences, you can choose the shredder that suits you best. Ask yourself these 3 questions:
- In which usage situation do you need the paper shredder?
- Is the security standard important?
- Does the AVG / GDPR privacy law apply to you?
In which usage situation do you need a paper shredder?
Home: 1 user
Everybody has personal documents at home that you want to destroy as securely as possible. You can use paper shredders for home use for this. Most models work for 20 minutes non0stop, because they have to cool down. That's enough for little to average use for 1 to 3 people. You can destroy the documents in strips or shreds. It's difficult to restore the documents afterwards.
Small office: up to 5 users
In a small office, you often work with a team of up to 5 users. The paper shredders for small offices are suitable for that. With average use, you can destroy paper for about 45 minutes at a time. Many of these models aren't large. This way, you can put the paper shredder in a fixed spot and it won't be in the way. With some models, you can shred stacks of paper at a time, thanks to the automatic document feeder.
Paper shredders for a large office
The paper shredders for large offices can work continuously for 60 minutes. These powerhouses are suitable for demanding use. The speed and safety of these shredders are important. Most models have a large collection tray which you don't have to empty all the time. In addition to paper, you can also shred CDs, paperclips, staples, and credit cards. These more expensive models have safe technologies to prevent errors.
Is the security standard important?
The security standard of paper shredders is called the DIN P value. The higher this value, the smaller the shreds are after you destroy your documents. The security standards are divided into 3 types:
- Up to DIN P-3: you can turn your paper to shreds or strips. That's small enough for personal use.
- DIN P-4: these are models that shred into 421 shreds or 1200 micro shreds.
- DIN P-5 and onwards: these models turn 1 sheet of A4 paper into at least 2000 micro shreds. This makes it impossible to recover the documents.
Which processing capacity do you need?
The sheet capacity of a paper shredder is the number of sheets you can feed at once. Do you want a paper shredder for at home? A sheet capacity of 10 sheets is enough. For a small office where you don't use the shredder often, choose a sheet capacity of 20 sheets. A paper shredder with a sheet capacity of 20 sheets or more is suitable for a large office.
Do you need an automatic shredder?
With most paper shredders, you have to feed sheets manually, but here are also automatic paper shredders. This way, you can destroy a large number of sheets at the same time. You can put 100, 200, or more sheets in the paper tray and the shredder does the rest. Also keep the capacity of the container in mind. When you shred a lot of paper at once, the container fills up quickly. Choose a paper shredder with a large container, so you don't have to empty it often.
Does the AVG / GDPR privacy law apply to you?
For countries within the European Union, the AVG / GDPR law (General Data Protection Regulation) protects personal information. Organizations that log personal information are required to destroy these documents. You have to do this with a paper shredder that meets at least the DIN P-4 standard. That's the requirements, because this makes destroyed document impossible to recover. That's an important requirement for organizations and companies that buy a paper shredder.
