Shredding machines come in all sorts of sizes, capacities and shred widths. Catalogues and websites display a variety of very similar looking models, and a mass of technical specifications, which raises more questions than answers: • Which machine will cope with my volume of work? • How noisy and disturbing will a shredder be? • Why do prices vary so much between seemingly similar performance machines?
	Simple selection criteria
		How do I choose the correct shredding machine? The best choice involves first determining what category of machine you require for the home, office or department. Then, decide on your specific security requirements and the amounts and types of material you need to destroy. What is Cross Cut? Cross cut is when paper is shredded into small, confettishaped pieces. By using a cross-cut shredding machine you have three main advantages; (i) higher security than strip cut (ii) the waste box will require emptying less frequently (iii) uses less waste collection sacks. What is Strip Cut? Paper is cut into long parallel strips like spaghetti by the shredding machine. Strip cutting shredding machines tend to be less expensive than cross-cutting shredding machines. What is the cutting capacity? The cutting capacities are quoted as how many separate sheets of paper can be shredded in each single operation. What does each security level mean? There are different security levels a shredding machine can have. The higher the number, the more secure your information. S1 and S2 tend to be straight cut shredding machines, while S3 to S6 tend to be cross cut. What is DIN standard? The DIN standard is a European classification of security levels which states the size of the shreddings allowed; the smaller the particle. the higher the security level. Why do I need a waste sack? Our range uses waste collection sacks which makes emptying of the waste shreddings much easier and will definitely reduce the amount of mess generated. Waste sacks are designed to let the air out when full to maximise the capacity of the bag, but to keep the dust particles inside. How do I know when the bin is full? Larger shredding machines will either have a "bin-full" indicator or will automatically stop when full. Smaller machines will need to be checked to see how much shredded waste is in the bin and to judge when it needs emptying. What is a duty cycle? The duty cycle of a machine is the amount of time the machine will shred before the motor cuts out. If this happens, leave the machine to cool down and it will automatically reset itself. The higher specification of the machine, the longer the Duty Cycle. Can I have my shredder serviced? All machines can be serviced either during or after the warranty. Please make sure that you have proof of purchase when reporting a claim. It is advisable for machines to be placed under a Service/Maintenance Contract to prolong the life. Please contact your supplier for further information.

The legalities of data destruction