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f you don't work for the Federal Reserve system, an intelligence agency or a U.S. embassy, you may not need "The Disintegrator." That most destructive of all shredders takes high volumes of paper and other material (even bound volumes up to the size of the New York City phone book, circuit boards, typewriter ribbons and such) and renders them into irregularly shaped confetti.

But every government office uses a shredder for personnel and confidential records, and many use them for other documents as well, says FSS' Jeanne Deck. As a result, shredder demand is at an all-time high, and the industry is very competitive. Prices are falling because of that competition and because of recent efficiencies in shredder manufacturing.

Technologically, shredders aren't changing much. They are a relatively simple product. The latest releases are quieter and create less dust. One innovation: Security Engineered Machinery, a top federal government vendor, has developed "briquetters." These high-volume shredder accessories compact shredded material into logs, or briquettes, that take up less room in a landfill (cutting hauling costs by 90 percent) or that can be burned for fuel, says Walter Eckbreth, FSS contracting officer.

When shopping for a shredder, consider these factors:

• The amount of paper to be shredded. The most common mistake buyers make is to underestimate the volume they will be destroying or how often the shredder will be used, says Leonard Rosen, CEO of SEM.
• The level of security. Strip-cut shredders work faster and are cheaper; crosscut shredders, which make records into confetti, are more expensive and operate more slowly.
• The size and type of the documents to be shredded. Some printers accommodate only 8 1/2-by-11-inch paper or only computer printouts; some are designed for single sheets or for a continuous feed; some can handle staples, paper clips or other non-paper items.

Although shredders aren't complex, the market for them is, says Better Buys for Business publisher John Derrick. "There are a lot of vendors, and many of them sell each others' products with minor tweaks," he says. "It's a jungle if you want to do your due diligence as a buyer."

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