Dahle 20422 Level 4 Cross Cut Small Office Paper Shredder Review

Offering even the smallest businesses Level 4 security in the destruction of their sensitive documents, the Dahle 20422 is intended for light to medium daily use by multiple people in a small office setting. We took a look at this machine recently and compiled a list of what we consider to be its strengths and weaknesses.

Strengths:

1. Just because your company is small doesn't mean that you can't be hurt by sensitive information falling into the wrong hands. The biggest strength of the 20422 is the Level 4 security that it provides even the smallest business. Level 4 security is what is recommended to destroy and protect the confidential documents that are crucial to the survival of your business. It also makes you compliant with federal laws that mandate the proper destruction of the private information of your customers, employees and clients, protecting you from disastrous liability lawsuits.
2. All of Dahle's shredders feature cutting heads that are made from the strongest German steel. Most other shredders use a system of stacked cutting knives, but the 20422's are perfectly matched and formed from a solid bar of steel, making them among the strongest in the world, especially for a small shredder. They can handle staples and paper clips with ease, and are guaranteed by Dahle for the life of the machine.
3. The 20422 is incredibly easy to operate with one toggle switch that allows you to choose continuous run, reverse, or an auto on and off function that electronically senses the presence of the sheets you intend to shred, and starts the shredder automatically.
4. In a general office setting, is always a good idea to keep noisy distractions to a minimum, and the 20422 runs remarkably quietly. It is able to do this because the cutting heads are encased and then placed on rubber shock mounts to cut the vibration to the cabinet. The cabinet is also constructed out of solid wood which helps even more in dampening the sound.
5. The 20422 offer easy access to its shred bag with a swing open door. The shred box comes right out, making emptying it much easier (you can line the box with Dahle's shred bags to make it even easier). The shredder turns itself off automatically when the shred bag is full and needs to be attended to, and also when the cabinet door is opened, which is a nice safety feature.

Weaknesses:

1. As is almost always the case when it comes to shredders, with added security must come decreased capacity. The 20422 can still handle up to 12 sheets at a time, which is not bad, but if you want more productivity while still remaining FACTA compliant, you may want to look into purchasing the Dahle 20314, a Level 3 security shredder from the same line as the 20422.
2. While the 20422 should meet the needs of the average small business just fine, if you are going to be doing large amounts of shredding on a regular basis (more than 100-400 or so sheets per day) you might want to look into a machine with a higher HP motor, or one that is rated for continuous use.