Today there are literally dozens of different brands of paper shredders and hundreds of different models. While there are a lot of factors to consider when purchasing a paper shredder, one option I recommend paying special attention to is the security level. The paper shredder’s security level will ultimately determine how safe and secure your shredded documents are.

Shredder security levels are based on a scale ranging from 1 to 6. This scale, excluding Level 6, is determined by DIN 32757. This is the European standard used for paper shredder security.  Security Level 6 requirements, established by the United States NSA, came out after DIN 32757 was created. Each of these security levels serve a purpose.

Security levels start off with 1, being the least secure, and end with 6, being the most secure. I will explain the pros and cons to each of these security Levels.

Paper Shredder Security Levels

Security Level 1 - This level is the least secure and is rarely used for shredding sensitive information. It is typically used purely for shredding non-sensitive records or for creating padding or packaging material. This security level can be both strip cut or cross cut. These are the specific dimensions of DIN Security Level 1:

• Strip Cut: 10.5-11.8mm
• Cross Cut: 10.5mm x 40-80mm Cross Cut

Security Level 2 - This is the most common security level you will find in a strip cut paper shredder. This includes 1/8″ and ¼” strip cut shredders. It also includes some cross cut shredders that have larger cross cut particles. This can be used to shred a variety of material, and is hard to re-assemble, but is probably not enough security for most businesses. These are the dimensions of DIN Security Level 2:

• Strip Cut: 3.9-5.8mm
• Cross Cut: 7.5mm x 40-80mm

Security Level 3 – This security level is the most common used today by cross cut paper shredders in business. It is HIPAA and FACTA compliant and is good enough to shred client records, patient information, invoices, bills and other material. Material cut at a Level 3 is difficult to reassemble. This is the security level I recommend for most people. These are the dimensions of DIN Security Level 3:

• Strip Cut: 1.9mm
• Cross Cut: 3.9mm x 30-50mm

Security Level 4 – This is probably one of the least common security levels. It is more secure than Level 3, but not yet high enough to be considered high security. This is used by businesses and offices that want a little more security than the typical cross cut shredder, while still having a higher shred capacity than a high security shredder. These are the specifications of the DIN Security Level 4:

• Cross Cut: 1.9mm x 15mm

Security Level 5 – Up until a few years ago this was the highest security level available and was used to shred all top-secret documents. While the Level 5 is still used to shred highly sensitive material, most government and military entities now use a Security Level 6. This security level is still commonly found and is still widely used. Particles cut at this level are near impossible to re-assemble. These are the dimensions of DIN Security Level 5:

• Cross Cut: 0.78mm x 11mm

Security Level 6 – This is the highest security level available for a shredder. Paper cut by a Security Level 6 shredder almost looks like dust. A single sheet of letter-size paper is typically cut into 15,000+ particles. This security level is very popular for use with government and military. It is used by the U.S. Department of Defense, the NSA and many more agencies. These are the dimensions of the Security Level 6:

• Cross Cut: 1mm x 4-5mm

Which Is Best?

The level you use will depend entirely upon what you are shredding. I can safely tell you that the Security Level 3 is considered by many experts to be the most well-rounded level for most individuals and businesses. A Security Level 3 has a good sheet capacity, can still cut paper into tiny particles and are affordable.

You can find our entire selection of paper shredders here. Please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions about paper shredders.

The new year is upon us, which means it’s time for another “best of” paper shredders list for 2012. The year 2011 brought us many new makes and models including the launch of the Dahle CleanTEC line of paper shredders. Last year I created a top 10 best paper shredders list. While I still want to recommend high-quality paper shredders, this list will be broken down by where the shredder will be used.

There are 4 main categories people typically consider looking at when buying a paper shredder. This includes, small business, departmental and high security paper shredders. I will include the top 5 best paper shredders for each category.

I am not going to include cheap “temporary” paper shredders that are designed to last 6-12 months. These paper shredders are hardy, designed to be used on a daily basis and should last for years. While there are other shredders out there that are equally as reliable, these are the shredders that not only offer quality, but also have a great reputation with our customers.

Top 5 Best Home Office Paper Shredders 2012

• Intelli-Zone IS100
• Intimus 20CC3
• Destroyit 2270
• HSM 104.3
• HSM 102.2

You can find our entire selection of home office paper shredders here.

Top 5 Best Office Paper Shredders 2012

• Destroyit 2404
• Dahle 20414
• Intimus 45CC3
• Formax FD 8300
• Destroyit 2604

You can find our entire selection of office paper shredders here.

Top 5 Best Departmental Paper Shredders 2012

• Destroyit 3804
• Destroyit 3105
• Formax FD 8702CC
• Intimus 175CC3 Pro
• Dahle 20614EC

You can find our entire selection of departmental paper shredders here.

Top 5 Best High Security Shredders 2012 (Level 6)

• Dahle CleanTEC 41334
• Destroyit 2360 SMC (Super Micro Cut)
• Formax FD 8400HS
• Dahle CleanTEC 41434
• Destroyit 2604 SMC (Super Micro Cut)

You can find our entire selection of high security shredders here.

Sometimes I wish I could make this list longer since there are so many great models out there. While I can only list 5 per category, you can find our entire selection of paper shredders by visiting our site here. We also offer a great selection of paper shredder oil and paper shredder bags.

Please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions. Our experts are more than happy to help.

If you’re looking for a great deskside paper shredder for under $100, you may want to consider a great deal like the Intelli-Shred IS100 cross cut paper shredder by Intelli-Zone. This shredder is robust, compact, portable and is perfect for home or office use. I have used this paper shredder and this is my review.

When shopping around for a home or office deskside shredder, there are a few requirements that you should keep in mind. To begin with, it is a good idea to buy a cross cut shredder as the security is better than a strip cut shredder. I also recommend getting something that can handle the occasional staple or paper clip. It also isn’t a bad idea to get a shredder that can handle DVDs, CDs and credit cards.

The Intelli-Shred IS100 has all those bases covered. To begin with, it is a cross cut paper shredder, cutting paper into tiny 5/32″ x 2 1/8″ particles. This is far more secure than a 1/8″ or ¼” strip, which is normal for a strip cut shredder. The cross cut pattern makes shredded material difficult to reassemble. Most thieves won’t even bother sifting through cross cut documents.

Thanks to a 5-gallon bin, the IS100 is able to hold a lot of shredded particles of paper, decreasing the frequency of bag changes. Emptying the bag is easy. Simply remove the sliding bin drawer on the front of the machine. Emptying the bin is extremely easy and a clear window on the front of the bin makes it easy to see how full the shredder is.

With a 10 sheet shredding capacity, and an operational speed of 10 feet per minute, the IS100 can easily keep up with most individual paper shredding needs. While it is ideal for individual use, it is definitely not robust enough to be used as a centralized departmental paper shredder.

When using a shredder at home or in the office, it should be relatively quiet, right? The IS100 puts out 56 decibels of noise. While not silent by any means, it is quiet by paper shredder terms. This means it can be used in the office without causing too much of a distraction.

The Intelli-Shred IS100 is build with high quality materials, high-end electronics and is backed by an impressive one-year warranty. As of the writing of this review, it is priced at just $99. This is the perfect shredder either buy for your own home / office or as a gift for another person.

You can find the Intelli-Shred IS100 cross cut paper shredder here and our entire selection of paper shredders here. Please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions.

Paper shredders are effective at what they do. They cut, chew and tear up paper into undecipherable pieces of paper. As is the case with any piece of equipment, paper shredders will eventually die. So how do you know when it is time to purchase a new shredder? If you do need to purchase a new shredder, how do you know which one to get? Here are a few tips that should help you out.

Here are some telltale signs that your shredder may be in trouble:

• Diminished Sheet Capacity – If your shredder is only shredding a 1/4 to ½ the sheets it should, it is possible that the motor may be failing or the shredder blades may be dull. This can also be indicative of a much simpler (and often fixable) problem of simply oiling the shredder.
• Squealing or Noise – If your shredder is making strange sounds, popping or squealing, it may be on its last leg. While this issue is usually a symptom of a more serious issue, oiling can also help if the shredder blades are simply running dry.
• Shredder Overheats – If your shredder overheats after just minutes of use, the motor may be going bad. Most non-thermally protected shredders can go for at least 30 minutes before needing to cool down. As mentioned earlier, shredder oil can sometimes fix this problem.
• Slow Shredding Speed – If your shredder is running extremely slow, the motor may be failing. This symptom is often associated with a diminished shredding capacity as well. Most offices need speed, and if the speed isn’t there, the shredder probably needs to be replaced. Oiling the shredder blades can sometimes fix this issue.
• More Frequent Jams - If the shredder continually jams, your shredder may be suffering from a broken gear tooth, misalignment or even chips in the shredder blades. In higher-end shredders, these parts can sometimes be replaced. In cheaper shredders, the shredder usually needs to be replaced.

Things to look for in a new paper shredder

• Continuous Motor – If you’re a business, don’t even bother with a shredder that can overheat. You need a continuous-duty shredder that has a thermally protected motor.
• Cross Cut Pattern – While strip cut is OK for some home use, most businesses need a cross cut shred pattern if they seriously want to destroy sensitive information.
• Bin Capacity – If your shopping for an office paper shredder, get one that has a large bin capacity. In the US, shredder bins are measured in gallons. I recommend at least a 10-gallon bin for an office shredder.
• Speed – If you don’t like sitting around the shredder all day, you probably need something that is fast. Speed, in my opinion, is equally important as capacity. Try to get something that runs at 10 feet per minute or faster.
• Noise – I personally like to have a quiet shredder in the office. While most high-end office paper shredders are designed to be quiet, try to find something that is at least 65 decibels or quieter.
• Brand – Brand is key to a good shredder. I know many people say brand isn’t everything, but I can tell you from experience that brand is everything when it comes to shredders. You will have a good paper shredder experience if you stick with the following brands:

1. Dahle
2. Destroyit
3. Formax
4. HSM
5. Intinmus

I hope this information helps you in your pursuit of a new paper shredder. If you feel your paper shredder can be repaired, or if you want to know if it can be repaired, please feel free to speak with our Service Department at 1-800-658-8788 x129. They are more than happy to answer your questions and are able to provide service and parts for all major paper shredder brands.

You can find our entire selection of paper shredders here. Please feel free to post your questions or comments on this article.

If you’re sitting on the fence regarding purchasing a paper shredder, let me give you 10 good reasons why you need one. While some of these reasons may seem obvious, you may not be familiar with these others.

To begin with, I can attest to the fact that I personally use a shredder at my office and feel it is an important part of any company’s business operations. While shredders are often in abundance at the office, they can also be used to dispose of sensitive material (often in abundance) at home.

Here are 10 good reasons why you should use a paper shredder:

1. It’s the Law - Federal laws such as FACTA (read more) and HIPAA (read more) require that certain types of material be shredded. Failure to do so can warrant some hefty fines and penalties.
2. Protect Your Customers – When disposing of customer, client or patient information, it should be shredded. Information such as a name, date of birth, social security number, address and other personal information can quickly turn into a headache for your customer if it falls into the wrong hands.
3. Protect Your Employees – While we often think of protecting customer information, we often forget about employees. Human Resources and other business departments often handle sensitive employee information that should be properly shredded when no longer needed.
4. Dumpster Diving - It is legal in most US states to go dumpster diving. This is the process of sifting through garbage. While many people are simply looking for junk they consider valuable, other people have more nefarious plans that involve identity theft.
5. Convenience – A shredder, placed next to a desk or in a centralized location, makes disposal of paper documents easy. Because shredded paper is more compact than crumpled paper, fewer bag changes are required.
6. Environmentally Friendly – I have sold paper shredders to customers who had environmentally friendly ideas in mind. Some of these include creating mulch for a garden, bedding for a rodent and packaging for shipped products. These types of shredder uses usually involve a strip cut shredder and non-sensitive documents. Most paper shredders now use energy efficient technology.
7. Saves Money – Shredding sensitive data now will save you a lot of money later down the road. Someone applying for a credit card or a bank account under your name can cost you a lot more later down the road than the price of a shredder now.
8. Information Management - While not all discarded information contains sensitive individual data, many businesses don’t want plans, ideas and other information falling into the wrong hands, such as a competitor. It is also important for many world governments and militaries to shred sensitive data and information.
9. Destroys More than Paper - Many modern shredders destroy more than just paper. Many can be used to shred CDs, DVDs, credit cards, floppy disks and more.
10. It’s Fun! - Let’s all be honest. Shredding can be fun. There’s something the way a shredder works that is both intriguing and enjoyable.

I hope these 10 points have helped you understand just how important it is to use a paper shredder. At ABC Office we offer over a hundred different models of paper shredders. You can find our entire selection of paper shredders here.

Please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 for answers to your paper shredder questions. Please feel free to also chime in with any comments or thoughts on paper shredders.

Paper shredders, by nature, can be messy machines. Two of the most common errors people make, that contributes to the mess, is either not using a shredder bag or an incorrectly sized shredder bag. Many people attempt, usually unsuccessfully, to use a garbage bag with their shredder. A correctly fitting shredder bag can make all the difference in the world.

The right shredder bag will help cut down on paper trapping gaps, will improve bag change cleanliness and speed and should help cut down on dusting and particles floating around in the air. If a shredder bag isn’t available for your model of shredder, any bag is better than nothing.

At ABC Office we carry shredder bags for all major office paper shredder manufactures. Here is a list of our shredder bags sorted by brand:

• Dahle Shredder Bags
• Destroyit Shredder Bags
• Fellowes Shredder Bags
• Formax Shredder Bags
• HSM Shredder Bags
• Intimus Shredder Bags
• Kobra Shredder Bags
• Rexel Shredder Bags

If you don’t see bags listed for your model of shredder, chances are pretty good that we can still get them for you. Simply call one of our paper shredder experts at 1-800-658-8788 and they should be able to help. You can find our entire selection of paper shredders here.

The subject line of this article was taken directly from someone experiencing problems with their shredder. In fact, there are literally dozens of people every day complaining online that their shredders are overheating. Here are just a few comments taken directly from Twitter over the last few days:

• Darn paper shredder keeps overheating… >=(
• Shredder overheated forgot to bring my programming book to study
• shredder finally overheated
• Too much shredding happening. Overheated the shredder. Half a bag of items still to go. Already filled half a yard trash bag!
• i overheated the shredder whoopsie
• The shredder over heated so im just laying on my bed as it cools down.
• The shredder over heated.
• The paper shredder keeps over-heating.
• Shredding 13 years worth of stuff is a daunting job for a little shredder. Poor thing keeps overheating on me.

So what exactly causes a paper shredder to overheat? The culprit is the motor and a safety sensor. As a shredder is used, the motor begins to generate a lot of heat. As a fail-safe, many cheaper shredders will shut the motor off after it gets too hot. This is done to prevent permanent damage to the shredder (such as melting plastic, etc). Most shredders will let you know that the shredder is in “overheated” mode.

Overheating is typically an issue that only occurs with “cheap” department store shredders. Most of these shredders are designed for light use, and when used for more, begin to overheat. I have read many manuals for “cheap” shredder that mention the shredder should be left off for 30 minutes after 30 minutes of use.

If you work in an office, or do serious shredding on a regular basis, an overheating shredder simply does not cut it (pardon the pun). Business operations simply cannot wait 30 minutes to begin shredding again. Most businesses need a shredder that can be used continuously.

Most business shredders use what’s known a continuous-duty motor. The motors used in these shredders are thermally protected, designed to quickly dissipate heat and keep on shredding. A continuous duty shredder doesn’t need to be turned off for cooling down.

Over 90% of the paper shredders we offer feature continuous duty motors. Brands such as Destroyit, Formax, Intimus, Dahle and Kobra all utilize continuous duty motors. You can find our entire selection of continuous duty paper shredders here.

Are you having a bad experience with your shredder or simply have a question about continuous duty motors? Post your questions in a comment! I would love to hear from you.

You are also more than welcome to call one of our paper shredder specialists at 1-800-658-8788 with any paper shredder questions.

If you read this blog on a frequent basis, you probably know how much I like Dahle paper shredders. Dahle shredders are known for being quiet, reliable and holding up for years. They are especially popular with the government and military. Over the weekend Dahle announced their new line of CleanTEC paper shredders. This new lineup looks very promising. I’ll explain.

To begin with, the new CleanTEc line of paper shredders are one of the most technologically advanced paper shredders available. This is because they implement sophisticated dust filtration system. These new shredders are also extremely energy conscious, designed from the ground up to save on electricity.

To date, Dahle has released about 21 new CleanTEC paper shredders. This includes small office, office, small department, department and high security designs. Their new lineup includes the following models:

• Dahle Small Office Shredders: 41206, 41214, 41306, 41314, 41330
• Dahle Office Shredders: 41406, 41414, 41422, 41430
• Dahle Small Department Shredders: 41506, 41514, 41522, 41530
• Dahle Department Shredders: 41606, 41614, 41622, 41630
• Dahle High Security Shredders: 41334, 41434, 41534, 41634

We are in the process of adding these shredders to our site now. If you see one that you are interested in, call 1-800-658-8788. While they are not all online yet, we are still an authorized Dahle dealer and call still sell you these new shredders.

Here are a few videos on the new Dahle CleanTEC filtration system and shredders:

Introducing DAHLE CleanTEC Document Shredders

DAHLE’s CleanTEC solution to fine dust particle research

So why would you want to buy a Dahle CleanTec paper shredder? Here are a few reasons you may want to consider:

Dahle CleanTec Filtration: As you may know, air in the office is often full of particles. This can lead to sneazing and overall bad health. Paper shredders create a lot of dust. The new Dahle CleanTec filtration system removes up to 98% of paper dust created while shredding.

Dahle CleanTec Safe Technology: Have you ever used a voice-activated shredder? The Dahle shredder, in the event of an emergency, will stop by the operator simply saying “Stop.” These shredders also feature several design elements that make these shredders extremely safe to use and operate.

Dahle CleanTEC ESP Protection: Have you ever experienced a paper jam while shredding paper? This can be time consuming and costly. The new line of Dahle CleanTec shredders can actually have ESP (Electronic Sensing Protection). The shredder, at all times, knows how much stress is being put on the motor. If too much paper is inserted, these shredders will stop before a jam can occur.

Dahle SmartPower: We all want to save energy, power and electricity. The new line of CleanTec paper shredders utilizes several technologies designed to save power. After 10 minutes of inactivity, these shredders will go into an idle sleep mode. After 30 minutes, these shredders will shut down to a point where there is 0% energy draw.

Dahle EvenFlow Lubricator: Paper shredders have a lot of moving parts, and as a result, they need to be oiled. This will help your shredder run at optimal levels and will result in a longer lifespan. The new line of Dahle CleanTEC shredders have automatic oilers that keep parts properly lubricated, which should provide you with some peace of mind.

German Engineering: Unlike many shredders available online, Dahle paper shredders feature superior German engineering and design. They are also made in German by Dahle Bürotechnik GmbH. The end result is an extremely reliable paper shredder that features cutting shafts / blades made from the best steel in the world….German Solingen steel. These cutting shafts have a lifetime warranty. Dahle German CleanTEC shredders also feature rubber shocks, electronic sensors and thermally protected motors.

So there you have it! Dahle’s new line of CleanTEC paper shredders. Having seen a presentation of these shredders, I have to say that I’m impressed. If these end up anything like Dahle’s older lineup, you should be very happy with your purchase.

You can find our current lineup of Dahle paper shredders here. As mentioned earlier, while not all online yet, you can still order Dahle CleanTEC paper shredders from us by calling 1-800-658-8788. You can find our entire selection of paper shredders here.

As you may have noticed, word definitions can vary greatly from one person to another. A great example of this is the term “Industrial Paper Shredder.” An industrial paper shredder to you may be something entirely different to me. I deal with office paper shredders, commercial shredders and industrial shredders on a daily basis. This is what I consider an industrial paper shredder to be.

To begin with, I have had customers look an office shredder and ask me if it was an industrial shredder. I can understand. To many people, an over-the-can strip cut shredder is pretty high-end. I can tell you that most industry experts would consider an over-the-can shredder to be very low volume in capabilities and most office shredders to be medium-volume in output capacity.  Industrial shredders are not used at home and seldom in the office.

Here are features I would consider to be “industrial” in a paper shredder:

Sheet Capacity – While many office shredders are capable of shredding 20-40 sheets of paper at a time, most industrial paper shredders can shred in excess of 50 sheets of paper at a time or more. Some can even shred in excess of 500 sheets of paper at once. Pretty impressive….right? As is the case with most shredders, industrial strip cut shredders typically cut a lot more paper per pass than an industrial cross cut shredder.

Continuous Capabilities – An industrial shredder has to be able to run continuously throughout the day, for hours at a time. Many industrial shredders are used in shredding trucks or in warehouses and are literally used “continuously.”

Paper Disposal – While most standard paper shredders have a waste bin, many industrial paper shredders use what’s known as a baler. If you’re shredding 100s of sheets of paper at a time, you’re more than likely not going to want to empty a massive bag of paper. It would require multiple people and would be very cumbersome. Industrial shredders use a special type of compactor that will create a bale of paper much like a farm baler creates a bale of hay. This bale can then be carted of for disposal or recycling.

Dust Extractors – As you might imagine, shredding thousands upon thousands of sheets of paper per day can result in a lot of paper dust. Many of the highest-volume industrial paper shredders use special vacuums called dust extractors. These extractors remove dust during shredding to keep the work area clean. I hear it’s pretty nice for the sinuses as well.

Pre Shredders - Some paper shredders run at such fast speeds and handle so much paper at a time (entire phonebooks, reams of paper) that they need a pre shredder. Pre shredders cut paper down into more manageable pieces of paper before they enter the final shredder. This helps streamline the shredding process and creates less stress on the final shredder motor.

Here is a video of a mid-range industrial paper shredder. This is the MBM Destroyit 4107 industrial paper shredder:

I don’t know if this helps you better understand what an industrial paper shredder is, but I certainly hope you no longer think a shredder purchased at a local department store is an industrial shredder.

At ABC Office we offer a great selection of paper shredders. You can find our entire selection of industrial paper shredders here and all our paper shredders here.

So you need a home paper shredder and are looking for something under $100? You are entering the danger zone. That is, the sub $100 paper shredder range can be one of the scariest price ranges for shredders. There are a lot of garbage paper shredders out there and many of them float under the $100 price level. Here are a few tips that should help you stay in the clear.

Capacity, durability and reliability are all features you need in your shredder. Don’t settle for less. Be aware, however, that sub $100 shredders aren’t designed for office use. This range of paper shredders is specifically for home use….and occasional use at that. If you need something for the office, that can be used throughout the day, you’re going to need a shredder that costs more than $100. That said, here are a few sub $100 shredders that you should be happy with for home use.

Best Paper Shredders Under $100

1. Intelli-Shred IS100 Paper Shredder – This is probably the best $100 shredder around. It is an excellent value for the dollar. I know, it is technically $109, but I had to fit it in this list. It is just too good a deal not to mention.
2. Martin Yale 1000 Paper Shredder – These guys make Intimus, which is a highly reputable brand of shredders. Considering this shredder is a cross cut, it is a great value for the dollar.
3. Fellowes P-35C Cross Cut Shredder – This is one of the least expensive home paper shredders available today. It isn’t designed for continuous use, but is excellent for shredding mail, receipts, invoices and other material.
4. Fellowes W-11C Paper Shredder – This is a great shredder to have at home and can even be used next to a home office desk. It is safe to use and provides you with a secure cross cut pattern.
5. Fellowes DS-2 Paper Shredder – This shredder was designed from the ground up for home use. It has a nice Security Level 3 cross cut pattern and includes a nice bin opening for the discarding of other material.

This 5 paper shredders are all a great value and a great option for home paper shredding. If you need something a little more robust, or perhaps for the office, you can find our entire selection of paper shredders here.

If you still have questions, feel free to speak with one of our paper shredder specialists by calling 1-800-658-8788.