Before you specify
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the AF350 give me over the AF300?
A 350-sheet feed tray instead of 300, in a cabinet that is 435 mm deep and 837 mm tall against the AF300's 381 x 740 mm. Cut size, 12-14 sheet manual capacity, 610 W motor, 9.45-inch throat, 35-litre bin, noise level and warranty are all identical. It is a genuinely marginal upgrade; buy it if the extra tray capacity matches how you work, not because the model number is higher.
Can it shred CDs, DVDs and credit cards?
Yes. This is the only AF350 configuration with an optical media rating, at destruction class O-3, and it handles credit cards at T-4. Feed discs and cards singly through the manual slot rather than inside a paper stack. The P-5 and P-6 versions of the AF350 carry no O rating at all and should be used for paper only, which is a common reason to choose this variant.
How often will I be changing the bag?
HSM rates the 35-litre bin at approximately 415 sheets of P-4 waste, so a full 350-sheet tray takes it to roughly 85% capacity. In practical terms, one full tray-load equals one bag change. HSM lists bag part 1661995050, a 100-pack sized 530 x 340 x 1000 mm, which also fits the SECURIO B22, B24, AF150 and AF300 - useful if you run a mixed fleet.
Is P-4 acceptable for confidential business documents?
For general confidential material, yes; P-4 is the level most organisations write into a standard destruction policy. Where the paper contains regulated personal data - health records, financial account details, special-category HR files - many policies now specify P-5. Check your own policy rather than the machine's marketing: the DIN class your organisation has committed to is the only answer that matters at audit.
Is this shredder NSA approved?
No. NSA/CSS Specification 02-01 requires particles no larger than 1 mm x 5 mm and requires the specific model to be listed on the NSA Evaluated Products List. This machine cuts 4.5 x 30 mm at DIN P-4, which is several classes below that, and it does not appear on the list. It is not suitable for classified material, and no amount of DIN rating substitutes for EPL listing.
Will it take stapled and clipped files?
Yes. HSM rates the machine for paper containing staples and paper clips, and the rollers are solid steel and induction hardened, so files can be fed as they come out of the drawer. Through the automatic tray, keep stapled bundles thin - a heavy staple can bind the sheet separator - and use the manual slot for thick ones. Remove ring binders, bulldog clips, plastic wallets and laminated pages first.
Is it quiet enough to sit in an open office?
HSM quotes approximately 56 dB(A) at idle, which is comparable to background conversation. Under load it is clearly audible, as any shredder is, but it does not need to be banished to a corridor. Because the tray runs with the lid closed and stops by itself, most of the noise happens while nobody is standing at the machine, which is easier to live with than continuous manual feeding.