1. This is a machine that is rapidly becoming known for its impressive capacity and power. The 20814 gives you the ability to shred up to 18 sheets of paper at a time, and works at a swift clip of 50 feet of paper per minute. This all adds up to a remarkable 2,000 to 12,000 sheets of paper a day. The fact that it does all this while offering you a FACTA compliant ( and more than adequate for the vast majority of shredding work) cross cut Level 3 security is a major plus too. We simply haven t seen a lot of machines out there with such a nice combination of capacity and security.
2. The 20814, like the rest of Dahle s Department shredder line, uses a cutting system that we find pretty smart and effective. First of all, the motor is a nice and powerful 2 HP. Secondly, the cutting shafts are made of the best German steel and are guaranteed for the life of the machine. What we really liked though, was the innovative (for a shredder) steel chain and gear operation of the motor (similar to that of a bicycle) that we would have to think virtually eliminates the chance of any gear slippage or flexing ever occurring.
3. While a lot of shredders out there have 8.5 or maybe 12 feed openings, the 20814 offers an opening width of sixteen inches. That will not only allow you to process the vast majority of documents with ease, you will also be able to shred that green and white computer paper, and any other oversized sheets you may encounter.
4. This system offers a great Level 3 cross cut and even provides an impressive shred bin size of 35 gallons. All of that to say, the Dahle 20814 will require fewer bag changes than most other shredding machines available on the market. We can t tell you how much we appreciate that, especially for a machine that is meant to see a lot of use in the typical day.
5. The 20814 is rated for continuous use, meaning that you will not have to worry about overheating nearly as much as you would for the typical machine.
Weaknesses:
1. Just like any shredder on the market, you will have to make sure that the 20814 is oiled on a regular basis. To help you do that, Dahle offers an automatic oiling system as an add on to the 20814, as well as its other machines. Some of the other higher end machines on the market include oiling systems as part of the original purchase, but Dahle does not. If you do not opt for the auto oiling system you will need to make sure that you have a bottle of shredder oil on hand so that you are prepared to regularly oil the machine.
2. The 20814 s ability to shred staples and paper clips is nice, but you will find that this machine is not rated to handle digital media such as CDs, DVDs, or floppy discs. If you think you will need that capability, you will have to step up to a machine from Dahle s Multi Media line.
Author Resource:
Jeff McRitchie is the designer and Director of Marketing for http://www.mybinding.com .He has written over 500 articles on binding machines,binding covers,binders,laminators,binding supplies,laminating supplies,paper handling equipments,index tabs, and shredders.