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• #Paper shredders for home use series#

These standardized ratings assign a security level depending on the size of the particle, from P-1 (least secure) to P-7 (most secure), allowing you to compare cross- and micro-cut models even more accurately. These particle sizes can also vary within the same shredder type, which is where security ratings become useful. If a thief were ever motivated enough to try and re-assemble a shredded document, a cross-cut sheet would be extremely time-consuming, while a micro-cut sheet would be even more challenging.

#Paper shredders for home use series#

While both work essentially the same way, by feeding paper through a series of tiny blades, cross-cut models generate larger pieces than micro-cut shredders, making them less secure. Paper shredders come in a few different types, with cross-cut and micro-cut being the most common. Should I get a cross-cut or micro-cut shredder?

By shredding these documents, a dumpster-diving thief looking for a treasure trove of personal information will only find a bag of confetti - and that’s much harder to piece together. Even seemingly harmless junk mail - pre-approved credit card offers and courtesy checks, for instance - can be combined with other partial data to create a complete identity profile. According to the most recent data available from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, most cases of identity theft aren’t easy to trace to specific criminal activity, and much identity theft these days takes place digitally, but many experts still suggest shredding sensitive documents as one element of a defensive strategy.Īccess to physical paper documents can give criminals enough personal data to open up lines of credit, request loans or commit healthcare fraud in your name. If you’re at all concerned about identity theft - and you should be, since last year more than 1 million cases were reported to the FTC - a paper shredder can provide some peace of mind. There are certainly cheaper options out there, but the combination of the high security rating, large bin capacity and super-long runtime make the Aurora AU1060MA 10-Sheet Micro Cut Shredder worth the price. I would have liked the option to lock these, but the 24-pound weight seems to prevent any unwanted rolling around. Using the collection bin was convenient too, and I was able to slide it in and out of place without any frustrating jostling or shoving to make it fit.ĭespite the large capacity, this shredder is still easy to roll around, thanks to the four rolling casters. When I was finally able to intentionally create a jam at around 18 sheets, the Aurora initiated its “auto-reverse” setting, and with a little tug on the sheets from my end, reversed the jam out easily. Though the Aurora advertises a 10-sheet limit, I was actually able to push that to 15 without incident. The P-5 security rated Aurora AU1060MA created finer pieces than the other similarly-priced models we tested, making for shredded documents that would be very difficult for any potential identity thief to reassemble. A sensor will also activate the “empty bin” LED to let you know when it’s too full. The 6-gallon pullout bin is large enough to hold 380 sheets of paper, and the large viewing window makes it easy to monitor its fill level. The advertised 60 minute continuous runtime is by far the longest of the models in my testing pool, making it well-suited to handle those large-quantity shredding projects you may have. I was also really impressed with the overall power and endurance of the Aurora, especially considering the intense workload of a micro shredder’s blades. (We didn’t consider this a significant downside, given the shrinking popularity of these media types.) It’s worth noting that although the Aurora can handle small paper clips and staples, it cannot accept CDs or DVDs. Generating 2,592 pieces per A4 sheet, it far surpasses the 2,000 pieces required to qualify for a P-5 rating. While the other micro-cut units tended to generate 4-by-12-millimeter pieces, the Aurora shreds everything inserted - even credit cards - into pieces half that size: 2 by 12 mm, about the same size and shape as a piece of long-grained rice. What really separated the Aurora from the rest of the testing pool was its P-5 security rating.

Your CNN account Log in to your CNN accountĪ cleanly-laid-out, informative control panel with easy-to-read LEDs makes the Aurora AU1060MA simple to operate.