Before you specify
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the KOBRA 300 HS-6 genuinely NSA approved?
Yes, subject to the usual caveat. The Kobra 300 HS-6 appears by name on the NSA/CSS Evaluated Products List for Paper Shredders (April 2026 revision), listed under Marquis Business Systems, and its 0.8 x 5 mm particle meets the 1 mm x 5 mm requirement of NSA/CSS Specification 02-01. The EPL is revised periodically and a P-7 rating on its own never constitutes NSA approval, so confirm the current revision with your security officer before you procure against it.
How many sheets can it take at once?
Five to six sheets of 70 g/m2 A4, or five sheets at 80 g/m2. US 20 lb bond is about 75 g/m2, so five is the number to plan around. That is normal for a particle cut: each sheet is being reduced to roughly 20,000 fragments. Overfeeding is the main cause of stoppages on high-security machines, so build the habit of counting rather than eyeballing the stack, particularly if several people share the machine.
Can it shred CDs, DVDs or credit cards?
No. Kobra lists paper and films only for the 300 HS-6. There is no separate optical media unit on this model, and forcing a disc or a card through a 0.8 x 5 mm head risks damaging knives that are expensive to replace. Optical media destruction for classified material is covered by a different NSA EPL category and generally needs a dedicated optical media destroyer, not a paper shredder.
Will Legal or Tabloid paper fit?
Yes, with slightly less margin than the larger Kobra machines. The feed opening is 12 in (300 mm), so US Letter and Legal go in comfortably and Tabloid at 11 x 17 in fits on its 11 in edge. A4 and A3 also fit. Sheet capacity is quoted for A4, so drop the count when feeding anything larger. Never fold sheets to feed them: a fold doubles the thickness at exactly the point where this machine has the least headroom.
How often will the 22-gallon bin need emptying?
Not often, because throughput is the limiting factor rather than volume. Particle-cut waste is fine and packs tightly, so 85 litres holds a large number of destroyed sheets. The practical issue is dust: P-7 waste is powdery and gets airborne when the bin is tipped. Empty it into a sealed sack rather than an open container, and keep in mind that the waste itself is still classified material until it leaves your custody under whatever chain-of-custody rules apply.
Does it need oiling?
Yes, and more attentively than a cross-cut machine. A P-7 head has an enormous amount of knife-to-paper contact, and letting it run dry is the fastest way to lose sheet capacity and jam it. The 300 HS-6 does not have the integrated automatic oiler fitted to the 270 TS HS-6 AO, so oiling is a manual task. Use Kobra cutting-head oil, apply it across the throat as directed in the manual, and never substitute cooking or aerosol oils.
Is there a duty cycle or rest period?
No. Kobra specifies two 24-hour continuous duty motors with thermal protection, so there is no timed cool-down interval. In practice the machine rarely gets near a thermal limit because a five-sheet pass rate keeps average load low. If it stops mid-run it is almost certainly an overload rather than heat, and the automatic reverse is the intended remedy.
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.