Before you specify
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this shredder actually NSA approved?
Yes, on both of the tests that matter. Its 0.8 x 5 mm particle meets the 1 mm x 5 mm maximum in NSA/CSS Specification 02-01, and "Kobra 260 TS HS-6" is named on the NSA/CSS EPL - Paper Shredders, January 2026 edition. A P-7 rating on its own would not be enough - plenty of P-7 machines are not listed. The EPL is reissued periodically, so verify the current edition on nsa.gov before a compliance purchase.
Can it shred credit cards, CDs or hard drives?
Not as supplied. Kobra rates the standard machine for paper and films only, and an optional separate cutting unit is required for cards and optical media. Feeding rigid plastic into a 0.8 mm P-7 head without that unit will damage it. Hard drives and SSDs are outside the scope of any paper shredder - they need a degausser, disintegrator or dedicated media destroyer.
Why is it so much slower than the other 260 TS models?
Because the particle is roughly forty times smaller in area than the P-4 cut on the 260 TS C4 AO. The same 3/4 HP motor has to make vastly more cuts per sheet, so capacity falls from 17-19 sheets to 3-4 at 80 gsm. That is the physics of the security level, not a limitation of this particular machine - every P-7 shredder in this size class behaves the same way.
What does the automatic oiler save me?
A recurring manual task that people skip. The system doses the head during operation, so lubrication happens whether or not anyone thinks about it. You still refill the reservoir. On a hand-oiled P-7 machine the head should be lubricated at every bin change; missing that repeatedly is the usual cause of premature cutter wear, and Kobra excludes lubrication-related damage from warranty.
How often will the bin need emptying?
Less often than the low sheet capacity might suggest, because you simply cannot put paper in fast enough to fill 80 litres quickly - but P-7 residue is dense, so the bag gets heavy before it looks full. In a secure office destroying a few hundred pages a day, plan on a weekly bag change. The bin-full interlock stops the cutters rather than letting waste pack back into the head.
Will legal-size paper fit?
Yes. US legal at 8.5 inches wide feeds through the 10.25-inch (260 mm) throat with room to spare and there is no limit on sheet length. Tabloid at 11 x 17 inch has to be folded, and at three to four sheets per pass a folded tabloid page effectively uses half your capacity. Avoid feeding folded stock into a P-7 head when you can flatten it instead.
Does it need to stay inside the secure area?
Almost always. Most policies treat the shredder, its bin and its waste as part of the chain of custody for the documents until destruction is complete. The cabinet is 40 cm wide and on castors, so it will fit in a secure room and can be repositioned without a trolley. Your security officer, not the manufacturer, sets the siting and waste-handling rules.