With a paper shredder, you shred paper. With some models, you can even destroy paper clips, staples, CDs and credit cards. If you're shredding sensitive information, choose a shredder with a high security standard. The higher the DIN P value, the smaller the chips are. You shred the paper manually or you choose a shredder that automatically shreds a stack of paper. Some shredders don't have a cooling down period. That means you can shred continuously without having to wait in between.