DAHLE CleanTEC 51514 Oil-Free Paper Shredder w/Fine Dust Filter, Jam Protection, SmartPower, Security Level P-4, 26 Sheet Max, 5+ Users

The DAHLE CleanTEC 51514 is an oil-free department shredder that cuts 26 sheets per pass to DIN 66399 security level P-4 and drops the 1/8 x 1 9/16 in particles into a 38-gallon bin. Its built-in CleanTEC filter holds back up to 98% of fine paper dust, so a high-throughput machine can stand in shared office space instead of a back room. It is aimed at groups of five or more people who want the biggest P-4 pass in the CleanTEC cabinets without any oiling routine.

CleanTEC 51514 at a glance

• 26 sheets of 20 lb bond per pass, or 28 of 16 lb bond
• P-4 for paper and O-3 for CDs and DVDs
• Cutting cylinders that run dry, so there is nothing to lubricate
• 38-gallon bin inside a cabinet on lockable casters
• 12-inch throat and a 52 dB noise rating
• Two years of machine cover plus a lifetime warranty on the cutting cylinders

How the 51514 copes with a whole floor of paperwork

The pass size is the reason to choose this model. A cleared filing drawer can go through in a few large handfuls rather than many small ones, and the 12-inch opening accepts letter, legal and 11 x 17 tabloid pages without folding. Paper moves through at 18 ft/min.

Behind the cutters sits a chain-driven motor rated for continuous duty, thermally protected and mounted on rubber shock absorbers. If someone pushes in too thick a stack, Trident Grip jam protection reverses it out rather than letting the head stall. Staples, paper clips and credit cards can stay in the pile, and discs are accepted at O-3.

Dust control and upkeep on the CleanTEC 51514

Because the Matrix cylinders are designed to run without lubricant, nobody has to buy oil sheets or check a reservoir, which suits a machine that belongs to everyone and is maintained by no one in particular. Two items do recur: the CleanTEC air filter, Dahle part 20710, and liners for the bin. The 38-gallon drawer takes Dahle 20726 bags (sized for 31 to 55 gallon bins, 100 per box), which are sold separately.

Plan the floor space before ordering. The cabinet is 20 in wide, 29 in deep and 34.5 in tall, weighs 143 lb and needs room in front for the drawer to slide fully out. Keep a small gap behind it so the filter can draw and exhaust air.

CleanTEC 51514 specifications

51514 against its nearest Dahle siblings

• Dahle 50514: the same 26-sheet P-4 pass, 38-gallon bin and 52 dB rating, without the CleanTEC dust filter. A sensible saving where dust is not a concern.
• DAHLE CleanTEC 51522: the same 38-gallon cabinet with a P-5 head and automatic oiler, at 16 sheets per pass.
• DAHLE CleanTEC 51564: P-4 with a 16-inch throat and a 45-gallon bin, at 22 sheets per pass.
• DAHLE CleanTEC 51464: the office-size P-4 cabinet, taking 24 sheets into a 30-gallon bin.

Is the 51514 the right fit?

It is a strong match for finance teams, school offices, clinics and records rooms where one shredder serves many people, P-4 meets the destruction policy, and the usual complaint is queuing rather than particle size. Look at another model if your policy calls for P-5 or finer, if you regularly feed sheets wider than tabloid, or if only two or three people will use it, since a smaller cabinet costs less and takes up less of the room.