The average worker uses 10,000 sheets of paper each year. Here's what you need to look for when choosing guillotine paper cutters.
For average businesses, paper consumption increases by 22% per year. This means in 3.3 years, your paper consumption doubles. Invest in a paper cutter that can keep up with your paper consumption.
How exactly can you do that? There are certain things you need to look for:
Guillotine Paper Cutters Should Have a Finger Guard
A finger guard should run along the length of the trimmer's base. This safety feature prevents your fingers from coming into contact with the blade while you're cutting paper.
Some finger guards cover both sides of a trimmer's base for increased protection.
Finger guards are usually plastic, but there are metal ones available too.
Never remove the finger guard from a guillotine paper cutter. That will turn using this office tool into a dangerous experience.
Tension Spring
A tension spring is what prevents a guillotine paper cutter from acting like an actual guillotine. The tension spring is attached to the blade so it won't move without your permission.
With a tension spring, the blade will not pop up or come down when you least expect it. Without one, you risk getting injured by simply cutting paper.
If your tension spring stops working, either get it repaired or get a new paper cutter. The risk isn't worth waiting to take care of. Under no circumstances should you ever use a paper cutter with a broken tension spring.
Blade Latch
The blade latch holds the blade in place when you're not using the paper guillotine. Usually, it's a little wire that hooks over the handle. Sometimes, it's a piece of metal attached to the bottom of the handle.
The blade latch prevents the blade from popping up. It also prevents people from cutting themselves by moving their hands along the blade.
Keep your blade latched whenever it's not in use. Doing so will reduce the risk of you and others getting cut.
Size
How big should your paper cutter be? It depends on how much paper you plan on cutting.
You can only cut a couple of papers at a time with a small paper cutter. A larger paper cutter can handle larger volumes of paper.
Consider the thickness of the paper you'll be cutting. Bigger guillotine paper cutters can generally cut through a 3-inch stack of paper.
When choosing a size, it's important to consider how often you'll be using the paper cutter. A small paper cutter won't do you any good with large loads of paper.
Portability
Will you be using the paper cutter in 1 location or more? If you're sticking to a single location, larger guillotine paper cutters are okay.
If you need to move the paper cutter to different locations, choose a smaller paper cutter.
Cut Your Papers Perfectly
Paper cuts hurt more because your fingers have more nerve fibers than the rest of your body. If that hurts, just imagine what poorly-made guillotine paper cutters can do.
Invest wisely: Get a paper cutter that suits your needs.
Stay safe and buy a reputable paper cutter. You won't be sorry.
