Cross-Cut Paper Shredders

Crosscut paper shredders are among the best paper shredders available. They are also called confetti shredders. They use two counter rotating drums to shred your paper into small pieces that can be either rectangular, parallelogram, or diamond-shaped.

They are a great choice if you require maximum identity theft protection. Documents are shredded both horizontally and vertically. The disadvantage with cross-cut shredders is the frequent maintenance and lubrication they require. They also cost more than simple strip cut paper shredders. The features to look for in cross-cut shredders are sheet speed, shred size, sheet capacity, paper opening size, waste volume.

You also need to consider safety, shredders can cut fingers off, particularly children’s fingers, so look for safety features when buying a cross-cut shredder. These features include sensors that will switch the machine off if fingers get too close to the paper entry; thinner paper entries; safety locks so that children can’t switch the shredder on; safety flaps that keep the cutters covered when the shredder head is removed from the waste basket; safety interlock switches to ensure that the shredder head can not be operated if it is not in the waste basket.

Get a cross cut shredder that is more powerful than you think you need. All document shredders have a capacity rating, but these tend to be optimistic. If your cross cut shredder claims it can handle ten sheets of paper then divide that figure by 2. You may also ike to consider cross cut shredders that can also shred CDs, DVDs and credit cards.

Get a crosscut shredder with an easy-to-empty bin. These shredders are more expensive, so if you are on a tight budget then you may think it is not necessary, but if your budget is not so tight then it is a good idea to get a bin that is easy to empty.

Almost all crosscut shredders will have auto-stop/start and reverse modes. Auto-start means that your shredder will switch on automatically when you insert a sheet of paper. Reverse mode is useful for clearing paper jams.
If you have children or pets in the house, then buy a shredder with the best safety features. It’s best not to gamble with little fingers for a few dollars more.

Prices for cross-cut shredders range from $50 to several hundred dollars depending on the exact features you require.