Auto feed paper shredders, otherwise known as self-feeding or automatic paper shredders have been around for some time dating back almost 30 years. They have been continually improved throughout this time bringing us to where we are today. The early auto-feed paper shredders were introduced by REXEL. Being early models, they were nowhere near as efficient as the auto feed shredders of today. They were also expensive and quite large.

In this day and age, automation is growing faster than ever before. It’s unbelievable to think that cars can drive themselves, park themselves and can even recognise distance before breaking. As automated machinery is becoming more common in today’s world, shredding paper has also leapt into the fast-moving future. Shredding paper automatically is a new and far more efficient way of shredding. Once the paper has been loaded into the feed tray, the shredder can automatically start the shredding process. You may be thinking… What is the difference between regular shredding and automated shredding? Having an Auto shred machine allows the user to load the shredder but whilst the shredder is in operation, doesn’t need to be present.

In a nutshell it means you can skip out on waiting to load the next tray and spend your time more usefully.

A feature of new auto-feed paper shredders is the ability to manually feed paper as well as automatically shred. Most cannot do this simultaneously but it does add extra flexibility.

Feeding paper into a paper shredder with staples or paper clips is also very common. Whilst a lot of shredders are capable of this, it can alter performance. Typically, shredding documents with staples will slow down performance, however being automatic machines this shouldn't impact productivity as users will not be standing next to the shredder while it is running.

The other concern with paper clips & staples is that they can wear out the cutter blades quicker than only shredding un-stapled/fastened documents. You also need to be sure to check your manufacturer's warranty as they will sometimes stipulate that this wear is not covered by warranty. Another warranty item to be aware of is that shredding CDs and Credit Cards can also have an impact on shredder wear and may also void the warranty.

All in all, auto feed shredders can be a good option, but it's always a good idea to make sure you are purchasing the correct paper shredder (manual/auto, size etc.) for your intended use.