It’s an established security practice that shredding documents is the best way to destroy confidential paperwork and materials. But did you know that how you shred your documents is equally important? While you may think the paper shredder you bought from the local office supply store is keeping you secure, it might not be cutting it…literally.

Here are some key points to consider when evaluating shredding equipment:
•Type of cut. Home office shredders typically shred documents in vertical strips. This cut is substantially less secure than a crosscut or confetti shred.

•Office materials. Some lower-quality shredders cannot accommodate paper clips, staples or bound documents so your employees must take the time to prep each document prior to shredding.

•Multimedia. Credit cards, CDs, hard drives and computer disks must be shredded to maintain security and a less expensive shredder usually doesn’t have the power to shred these tougher materials.

•Capacity. Budget shredders can’t handle multiple sheets of paper at once or have a low capacity – meaning it could take a while to shred a large document.

•Longevity. An inexpensive shredder is likely to fail under the usage demands of an office because most units simply weren’t designed for that type of wear and tear.

Considering the limitations of a common office shredder and the time and expense associated with operating and maintaining it, a budget shredder may not be saving you money. More importantly, if your shredder isn’t destroying materials in such a way that makes them impossible to reconstruct, your company’s reputation and information security could be at risk.