Shredding your documents one at a time can save your shredder from paper jams, but this process takes valuable time out of your day. If you handle piles of documents daily, it helps to shred this paperwork quickly before it overcrowds your workspace. Learn how much paper you can shred at one time based on the industrial capacity of your paper shredder.
Understand Your Shredder’s Sheet Capacity
Personal or household paper shredders typically accommodate three to eight sheets at once, which work well for light-duty tasks like handling utility bills or bank statements. For small business owners, however, this capacity often falls short.
In that case, choose a shredder with a higher sheet capacity to save time and effort on your disposal tasks. Also, check your shredder’s manual or specifications to find the recommended number of sheets per pass. Overfeeding it with too many documents can lead to overheating or blade damage.
Assess the Type of Paper You’re Shredding
The thickness and type of paper also change how much paper you can shred at one time. For instance, shredding thin materials like standard 80 grams per square meter (GSM) printer paper typically accommodates more room in the system. However, heavier materials like cardstock, glossy paper, or stapled documents can reduce this limit.
If your shredder states a capacity of 10 sheets, try to lower this quantity when feeding thicker paper. Anything from five to seven sheets will prevent overloading the machine.
Choose a Shredder Based on Usage Frequency
Small office shredders can usually destroy between 10 and 20 sheets in one pass, while heavy-duty commercial-grade shredders can handle upwards of 30 or more sheets at once. Based on your workplace, determine how much paper accumulates in a set time frame. This way, you can invest in a higher-quality paper shredder if you need a consistent runtime.
Account for Safety Features
Modern shredders include safety mechanisms like overload protection or jam-resistant technology. These features mitigate issues when users attempt to shred more than the machine’s capacity allows. Rather than guessing the paper capacity, choose a shredder that offers these features for smoother operations, especially in fast-paced office environments.
Consider Bulk Shredding Options for Larger Workloads
If your business processes large volumes of documents, consider a shredder with an auto-feed feature. These shredders allow you to load a stack of paper into a dedicated tray, which the machine processes automatically. With auto-feed shredders, you can leave the paperwork to the machine and get back to work faster.
Protect your shredder by feeding the correct quantity of paper at a time. If you need extra horsepower for the office, invest in a heavy-duty commercial paper shredder that will destroy your documents with ease. With these machines, you can increase your shredding loads and get back to work sooner. For more reliable paper shredders, browse our collection at Capital Shredder today.