How to choose a Shredder

There are many things to consider when purchasing a paper shredder and all the variables can seem overwhelming. After all, the privacy of your information is at stake so it’s important to make the right selection. With sheet capacity, motor size and waste volume to consider, the following questions will help you narrow down your selection to only a few models.

How much will you be shredding each day?

Personal Size Shredders: Up to 100 sheets per day
Small Office Shredders: Between 100 and 400 sheets per day
Office Shredders: Between 400 and 2,000 sheets a day
Multi+Media Shredders: Between 2,000 and 8,000 sheets per day
Department Shredders: Between 2,000 and 12,000 sheets per day
High Capacity Shredders: 20390 Series: Between 12,000 and 28,000 sheets per day
20450 Series: Between 28,000 and 2 tons of paper per day

What Level of Security Do You Need?

Security Level 1: For shredding general internal documents (Not available on Dahle Shredders)
Security Level 2: Strip Cut Particles - For shredding sensitive internal documents
Security Level 3: Cross Cut Particles - For shredding confidential documents
Security Level 4: Extremely Fine Cross Cut Particles - For shredding highly sensitive documents
Security Level 5: Espionage safe for extremely high demands of security
Security Level 6: NSA/CSS 02-01 specification set by DoD for the secure destruction of
Classified through Top Secret COMSEC documents
NSA/CSS 02-02: Highest security level for high security disintegrators

Do You Prefer Strip Cut or Cross Cut?

Documents are cut into thin unreadable pieces.
Generally the strips will be as long as the document.
Documents are cut in two directions producing
smaller particles and providing greater document security.

What Sets Dahle Apart From The Competition

The quality and craftsmanship that goes into Dahle shredders are what separate us from the competition. Our cutting heads are milled from a solid block of German Solingen steel and most sit on rubber shock mounts, making our shredders some of the quietest on the market. Here are some of the features that make our shredders unique to the industry:

  • Solid Cutting Head
  • State-of-the-Art Electronics
  • Thermally Protected Motor
  • Shock Mounted Cutting Cylinders
  • Chain Driven
  • All Steel Frame
  • Rugged Steel Strippers


You can click on the image to the right for a downloadable sheet describing the unique features of a Dahle paper shredder.