Paper vs. Multimedia vs. Digital Destruction, Which Intimus Shredder I

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Choosing the right shredder begins with identifying what needs to be destroyed: paper documents, multimedia devices, or digital storage formats. Intimus, a leading German manufacturer, offers high-performance shredders tailored to each of these categories. Whether for basic office shredding, classified document disposal, or destruction of digital media like hard drives and smartphones, the right solution ensures both compliance and peace of mind.

This blog outlines the differences between paper, multimedia, and digital data destruction solutions offered by Intimus. It introduces category-specific Intimus shredders with detailed descriptions, use cases, and specifications to help organizations choose the most effective and compliant solution.

What Are the Different Types of Paper Shredders and How Do They Compare?

Paper shredders are essential for protecting printed information, especially in offices handling sensitive financial, legal, or healthcare records. These shredders vary by cut type and security level. Strip-cut models provide basic protection, while cross-cut shredders offer higher security for confidential files. For the highest security needs, micro-cut shredders produce tiny particles ideal for highly confidential documents and top-secret data protection. Security levels are defined by DIN 66399, with ratings ranging from P-1 (basic) to P-7 (top secret).

To meet different use cases, Intimus offers paper shredders across various categories:

Small Office Shredders for light personal use
Medium Office Shredders for daily multi-user teams
Large Office Shredders with wide feeds and higher capacity
Department Shredders for centralized, continuous operation
Industrial Shredders for archive disposal and bulk shredding
High Security Shredders for classified material requiring NSA/CSS compliance

Each model is engineered with features like auto-oiling, anti-jam systems, and quiet operation for seamless integration into any professional environment.

What Are the Best Methods to Destroy SSDs, Phones, and Other Digital Media?

Digital storage devices like SSDs, mobile phones, USB sticks, and hard drives cannot be securely destroyed using traditional paper shredders. Intimus offers variety of Multimedia solutions that ensure the destruction of sensitive data on various digital media devices. These media require specialized destruction methods that fall into two categories, physical destruction and magnetic erasure.

Physical Destruction

Physical destruction uses mechanical force to damage the internal structure of digital storage devices. This includes crushing, shredding, perforating, or granulating, ensuring data is irretrievably destroyed.

Office media shredders, allow direct destruction of SSDs, phones, and USBs in real-time at the desk. They offer plug-and-play convenience for everyday use..
Industrial media shredders rely on high torque and low-speed systems to break apart bulkier materials, including server-mounted drives.
Granulators, operate with rotating and fixed blades to create uniform, certifiable particle sizes. The security level can be customized by selecting the appropriate sieve screen.

Magnetic Erasure

Degaussing is a non-destructive process that uses intense magnetic fields to erase stored data on magnetic media such as hard drives, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes. This method is clean, energy-efficient, and eliminates data without generating physical waste. This process does not destroy the physical structure, eliminates data without generating physical waste and allowing the device to be safely recycled afterward.

Magnetic erasure is ideal for organizations seeking environmentally friendly disposal and recyclable outcomes. It eliminates the release of toxic elements like mercury or lead, which may be present in shredded devices. In addition to lowering environmental impact, this method supports continuous operation with fast cycle times and minimal noise, making it suitable for office and data center environments.

Paper Destruction Solutions for Every Office Environment

Small Office shredders for personal document disposal

Small office shredders are designed for occasional but sensitive document destruction in home offices or small office spaces. These models are compact, quiet, and capable of handling everyday materials like staples and credit cards.

Intimus 45 CP4 is ideal for 2-4 users needing to shred private financials, HR documents, and optical media. It includes a dual collection system for paper and CDs, anti-jam tech, and an energy-saving auto shut-off.

Sheet Capacity: Up to 15 sheets
Cut Type: Cross-cut (3.8 mm x 30 mm)
Security Level: P-4
Bin Capacity: 12 gallons
Shreddable Materials: Paper, staples, paper clips, credit cards, CDs, DVDs, floppy disks

Medium Office shredders for daily document workflows

For workgroups handling sensitive paperwork across departments like HR, legal, or accounting, medium office shredders offer greater throughput and bin capacity and easier maintenance.

Intimus 120 CP5 features an intuitive control panel, anti-jam control, and a sealed dust-free cabinet. It’s built to handle up to 17 and supports 5+ users daily shredding of documents and digital media discs.

Sheet Capacity: Up to 17 sheets
Cut Type: Cross Cut (1.9 mm x 15 mm)
Security Level: P-5
Bin Capacity: 31.75 gallons
Shreddable Materials: Paper, staples, paper clips, credit cards, CDs, DVDs, floppy disks

Large Office shredders for multi-user departments

When multiple users need to dispose of large volumes of documents securely, large office shredders provide larger bins, feed widths, and advanced overload prevention systems.

Intimus 130 CP4 supports wide-format input, up to 25 sheets per pass, and is built for shared departmental use. It includes anti-jam systems and quiet operation for open office environments.

Sheet Capacity: Up to 25 sheets
Cut Type: Cross-cut (3.8 mm x 36 mm)
Security Level: P-4
Bin Capacity: 34.25 gallons
Shreddable Materials: Paper, staples, paper clips, credit cards

Department shredders for centralized shredding

Departmental shredders serve as centralized destruction stations for teams that handle bulk documentation daily. These units are built for continuous performance and diverse input types and high-volume processing.

Intimus H200 CP4 features a hopper feed for crumpled paper and a bypass sheet feeder for continuous forms. Its durable paddle system and 53-gallon waste bin make it suitable for centralized shredding stations.

Sheet Capacity: Up to 80 sheets
Cut Type: Cross-cut (3.8 mm x 40 mm)
Security Level: P-4
Bin Capacity: 53 gallons
Shreddable Materials: Paper, staples, paper clips, credit cards, CDs, DVDs, floppy disks

Industrial shredders for high-volume destruction

Facilities that manage file purges, print waste, or high-volume contracts require i Industrial shredders. They are engineered for continuous-duty, high-volume destruction in environments that manage records, archives, or service-based shredding operations.

Intimus 14.95 includes a conveyor-fed input, large staging table, and automatic oiler. It processes up to 130 sheets in one pass and is built for frequent, heavy-duty use.

Sheet Capacity: Up to 130 sheets
Cut Type: Cross-cut (6 mm x 50 mm)
Security Level: P-3
Bin Capacity: 52 gallons
Shreddable Materials: Paper, staples, paper clips, credit cards, CDs, DVDs, floppy disks

High security shredders for classified document disposal

Government departments and contractors need certified shredders that comply with P-7 security protocols. For top-secret documents, high-security shredders must meet P-7 NSA/CSS standards. These models ensure documents are destroyed beyond reconstruction.

Intimus 175 CP7 is NSA/CSS listed and includes micro-cut shredding, ultra-quiet operation, and automatic oiling. It supports 29 reams per hour and fits seamlessly into high-security environments.

Sheet Capacity: Up to 11 sheets
Cut Type: Micro-cut (0.8 mm x 4.5 mm)
Security Level: P-7
Bin Capacity: 46.25 gallons
Shreddable Materials: Paper only

Category	Model	Sheet Capacity	Cut Type	Security Level	Bin Capacity	Shreddable Materials
Small Office	Intimus 45 CP4	Up to 15	Cross-cut	P-4, F-1, O-2, T-2	12 gal	Paper, staples, clips, credit cards, CDs, DVDs
Medium Office	Intimus 120 CP5	Up to 17	Cross-cut	P-5,F-2, O-1,T-2	31.75 gal	Paper, staples, clips, credit cards, CDs, DVDs
Large Office	Intimus 130 CP4	Up to 25	Cross-cut	P-4, F-1,O-3, T-2, E-3	34.25 gal	Paper, staples, clips, credit cards
Department	Intimus H200 CP4	Up to 80	Cross-cut	P-4, F-1, O-3, T-4	53 gal	Paper, staples, clips, credit cards, optical media
Industrial	Intimus 14.95	Up to 130	Cross-cut	P-3, O-3,T-3, E-2	52 gal	Paper, staples, clips, credit cards, CDs, DVDs
High Security	Intimus 175 CP7	Up to 11	Micro-cut	P-7	46.25 gal	Paper only

Multimedia shredders for physical device destruction

Office media shredders for on-site digital device disposal

Office media shredders destroy flash drives, SSDs, CDs, credit cards, and mobile phones in real time. They are suitable for IT offices and data-heavy departments requiring frequent on-demand disposal.

Intimus FlashEx is plug-and-play ready and shreds solid-state media directly at the desk. Its transparent safety slot, claw-like cutting cylinders, and real-time processing make it secure and practical.

Cut Size: 4 mm x 15 mm
Security Level: O-3, E-3, H-4, T-4
Bin Capacity: 7 gallons
Shreddable Materials: SSDs, smartphones, mobile phones, mini tablets, USB drives

Multimedia combo shredders for mixed-media environments

For workspaces that handle both physical documents and digital storage, combo shredders process a wide range of materials using dedicated feed systems.

Intimus OmniShred features a rugged build with a paddle-feed system and dual entry points. It supports the destruction of everything from laminated cards and prescription bottles to flat sheets and USB drives.

Sheet Capacity: Up to 33 sheets, 4 discs
Cut Type: Cross-cut (3.6 mm x 43 mm)
Security Level: P-4
Bin Capacity: 30 gallons
Shreddable Materials: Flat paper, crumpled paper, credit cards, USBs, floppy disks, laminated IDs, X-rays, optical media, adhesive labels, acetate

Granulators for precision particle destruction

Granulators provide the highest level of physical destruction for digital media. They are suitable for environments with strict compliance and verifiable destruction standards.

Intimus SSD and HDD Granulator uses interchangeable screens to produce particles as small as 3 x 3 mm. It handles dual feeds for SSDs and HDDs and is engineered for centralized, high-throughput shredding.

Cut Size: SSD up to 3 x 3 mm, HDD up to 12 x 12 mm
Security Level: E-5, T-6, H-5
Bin Capacity: 34.34 gallons
Shreddable Materials: SSDs, USBs, smartphones, tablets, HDDs, CDs, DVDs, Blu-Rays, floppy disks, small tapes, credit cards

Digital erasure with magnetic degaussers

Degaussing eliminates magnetic data without physically damaging the drive. It is ideal for reuse, safe recycling, or disposal with minimal environmental impact.

Intimus 8000S Degausser generates a magnetic field of 10,000 Gauss and erases all magnetic data within 8 seconds. It is lightweight, compact, and supports continuous office operation without emissions or noise.

Cycle Time: 8 seconds
Magnetic Field: 10,000 Gauss
Throughput: Up to 1920 HDDs/hour
Media Types: Hard drives, floppy disks, magnetic tapes

Category	Model	Cut Size	Security Level	Bin Capacity	Shreddable Materials
Office Media	Intimus FlashEx	4 x 15 mm	H-4, O-3, T-4, E-3	7 gal	SSDs, phones, USBs, mini tablets
Multimedia Combo	Intimus OmniShred	3.6 x 43 mm	P-4, O-3, E-3,T-4, F-1	30 gal	Paper, USBs, floppy disks, CDs, bottles, labels, X-rays
Granulator	SSD and HDD Granulator	3 x 3 / 12 x 12 mm	E-5, T-6, H-5, F-4	34.34 gal	SSDs, HDDs, smartphones, Blu-rays, credit cards
Degaussing	Intimus 8000S	10,000 Gauss	N/A	N/A	HDDs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks

Conclusion

Secure data disposal depends on identifying the right destruction method, what needs to be destroyed, the required compliance level, and the office environment. For paper documents, options range from personal-use models to high-security NSA-compliant units based on volume and sensitivity. For digital media such as flash drives and hard drives, Intimus offers shredders and granulators that ensure complete physical destruction. For magnetic storage, degaussers provide a quiet and eco-friendly way to erase data without leaving any trace.

Intimus provides tailored solutions for paper, digital, and magnetic data. Whether shredding documents, destroying storage devices, or erasing hard drives, each Intimus solution ensures secure, compliant, and reliable data destruction.

Still not sure which solution is right for you? Our experienced support team is here to answer your questions and help you find the ideal data destruction solution for your organization. Reach out via our contact form, send us an email, or give us a call at (800) 992-5279 for personalized guidance and expert advice.