Before you specify
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 4.5 x 30 mm genuinely P-4?
Yes. The particle area is 135 mm2 and DIN 66399 allows up to 160 mm2 at P-4, so it classifies properly with room to spare. It is at the coarser end of the level though: the Pure 320 cross-cut, for instance, produces a 117 mm2 particle. If your destruction policy specifies a maximum particle dimension rather than a DIN class, check the 4.5 x 30 mm figure against it before ordering.
Can it destroy CDs, DVDs and old ID cards?
Yes to all three. The full rating is E-3, F-1, O-3, P-4, T-4: O covers optical data carriers, T covers magnetic ones such as bank and access cards, F covers film. Feed discs and cards one at a time, not mixed into a stack of paper. This is the smallest machine in the Pure range that offers P-4 paper security and optical media destruction together.
How often will a busy team empty the bin?
HSM rates the 35 litre container at about 420 shredded sheets in this cut. A ten-person office destroying a hundred pages a day would empty it roughly every four days. The full-bin display tells you before it becomes a problem and the machine shuts off automatically, so the failure mode is a pause rather than a jammed cutting head.
Will it take a stapled report in one go?
Only a short one. Thirteen to fifteen sheets is the pass limit at 80 g/m2, so a thirty-page stapled report needs splitting into two or three feeds. The staples themselves are not a problem - HSM specifies the induction-hardened rollers to handle staples and paper clips. Bulldog clips, plastic comb bindings, ring binders and laminated covers must be removed first.
Is this shredder NSA approved for classified material?
No. NSA/CSS 02-01 requires a maximum particle size of 1 mm by 5 mm and requires the individual model to be listed on the NSA Evaluated Products List. This machine cuts 4.5 x 30 mm and is not listed. A P-4 rating and an NSA listing are entirely different things, and any supplier suggesting otherwise is wrong. For classified destruction you need a listed P-7 machine.
Does it need oiling, and how often?
Particle-cut cutting heads benefit from regular lubrication, and neglecting it is the usual reason a cross-cut shredder loses capacity over a couple of years. Use HSM shredder oil, applied across the full width of the intake with the machine running, then run it briefly in reverse. The manual gives the recommended interval for your usage level. Never substitute aerosol lubricant or vegetable oil.
What exactly does the lifetime warranty cover?
The cutting rollers. HSM's lifetime cover applies to the induction-hardened solid steel cutting rollers on its P-2 to P-5 shredders, and this P-4 machine sits comfortably inside that band. It is worth noting that the same guarantee does not extend to HSM's P-6 and P-7 high-security heads, which is a genuine consideration if you are weighing this machine against a higher-security one.