There are two main types of shredders, they are "Strip Cut" or "Cross Cut", the name is derived from the type of shredded waste the machine will produce after shredding a document. We have listed below a description of each type.

These shredders reduce a sheet of paper into ribbon like pieces, the term used to describe this is "strip cut" but they are often known as "spaghetti cut" or "ribbon cut". These machines are particularly useful if you need to reduce the bulk of paper and confidentiality is not your main concern. We often recommend "strip cut" shredders for use in archives where there is a constant flow of paper that needs shredding after a set time frame and may not be sensitive information.

The thickness of "strip" produced by the cutting head differs from each machine, most models fit into the "everyday" category for security, Din levels one and two but there are machines available that offer "confidential" shredding, Din level three, they can have strips as narrow as 1.9mm!

Generally if you require a shredder that will shred a greater number of sheets at a time and the security of the documents is not paramount then a "strip cut" shredder is ideal.

These shredders reduce a sheet of paper into individual particles, the term used to describe this is "cross cut" but they are often known as "confetti cut". These machines are specifically for making paper unreadable and are employed where security is your main concern. We always recommend "cross cut" shredders out of preference as they will always offer better protection from threats than a "strip cut" shredder.

The size of "particles" produced by the cutting head differs from each machine, all models will be "confidential" category or above, Din level three but there are machines available that offer "maximum security " shredding, Din level five and six, they can have particles as small as 0.78mm x 11mm!

If you require a shredder that makes all your documents "confidential" then a "cross cut" shredder is ideal. It should be noted the smaller the particle size often means you can shred less sheets at a time, to maintain a sheet capacity similar to "strip cut" will require a higher specification machine, please check the full technical specifications of the shredder.

The best information on what you can shred in your machine is found in your instructions, if you are still selecting the model you require, it is best to look on the individual product page at the specification.

Most if not all shredders will cope with the odd paperclip or staple being put through the cutting head. There are models that will shred different types of multimedia such as CD's and DVD's. We list the capabilities of each machine within the specification table, this tells you if a machine will shred Credit Cards, Disks, Paperclips, Staples, CD's and DVDs.

We do sell specific models that are "multimedia" shredders, there sole purpose is to destroy data storage such as CD's, they are normally "cross cut" shredders. We recommend these machines to anyone who regularly needs to destroy their data.