Before you specify
Frequently Asked Questions
Is P-4 secure enough for personal data?
For most commercial purposes, yes. DIN 66399 P-4 caps particle area at 160 mm2, and the 20396's 3.2 x 39.7 mm cut comes in at roughly 127 mm2 - comfortably inside. P-4 is the level normally specified for confidential business records and personal data. If your own policy, a client contract or a regulator names P-5 or above, this model does not meet it and you should look at the 20392 instead.
Can it shred CDs, DVDs and credit cards?
Yes. Dahle rates the 20396 for CDs and DVDs, credit cards, staples and paper clips in addition to paper. Feed optical discs and cards one at a time rather than in a stack, and not immediately after a heavy paper run, since they are far harder on the cylinders than paper is. Do not feed ring binders, binder clips or anything with a metal spine.
How many people can share it?
Dahle positions the 20396 for five or more users. In practice the sheet rating is high enough that the queue forms at the machine, not inside it - 38 sheets a pass at 22 ft/min clears a full inbox tray quickly. It is a shared-floor or records-room machine. For two to four people a 23-gallon cabinet with a 10.25-inch throat costs far less and empties about as often.
What bags fit, and are any included?
None are included. The 50-gallon bin falls inside the range covered by Dahle 20726 shred bags, sold 100 to a box for shredders of 31-55 gallons. They are 1.5 mil gusseted plastic. A cheaper thin liner will fit but tends to split when a full bag of cross-cut waste is lifted, which turns a two-minute bin change into a floor-sweeping job.
Will 11 x 17 tabloid sheets go through?
Yes. The feed opening is 16 inches wide, so tabloid and legal sheets enter unfolded when fed short-edge first. Note that the 38-sheet rating is measured with letter-size #20 bond; wide or heavy stock occupies more of the cutting width at once, so reduce the stack size accordingly rather than assuming 38 sheets of anything.
How often does the oiler need refilling?
Dahle does not publish a fixed refill interval, because it depends on duty. The EvenFlow Lubricator meters oil continuously rather than in doses, so the practical routine is to check the reservoir level whenever you change the bag and top it up with Dahle 20721 or 20722 oil before it runs dry. Never substitute vegetable oil or aerosol lubricants - they leave a residue that makes jamming worse.
Is this shredder NSA approved?
No, and it is not intended to be. The 20396 is a P-4 cross-cut machine; NSA/CSS 02-01 requires a maximum 1 mm x 5 mm particle and the model being named on the NSA/CSS Evaluated Products List. The 20396 meets neither test. For classified destruction, the EPL-listed model built on this same chassis is the Dahle 20394.