Choosing a paper shredder for your home office can seem complex. From the cut type to features like credit card disposal… it is more than just paper in/shred out. This guide answers all your paper shredder questions while offering the top 6 best home office shredders. While shredders are a great way to reduce home office clutter, you may want to check out office organizers and other great home office organization tips.
Home Office Paper Shredder Types
When working from home, there is a tendency to accumulate many documents, loose-leaf paper and more. Nobody wants to be known as a hoarder, especially in your home office. Therefore, it is incumbent to have a multipurpose shredder. Shredding unnecessary documents quickly plays a significant factor in which home office shredder would be best for you.
For example, sensitive documents that contain personal information like credit card and bank card numbers need to be quickly destroyed. Also, it just makes sense to reduce unnecessary exposure to your complete name, address, place of employment, social security number and banking information.
In business, fines are possible when the disclosure of private details violates the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPPA) along with the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Acts. What some do to protect themselves and others’ privacy is to hire outside companies to shred their documents. Still, with a home office shredder, outsourcing this would be an unnecessary expense.
To further protect yourself, it is essential to identify the cut of the shredder as it makes a difference in the protections that utilized to eliminate readability. Such cut types include:
Strip-Cut
This shred cut is of no practical use when it comes to protecting your identity. There is no re-creation protection in your fight against the chances of destroying the shredded documents. It is effortless to take the results of the shredded paper and paste it back together. As a result, it will demonstrate an easily readable text that defeats the purpose of destroying it in the first place.
Cross-Cut
The cross offers enhanced protection versus the strip. The choppiness of the cut does still provide an ability to reassemble some documents. Again, much more effort must put into doing so. The cross-cut is one of the more common cutting techniques available in many shredders.
Micro-Cut
The micro-cut offers the most benefits as it relates to eliminating any opportunity to reassemble any document that has been a processor that uses this type. After being shredded, the paper is akin to confetti. It is just about impossible to reassemble any document. As a result, it offers the most protection against identity theft or other assemblages.
How to Choose the Right Home Office Paper Shredder
When determining the proper paper shredders for your home office, there are a few factors to consider that would narrow down those that have garnered the most interest. And although this handful of factors is not all-inclusive, they will give you some insight as to the factors that will make your decision much more manageable. These factors include:
Shredded Sheets Upon Single-Use
A shredder establishes its value by the volume of paper shredded upon a single application. The more sheets that can be destroyed at one time will have a significant impact on the price associated at the time of purchase in addition to the efficiency in which the job gets done.
Paper Jams
A paper shredder may come with a guarantee against paper jams. However, the lesser expensive machines tend to jam up more frequently than your higher-end shredders.
Credit Cards
The lower cost shredders may not have the strength to cut through a credit card. So if you have a small business that requires such power, ensure that your home office shredder can do so to prevent any unnecessary financial exposure.
Size
If you consistently have many documents that need shredding, it is incumbent to decide upon a shredder that has a higher volume capacity versus your lesser expensive options. The size of your shredder will reduce your overall wait time in the completion of the shredding process, which will allow you to be more productive while working from home.
Cut Precision
The cut precision has a tremendous impact on not only the quickness of the completed shred but also on the chances of jamming. There is a cross-cut method and a micro-cut method. Along with other variables, each cut has its strengths and weaknesses.
Top Home Office Paper Shredders
The home office is now just about mandatory in today’s world as more businesses are allowing more of the workforce to work from home. With the newfound demand of the shredder, there are many options on the market for the consumer to choose from such as:
Fellowes LX22M Powershred
The Fellowes LX22M Powershred provides excellent responsiveness with exact shredding results. The technology-infused makes it 100% jam-proof with many indicators that assist in optimizing the maximum amount of sheets fed at one time with excellent efficiency.
Additionally, you can feel safe knowing that your experience should be accident-free with a max of 20 sheets to be shredded into the 5/32″ x 1/2″ micro-cut particles. This shredder cuts through staples, credit cards, junk mail and also paperclips. It operates for up to 30 minutes at a time before a recommended 15-minute cool down is necessary to keep the machine working optimally. It comes with a 1-year product and service plus 5-year cutter.
AmazonBasics 24-Sheet
The AmazonBasics 24-Sheet shredder shreds paper in a cross-cut pattern. It has the strength to shred credit cards comfortably, CDs, paperclips and more. When it comes to single sheets of paper, it will shred paper into strips measuring 7/32 by 1-27/32 inches. Additionally, it comes loaded with a 12 pack of lubricated sheets that are designed to lubricating clean the blades of the shredder.
Based on this, paper jams are prevented, static is reduced and dust is eliminated. The lubricants help to optimize efficiency during the continual use of the shredding processor. The packet of lubricants added when purchased makes this shredder an attractive option. The AmazonBasics 24-Sheet can shred 24 sheets at one sitting. With quick and comfortable use, an excellent experience is the net result.
Aurora AU2030XA
The Aurora AU2030XA has “TouchGuard” technology, which results in immediate stoppage of the shredder upon the touch to prevent accidents. It is a quiet operational system that has auto energy-saving features that result in a power-saving feature after five minutes of nonuse. Shredding will begin immediately upon inserting paper into the shredder without having to power up. It comes loaded with status indicator lights such as Power, Overheat, Overload and more. It has a security level of P-4.
Ideal. 4002
The 4002 comes with an easily lit on-off switch. It has a sizable bin that allows for many documents to be shredded using cross-cut technology. That bin itself does not need a disposable bag for safe storage of shredded documents. It comes with a patented safety flap to prevent injury to hands and fingers. It has up to a P-5 security level, depending on the paper be shredded.
Dahle ShredMATIC 35314
The ShredMATIC 35314 features a 300-sheet auto-feed shredding capacity that only saves time but is also very convenient. In the event of an overfeed, there is automatic jam technology built-in that allows the motor to reverse. This shredder has an energy conservation system that automatically shuts the operation down when not in use. It is loaded with a P-4 security level and has a strength to shred CDs, credit cards, paperclips and more. It has a clear window to monitor waste levels.
Kensington A6000 OfficeAssist
The A6000 OfficeAssist cross-cut shredder provides maximum protection from reconstructive documents. With the P-4 security level, you can load 600 sheets of paper and walk away, knowing that the documents are shredded into sizes of approximately 5/32″ X 1 37/64″ pieces. It has a quiet motor, but when jammed, the motors will reverse to clear the paper jam allowing for an adjustment to continue the process of shredding.
It can run continuously for 120 minutes without overheating. There is an indicator to let you know when the bin is full and his capacity of 850 sheets. Within his automation, the blades of lubricated to reduce friction and wear and tear. It automatically switches to power save mode when not in use.
Conclusion
The aforementioned shredders are sure to be a key part of your ultimate home office. To reduce your reliance (and time spent) with your paper shredder, you may want to evaluate paperless billing. If you prefer paper billing, check out the top 11 best home office organizers.