Shredder security levels explained
Explore the world of shredder security levels, understanding cut types and DIN levels, to help find the right shredder to safeguard your information.
If you need to dispose of personal or confidential paperwork, a shredder is likely to be the answer.
By shredding documents into thin strips or small particles, making them almost impossible to reassemble and read, all shredders are designed to make sensitive information harder to access.
However, which type of shredder you choose depends on just how high security your needs are.
Cut type
A shredder will either reduce a document into strip cuts, cross cuts, mini cut or micro cuts.
Strip cuts are ribbons up to the length of the shredded document, and these are usually featured on lower security shredders.
Higher-level security shredders usually produce cross-cuts, which are much shorter strips.
The highest-level security shredders will reduce your documents into micro-cuts, which are even smaller than cross-cuts.
DIN levels
These tell you how strong the level of security is by the size of the shred. Ranging from DIN 1 to DIN 7, the higher the number, the smaller the shred size and the greater the security will be.
A shredder offering DIN 1 can leave you with shreds of around 4 x 12mm, whereas a typical DIN 7 spec shredder can reduce documents to 0.8 x 5mm particles, or around 15,000 particles per A4 sheet.
Find the Right Shredder for You
Want to learn which shredder will best suit your needs? Find the best shredder for your home or workplace on the Staples website.
