Both cross cut and micro cut shredding machines cut diagonally to prevent anyone from piecing the shreds back together. However, cross cut and micro cut offer different levels of security. Cross cut shredders will cut a document into around 200-400 particles per page. Micro cut shredders will cut a document into around 2000-6000 particles per page, an average of 10 more particles. Micro cut shredders offer a much higher level of security.

The BOXIS Autoshred is one of our highest rated and most reliable printers for home or small business use. It is a security P-4 micro cut shredder that can shred a stack of 90 pages with auto-feed, shredding each page into 1500 particles, and has the capability to shred credit cards.

There are several factors to consider when purchasing a paper shredder:

● Security level: Paper shredder security levels range from 1-6, with 6 being the most secure. If you need to shred basic documents, level 1 or 2 might work fine, but if you need to shred very sensitive information, look for a security level of 3 or higher. Strip cut offers the least security, cross cut offers medium security, and micro cut offers the most security.

● Capacity: Capacity refers to how many sheets per pass the machine can shred. Different shredding machines may be able to handle 10 to over 100 sheets at a time. If you consistently shred a lot of paper or have multiple people using the same machine, you may want a larger capacity shredder.

● Safety features: Some paper shredders come with safety features, such as shutting down when it detects skin. Consider if these safety features are worth investing in, especially if the shredding machine will be near a child.

● Noise level: Paper shredders can be noisy, so you may want to consider the noise level of your shredder.

● Paper size: Many shredders will only shred letter size documents, so if you need to shred larger documents, look for a paper shredder with that capability.

Nano cut shredders offer maximum security, for “top secret” level security. However, this level of security is unnecessary for most people and businesses. A micro cut paper shredder can shred a document into an average of 10 times more particles than a cross cut shredder, making it secure enough for most sensitive information.

A paper shredder can protect people from identity theft, an incident that can have a life altering impact. A shredding machine can destroy documents with sensitive information. For this reason, shredding your documents is always worth it. However, whether it's worth it to buy your own document shredder, or just utilize a service such as Staples Paper Shredding Services, depends on you. Having your own shredder means you can immediately destroy sensitive information, reduce clutter as you won’t have to store documents, and it may pay off over time if you shred a lot. If you decide to purchase your own shredder, make sure it is secure enough for your needs. A cross cut shredder offers medium security, while a micro cut shredder machine is much more secure.