Before you specify
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this shredder NSA approved?
The Kobra 270 TS HS-6 appears on the NSA/CSS Evaluated Products List for Paper Shredders, listed under Marquis Business Systems, and its 0.8 x 5 mm particle satisfies the 1 mm x 5 mm dimensional requirement of NSA/CSS Specification 02-01. One caution: the EPL lists the model as 270 TS HS-6, without the AO suffix used for the auto-oiler build. If you are procuring against the EPL, have your security officer confirm the exact model designation on the current revision before you order.
How many sheets can it really take at once?
Kobra specifies four to five sheets of 70 g/m2 paper, dropping to three or four at 80 g/m2. US 20 lb bond is about 75 g/m2, so plan on four sheets and treat five as the ceiling. This is normal for P-7: the machine is converting one sheet into roughly 20,000 fragments, and the work per sheet is enormous. Feeding it like a general office shredder will jam it, which is why the load display is on the panel.
Can it shred CDs, DVDs or credit cards?
No. Kobra lists the shreddable materials for this model as paper and films only. Unlike the 270 TS C4 AO and the strip-cut models in the same family, the HS-6 build does not carry a separate optical media cutting unit, and pushing a disc or a card into the P-7 head risks damaging it. For optical media and cards you need a separate machine or a model with a dedicated media unit.
How often will the bin need emptying?
Less often than you would expect from the low sheet rate. Particle-cut waste is fine and packs densely, so a 29-gallon (110-litre) cabinet holds a very large number of destroyed sheets. In practice the limit on this machine is throughput, not bin volume. The practical warning is dust: P-7 waste is powdery, so empty carefully, and if the machine lives in a small room a bin liner rather than a loose fill is worth the small cost.
Does it need oiling, and does the AO version handle it?
It absolutely needs oiling, and the AO version handles it. A P-7 head has far more knife-to-paper contact than a cross-cut head, so lubrication is what keeps sheet capacity from collapsing. The integrated automatic oiling system feeds the knives from an on-board reservoir; your job is to keep that reservoir topped up with Kobra cutting-head oil and check it whenever you empty the bin. Never substitute cooking or aerosol oils.
Is there a cool-down period between runs?
No. The 500 W motor is rated for 24-hour continuous duty with thermal protection, so there is no timed rest interval. In practice a high-security shredder rarely gets near that limit because the sheet rate is low. If the machine does stop mid-run, it is almost always an overload rather than heat, and the automatic reverse plus the load display are there to get you out of it.
Will Legal and Tabloid paper fit?
Yes. The throat is 12.2 in (310 mm) wide, so US Letter and Legal both feed easily, and Tabloid at 11 x 17 in goes in 11 in edge first. A4 and A3 also fit. Bear in mind that the four-to-five-sheet capacity is quoted for A4, so on larger formats you should feed fewer sheets, not the same number. Fold nothing: folded paper counts as multiple thicknesses at the throat.
What warranty covers this machine in the US?
We do not publish a US warranty term on this page because Kobra's US warranty is set by the importing distributor rather than printed on the factory datasheet. Kobra's UK distributor publishes two years on the machine and ten years on the cutting blades (parts only) for this chassis, which is a reasonable guide to the factory position but not a US commitment. Ask us for the warranty document that ships with your unit before you order, and we will send the current terms in writing.