Offering the highest level of paper-shredding
security, the Dahle 30434 is rated for use by government agencies and
their contractors. We recently took a look at the 30434 and put
together a list of what we consider to be its strengths and weaknesses.
Offering the highest level of paper-shredding
security, the Dahle 30434 is rated for use by government agencies and
their contractors. We took a look recently at the 30434 and put
together a list of what we consider to be its strengths and weaknesses.
Strengths:
The 30434 is a Level 6 security
shredder meaning that it is approved by the National Security Agency
for the shredding of top secret documents. This level of security is
what is required for the military and other government agencies and
research organizations (as well as some of the businesses contracted by
them), and may be a bit of overkill for the average private sector
business. Still, if you need this level of security, the 30434 shreds
paper into impressively tiny 1mm by 4.7mm bits (or 15,000 particles per
page), and you may rest assured that once a document has been put
through this shredder there is no chance it will ever be read again.
The
30434's cutting system is one of the most effective and durable on the
market. Dahle mills its cutting shafts out of a single bar of German
steel, meaning that they are perfectly matched and will not flex. The
cutting heads are operated by a gear and chain system which virtually
eliminates the slipping that can lead to paper jams.
The
feed width of 12 inches will easily accommodate letter and legal sized
papers which are by far the most common sheet sizes. This will get you
through the huge majority of shredding jobs.
The state of
the art controls make operating the 30434 a very simple process. You
can choose between auto on and off, continuous run, and reverse. The
machine will also turn itself off if the cabinet door is open or if the
shred bag needs to be emptied, and there is an auto reverse function in
case of a paper overfeed.
The 30434 is a well designed
machine as well. The shred bin holds an impressive 35 gallons of waste,
and with particles so small, you will find that you have to empty it
much less often than other types of shredders. As far as aesthetics go,
we think that this is one of the better looking office machines out
there, for those of you who are concerned about such things.
Weaknesses:
In
the world of shredders, you will often find that the higher security
level a machine offers, the lower its sheet capacity is likely to be.
That is simply one of the tradeoffs. While the 30434's stated capacity
of 12 sheets at a time is not bad for a Level 6 machine, if you are a
private business that is simply looking to comply with federal laws
regarding the destruction of documents containing the personal and
confidential information of your clients and employees, you can
accomplish that with a Level 3, 4, or 5 machine. Those systems will
offer better capacities for less money.
Because the cutting
heads are only guaranteed for one year (most of Dahle's other machines
guarantee them for life), you will want to make sure you oil them on a
regular basis, and may want to avoid putting anything but paper though
the cutters.
If you are interested in more information about the Dahle 30434 High-Security 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!
