Identifying which cross cut paper shredders give you the most for your money begins with a piece of paper and pen. Ask yourself what you will use it for and where you will be using it. In an office, a hard wearing machine that can handle a large number of pages and continuous use is a good choice. People tend to use their work machines harder and longer than those they own themselves so it much be able to take a fair amount of abuse. At home, a unit that sits on your desk and handles only a few pages is a better choice.