Paper shredders allow you to quickly and efficiently cut materials into tiny pieces or strips so that anyone who goes through your trash will not be able to access what was on them.

Shredder models fall into three main categories, paper shredders that strip-cut, shredders that cross-cut and shredders that micro-cut. Strip-cut shredders, which cut papers into long vertical strips, offer high speeds and low maintenance requirements. However, cross-cut shredders and micro-cut shredders increase security by reducing documents to smaller pieces.

Additionally, many shredders are capable of cutting more than just paper, which makes them especially useful when you’re clearing out sensitive material. You will find shredders that can shred stapled paper, shred credit cards and even shred CDs and DVDs. Depending on what you will be getting rid of, you might need one of these more powerful options for your home or office.

Whether you are outfitting your office space, looking to upgrade your home office or investing in a way to get rid of important documents at home, a paper shredder is certain to come in handy.

You may think that a shredder is only necessary for highly confidential materials, like bank statements or tax documents. However, even junk mail with your name and address and credit card offers in your name can prove dangerous when they fall into the wrong hands. Shredding this kind of material before you dispose of it reduces the risk of identity theft, breached data security and credit card fraud.

Plus, shredders do not take up much space. Place one near your all-in-one printer or file cabinet, plug it into a surge protector, and you’re ready to go. Just follow the shredder manual’s instructions for how to maintain your machine. Maintenance usually includes oiling the paper shredder. Also, make sure you never exceed the maximum number of sheets the shredder can handle at once.