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" Choose Your CutIf you want real security for your personal information, a strip-cut machine won&amp;#039;t cut it. We recommend a cross-cut or diamond-cut shredder that surpasses level 2 security. (The higher the level, the smaller the shred size. You&amp;#039;ll only need to go higher than a level 3 for business files or classified documents.) Cross-cuts are categorically more expensive, but if you need the added security it&amp;#039;s worth the higher price.  Pump Up the VolumeIf you find you&amp;#039;re just shredding a few documents here and there, a shredder designed to handle 100 to 150 pages a day should be more than enough. However if you tend to save documents for big shred sessions, say, after tax time, you&amp;#039;ll want a more powerful unit that can handle several hundred sheets in a session. Similar considerations come into play when you&amp;#039;re considering feed capacity; being able to insert a dozen pages at a time will save you some trouble if you&amp;#039;re shredding large packets, but a 6-sheet shredder is fine for a few sheets here and there. An extra tip: In general shredders work best when you use a sheet or two less than the capacity \u2014 so for instance, a 6-sheet shredder will do well with just 4 or 5 pages at a time.  Easier InputIf you&amp;#039;re just shredding receipts and credit cards, you won&amp;#039;t have to worry about this, but a larger throat size is certainly helpful if you shred documents on a regular basis. A paper input that is at least 9 inches will make it easier to insert sheets without having to fold the in half or align them just right.  Safety FirstIf you have curious kids and pets, you&amp;#039;ll want to look for a model with a safety sensor. These shut off automatically if hands are too close or come in to contact with the shredder&amp;#039;s mouth. Alternately, you can look for a model with a slimmer paper entry, so little fingers won&amp;#039;t fit.  Spring for FeaturesWhile it may be considered an extra feature, we found a bin-full indicator to be incredibly helpful in our tests. Without one, it can be a constant guessing game as to when to empty the bin and, even worse, you might end up with an overflowing basket and a big mess in your workspace. Another handy extra to keep an eye out for: an automatic cleaning cycle to stop paper build-up in the shred mechanism.  Scout Out the LocationWhere are you planning to set up your shredder? If you&amp;#039;ll have it at your feet, look for one with a simple vertical mouth that will be more comfortable to feed. An angled mouth is better for a shredder you&amp;#039;ll set up on your desk.  Avoid a JamA jam-prevention may seem like a good idea in theory, but in practice, we found that it can be a pain. Instead of letting you stop the shredder and remove the offending sheet, these often just push the paper back out, causing even more of a mess.  Look for a Better BinIt may seem like common sense, but a high-powered shredder should come with an equally impressive bin. If you&amp;#039;re looking for a powerhouse shredder, be sure that the bin has plenty of space or you&amp;#039;ll end up emptying it more frequently than you&amp;#039;d like. You&amp;#039;ll also want to pay attention to how the basket is emptied. We found that, especially with some of the bigger units, a side-loading or slide-out basket made all the difference. The lids and shred mechanisms can get heavy or cumbersome, so we wouldn&amp;#039;t recommend a unit where you have to lift the top off to empty it.   "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/appliances/paper-shredder-reviews/a1861/paper-shredder-shopping-tips/?click=main_sr>