Shredders: How to buy
To be absolutely safe we recommend getting a cross- or diamond-cut shredder rather than ribbon- or strip-cut models, which can leave personal details on show.
Hand-operated shredders are available but, unless you're sure you'll only have a minimal amount of shredding, get a powered model.
Destroying sensitive documents sufficiently is what you want most out of a shredder, but it’s also important to buy a machine to suit the type and amount of shredding you do.
Size
Consider the amount of paper you'll need to destroy, and in what quantities, to determine how large a shredder you'll need.
Larger shredders can be used for your small business at home
For small offices
Larger shredders with big bins that can take more than ten sheets at once are more suited to small home offices or households that shred numerous documents regularly.
For regular use at home
If you intend to shred fairly regularly, and don't need to store your shredder in a cupboard, a medium-sized model taking around eight pages in one go will be ideal.
For occasional use
If you're only going to shred occasionally and want to store your shredder out of sight, choose a smaller model that can take about six sheets at a time. Look out for models that have A5-sized slots - so A4 paper has to be folded in two - as they're often smaller.
Materials
You may want a model that can shred CDs and DVDs containing sensitive information
CDs and DVDs
If you're worried about CDs or DVDs that contain personal information then get a machine that is capable of destroying them.
Credit cards
Also important are expired store and credit cards. To make sure you're safe, you'll need a shredder that won't choke on your plastic.
Paperclips and staples
Some models can also deal with staples and paperclips. Unless the manufacturer states this, you should remove them.