When choosing a new paper shredder for your office, you absolutely need to look for a continuous-duty model. You may be wondering what that is and why it’s important. This article will not only educate you about this type of device and why you should get one, it’ll give you a few product recommendations as well. Keep reading to get answers to the three most common questions about continuous-duty paper shredders.
- Why continuous-duty? What does it mean? If you’ve ever shopped for a paper shredder, you know that there are basically two types of these products: cross-cut and strip-cut. However, shredders can also be classified by whether they’re continuous-duty or not. It simply refers to whether the shredder has the ability to shred non-stop. Many of the less expensive shredders and almost all of the personal-sized machines cannot run continuously. You’re able to use the machine for 5, 10, or 15 minutes and then you need to let the machine cool down. Meanwhile, a continuous-duty machine can shred and shred and shred. You can shred all day and you won’t need to give the machine a break because the motor can handle that amount of work.
- Why is it important? There are many reasons to use a continuous-duty shredder. If you have an large office in which multiple people need to shred their documents, a machine that runs continuously can keep your employees productive and get the documents destroyed as quickly as possible, no downtime required. Even smaller offices can benefit from this type of device, as can individuals, especially those who do a lot of shredding. After all, can you imagine what it would be like if you had a large stack of paper to shred and you had to keep letting the machine rest every few minutes? Not only would the chore take a long time, it would be extremely frustrating and stressful. And who needs more stress?
- What machines can shred non-stop? Generally speaking, professional-grade units are the machines that are most likely to be able to run continuously. Most of Fellowes’ higher-end models such as the PowerShred C-420C and MS-460Ci have this ability. (In fact, the MS-460Ci would be a great choice if you want a smaller device for personal or small office use.) German manufacturer Dahle has some departmental devices that can run without end, as does MBM DestroyIt. (Check out their centralized office devices such as the 2604 SMC, a product with the highest security rating possible.) GBC also makes great products, including the ShredMaster GLS28 which can shred 28 sheets at once. Other manufacturers to check out are Martin Yale, Intimus, and HSM.
The bottom line is this: if you need to constantly shred large amounts of paper, a continuous-duty shredder is what you need. It will save you and your employees a lot time, leading to greater productivity. It will also keep you from becoming frustrated with a machine that can’t handle all of your documents. Get a continuous-duty shredder for your office today and you’ll be able to destroy your documents much more quickly.