Offering small offices Level 3 cross-cut
shredding capabilities, the Dahle 20314 is intended for placement in a
centralized location, and to shred as many as 400 sheets per day. We took a look at one of these machines, and put together a list
of what we considered to be its strengths and weaknesses.
Offering small offices Level 3 cross-cut
shredding capabilities, the Dahle 20314 is intended for placement in a
centralized location, and to shred as many as 400 sheets per day. We
recently took a look at one of these machines, and put together a list
of what we considered to be its strengths and weaknesses.
Strengths:
The main strength of the
20314, as with all of Dahle's shredders, lies in the remarkably sturdy
cutting heads. Constructed out of solid bars of German steel, these
blades are inherently more durable and stronger than those which you
will find on most other machines (most of which employ a system of
stacked cutting knives). Dahle must have a lot of faith in their design
as well, because they guarantee these cutting heads for the life of the
shredder.
The 20314 is a Level 3 security cross
cut shredder, meaning that it complies with all federal FACTA
regulations pertaining to the destruction of documents containing the
personal and confidential information of your clients, customers, and
employees. If you want to protect yourself from the fines and other
liabilities that can result from that sort of information falling into
the hands of identity thieves, Level 3 is the way to go.
With
a centrally located, multiple user shredder, quiet operation is a big
plus. The 20314 does very well in this regard, encasing its cutting
heads and placing them on shock mounts to absorb the vibration before
it hits the cabinet. The wood construction of the cabinet also goes a
long way in deadening the inherent noise. All in all the 20314 is one
of the quieter small shredders on the market.
The
20314 is incredibly easy to operate, featuring a single toggle switch
that gives you the options of continuous run, reverse, or automatic on
and off which uses an electronic sensor to detect the sheets. There is
also an auto-off function and indicators to let you know when the shred
bag is full or the cabinet door is open.
The
swing-open door and removable bin make emptying the 20314 is a quick
and easy process. Dahle also makes bags that you can line the bin with
to cut down on the mess.
Weaknesses:
While
the feed opening if 9-1/2 inches is more than sufficient for the
majority of shredding jobs, if you need to shred larger sheets of paper
such as computer printouts on a regular basis, you might want to find a
machine with a larger opening.
While the 20314's
capacity of 15 sheets at a time and 13 feet per minute should be more
than adequate for small office use, if you have a bigger business, you
will want to find a more powerful machine, and Dahle makes several
shredders with stronger motors that feature the same remarkable cutting
head design.
This is not a machine that is cut
out for continuous use, and it should be treated as such. You will have
no problems if you stay within the stated capacity of the 20314, but if
you attempt to push it past its limits, the thermal protection will
kick in and the shredder will shut itself off until it sufficiently
cools down.
If you are interested in more information about the Dahle 20314 Small-Office Shredder, you might want to visit MyBinding.com. They offer a great price on this machine and they even offer Free Shipping. Plus, they carry the full line of Dahle Paper Shredders, shredder bags and shredder oil. Check it out today!
