A Dahle shredder is necessary anytime there is a commercial need to shred cardboard, prevent identity theft or ensure precious personal data does not end up in the wrong hands. For banks, doctor's offices and attorney practices, the safety and protection of a client's personal information is an absolute must. Those who put little attention in the matter can be putting their reputation at great risk.



As high quality shredders can run in the thousands, it is essential to make sure the right type and model is chosen for its given use. As many shredders are listed by capacity, it is a good idea to approximate how many documents will be shredded in a single day. Depending on the capacity one will have a choice between everything from personal size shredders to high capacity industrial shedders.

Personal size shredders are capable of shredding approximately one hundred sheets per day while small office shredders can do up to four hundred sheets per day. Certain models of large office shredders hit upwards of two thousand sheets per day. Multimedia shredders and department shredders can handle anywhere from eight to twelve thousand sheets in a single day. Specialized high capacity shredders are known to shred around thirty thousand sheets of paper per day.

One will also need to consider what type of cut they want in a Dahle shredder. Heavy duty strip cut shredders are commonly used for cardboard and laminate whereas cross cutting shredders are common for obliterating financial documents. The more sensitive the information, the finer the cut should be.

The level of cut is often defined by security levels. Security level one simply shreds general documents while security level two strip shreds sensitive internal documents. Security level three uses a cross cut to shred documents of a confidential nature and level four finely cross cuts highly sensitive documents. Level five and six are disintegrative cuts that are used to prevent espionage or the leakage of top secret information.

How often the Dahle shredder will be used plays a major factor in the decision making process. While some businesses only use a shredder once a month or quarterly, there are some businesses and government agencies that must use this type of equipment much more often. High volume shredding calls for larger, sturdier commercial sized units that can handle ten thousand documents or more per day.

There are other features that can be quite handy in a shredder. For instance, a thermally protected motor prevents overheating and burnout while rubber mounts make for a much quieter and smoother operation. An easy access waste receptacle will make emptying a shredder just that much easier.

Just before the final decision is made, it will be wise to inquire as to the maintenance of the shredder as well. Shredders used on a consistent basis can run into problems when bits of paper become jammed in the blades or other parts of the machine. To keep a shredder in tip top shape it will need to be lubricated by hand; although some models offer an automatic lubrication feature.

Thanks to the tenacity of thieves and other dishonest people, shredders have become a very necessary piece of modern office equipment. With identity theft and espionage on the rise, it is necessary to do everything possible to keep sensitive information safe. However, criminals can't do any damage if they never get their hands on the information they need.

This makes a Dahle shredder an obvious choice for any type of venue that handles private and sensitive information on a regular basis. Not only will it save individuals thousands in fraud related woes, a company can up its reputation by providing its clients with a strong level of security.