There is a lot of confusion out there when it comes to brand names and which one is associated with another. MBM is an common example of this. We recently had a customer ask us what the difference was between the Ideal 2602 shredder and the Destroyit 2602 shredder. I went on to tell her that they are the same shredder by the same company, with MBM being the manufacturer.

MBM is one of the leading manufacturers of office automation equipment in the world today. MBM manufactures paper folders, collators, business card cutters, paper drills and much more. You can find our entire selection of MBM products here.

MBM’s parent company is IDEAL Krug & Priester of Germany. IDEAL Krug & Priester is well known for manufacturing German engineered and built paper shredders and paper cutters.

This is a list of the brands that MBM (IDEAL) manufactures:

Destroyit – This is MBMs line of paper shredders. They are often referred to as Destroyit shredders by IDEAL. This is why many people use Destroyit and IDEAL interchangeably. You can find Destroyit paper shredders here.

Triumph - This is MBMs line of stack (ream) paper cutters. As with Destroyit, Triumph paper cutters are often referred to as Triumph by IDEAL. Many people refer to these paper cutters as both Triumph and IDEAL cutters. You can find our Triumph cutters here.

Kutrimmer - This is MBMs line of arm cutters, sometimes referred to as guillotine cutters. These, as with Triumph, are sometimes referred to as Kutrimmer by IDEAL. Customers refer to these as Kutrimmer or IDEAL cutters. You can find our Kutrimmer paper trimmers here.

IDEAL – As previously mentioned, IDEAL Krug & Priester is the parent company of MBM and is often linked to Destroyit, Triumph and Kutrimmer branding.

When you call us, we will understand what you mean regardless of whether you refer to a shredder as an MBM shredder, Destroyit shredder or IDEAL shredder. Hopefully this hasn’t all been too confusing. Have a question? Post it here!

What is the purpose of a shredder bag? Obviously they are used in a shredder for holding shred particles, but are they necessary? Why not just use a garbage bag? Seems simple enough. Here are a few answers to these commonly asked questions.

Shredder bags are used in paper shredders to collect shredded documents. Seems simple enough. The nice thing about shredder bags is that they make emptying a paper shredder easy. Simply pull out the bin, tie off the bag and put in a new bag.

I have emptied shredders that didn’t use a shred bag. It was not easy. Static electricity builds in shredded paper and the end result was a huge mess with diamond-shaped particles all over the floor.

So, we have determined that shredder bags are a good thing. So why not just use a garbage bag? The reason: the bags don’t fit. Sure you can use a large garbage bag in a shredder, but there is usually excess bag and gaps are left open.

In the end, you have to change your bag more often, because a large portion of the bin is filled with excess bag plastic. Because the bag doesn’t fit correctly, gaps cause particles of paper to still fall into the cabinet of the shredder, causing a mess anyway.

We offer a great selection of exact-fit shredder bags for Fellowes, Destroyit, Dahle, Kobra, Intimus and other brands. Our bags are OEM replacement bags designed to fit your shredder like a glove. Using a correct-size bag makes all the difference in the world when it comes to emptying a shredder. You can find our entire selection of shredder bags here.

We are excited to announce the addition of over two-dozen different models of Ameri-Shred paper shredders to our site. This includes pharmacy shredders, office shredders and high-end commercial shredders.

While we sell a variety of similar shredders online, Ameri-Shred is the only line of paper shredders that are 100% American made. This is very unusual for almost any office equipment manufacturer today.

Not only are Ameri-Shred paper shredders made in the USA, they are also made from solid metal components. Just look at a picture of one. There is not a single plastic piece visible, except for the buttons and casters. The guts of these shredders are metal constructed as well.

You may find our entire selection of Ameri-Shred paper shredders here.

Fellowes paper shredders are everywhere. You see their commercials on TV and you can find them just about anywhere. Money can certainly buy a lot of advertising, but that doesn’t necessarily make a great product. So how do the Fellowes Powershred paper shredders hold up? A lot better than most department store shredders. Here’s why.

Department store shredders typically have a very bad reputation. They are often synonymous with cheap, plastic parts and jams. This, unfortunately, is the truth in many circumstances. Department store shredders are great for low volume home use, but they typically just won’t hold up in an office or business environment, unless they happen to be Fellowes.

While Fellowes paper shredders can be found in many department stores, I have to say that they definitely hold their own. I don’t consider Fellowes to be in the same class as Destroyit, HSM or Formax, but they really aren’t bad for low to medium-volume use.

Of course you need to make sure you are purchasing a shredder capable of handling the number of sheets you need to shred. A small desk side 10-sheet shredder will never be able to function well in an office being used by eight people throughout the day. That’s like using a VW Bug to haul cattle.

What this all boils down to is that I would probably take a Fellowes shredder over any comparable department store shredder in a heartbeat. For the price, you do get more bang for your buck. However, if the funds are available, and you need the shredder to last for five-plus years, you may want to consider something a little more brawny.

You may find our entire list of Fellowes paper shredders here. What is your experience with Fellowes paper shredders?

I’m a huge advocate for using paper shredders in the office. This is not only to comply with federal law, but because it just makes sense. Identity thieves and other lowlife criminals will never cease trying to steal information. What alternative is there to using a paper shredder?

Although shredders are ultimately still involved, confidential document containers & cabinets provide an affordable alternative to placing small shredders throughout the office. Whether it is because shredders cause too much of a distraction for your office environment, or because shredding is done at a centralized location, confidential document containers provide much-needed security.

Secure document containers are designed to provide a good deal of security. The bins themselves are made from durable, high impact materials. The lids of these containers are locked, preventing unauthorized access. They top of the bin usually features a slit just big enough to insert paper, but small enough to prevent someone from reaching in.

Confidential document containers are usually available in a variety of neutral colors that blend in with the existing work environments. While there are subtle differences in design, most of these containers vary in price according to the storage capacity. You will find our entire line of confidential document containers here.

Feel free to post a question to me in the “comments” field at the end of this entry. Have a great day!

Shopping around for a paper shredder? If you are, no doubt you have seen shredders tagged with a security level. What is a shredder security level and which one is best for you? I will explain the different security levels here.

There are a total of six paper shredder security levels, with one being the lowest and least secure and six being the highest and most secure. The average person will normally not need anything above a security level three. Most businesses will never need anything above a security level four. Levels five and six are designed for the most secure and top secret documents.

The shredder security level system, except for level six, was designated by the Deutsches Institut für Normung (DIN). The DIN is the German national organization for standardization. The exact DIN label for shredding measurements is DIN 32757.  Security level six specifications were designated by the U.S. government.

Security Level Dimensions:

Level 1:

(10.5mm Strip Cut), (11.8mm Strip Cut), (10.5mm x 40-80mm Cross Cut)
(Approximately 3/8” x 1 ½-3 1/8” Cross Cut), (Approximately 3/8” Strip Cut)

Level 2:

(3.9mm Strip Cut), (5.8mm Strip Cut), (7.5mm x 40-80mm)
(Approximately 1/8” Strip Cut), (Approximately ¼” Strip Cut), (Approximately ½” x 9/16-2” Cross Cut), (Approximately ¼” x 9/16-2” Cross Cut)

Level 3:

(1.9mm Strip Cut), (3.9mm x 30-50mm Cross Cut)
(Approximately 1/16” Strip Cut), (Approximately 1/8” x 1 1/8-2” Cross Cut)

Level 4:

(1.9mm x 15mm Cross Cut)
(Approximately 1/6” x 9/16-5/8” Cross Cut)

Level 5:

(0.78mm x 11mm Cross Cut)
(Approximately 1/32” x 3/8-1/2” Cross Cut)

Level 6:

(1mm x 4-5mm)
(Approximately 1/32” x 5/32” Cross Cut)

You may find our entire selection of paper shredders here.

By now most of us know how important it is to shred paper documents when they’re not longer needed, but what about optical media, such as CDs and DVDs? These disks can contain far more sensitive information than a stack of paper. A disk tossed in the garbage can easily be taken out by just about anyone. This article will cover a few different ways you can get rid of old disks.

Breaking the Disk Apart: Disks can be broken apart manually, but you risk possible injury from sharp shards of plastic, not to mention it is very tedious. Also be aware that broken pieces of CDs and DVDs can still be read with the right equipment. This method is not recommended for high security disk destruction.

Optical Disk Shredders: Many shredders are now capable of shredding CDs and DVDs. Simply drop the disk into the shredder and let the machine do the rest. This method of disk destruction is convenient and fast. Be aware, however, that there are varying degrees of security between shredders. Some shredders will only cut the disks into strips, which is less secure. Other high-end shredders will turn the disks into tiny sand-like particles. You can find our CD and DVD shredders here.

Optical Media Grinders: These machines will grind and sand off the surface of a disk. It only takes a few seconds and literally grinds off the data. This technology is portable and fast, but it only works with CDs. Optical media grinders can be used for high-security data destruction. The Infostroyer 101 is an example of an optical media grinder. You can find it here.

Destroying optical media is an important part of any business’s operations. These machines can also be used by hospitals (HIPAA Compliancy), government and the military. Feel free to comment on this post if you have questions about machines used to destroy this information.

We have just added some degaussing magnets to our Web site. These aren’t your typical fridge magnets. These magnets are powerful. They are so powerful that they will never loose their power within your lifetime.

Degaussing paddles are used to wipe data from magnetically encoded devices. This includes floppy disks, hard drives, bubble memory chips, magnetic media ribbons and much more. These magnets are NSA/CSS 9-12A-D approved, which means they can be used to remove some of the most sensitive data.

Time permitting, stop by our site and check out these new degaussing magnets by going here. Enjoy!

Questions have been asked and urban legends have been created regarding the safety of paper shredders. There are literally millions of paper shredders in circulation today. It is a good idea to learn how to protect your children, pets and others from being hurt. That being said, how true are the urban legends and stories about people being hurt by shredders?

Chain e-mails have been passed around, and stories have been told about children whose fingers have been cut off or dogs that have had their tongues stuck in shredders. Many of these stories, at first, seem almost impossible. Sadly, many of them are true. There are documented cases of animals and children being injured. You can find a few of them here.

There are several reasons why older shredders can injure children and pets. This because many shredders have an auto sensor that can detect paper being inserted, automatically activating the motor. These types of shredders will also think an ear, tongue or finger is a sheet of paper as well, activating the motor.

Children and animals aren’t the only ones that can be injured by a shredder. Loose hanging clothing can get caught, jewelry can accidentally be pulled in and long hair can get caught up in the blades. Thankfully, lessons have been learned and most manufacturers now build shredders with safety precautions implemented.

A few of these modern changes involve setting the blades back farther into the shredder head. This makes it far more difficult for fingers to even reach the blades. Also, the throat on many shredders has been curved, making it next to impossible for a finger to reach the blades.

On of the most successful changes made to a shredder is SafeSense^TM, developed by Fellowes. SafeSense^TM Technology automatically disables the shredder when hands touch the paper entry. Whether it’s your child’s hands or your dog’s tail, SafeSense^TM Technology instantly stops the shredder from shredding when hands are too close.

What can you do if you own an older shredder? Here are a few recommendations:

• Upgrade to a newer shredder.
• Unplug the shredder when it is not being used.
• Keep shredders out of the reach of children and pets.
• Keep long hair pulled back.
• Remove jewelry prior to use.
• Be sure loose hanging clothing, such as neckties, are not in the way.

With this in mind, do not be scared away by paper shredders. Paper shredders are a great way to destroy sensitive information, old receipts, credit card applications and more. When used correctly, paper shredders are very safe and useful.

If you are in the market for a new safer shredder, or simply need a replacement, you can find ABC Office’s entire line of paper shredders here.

Have you ever considered giving a paper shredder to someone as a gift? It may not be the first gift idea that comes to mind when shopping for your girlfriend or boyfriend, but paper shredders have become a popular gift idea for family members such as siblings or parents.

Other than cutting down on ID theft, here are a few other reasons your family member may want a paper shredder:

1. Your little brother can use a shredder to take out his frustrations on pictures of ants rather than frying them with a magnifying glass.
2. Your sister can shred pictures of her ex boyfriends after the “big breakup.” Very therapeutic from what I hear.
3. Your mother or father can use the shredder for making pasta. Seriously, people have done it. Read more here.
4. You can use it to strip cut paper as bedding for your pet hamster.

Although we do sell a lot of higher-end paper shredders designed for corporate or business use, we do have several models that are perfect for use at home. These shredders are compact, many no taller than a wastebasket, and can easily fit in a closet or next to a desk. Best of all, many of these home shredders are under $100.

You can find a list of our best paper shredder deals here. You can learn more about paper shredders by reading our paper shredder FAQ found here.